Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season a Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season a Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with one of these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Travel
  3. The Best Vacation Spots In Every Southern State

The Best Vacation Spots In Every Southern State

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Assistant Editor and Writer for Southern Living
By Kaitlyn Yarborough Updated June 03, 2022
Skip gallery slides
FB
Florida: Key West
Credit: Meinzahn/Getty Images

While every state in the South boasts more than just one vacation spot worth your while, there are always a few that stand out in the crowd. What do you do once you have those narrowed down? Well, look no further. We picked the best vacation destination in every Southern state—so you don't have to. Whether you want to feel the salty breeze in St. Simons, sample some bourbon in Bardstown, dig into a bowl of the slap-your-mama gumbo in Breaux Bridge, or turn back time in Williamsburg, there's a perfect Southern getaway for you just begging to be visited this year. Here are the best vacation spots in every Southern state.

Start Slideshow

1 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Alabama: Fairhope

Fairhope, Alabama
Credit: Photo: Benjamin Callahan

While Gulf Shores and Orange Beach see their fair share of beach vacations, we can't get enough of this small town on the Bay. If you love the Gulf Coast as much as we do, you'll be hard-pressed to find somewhere more scenic—with its antebellum homes, streets lined with live oaks, and charming, walkable downtown. We recommend staying at the Grand Hotel Marriot Resort & Spa, a pre-Civil War landmark that's dripping with Southern charm.

1 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Arkansas: Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Credit: Southern Living

Dating back to 1879, this well-preserved mountain town boasts streets lined with remnants of Victorian architecture. The area is known—and the town is named—for the hot springs that bubble out of the Ozark Mountains; but it also offers plenty of stunning lakes and rivers for fishing, kayaking, and cruising. Pair those excursions with the quirky shops you'll find in town, and you're set with a fun-filled vacation. There's no shortage of things to do in Eureka Springs.

2 of 17

3 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Delaware: Rehoboth Beach

Delaware: Rehoboth Beach
Credit: John Greim/LOOP IMAGES/Getty Images

This charming Mid-Atlantic town offers a colorful boardwalk that's a mile long and lined with good food and family-fun amusements. If visiting during the off-season, Rehoboth Beach's tiny size may be a welcome change. You can ride bikes lazily down tree-lined streets, and every local is a friend. This seaside town always blows travelers away with its crystal clear water and beautifully kept beaches. Stop in Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats for a pint of Delaware's favorite beer.

3 of 17

Advertisement

4 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Florida: Key West

Florida: Key West
Credit: Meinzahn/Getty Images

Key West is unlike any place else in the world, which is why—out of every white-sanded, emerald-watered beach town in Florida—it still has to win out. Part Caribbean island, part New Orleans, this oasis makes you feel far, far away; even if only for a few days. You'll know you've made it when you see the airport sign that reads: "Welcome to the Conch Republic." For an authentic stay, pick Old Town for its mix of bed-and-breakfasts, inns, and hotels—all colorful and quirky, some riddled with history, and most surrounded by the island's lush vegetation. Pay a visit to the Hemingway Home on Whitehead Street, manned by a gang of six-toed cats; and shop and eat along Duval Street, which hosts the heart of all the action.

4 of 17

5 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Georgia: St. Simons Island

Christ Church, Frederica on St. Simons Island
Credit: Peter Frank Edwards

As you cross the bridge to this Georgia barrier island, you're welcomed by warm ocean breezes, canopied oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, and old-school Southern charm. This longtime favorite getaway lets Southerners turn back time, with historic spots like the stunning Christ Church, Frederica, and 90-year-old ritzy resort, The Cloister at Sea Island. Indulge in the island's delicious eats, from the 2018 South's Best Barbecue Joint, Southern Soul Barbecue, to the beloved seafood dive, Crabdaddy's.

5 of 17

6 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Kentucky: Bardstown

Kentucky: Bardstown
Credit: Robbie Caponetto

Bardstown is not only Kentucky's second-oldest city and the "Bourbon Capital of the World," but it just happens to sit at the head of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. With its 1892 courthouse and revitalized Main Street, this town makes having good times (and a few bourbons) just too easy. You can grab a bite at the Old Talbott Tavern, which began operating in 1779; or have some fun on the Kentucky Railway Museum's Train Robbery. No matter what, make sure to fit in a day dedicated to following the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

6 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Louisiana: Breaux Bridge

Louisiana: Breaux Bridge
Credit: © Robert Holmes/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images

Were you expecting to see New Orleans sweep this state? While it's always a great time to visit the Crescent City, we're turning down the volume and throwing this small town loaded with Cajun character into the ring. Located in the heart of the Acadiana region of southern Louisiana, Breaux Bridge offers your fill of the most authentic Creole cuisine to ever grace your belly, a beautifully preserved downtown, and a genuine bayou setting. Known as the crawfish capital of the world, the whole town practically shuts down for its annual crawfish festival. Plus, it's only a little over two hours to New Orleans, if you want to make it a roadtrip.

7 of 17

8 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Maryland: Rock Hall

Maryland: Rock Hall
Credit: Karen L. Novak

Known as the "Pearl of the Chesapeake," Rock Hall sits directly on the upper eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, offering the quintessential Bay experience. This sleepy harbor town wins our vote for a vacation spot because it boasts an authentic salty spirit. With 12 marinas, a yacht club, and a custom sailmaker in town, it really is a sailors' dream. Whether you're in the mood for oysters or soft-shell crab, you'll get your fill here.

