The American South and the Gulf Coast

American Travel Hubs and Itineraries

The Southern United States includes the states from Texas and Oklahoma to the Atlantic coast and Kentucky and West Virginia to the Gulf Coast. Plan a journey from the Atlantic to the Gulf Coast via Appalachia and the Mississippi River.

Texas Cities and the Hill Country

Austin, on the eastern edge of Texas Hill Country, is the state capital, the live music capital of the world, a center for film, home to the University of Texas and Formula 1's Circuit of the Americas raceway. The city’ parks and lakes are popular for hiking, biking, swimming, boating and other outdoor pursuits as well as a ballet, world-class museums and a unique shopping experience. 

Experience San Antonio’s rich heritage by visiting its 18^th century Spanish colonial missions, residential areas dating from the 1860s and the local museums that celebrate the city’s past. The National Historic Park the Mission Trail is a walking, biking or driving experience of the five local missions and the centuries of local history and culture: Mission San Antonio de Valero, commonly known as the Alamo, Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission San Francisco de la Espada. The San Antonio Mission Trail begins at the Alamo and winds southward along a nine-mile stretch of the San Antonio River.

Dallas is relatively young city with a colorful past. In 1839, John Neely Bryan, a lawyer from Tennessee with a taste for adventure, wandered into the area and was impressed with what he believed to be the perfect ingredients for a trading post and eventually a town: plenty of raw land, Indians with whom to do business, and the river. The young city’s can-do spirit helped bring the railroads to the area in the 1870s, the Federal Reserve Bank in 1914, Southern Methodist University in 1915, Love Field Airport in 1927, the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936 and DFW International Airport in 1973. 

Cowboys Cowgirls Wineries Public Art Trails and Vintage Railroads

Grapevine is a small town located between Dallas and Fort Worth and is home of DFW International Airport, the world’s fourth largest, with nonstop service from more than 200 cities, including over 50 international destinations. Main Street in the historic downtown has a public library, recreation center, antique stores, restaurants, bars, theaters, a park, and many specialty shops. Here, you can also bottle your own wine, explore Historic Nash Farm, the Botanical Gardens and Lake Grapevine.

A Downtown Walking Tour the Main Street Historic District includes over 50 buildings and their architectural descriptions as well as stories, events and people who contributed to the town’s development. Founded in 1844, Grapevine is the oldest community in Tarrant County. In 1888, when the Cotton Belt Railroad came to Grapevine, businesses flourished and the wooden buildings on Main Street were replaced with new structures constructed of locally-made brick. 

Fort Worth was settled in 1849 as an army outpost along the Trinity River as one of eight forts assigned to protect settlers on the advancing frontier. The cattle industry was king for a generation of people working the Fort Worth leg of the historic Chisholm Trail, which ran from the 1860s to the 1870s when the Texas & Pacific Railway arrived. In the years that followed, oil and aviation brought new wealth throughout the region. The post-war years found Fort Worth capitalizing on its strengths as a transport, business and military center. Cultural pursuits included the development of the city's internationally acclaimed museum district.

Food Brews and Spirits in Fort Worth you can experience cowboy cuisine, trendy farm-to-table, authentic Mexican and bayou fare. Highlights include beef briskets, pork ribs and locally grown, organic artisan cheeses, alongside nicely paired wines. Artisanal distilleries offer straight bourbon, premium blended whiskey and vodka made from black-eyed peas. Also handcrafted beers, some brewed with milk, honey and sugar, accompanied by live music and local food trucks. 

Tennessee

Nashville has been the subject of many books, movies and songs. But, while music is the lifeblood of this city, you will also find here culture, history, haute cuisine, sports, natural beauty and especially Southern charm.

Memphis is a city with a rich and eclectic history. Some of the city’s traditions and milestones include: Graceland, Home of Elvis Presley, the Memphis Zoo, the Indie Memphis Film Festival, Sun Studio, National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Beale Street Music Festival.

 Mississippi

The Sights Sounds and Culinary Traditions of the Mississippi Regions. Delta is a melting pot of cultures – from African to Italian to Asian. Capital-River from a mighty river and antebellum mansions to downtowns with restaurants featuring soul food, authentic ethnic dishes and modern culinary delights. Pines barbecue and bakeries, cheese and cheesecakes, the tastes of this region take their influences from their Native American heritage. Hills home to William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Southern fiction characters, platters of fried chicken, skillets of cornbread, and delicacies such as pecan pie. 

Coast golf, gambling, art, architecture and great food. 

Mississippi is a true melting pot of regional, ethnic, national and international cuisine

New Orleans

The original settlement of New Orleans and the oldest neighborhood in the city is Vieux Carre, better known as the French Quarter. Established by the French in 1718, the location continues to be a valuable site for trade due to its strategic position along the Mississippi River. The district is a National Historic Landmark and is bordered by popular streets, such as Canal, Decatur and Rampart Streets and Esplanade Avenue. The French Quarter boasts cultural contributions from the French, Spanish, Italians, Africans, Irish and others – as demonstrated by the development of New Orleans as a global port.

