South Carolina is home to fancy resort islands such as Kiawah and Hilton Head, small historic cities such as Charleston, and over 300 golf courses. (Now that's a lot of golf.) North Carolina is a bit more high-tech and the pace is a bit faster with the Research Triangle connecting the three cities of (and three universities in) Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh--an area that has seen tremendous growth over the past 10 years. Mountains are plentiful in the Carolinas, Virginia, and West Virginia. And West Virginia, in particular--with its state slogan "Wild and Wonderful"--attracts outdoor enthusiasts for hiking, biking, skiing, and white water rafting.

Florida alone contains miles of beaches, the Florida Keys, the Panhandle, and Everglades National Park--the only subtropical preserve in North America. In Arkansas, you can explore hot springs and the Ozarks. Meanwhile, intrepid explorers can investigate the canyons and caves of Alabama. Mississippi offers its own set of barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico. Georgia's got some too, along with rivers and swamps of its very own.

Jazz got its start in New Orleans, the Blues reigns supreme in Memphis, bluegrass came from Kentucky, and good ol' country still rules Nashville. Plus, Elvis may still live on! Ernest Hemingway spent years living, drinking, and fishing in the Florida Keys. Eudora Welty, Walker Percy, William Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor--along with many others--represent Southern literature at its best.

Southern plantation life, Civil War history, and the Civil Rights Movement are just aspects of the past here, all which continue to influence Southern culture to this day. The Louisiana Purchase celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2003. Speaking of the region's history, Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, is the world's largest living history museum as it aims to transport visitors back to the 18th century.

The South, though perhaps not exactly cosmopolitan, still has pockets of modern life aplenty. And outdoor adventurers find that it's one big playground, filled with expanses for hunting, fishing, sailing, swimming, horse riding, and camping. If you choose to head to the Southeast, you're certain to encounter a mix of culture, characters, history, and charm--whichever state you choose. But be ready to take it slow! Pour yourself some lemonade, take a stroll, and stay a while.