We asked for your favorite places in the South, and you responded by the thousands. In some categories, your top three picks were separated from other choice spots by only a few votes.

Here are the results of our 2006 Readers' Choice Awards, listed in order by the most votes received. As a bonus, along with the winners in each category, you can read about other special places we're sure you'll enjoy.

We Also Love: Cheeca Lodge
When you visit Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada, Florida, you feel as if you've found a special hideaway. At this resort on Matecumbe Key, an hour and a half south of Miami, elegance comes wrapped in a casual atmosphere.

Rooms here feature Italian-marble baths, plasma TVs, and views of either the Atlantic or a serpentine, man-made lagoon. A large pool overlooks the ocean and the 525-foot pier that stretches out into it.

Days here start with breakfast under a thatch-roof porch and end at Atlantic's Edge, the white-tablecloth restaurant serving fresh seafood. In between, there's tennis, spa treatments, and conversations at the tiki bar. Or maybe you want to take an ecotour, looking for dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles. The sun, water, and coastal vibe make any trip to The Keys a fun one, but a stay at Cheeca makes it special.

Cheeca Lodge: 81801 Overseas Highway, Mile Marker 82, Islamorada, FL 33036; www.cheeca.com or 1-800-327-2888.

The wide, flat beach washed by the Atlantic Ocean is enough reason to head to Virginia Beach. But the boardwalk that runs alongside it for 3 miles adds tons of great things to do.

Festivals and concerts that stretch from spring into autumn make the boardwalk part art show, part restaurant row, and part musical stage. At a width of 28 feet, it also provides plenty of room for walking, running, in-line skating, and bicycling.

Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.vbfun.com or 1-800-822-3224.

We Also Love: Cattlemen's Steakhouse
Oklahoma City serves up some of the best beef in the South. Although you'll find many fine steak restaurants in town, Cattlemen's Steakhouse rules.

Once inside the nondescript building, you'll smell the mouthwatering aroma of the steak sizzling on your plate. We recommend the T-bone, which is tender enough to cut with a fork. Top off your meal with a slice of creamy, homemade coconut pie.

Cattlemen's Steakhouse: 1309 South Agnew Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73108; www.cattlemensrestaurant.com or (405) 236-0416.

We Also Love: Snowshoe Mountain
What do ski resorts do when spring rolls around? They play golf. At least that's what happens in Snowshoe, West Virginia. You can also hike or ride a mountain bike over the thawed-out trails.

Go in winter, and the choices include downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobile tours, and snowshoeing. It all adds up to year-round fun. Snowshoe Mountain: Snowshoe, West Virginia; www.snowshoemtn.com or 1-877-441-4386.

We Also Love: Branson, Missouri
Take in a live show or two when you go to Branson, Missouri. With kids, add Silver Dollar City to the must-do list. Then leave the traffic behind, and head to Table Rock Lake.

Settle in at one of two resorts. Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa features boating, a free movie theater, and a new spa (www.chateauonthelakebranson.com or 1-888-333-5253). Big Cedar Lodge lures bass fishermen and golfers alike and tosses in a touch of rustic log cabin romance (www.big-cedar.com or [417] 335-2777).

Branson / Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.explorebranson.com or 1-800-214-3661.

We Also Love: Arthur Bryant's
Roll up your sleeves for some of the best barbecue west of the Mississippi. Kansas City boasts more barbecue restaurants than you can shake a fork at.

If you choose only one, make it Arthur Bryant's. Order the beef brisket sandwich, which comes with about a pound of thin-sliced meat, for $9. Douse it with their original barbecue sauce, and savor every tender bite.

Arthur Bryant's: 1727 Brooklyn Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64127; www.arthurbryantsbbq.com or (816) 231-1123.

We Also Love: Jonesborough, Tennessee
One of the best times to visit Jonesborough, Tennessee, is the first weekend in October, during the National Storytelling Festival. There you'll discover the charm of this town steeped in the tradition of storytelling. The ticket price is hefty, but it's definitely worth the splurge (www.storytellingcenter.net or 1-800-952-8392).

Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center: www.jonesboroughtn.org or 1-866-401-4223.

We Also Love: Charlotte, North Carolina
You naturally expect the best from a city named after one of England's queens. Park yourself at Phillips Place, an outdoor mall with upscale retailers such as Restoration Hardware and Smith & Hawken. Don't miss the wonderful independent specialty shops such as B. D. Jeffries and the Redsky Gallery.

Visit Charlotte, the Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitcharlotte.com, (704) 334-2282, or 1-800-722-1994.

We Also Love: The Bluegrass
Fabulous scenery and beautiful horses make a winning combination. Enjoy both on the country lanes surrounding Lexington, Kentucky.

Pick up a free copy of the Bluegrass Country Driving Tour at the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, and spend a few hours exploring. Go with the flow on Iron Works Pike, a divided highway, but take it slow on narrow, tree-lined lanes such as Johnston Road. One part of the route goes past Calumet Farm and Keeneland Race Course. Another rolls by the Kentucky Horse Park.

Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.visitlex.com or 1-800-845-3959.

We Also Love: Niki's West
It's not fancy, but Niki's West Steak & Seafood Restaurant in Birmingham can satisfy even the pickiest eater in the family. More than 40 veggies fill the steam table, along with meat and fish dishes.

Enjoy a meat 'n' three for less than $10. But don't pass up the fruit cobblers and pies (less than $3). At night you'll find a full menu of fresh seafood and steaks.

Niki's West Steak & Seafood Restaurant: 233 Finley Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204; (205) 252-5751.

We Also Love: Herby K's, Shreveport, LA
Herby K's is one of those classic hole-in-the-wall spots with a legendary reputation. Here, the reputation comes well deserved. The restaurant's signature dish, the Shrimp Buster, gives a delicious twist on a po'boy. Four butterflied shrimp are pounded flat, fried to perfection, and served atop buttered French bread with a spicy red sauce. Add to that some delicious gumbo or étouffée, and you have a meal that will remind you why Herby K's has been a Shreveport staple for seven decades. With tastes like these, you earn a loyal following.

Herby K's: 1833 Pierre Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71103; (318) 424-2724.

We Also Love: San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio's River Walk casts a magic spell. Boats glide past couples sipping margaritas at outdoor tables. Musicians in traditional Mexican attire strum guitars while diners dig in to savory dishes from south of the border.

Even better than dining along the river is waking up in a room overlooking the tree-lined oasis. Our favorite stay is Omni La Mansión del Rio Hotel (www.omnihotels.com, [210] 518-1000, or 1-800-830-1400.)

San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.sanantoniovisit.com or 1-800-252-6607.

The conservatory features a dozen areas including the Garden Court and the Jungle. Our favorite is the Orchid House, which showcases these vibrant flowers.

U.S. Botanic Garden: 100 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20001; www.usbg.gov or (202) 225-8333.

We Also Love: The Inn at Perry Cabin
Go sailing if you like, or hop on one of the bikes parked at the front door and pedal into St. Michaels, Maryland, for a bit of shopping. But the best part about a stay at The Inn at Perry Cabin is just settling in and chilling out.

The Inn at Perry Cabin: 308 Watkins Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663; www.perrycabin.com or 1-800-722-2949.

"What You Voted the Best of the South In Our 2006 Readers' Choice Awards" is from the January 2007 issue of Southern Living.