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One of the four census regions of the US
Photo: Jujutacular, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The U.S. South has long had its own identity. Historically agrarian, it's known for maintaining traditional values, down-home hospitality, and a slower pace of life than other parts of the United States. The South is famous for its distinctive culture, accents, and music, and Southern cooking is so good a lot of visitors find themselves putting on a few pounds. If it's nature you're after, you can see huge swamps, ancient mountains, and historic plantations. So come on down, have some sweet tea, and see what it's all about.
By car
The coast is served well by the East Coast superhighway: I-95, which cuts through Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia on its route between the megalopolis BosWash in the northeast and Florida to the…
By bus
There are several affordable Chinatown buses that travel from New York to farther south along the Atlantic coast, as far as the Carolinas.
By train
Although Amtrak does serve some of the South's major cities through long distance trains, this is one of the most underserved parts of the USA in terms of train travel, in a country that already has…
Highway travel is by far the cheapest way to get around the South. Fast-paced interstate highways cover most of the region, and connect all major cities.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Chattanooga · Regional · CHA
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the largest city in Georgia; self-proclaimed capital of the New South, home to Coca-Cola
the largest city in Alabama; an industrial center dating back to an era when there wasn't much industry in the South
a major city in the South during Colonial days, with much of that history preserved today
the "Hornet's Nest", this city will give you a "sting" with its magnificent architecture
"Slugger City", the largest city of the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, is home to many Bourbon tours and the famous Kentucky Derby
home of barbeque and the blues; don't forget to eat catfish caught in the Delta, take a steamboat tour, and see Beale Street and Graceland
"Music City, U.S.A."; the world capital of country and western music, with Opryland and the Country Music Hall of Fame to show for it
jazz fills the streets of "Nawlinz", creating a highly happy ambiance
the "City of Oaks", North Carolina's leafy capital
The Appalachian Trail (AT) travels 2,198.4 mi (3,538.0 km) between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, following the Appalachian Mountain Range through 14 states. It was designated a United States National Scenic Trail in 1968.
Blue Ridge Parkway is a very scenic stretch of road in the states of North Carolina and Virginia in the United States of America.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park, spanning the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia.
America's most visited national park
Hilton Head Island is a city and barrier island in South Carolina, just across the border from Savannah, Georgia. With an approximate population of 40,000, it is on a beautiful, sub-tropical 12-mile (19-km) barrier island.
Mississippi Delta is a region in western Mississippi, along the river of the same name.
The Natchez Trace is a 444-mile-long (715 km) national parkway that runs from Nashville in Central Tennessee to the town of Natchez in Mississippi. The route has been in use from pre-Colonial times and includes exceptional scenery, Indian burial mounds, overlooks, hiking trails, nature exhibits, and sites of historic interest.
The Outer Banks are a chain of long but narrow barrier islands that lie off the coast of North Carolina. Portions of Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties make up the Outer Banks.
The Shenandoah Valley is located in the western part of Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. The region is best known for its natural beauty, many wineries, and Civil War history.
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