Southern Bucket List
If there is one thing (and trust me, there's more than one thing) I've discovered in my two months interning in Southern Living travel headquarters, it's that these people know the South. Seriously–any one of the editors can rattle off where locals dine on the freshest seafood, the personality of City A compared to City B, and how on earth to pronounce that little island of the coast of Carolina.
These erudite scholars of the South were prime suspects for assistance in compiling a Southern Bucket List. Here's their Top 40 Things to Do in the South Before You Die.
2. Take an adventurous whitewater rafting trip down West Virginia's Gauley River.
3. Hike the Appalachian Trail–or at least part of the 2,000 mile trail.
4. Compete in the Texas Water Safari, the world’s toughest canoe race—"even if you only make it to the first rapids," Les Thomas says.
5. Brave the zipline adventure at Historic Banning Mills, GA.
6. Raft in Olympic glory down the Ocoee River in southeast Tennessee.
7. Swim across the Mississippi River.
11. Stroll the Alamo plaza on a moonlit night or the River Walk as the sun rises in San Antonio, TX.
12. Experience Washington D.C. in its element on the Fourth of July. "Watch fireworks, hear speeches, witness parades and feel the patriotism," Joe Rada says.
13. Catch an iconic southern sunset.
Key West, FL
Ocracoke, NC
Davis Mountains, TX
On the western steps of the U.S. Captol in Washington D.C.
On the east bank of the Mississippi River in Natchez, MS or Memphis, TN
17. Trek over to Tampa during February, March, or April to soak up MLB spring training. Take a page from the little boy I babysit and bring a couple of pens and baseballs–you're going to in the presence of greatness.
21. Dive into Rainbow Springs on the hottest day of the summer in Florida's Rainbow Springs State Park.
22. Hang ten in North Carolina. Read about Amy Bickers and her son Jacob's five days at WB Surf Camp in Wrightsville, NC.
30. Visit an iconic sculpture in the South.
Castings in the battlefield at Vicksburg, VA
Monument Avenue in Richmond, VA
The Vulcan in Birmingham, AL "I live in Vulcan's shadow and know his personal charm, his park, his awesome view at night, and what he means to the history of Birmingham," Carolanne says.
31. Enjoy a cup mango ice cream at the Menger Hotel, a San Antonio, TX delicacy for more than 100 years.
32. Finish Louisville's Urban Bourbon Trail.
34. Eat an autumn apple you picked from a tree in the Catoctin Mountains, MD.
36. Drink a Lone Star longneck in the general store at Luckenbach near Fredericksburg, TX–in operation since 1849.
37. "I want to teach my son how to cook barbecue shoulder over a charcoal-filled hole in the ground," Richard says.
Sample crab cakes in Baltimore, MD.
Peel shrimp in South Carolina.
Try etoufee in New Orleans, LA.
Swallow oysters in northwest Florida.
Grab some brisket in Texas
Bite into Mississippi catfish.
Dine on ham in Virginia
Feast on North Carolina pork barbecue.
And of course, eat grits in any deep south state.
A few of you were quick to Twitter more must-do's:
Eliz_Mahaney says to check out To Kill a Mockingbird in Monroeville, AL; hit up an SEC football tailgate at The Grove in Oxford, MS; and spend some time at The Cloister in Sea Island, GA.
My friend Juliabiebs reminded me that Priester's Pecans in Fort Deposit, AL has delectable and renowned candy.
Danieldreher mentions that a weekend at Lake Martin near Alexander City, AL is a must-do as is a golf trip at the Peninsula Golf Club in Gulf Shores, AL.
RobbieChampion piped in, reminding us to tour the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN.
No Southern Bucket List would be complete without experiencing The Biloxi Shrimping Trip or spending time out in the Mississippi Sound where the largest population of bottle-nose dolphins reside.
Washington, D.C. in the south? Since when??
Washington DC and Maryland are FAR from being in the south! Someone needs to look at a map!
