Bayou la Batre, Alabama, located on the waters of the Mississippi Sound, has a long history of reliance on the bounty of the water  for its fishing and shrimping industry. Since 1949, the little fishing village has held a springtime Blessing of the Fleet on the dock at St. Margaret Parish to ask for a bountiful harvest and protection for those about to go out into the Gulf.

Bellingrath Gardens and Home, a slice of paradise near Mobile, Alabama, includes 900 acres along  the Fowl River. Sixty-five cultivated acres bloom year round and in springtime are a riot of azaleas.

The nation's second-oldest operating race track has a new look for its 154th racing season. Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, located in New Orleans, is Louisiana's premiere racing venue.

Travelers looking for a convenient way to sample the best of Mardi Gras along the Gulf Coast now have the option of train travel, courtesy of Amtrak Mardi Gras Service which links Mobile, Alabama, with New Orleans. The four-hour ride also stops in Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay St. Louis. Twice-daily service caters to travelers with free Wi-Fi, power outlets and cafe service featuring Gulf Coast menu items.  Pets up to 20 pounds are welcome.

Indianola, Mississippi, is the closest town to the rural Mississippi Delta area where the great blues musician B. B. King was born. It's the home of the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, honoring King's life and musical legacy.

Just an hour north of Atlanta, Barnsley Resorts' 3,000 acres offers a magical winter escape featuring more than a million twinkling lights. Holiday dining is available at Chef Shaun Doty's newest restaurant, Jules. There's plenty to do here.  Holiday activities include a Merry Mahjong Retreat, surprise deliveries from Holly the Elf, and the Barnsley Resort Holiday Train.

Beginning November 15, The North Carolina Arboretum will host the United States premiere of Trolls: A Field Study, an internationally-acclaimed interactive outdoor art exhibition featuring twelve whimsical trolls sculpted from reclaimed materials

This October 23-27, the New Orleans Film Society presents the New Orleans Film Festival, showcasing more than 130 films in competition. A new three-year partnership with Presenting Sponsor Andscape, the Black-led media platform under The Walt Disney Company and ESPN, kicks off with an exclusive screening of  Andscape's newest original scripted feature STAY, a supernatural thriller.

Virginia's Lynnhaven River was once famed for having the best-tasting oysters in the world.

The Buffalo National River, located in northwestern Arkansas, was designated as our first National River in 1972. Today the river runs free for 135 miles as the centerpiece of approximately 95,000 acres of Ozark wilderness designated as a national park.  The river shares the park with Rocky Mountain elk, introduced in the 1980s,  black bear and white tailed deer. This area has been inhabited for some 10,000 years; the Tyler Bend Visitors Center includes exhibits on Native American people as well as later pioneer homesteads and the Boxley Grist Mill.

Ocean Springs, Mississippi, is home to the Walter Anderson Museum of Art.

Western North Carolina is recovering following 2024’s devastating Hurricane Helene. Fortunately, one of its most interesting small towns emerged relatively […]

Hangout Fest—the popular Gulf Coast music extravaganza—has reinvented itself. This year, the event has morphed into Sand in My Boots and will bring an eclectic lineup to Gulf Shores, Alabama, May 16-18. 

Florida's Sandestin Wine Festival celebrates its 38th year of bringing fun, food and wine to The Village of Baytowne Wharf, located at Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort. Beginning April 10, the Festival offers four full days of fun, featuring wine dinners with celebrity chefs, yoga, a tasting cruise, live music, culinary tents and lots and lots of wine.