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description= These 16 U.S. road trips across the American South highlight the region’s best scenery, history, music, food, beaches, beaches, and small-town charm. Plus bonus road trips in Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico;
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for, and, the, in, history, south, fall, route, views, america, carolina, of, virginia, bonus, trip, best, road, trips, alabama, barrier, islands, bird, sanctuaries, arkansas, an, underrated, foliage, ozarks, delaware, coastal, wetlands, horseshoe, crabs, historic, hamlets, florida, reefs, mangroves, marine, wilderness, georgia, falcons, waterfalls, gators, kentucky, black, new, heritage, trail, louisiana, boudin, crawl, acadiana, maryland, blue, crab, bay, towns, that, shaped, mississippi, blues, pilgrimage, north, creative, districts, civil, rights, oklahoma, cattle, drives, frontier, lore, marshlands, gullah, quiet, beaches, tennessee, tracing, roots, american, music, texas, tree, houses, tubing, breakfast, tacos, ridge, top, color, west, exploring, newest, national, park, washington, scenery, on, two, wheels, puerto, rico, culturally, immersive, tour, taino,
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he family run shop owners who ve been perfecting their craft for decades shayla martin related 4 days in new orleans zip lines over alligators raised mausoleums and cajun sausage croissants maryland for blue crab bay views and towns that shaped america drum point lighthouse is part of the calvert marine museum photo by melissamn shutterstock start st mary s end smith island distance 230 miles maryland is defined by the chesapeake bay the country s largest estuary and a cultural and maritime hub for centuries for this bay centric drive start in st mary s county about two hours outside washington d c known as the birthplace of maryland the area has historic st mary s city a living history museum that illuminates life in the colony s first capital which held that status until 1694 continue north along the water stopping at calvert cliffs state park to explore its fossil rich shoreline once a warm sea during the miocene epoch you can hunt for ancient shark teeth and whale bones with local outfitters like chesapeake heritage and paleontology tours or see specimens on display at the calvert marine museum in annapolis the current state capital book a room at one of the historic inns of annapolis each housed in an early 18th century home then dine at preserve or sailor oyster bar cross the chesapeake bay bridge to maryland s scenic eastern shore passing through kent narrows and its density of dockside seafood spots harris crab house is a favorite st michaels makes an excellent base for exploring talbot county s inlets and harbor towns stay at the stately inn at perry cabin or the newer wildset housing the celebrated restaurant ruse visit the chesapeake bay maritime museum and lyon rum distillery along the main drag then venture to nearby port towns such as oxford cambridge and easton driving south into dorchester county you ll connect with the harriet tubman byway which links sites including the harriet tubman underground railroad state park and visitor center and the setting of the abolitionist s childhood home before returning home park your car in crisfield and board the passenger ferry to smith island maryland s only remaining inhabited island accessible solely by water here you ll find cozy vacation rentals and b bs plus opportunities for birding boating and sampling the iconic smith island cake the state s official dessert after your ferry back continue south via the chesapeake bay bridge tunnel into virginia or loop back toward baltimore or d c hannah walhout mississippi for a blues pilgrimage actor morgan freeman owns ground zero blues club in clarksdale in leland a painted wall in honors mississippi bluesmen photo by jacque manaugh shutterstock l photo by pierre jean durieu shutterstock r start tunica end vicksburg distance 180 miles memphis may be a major blues hub but true aficionados know that you have to make a pilgrimage to the genre s birthplace in the mississippi delta highway 61 weaves through the flat fertile fields and historic farming communities that birthed legends like muddy waters and b b king and that has earned the delta the nickname the most southern place on earth get your bearings at the gateway to the blues museum housed inside the town of tunica s 1890s train depot near the boyhood home of robert johnson and then continue along to clarksdale where he reportedly sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads while the exact location has always been up for debate there s a popular crossroads monument at the intersection of highways 61 and 49 after wandering through the delta blues museum immerse yourself in the sounds of the south at the morgan freeman owned ground zero blues club or the cash only juke joint red s lounge before checking in at the travelers hotel it originally opened in the 1920s as a bathroom down the hall stopover point for railroad workers but it s been reimagined as a shabby chic boutique hotel decorated with quilts and artwork from mississippi artists as you continue driving south each town reveals a new chapter in the story of the blues rural cleveland is home to the grammy museum mississippi the state boasts more grammy winners per capita