How very sad since Vic Profis just passed away. Although I had not seen him in years, I still had very fond memories of when he worked for my Dad. Godspeed Vic.
You did not include visit the Grande Ol’ Opre, or Dollywood.
See the Wild Mustangs run at Ocracoke Island in NC. It is surreal.
There are several that you did not include. Eat at Bubba Gump’s in Charleston. Watch three great southern movie’s; Paris Trout, Gone with the Wind and Forest Gump. Eat Keylime Pie in Keywest during the sunset.
Go to the Kentucky Derby.
Thank you for reading it! And Barbara and Mason, as a deep south born-and-bred girl, it took me until age 15 to accept that “the south” extended past the Nashville-Louisiana-Destin-Williamsburg dot to dot map I had drawn in my head.
Southern Living actually considers the following states in its southern readership:
TX, OK, MO, AR, LA, MS, TN, AL, KY, GA, FL, SC, NC, VA, WV, MD and DE
But the readership extends far beyond these borders!
How ’bout taking a Carriage ride in downtown Charleston or going on a Ghost Tour in Charleston or Savannah. Visit Lady and Sons in Savannah.
You got so hung up on MD, DC and Florida ya’ll forgot the great spots!
I am 35 years old and I am born and rised from the city of Augusta, Georgia; home of The Master’s, so if you can try to get tickets you need to go the tournament.
Looks like you need to make it a bucket list of 100 things to do before you die if these comments keep coming at this rate:)
Ha–Oh Sloan, I so agree. We could probably get up to 1001 Things to Do in The South Before You Die thanks to everyone’s comments!
April, I’m crazy about Charleston carriage rides too! I’ve been on an embarrassing amount because I’m such a history nerd.
And Gone with the Wind is showing at the Alabama Theatre in a few weeks–you can bet your boots I’ll be in the audience.
The Varsity in Atlanta is the best place to people watch in the south. Bubbas to Bluebloods all know how to answer “Whatta ya’ have?”.
Here are two of my favorite:
Try the Rebel Press bar or a chocolate cherry coke float at The Chocolate Bar in Oxford, MS.
Take a class with the Viking Cooking School in Memphis or at The Alluvian in Greenwood, MS.
PLEASE don’t tell people to swim across the Mississippi River!
It’s very dangerous — the currents are stronger than you think, and you can drown quickly if you’re not a very strong, very lucky swimmer.
Eat at Provisions in Southport, NC; drive and hike on Skyline Drive in Virginia; visit the tomb of Robert E. Lee at the campus of Washington and Lee Univ. in Lexington, Va; watch a Friday afternoon parade at VMI or the Citadel!
How could you not mention going to the Kentucky Derby?? It isn’t just southern, it’s global!!
Ar(not AK) The baths in Hot Springs, Blanchard Springs Caverns, Crater of Diamonds, Clinton Library, or any of the great state parks.
A few other ideas to add: Calabash…..Monticello & Michie’s Tavern….
an Old Fashioned at The Galt House…picnic along a VA river or in the Blue Ridge….a Texas Thanksgiving…Georgia in the spring..evening swim w/the kids in East TN lake…Port Aransas shrimp boil and breakfast burrito’s…good friends and friendly faces
Here is a great place to create, manage and share your bucket list. You can also get some interesting ideas to put on your bucket list from others.
Check it out.
http://www.sharebuckets.com
That list is too perfect in order to get fun, you include in there the most funny activities we can find, actually through my life I’ve gotten adventures like those that’s exciting.
I am sure my Bucket List includes some activities above!!
I never been in any of this places here mention but this a great guide of the placesthat i would like to visit very interesting i taste once the crab cakes from Baltimore and they are memorable very delicious now is just a matter on havingmy list ready to try this other places.
wow great i have read many articles about this topic and everytime i learn something new i dont think it will ever stop always new info , Thanks for all of your hard work!
men you almost organized my entiere schedule for my next vacations, thanks to you and the information you used to this post, my friends and I already have destinations and activities for summer.