As Southerners, we’re pretty lucky when it comes to incredible travel destinations. We have cities with world-class restaurants and top-of-the-line hotels, tiny mountain towns with picturesque Main Streets, and wide, white-sand beaches that boast some of the most beautiful sunsets in the country.

So while there are certainly reasons to travel beyond the Southeast, there are also dozens (if not hundreds) of amazing places worth exploring right here in our own backyard. To help inspire your next trip, we tapped seven travel experts and asked them just one thing: “What is your all-time favorite travel destination in the South?” Read on to discover their answers. Read more here.

From spirit-free spritzes to mint-infused mojitos, we’ve rounded up the best mocktails in Nashville. Read more here.

As Nashville cements its place on the national dining map, brunch has emerged as another stage where the city shows off its range. Here, Southern tradition collides with global polish, turning the midmorning meal into something far more dynamic than basic bacon and eggs. Communal feasts in century-old homes, polished raw bars, and menus that balance nostalgia with creative ambition can all be found in Music City. From fragrant soul food platters off Jefferson Street to chic seafood towers in the Gulch, Nashville’s brunch scene makes a compelling case for booking a trip just to eat your way through a late morning. Read more here.

As more people are heading back into the office, lunch is quickly becoming the go-to for business meetings, client catch-ups and mid-day breaks. Here’s our round-up of Nashville’s best lunch spots that are perfect for those looking for a mix of elevated dining and local favorites. Read more here.

I also ate at two of the best restaurants in the South, 888 Japanese Restaurant & Vinyl Lounge, and Deb Paquette’s Etch, among the founders and leaders of the city’s culinary movement. What’s not to like? Read more here

Nashville location’s happy hour features discounted plates like smoked carpaccio and octopus and shrimp bruschetta, as well as $5-$9 beers, wines, and cocktails. Read more here

Legendary Nashville chefs live differently in Kingston Springs. Read more here

If you’ve ever dined at etch’s Nashville or Franklin locations, you’ve most likely experienced a variation of one of the restaurant’s staple desserts: the pavlova. Though the dish is ever-changing to highlight seasonal ingredients in new, creative ways, it remains a signature dish for good reason. Try your hand at making it yourself, and get creative with pairings like fresh fruit for the ultimate summer dessert. Read more here

“Each generation has their own take on drinking culture, and Gen Z is no different. In fact, the younger generation is actually drinking less alcohol than the generations before them. According to a 2023 Gallup Poll, 38% of adults under 35 say they don’t really drink, a 10% increase from those numbers two decades ago. That trend has brought a new wave of popularity to non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails, which now grace the menus of even the coolest cocktail bars. Xander Jones, manager of Etch in Nashville, Tennessee, has seen a big change. “A couple of years ago, I’d get a couple of guests asking for non-alcoholic beers every few months, but now it’s pretty much expected that you have a few non-alcoholic options on your menu, and many guests are looking for de-alcoholized wines and fun ‘fauxtails,'” he says. Which makes sense, because even people who do drink tend to drink less or alternate in some non-alcoholic options. This mixed trend in drinking is meant to help people drink less, and it’s called zebra striping.” Read more here