The Southeast

Overview

More than any other part of the United States, the Southeast has an identity all its own, with a melodic way of speaking, a turbulent history that has shaped a complicated political present, a shared culture that cuts across state lines, and some of the best food and music you'll find anywhere on the planet. The states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia have been nurtured by deep roots sharped by hardship and have fashioned some of America’s most prominent characters including writers William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, and Mark Twain.

Classic American foods and drinks such as barbecue, bourbon, cornbread, and Coca-Cola hail from this region. Locals love their sports, from NASCAR to basketball and football, and catching any sporting event where you rub shoulders with a Southeasterner, is guaranteed to be a passionate and exhilarating one. 

Scenic drives such as the Blue Ridge Parkway from North Carolina to Virginia or the Country Music Hwy US 23 in Kentucky to the Great River Road along the Mississippi will have you feeling like a character in a Twain novel. The state of Georgia feels like a pop-up romance novel, while architecturally pristine Savannah will have you walking as if in a dream. Whether you're exploring the bright, white beaches of the Florida Keys and Miami, the bayous of Louisiana, the theme parks of Orlando, or historic estates, or tracking down the best live blues, country, or jazz found everywhere; this region exudes Southern hospitality and warmth which will stay with you long after visiting the rollicking Southeast.