8 Under-The-Radar Southern Cities To Visit This Summer
Robbie Caponetto
We wait for summer vacation all year long. While winter thaws into spring, we plot and scheme weeklong trips to our favorite beach towns and long weekends away to visit friends who live across the country. Often the problem with summer travel is that everyone’s working with the same ideas. School’s out, so lots of families are packing up the car and hitting the road. Summer work hours make it easier to flee the office a little early and use the extra time for a quick getaway. If you’re tired of battling the crowds, or just want to experience somewhere a little unexpected this summer, check out these eight under-the-radar cities. From outdoor adventure to cultural attractions, they’ve got everything you need for a summer vacation to remember.
Related: The 15 Friendliest Cities In The South
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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Mississippi’s fifth-largest city, Hattiesburg is brimming with things for the entire family to get busy with this summer. If you love the outdoors (and don’t mind a little bit of warm weather), rent a bike and set out on the 44-mile Longleaf Trace rail trail or kayak the Pinebelt Blueways. Add some education to your itinerary by visiting the Eureka Schools Civil Rights Museum, African American Military History Museum, or Hattiesburg Zoo. You’ll have plenty of great restaurants to choose from when you need to refuel, and Midtown’s newest joint Lobolly Bakery has all the golden-brown, flaky pastries necessary to make your trip that much sweeter.
Jacksonville, Florida
Courtesy of Visit Jacksonville
This isn’t a small or undiscovered city by any stretch of the imagination, but it is often overshadowed by other Florida cities (looking at you, Orlando). As the largest city by land area in the Continental U.S., you won’t run out of areas to explore or things to do in the Bold City. For one, it’s on the coast, so you’ve got all the normal summer joys of frolicking in the waves or wandering the seashell-studded shoreline at Jacksonville Beach. But you’ll also find big-city attractions like the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens, Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, and a lively weekend farmers’ market set up along the St. Johns River.
Boone, North Carolina
Cameron Reynolds
Contributor Sheri Castle grew up in Boone, but recently traveled back to discover all the new splendors offered by her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains. "I love taking in the fall color, playing in the snow, and marveling at the spring blooms, but nothing beats the summer [in Boone]," she writes. Located in the northwest corner of North Carolina, Boone’s blessedly cooler temperatures make it a worthy escape for oppressively hot Southern summers. Snag a room in the Horton Hotel, downtown’s only boutique property, then spend a weekend wandering the quaint downtown to find locally made ceramics and paintings to take home. Spend days exploring the city’s plentiful outdoor recreation area’s like the Appalachian State University Nature Preserve and the Greenway Trail System. Round out your day with dinner at The Beacon Butcher Bar and a pint at a local brewery.
Montgomery, Alabama
Equal Justice Initiative/Human Pictures
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Alabama’s state capital. You’d be remiss to visit the city without diving into its rich Civil Rights history. The best place to gain perspective is at the Equal Justice Initiative's groundbreaking attractions: the Legacy Museum, National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and brand-new Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. But that’s far from where your tour of the city ends. Head to Montgomery Whitewater to cool off with a rafting trip on a manmade rapids course that abuts the Alabama River. Attend a Montgomery Biscuits minor league baseball game (rumor has it they throw biscuits in lieu of T-shirts), and take a sunset stroll at the Montgomery Riverwalk.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
One of our 2021 South’s Best Cities on the Rise, Winston-Salem’s location a little over an hour west of the state’s Research Triangle bubble means it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Wake Forest, plus five other colleges and universities, contribute to the town’s rich culture. Families love places like Kaleideum, a giant children’s museum in the heart of downtown, and Roar, an entertainment center with boutique bowling, an arcade, mini golf, a restaurant, and more. The up-and-coming SoBro District provides all kinds of restaurant and bar options, and Reynolda’s sprawling estate, gardens, museum, and retail district continue to be a major draw.
Columbia, South Carolina
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Charleston and Greenville aside, South Carolina is still a state full of destination gems. One such diamond in the rough is Columbia, the state’s capital and home to the University of South Carolina. The 36-block Main Street District is a cornucopia of charming local businesses, restaurants, and shops. Riverwalks on the Saluda, Broad, and Congaree Rivers are a great place to get some exercise and take in the views. Garden enthusiasts can take the Historic Columbia Garden Tour, and everyone can enjoy a food tour of Historic Columbia with Two Gals and a Fork
Macon, Georgia
Robbie Caponetto
Music, history, great food—there’s not much you won’t find in Macon. Its once-defunct downtown is full of new life, with restaurants, shops, music venues, and more to explore down every block. Grab breakfast at Macon Bagels and lunch at The Rookery. If you want to stay centrally, both Hotel Forty Five and the Woodward are worthy home bases. Learn about the city’s incredible music history at the Otis Redding Museum (he was raised in Macon), the Big House Museum (where members of the Allman Brothers Band once lived), and at modern-day legend Grant’s Lounge, where you’ll find live music most nights of the week. Don’t leave without spending time at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park, which is poised to become the state’s first national park.
Charleston, West Virginia
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As West Virginia’s capital and major cultural hub, Charleston plays a big role in pushing the entire state forward. It’s also a gorgeous city that’s more than deserving of a spot on your summer vacation calendar. If it’s your first time in the state, make stops at the West Virginia State Museum and gold-domed Capitol building located on the Kanawha River. Spend time wandering Capitol Street, where historic buildings house chic cafes, cozy bookstores, and colorful art galleries. The indoor-outdoor Capitol Market is a playground of locally made goods, food, and plants. If you can snag a reservation to 1010 Bridge Restaurant, whose head chef Paul Smith recently earned a James Beard Award for Best Chef, by all means do. Catch a show at Haddad Riverfront Park’s amphitheater, and you’ll have done it all.
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