than anywhere else in the usa and dockery farm s a cotton gin where blues pioneers like howlin wolf and willie brown worked as they wrote songs pick up some hot tamales a local delta specialty at airport grocery and make a detour to the gravesite of robert johnson in greenwood and the birthplace of b b king in berclair 15 miles away before checking out a museum in king s honor in nearby indianola back on highway 61 leland has its own scrappy highway 61 blues museum a worthy stopping point before finishing up in vicksburg the riverside birthplace of willie dixon is now a buzzing city of riverboat casinos and restaurants like 10 south rooftop bar grill which offers extensive views of the mississippi river and the yazoo canal nicholas derenzo related i m a fiddle player who felt disconnected from the blues a trip on the mississippi blues trail changed that north carolina for creative districts and civil rights history start raleigh end charlotte distance 185 miles north carolina gets a lot of love for its beaches on the east and the blue ridge mountains on the west and now its previously unsung piedmont region is garnering attention for road trip wanderers start your trip in raleigh where you can spend time admiring art installations murals and museums like the north carolina museum of art and cam raleigh and stay in historical accommodations like the heights house hotel an 1858 italianate style mansion downtown next drive 80 miles west to greensboro a city rife with southern history check out the international civil rights center museum at the f w woolworth building where four college freshmen helped launch the sit in movement in 1960 the museum even displays a restored lunch counter preserved in the original location of where the momentous event took place a mere 30 minute drive is the small and artistic city of winston salem whose downtown arts district hosts a cluster of murals galleries boutiques breweries and distilleries and the monthly first friday gallery hop nights are a must experience event finally end your trip by the south carolina border in charlotte see the queen city s fast growth up close through its sprawl of neighborhoods one of them being noda an arts and entertainment district known for street art creative people and colorful establishments when it comes to cuisine restaurants like midnight diner and mert s heart soul will fill your body with southern fried goodness end things with a beer at the olde mecklenburg brewery the city s oldest sheryl nance nash oklahoma for cattle drives and frontier lore the national cowboy and western heritage museum in oklahoma city currently has exhibits on the spirit of cowboys and route 66 photo by kit leong shutterstock start duncan end enid distance 140 miles trace the historic chisholm trail on an oklahoma road trip filled with museum stops trail marker sightings and rolling miles through wide open prairie in the late 1800s cowboys drove thousand strong herds of longhorn north from texas along this route today wagon ruts and hoof worn paths can still be spotted on some sections which loosely parallel u s 81 through red dirt grasslands and small farming towns beneath oklahoma s famously expansive skies start in duncan at the chisholm trail heritage center where hands on exhibits cover roping skills and checkers games and visitors can sit beside an animatronic jesse chisholm the cherokee scottish trader who pioneered the route if you re visiting in august time your trip to the annual stephens county free fair for bull riding barrel racing and rodeo action farther north the trail s wilder side emerges in marlow the marlow area museum digs into the outlaw tales of the marlow brothers while interpretive panels along a creek walk in nearby redbud park detail their legend back on the road stop in okarche for legendary fried chicken at eischen s oklahoma s oldest bar continue to oklahoma city where the national cowboy western heritage museum offers a polished look at modern rodeo culture then head north to enid where the cherokee strip regional heritage center tells the full story of the 1893 land run the day nearly 100 000 settlers raced to claim land once held by the cherokee nation if you have an extra day continue to joseph h williams tallgrass prairie preserve a 40 000 acre sweep of protected grassland where you can drive a scenic loop photograph roaming bison and spot scissor tailed flycatchers oklahoma s state bird soaring above the grass lucy kehoe south carolina for marshlands gullah history and quiet beaches start charleston end murrells inlet distance 80 miles for a version of the lowcountry treasured by locals head north from charleston along u s 17 through francis marion national forest where wetland ecosystems teem with swamp tupelo and bald cypress pause in awendaw for genuinely impressive flight demonstrations at the avian conservation center a nonprofit rehabilitation sanctuary with one of the most diverse collections of birds in the country or hike the one mile seewee shell mound trail which ends at a prehistoric native american midden that s more than 4 000 years old continue past the marshes of santee coastal reserve toward georgetown where the gullah museum of georgetown offers a deeper look at gullah geechee history which is so vital to the region s culture and foodways then it s time for the beach start at pawleys island a longtime local favorite for escaping myrtle beach crowds