There’s something inherently familiar about the southern United States. Maybe it’s the way everyone says “hello” as you stroll the streets, or the scenery that has played backdrop in films from Forrest Gump to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Whatever it is, it’s a unique landscape filled with food, music, history, and locals excited to share their culture. These ingredients mean that a tour through the Deep South makes it on to many a bucket list.
Charleston
Charleston offers a great introduction to “southern life,” and a great introduction to Charleston is the Gateway Walk. Meandering through tree-draped lanes, untamed graveyards, and cobblestoned streets, expect to see historic townhouses, horse-drawn carriages, and gas-fuelled street lamps, all of which salute this city’s heritage. While touches of modernity creep in through swish restaurant exteriors and bustling cafés.
The manor houses are faithful to the Antebellum era and tours through preserved or restored estates tell tales of extravagant parties, wasted inheritances, and civil war tragedies. Their rural counterparts, the plantation houses, can be found just a short drive from the downtown area. However, few retain their original form as retreating Confederate soldiers burned them to the ground.
Nashville
Nashville is neon-lit and amplified and beset on all sides by tall, modern buildings. Broadway Road flies the flag for everything “country” in this ever-changing downtown area. Surrounded by musical hotspots like the Grand Ole Opry and the Johnny Cash Museum, you’ll not have to wander far to bump into the live music scene. Cowboy boots, line dancing, and twangy vocals thrive here, so joining them rather than beating them is advisable.
Memphis
Memphis is a little town that punches well above its weight, packing in both iconic music sites and a sobering memorial to America’s civil rights battle.
Graceland, the former home of Elvis, has to be seen to be believed. Its opulence is truly impressive and the property heaves with patrons making their pilgrimages to the King. Queuing is inevitable, but it’s worth it to venture into the life of one of the world’s most famous musicians.
Sun Studio, responsible for launching the careers of Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis, is a mecca for music aficionados and comes alive with knowledgeable guides who share stories of the past. Starting with the history of the label, the tour’s pinnacle is a visit to the studio itself, which has hardly changed since its glory days.
Similarly, the front of the Lorraine Motel looks precisely how it did when Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot on its balcony. The National Civil Rights Museum continues the string of excellent museums between here and Atlanta dedicated to the fight for equality.
New Orleans
Louis Armstrong left an indelible mark on jazz and, consequently, New Orleans. Parks, streets, and an airport all bear his name and his influence resonates throughout the French Quarter and beyond. It’s no surprise that Bourbon Street, and its inexhaustible energy, proves irresistible. Decked in 18th-century architecture, music pulsates from every establishment, which all pour out cocktails and tunes in equal measure. Not to be confined by walls, jazz also manifests street side, where jaunty-looking fellows strike up tune after tune for your incidental enjoyment.
If you’re partial to the supernatural, cemetery tours and voodoo museums are as numerous as they are unusual. If you’d like something a little more based in reality, however, there’s the Hurricane Katrina exhibition at the Presbytère, countless alluring cafés, and art markets to peruse.
Atlanta
In stark contrast to the small-town vibe that Savannah exudes, Atlanta — a metropolis center — thrusts us forward into the 21st century.
Atlanta is also home to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. A stark statement of mankind’s best and worst; oppression and peaceful triumph over inequality are etched thoughtfully here.
Source: G Adventures by Nick Hewlitt
Photo Credits:
Lead – Louisiana via Wallpaper Safari
Charleston – Wallpaper Flare
Nashville – Pixabay
Memphis – Unsplash
New Orleans – Unsplash
Atlanta – Alpha Coders Wallpaper