Tag: stays

A portmanteau of the words “motor” and “hotel,” motels cropped up across the country in the 1930s and ’40s in response to the growth of the U.S. highway system, peaking in the ’60s. Road trippers needed convenient places to stay, and no-frills spots that offered quick access from parking lot to pillow filled that void.

Since Southbound debuted in 2013, our staff and contributors have logged thousands of miles, consumed millions of calories, and taken countless notes and photos to showcase the very best destinations around the region. Although every place we’ve covered is special, some left a particularly powerful impression. Here, we give you the best of the very best, our favorite spots in the South.