Charleston, South Carolina has buildings and sites that cover the colonial, revolutionary and Civil War periods of US history. The city is home to more than 180 churches, as well as formal gardens and horse-drawn carriages. Battery Park has views of Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. Savannah, Georgia's first city, still has more than 20 of its original squares surrounded by mansions and other buildings in a variety of styles, including Georgian, Federal, Gothic Revival and Victorian. The city also offers interesting shopping and authentic Southern cuisine.
Atlanta, Georgia has world-class museums, luxury shopping in its Buckhead district, art galleries on Bennett Street and a bohemian atmosphere in the Virginia Highlands area. Visitors can also tour CNN, catch an Atlanta Braves game or dine on dozens of different types of cuisine. Memphis, Tennessee is the birthplace of the blues, rock 'n' roll and soul. The city is home to Graceland, the former mansion of Elvis Presley, as well as the Rock 'n' Soul Museum. The city also features several other museums, a zoo and plenty of Southern comfort food.
In addition to white sand beaches and turquoise surf, Miami Beach, Florida offers visitors Art Deco architecture, sidewalk cafes and several museums. South Beach is the most lively area, but Bal Harbour to the north has upscale shopping and restaurants. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is a sub-tropical barrier island with 12 miles of white sand beaches bordered by pine and palmetto trees. The island has several golf courses and tennis centers, as well as opportunities for fishing, horseback riding, biking, canoeing and kayaking.
With 1.5 million acres, Everglades National Park, in South Florida, is the largest sub-tropical wilderness in the United States. The park is home to rare and endangered species, and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can experience the park through hiking, biking, kayaking and canoeing. North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountain National Park is home to black bears, bobcats and white-tailed deer. The 500,000-acre wilderness has more than nine million visitors a year, who come to hike the Appalachian Trail and admire ancient hemlocks, rhododendrons and mountain laurel.