8 of 17

9 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Mississippi: Biloxi

Biloxi, Mississippi
Credit: Getty Images

It might've taken the Mississippi Gulf Coast a decade to recover from Hurricane Katrina, but this string of coastal towns is back and better than ever. Make Biloxi your home base, but travel the less-than-an-hour drive along the coast to beach towns like Gulfport and Bay St. Louis. Get cozy in the beachfront White House Hotel, with its traditional Southern exterior and sleek modern interior; and later, cook your own catch at local restaurants, such as Shaggy's or Morton's.

9 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Missouri: Ridgedale

Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri
Credit: Art Meripol

Get a taste of lake life in this Missouri getaway spot. The most foolproof way to enjoy your stay? Book it at Big Cedar Lodge, a resort set on 4,600 acres. You can head out kayaking or cruising on Table Rock Lake, or you can enjoy other outdoor activities like sand volleyball and archery. Feeling stressed? Spend an afternoon in the 18,000-square-foot spa, or maybe calm your mind at one of the resort's group painting classes. It's the type of place that families revisit year after year—because they love it that much.

10 of 17

11 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

North Carolina: Asheville

North Carolina: Highland Brewing Company
Credit: Robbie Caponetto

It's time for a mountain escape that's both laidback and exciting. From Biltmore to breweries, Asheville offers something for everyone. It's home to the 2018 South's Best Brewery, Highland Brewing Company, which happens to be the city's first legal brewery since Prohibition; as well as one of our Southern Living Hotel Collection members, the ever-charming Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill, affectionately described by the owner as being "in the middle of everywhere."

11 of 17

12 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Oklahoma: Tulsa

Burn Co BBQ Adam Mayers and Nick Corcoran
Credit: Andrea Behrends

This Oklahoma city deserves more than a drive-by. The rugged, yet surprisingly hip town has a cool downtown district and five-star restaurant scene. Stop for dinner at Burn Co. BBQ, a casual joint with some tasty barbecue. Not to mention, Tulsa is only an hour and some change from Pawhuska, Oklahoma, the revitalized small town within which Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) has housed her passion projects. Visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, Drummond's bakery-deli-shop hybrid, as well as her recently opened Boarding House, an inviting eight-room "Cowboy-Luxury" inn.

12 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

South Carolina: Hilton Head Island

South Carolina: Hilton Head Island
Credit: Rachid Dahnoun/Getty Images

The Palmetto State's coastal towns show the very best of Southern beach charm and culture, with Hilton Head Island leading the pack for sinking your toes in the sand and living at a slower pace for a spell. Not only does the darling barrier island serve up 12 miles of pristine coastline (just 20 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia), but it practically spills over with laidback seafood restaurants, classic resorts like Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes, and its flat and wide Atlantic beaches.

13 of 17

14 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Tennessee: Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee
Credit: Edwin Remsberg/Getty Images

We're making a case for this rock n' roll, barbecue-crazed city, because we could all use a hearty dose of Elvis and melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork. Memphis has gone through a resurgence that makes it an ultimate destination for foodies, music lovers, and history buffs alike. As one of our travel editors aptly put it: "At The Peabody Hotel, it's 1943, 1984, and 2017 all at once. My grandmother dances to big band music on the Skyway while my mother sits on a sofa in a sequin dress and heels and I sip a gin and tonic in the Lobby Bar." If that doesn't sell you, we don't know what will.

14 of 17

15 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Texas: San Antonio

Texas: San Antonio
Credit: Jim Nix/Getty Images

Austin, step aside. We're tapping San Antonio this time around. If you only think of this city as the home of The Alamo, get ready to be blown away by one of the best towns for foodies in the South. You can't leave without spending some time in The Pearl District, once a 23-acre brewery complex, now a hip neighborhood that houses the city's cooler-than-cool food hall, award-winning restaurants, and year-round farmers' market. This historic city is filled with Texas style and infused with a distinct Hispanic flair, making it a totally unique spot to visit this year.

15 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Virginia: Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Virginia
Credit: The Williamsburg Inn

The Colonial magic of this historic town offers a complete escape from reality and a quick turn back in time. Founded in 1683, it's hard not to feel the American legacy in this Virginia vacation spot. The Williamsburg Inn offers a stunning setting to make your home base, with its towering white columns and historic Regency style. Surprisingly enough, the shopping is a hit with travelers that want to bring home some authentic wares.

16 of 17

17 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

West Virginia: Charleston

Charleston WV Capitol Dome
Credit: Robbie Caponetto

This is the other Charleston on the rise, and the up-and-coming town is more than worth a visit. West Virginia might be steeped in American history and completely dominated by the Appalachian Mountains, but the capital city has been in the midst of a cultural renaissance of sorts, with cool shops, quirky storefronts, trendy restaurants, and a restored 19th-century freight station that's now an indoor-outdoor market popping up everywhere. Stop in the Swiftwater Café and General Store that's known for drawing the downtown office crowd with its hearty breakfasts, locally roasted coffee, and topping-heavy West Virginia hotdogs for over ten years.

17 of 17

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Kaitlyn Yarborough

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 17 Alabama: Fairhope
    2 of 17 Arkansas: Eureka Springs
    3 of 17 Delaware: Rehoboth Beach
    4 of 17 Florida: Key West
    5 of 17 Georgia: St. Simons Island
    6 of 17 Kentucky: Bardstown
    7 of 17 Louisiana: Breaux Bridge
    8 of 17 Maryland: Rock Hall
    9 of 17 Mississippi: Biloxi
    10 of 17 Missouri: Ridgedale
    11 of 17 North Carolina: Asheville
    12 of 17 Oklahoma: Tulsa
    13 of 17 South Carolina: Hilton Head Island
    14 of 17 Tennessee: Memphis
    15 of 17 Texas: San Antonio
    16 of 17 Virginia: Williamsburg
    17 of 17 West Virginia: Charleston

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    The Best Vacation Spots In Every Southern State
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.