if the surf is choppy drive eight minutes to calmer litchfield beach accessed via parker drive nearby kudzu bakery is the spot to stock up on pimento cheese or pastries for the next morning wrap up your day trip at brookgreen gardens in murrells inlet a botanical jewel and wildlife preserve home to the country s largest collection of american figurative sculpture jennifer hope choi related this new top chef host city is emerging as one of the south s next great food capitals tennessee for tracing the roots of american music memphis s beale street is packed with blues bars photo by heidi kaden unsplash start memphis end bristol distance 500 miles although it s the 36th largest state by area and the 15th by population tennessee has always punched way above its weight class musically this eastbound itinerary starts in memphis where you can choose your own adventure honor rock history with tours of sun studio and graceland listen to the blues on beale street or feel the spirit at the stax museum of american soul music drive about 60 miles east to brownsville s west tennessee delta heritage center which is housed in the one room schoolhouse anna mae bullock later tina turner attended as a child it s now filled with her memorabilia and is the only tina turner museum in the world begin the countrified portion of your trip by paying your respects at the spot in camden 85 miles farther east where patsy cline died in a 1963 plane crash and then drive another 40 minutes and drop into loretta lynn s ranch in hurricane mills for a guided tour when you finally get to nashville you could stay for a day or a week or a month and still not see all the greatest hits country music hall of fame and museum national museum of african american music ryman auditorium and the grand ole opry among them as you make your way into the appalachian half of the state visit dollywood theme park in pigeon forge which is home to the dolly parton experience and the beloved singer songwriter s heartsong lodge resort or continue to the place where it all started bristol tennessee home to the smithsonian affiliated birthplace of country music museum it tells the story of the 1927 recording sessions that are considered the big bang of the country music genre nicholas derenzo related unpacked podcast s4 e6 how dolly parton went from a one room cabin to a smoky mountains empire texas for tree houses tubing and breakfast tacos the hotel emma in san antonio s pearl district was a brewhouse in the 19th century photo by nicole franzen start san antonio end san antonio distance approximately 230 miles in the loosest geographic terms the hill country is where south texas central texas and west texas meet it s where enormous live oaks and ashe junipers flirt with dusty scrubland and granite karsts rise like hunchbacks from the plains begin this five day excursion in san antonio exploring the apache woven baskets and a full size replica of a wells fargo co stagecoach at the briscoe western art museum strolling along the ever expanding river walk and feasting on puffy tacos at ray s drive inn before calling it a night at hotel emma located in the heart of san antonio s revitalized pearl district from there you re heading to utopia population 227 where you ll be checking into treehouse utopia on the lazy sabinal river it was the creation of texas born chef laurel waters and tree whisperer pete nelson of animal planet s treehouse masters inspired by waters s extensive travels throughout france chapelle has a 25 foot steeple stained glass and a decor rife with french ecclesiastical artifacts carousel inspired by a vintage merry go round horse the grounds are blessedly remote yet centrally located to everything you ll want to do in uvalde and bandera counties like hiking in garner state park or floating the spring fed rio frio with gear rentals available at andy s on river road come sundown there s only one place to be on a frio bat flight tour which visits the second largest colony of mexican free tailed bats in the world their en masse flight is spectacular on your last day hop onto scenic ranch road 187 toward sabinal your final breakfast in hill country will no doubt be your best nora s tacos the unimpeachable egg potato bacon and cheese combo is the top choice if you re craving a classic breakfast taco from sabinal pick up u s 90 east back to san antonio visiting san antonio missions national historical park which encompasses four historic missions spaced two and a half miles apart and don t you dare board your plane home without sampling san antonio s best brisket at 2m smokehouse arrive by 11 30 a m to avoid a crazy line and the crushing disappointment of seeing the words sold out ashlea halpern related tree houses tubing and tacos the ultimate texas hill country road trip virginia for ridge top views and fall color start shenandoah national park end shenandoah national park distance 105 miles most of the curving skyline drive in shenandoah national park has a 35 mph speed limit which encourages drivers to take it slow and bask in the peaks and valleys of the appalachian mountains as they change colors start your drive at the front royal entrance station and continue south as the road winds along crimora lake overlook and hogback overlook the 3 284 foot peak of old rag mountain offers a challenging hike for a brilliant panoramic view but e...
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