North Carolina

Charlotte is named in honor of King George III of Britain’s consort. It is a city with 199 neighborhoods and many nicknames, including: the famed Hornet’s Nest derived from the American Revolution, The QC, Crown Town, Home of NASCAR, Gem of the South, CLT, Bank Town, Char-Town and City of Trees.

Asheville has a fascinating past; experience a walking itinerary that commemorates the city’s most significant cultural, educational, social and architecture stories; a museum without walls. Urban Farm and Mountain Trails Gourmet Cuisine Public Art Music Heritage and a Bohemian Culture.

Experience San Antonio Texas

history traditions river walks and cruises food wine and ale

History and Traditions

Experience San Antonio’s rich heritage by visiting its 18^th century Spanish colonial missions, residential areas dating from the 1860s and the local museums that celebrate the city’s past:

The Spanish Governor’s Palace is a national historic landmark, labeled that once housed the officials of the Spanish Province of Texas. The entrance displays the double-headed eagle of the Hapsburg coat-of-arms and the inscription, in Spanish, "finished in 1749." Other features include period furnishings and a cobblestone patio with fountain and foliage.

San Antonio Missions National Historic Park the Mission Trail is a walking, biking or driving experience of the five local missions and the centuries of local history and culture: Mission San Antonio de Valero, commonly known as the Alamo, Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission San Francisco de la Espada. The San Antonio Mission Trail begins at the Alamo and winds southward along a nine-mile stretch of the San Antonio River.

The King William District is a sprawling 25 blocks area in downtown San Antonio.  The 19^th century residences on the San Antonio River south bank have been preserved and transformed into cafes, art galleries, museums and shops. As the most elegant residential area in the city, it was settled by German merchants who brought with them a distinct architectural style; it remains a fashionable neighborhood.

The Institute of Texan Cultures features exhibits, programs and events that examine heritage, ethnicity, history, social issues and popular culture with a focus on the stories of immigrants who settled in Texas and contributed to its modern, multicultural society.

A Travel Experience in San Antonio Texas

The Alamo is a 4.2 acre complex and a 300 year symbol of Texas history. This is where Spain began its colonization, Mexico sought independence and the Confederacy stood its ground. But it is best known as the place where a small band of Texans held out for thirteen days against General Antonio López de Santa Anna. The Alamo houses exhibits on the Texas Revolution and History.

Museums

San Antonio’s galleries range from fine art to local and folk art, local artists' work and everything from Egyptian antiquities to Western and Asian art to works by European masters.

The San Antonio Museum of Art’s global collection represents 5,000 years of history and cultures from around the world. Housed in a complex of buildings that was once the Lone Star Brewery, the Museum is renowned for its collections of Latin American, Asian, and Ancient Mediterranean Art, and includes a notable contemporary collection.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum preserves and interprets the art, history, and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage.  Located along the San Antonio River Walk, its campus is inclusive of the restored historic 1930s art deco/neo classical former San Antonio Public Library building which now serves as the Museum space with nine galleries on three levels.

Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum is an incubator for contemporary art, hosting over twenty exhibitions each year within its four on-site galleries and multiple offsite locations within the community featuring emerging and world-renowned local and global artists.

River Walks and Cruises

San Antonio’s River Walk is one of the most visited sites in Texas, providing scenic pathways and waterways for the city’s cultural and historic sites, as well as a picturesque link between restaurants, hotels and shops. The River Walk meanders along the San Antonio River’s stone pathways connecting shops, restaurants, hotels, museums and the city’s historic and modern architecture.

A River Cruise Barge covers one and a half miles of the San Antonio River Walk. 

Food Wine and Ale Itineraries

Olive Oil Orchards some of the first commercial olive oil orchards in Texas lie just 20 minutes south of San Antonio producing olive oil and olive leaf based skin care products along with an emphasis on hospitality and educating the public on the benefits and various uses of olive oil.

Market Square The rich culture of San Antonio abounds throughout the plazas of Market Square. A three-block outdoor plaza lined with restaurants, shops and produce stands near San Antonio's city center, Market Square is the largest Mexican market in the U.S. and one of America's top -ten outdoor markets. Market Square's working artists, musicians, dancers and major cultural events give it a rich and lively cultural atmosphere.  Visitors browse through 32 shops at "El Mercado," and 80 specialty shops in

Hill Country Wine Tours

Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling is a combined brewery and distillery making beer and whiskey by hand one batch at a time.

Pearl is a neighborhood with a rich history made by the many people who have ties to the place - the buildings, the river, the brewery - since it was founded in 1881. It is also a place where people share meals, learn, work and live in 324 apartments, fifteen restaurants and cafes, thirteen retailers and eighteen resident businesses and a twice weekly Farmers Market.