205 Favorite Spots in the South
Think you've done it all? Check out our list of what to see and do in the South.
By Wanda McKinney

A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"205 Favorite Spots in the South" is from the Favorites 2005 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.

For a better look at some of these spots visit our 205 Favorite Spots Slide Show.

BEST SPOT TO SEE A SUNSET

1. Rosemary Beach, FL. Join the locals on the boardwalk; www.rosemarybeach.com.
2. Public dock, Bluffton, SC. Live oaks and Spanish moss frame the water; (843) 757-6293.
3. Mallory Square, Key West, FL. Animal acts and musicians converge for the sky show; (305) 292-7700.
4. Transmountain Road, El Paso, TX. Make like John Wayne, and ride into the sunset; (915) 534-0601.
5. Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain, GA. Don't miss the laser show after the sun goes down; 1-800-317-2006.
6. Oasis Cantina del Lago, Lake Travis, Austin, TX. Enjoy a margarita on one of the decks; (512) 266-2442.
7. Browntown Valley Overlook, Skyline Drive in VA. Just before mile marker 15; (540) 999-3500.
8. Fager's Island, Ocean City, MD. Catch the last rays of the day from this restaurant; (410) 524-5500.
9. Snowshoe Mountain, WV. Revel in a mountain sunset; toll-free 1-877-441-4386.
10. Frogtown Cellars winery, Dahlonega, GA. Take a tour, and enjoy the view; (706) 865-0687 or www.frogtownwine.com.

MOST ROMANTIC SPOT

11. Beachfront honeymoon cottage, Seaside, FL. Stretch out in the porch hammock; 1-800-277-8696.
12. Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN. Enjoy the best of service in a Holly Glade cottage; (865) 984-9850.
13. The Greystone Inn on Lake Toxaway, Lake Toxaway, NC. Take a private lake cruise; 1-800-824-5766.
14. Cibolo Creek Ranch, near Marfa, TX. Cuddle by the campfire; toll-free 1-866-496-9460.
15. Mission San Jos�, TX. Watch the shadows lengthen on these 300-year-old stone walls; (210) 932-1001.
16. Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta, GA. Share a small suite overlooking 14th Street; (404) 881-9898.
17. Kiawah Island, SC. Take a sunrise walk along the Atlantic; 1-888-542-9242 or (843) 768-9166.
18. The Lodge on Gorham's Bluff, Pisgah, AL. Dine on a four-course gourmet meal; (256) 451-3435.

BEST SPOT TO TAKE A WALK

19. Natchez Trace, MS. Check out the Emerald Mound along the old road (mile marker 10.3); 1-800-305-7417.
20. Lake Hefner, Oklahoma City, OK. Meander the South Grand Boulevard Trail; (405) 297-2211.
21. National Mall, Washington, D.C. Take in the monuments and the cherry blossoms; (202) 426-6841.
22. Chastain Park Trail, Atlanta, GA. Amble down the popular 3-mile trek; (404) 875-7284.
23. Jemison Park, Mountain Brook, AL. Walk this urban trail near Birmingham; (205) 874-0617.
24. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, FL. Palms flourish in this paradise; (305) 667-1651.
25. Appalachian Trail, NC. Trek along the North Carolina-Tennessee border; (304) 535-6331.
26. Great Falls Park, VA. Get to know the Potomac River at this pastoral spot; (703) 285-2965.
27. Sewanee, TN. Wind through Abbo's Alley (a garden alongside a stream); (931) 598-1000 or www.sewanee.edu.
28. Charleston, SC. Enjoy the architectural landscape and the gardens; 1-800-774-0006.

BEST SPOT FOR A GREAT OVERLOOK

29. Grandfather Mountain, Linville, NC. Check out this 5,964-foot-tall peak; (828) 733-2013 or 1-800-468-7325.
30. Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO. Ride the tram up 630 feet to the top; toll-free 1-877-982-1410.
31. Vulcan Park, Birmingham, AL. The statue of the god of the forge provides a panoramic view; (205) 933-1409 or www.vulcanpark.org.
32. Guadalupe Peak, Salt Flat, TX. Climb to the highest point (8,749 feet) in Texas; (915) 828-3251.
33. Mount Magazine State Park, near Paris, AR. Check out the highest spot in the state; (479) 963-8502.
34. Mount Rogers, Marion, VA. The Virginia Creeper Trail traverses this state's tallest peak; (276) 783-5196.
35. Nikolai's Roof, Atlanta, GA. Enjoy the view from atop this lovely restaurant; (404) 221-6362.
36. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Middlesboro, KY. See three states at Pinnacle Overlook; (606) 248-2817.
37. Daytona Beach, FL. Climb Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station just south of Daytona; (386) 761-1821.
38. Natural Bridge, VA. Stay in the hotel, and explore this 215-foot-tall naturalphenomenon; 1-800-533-1410.
39. Rock City Gardens, Lookout Mountain, GA. See seven states from this legendary spot; (706) 820-2531 or www.seerockcity.com.
40. Medicine Park, OK. Hike up Mount Scott in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge; (580) 429-3222.

ONLY IN ALABAMA

41. Tour the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville; (256) 837-3400.
42. Watch the race car drivers maneuver their vehicles around the Talladega Superspeedway; toll-free 1-877-462-3342.
43. Visit the USS Alabama at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile; (251) 432-5951 or www.ussalabama.com.
44. Dig in to a plate of barbecue at Dreamland in Birmingham; (205) 933-2133 or www.dreamlandbbq.com.
45. Pay your respects at the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard, 20 miles from Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0783.
46. Canoe the Cahaba River, and enjoy the spectacular Cahaba lilies in May and June; (205) 322-5326.

ONLY IN ARKANSAS

47. Stop at Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs; (479) 253-7333 or www.eurekasprings.org.
48. Enjoy the Mississippi River town of Helena during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; (870) 338-8798 or www.kingbiscuitfest.org.
49. Visit the Buckstaff Bath House, and have an old-style mineral bath at Hot Springs; (501) 623-2308 or www.hotsprings.org.
50. Take in the new library at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center; 1-800-844-4781 or www.littlerock.com.
51. Listen to the bluegrass musicians play around the town square in Mountain View; (870) 269-8068 or 1-888-679-2859.


This article is from the Favorites 2005 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.

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