It’s no secret that I’ve been craving the South like nobody’s business.  Lucky for me I was able to visit a TON of Southern cities over the Christmas holiday.  I also got the chance to be super geeky and take photos at a few different state lines – one of the EXCELLENT perks of traveling by car (example 1 above).

Although driving can be so exhausting, I love the feeling of getting in a car and driving off with the wind in my hair.  There’s also the fact that you just get to see so much more of our country via car than plane or train.  So my trip went like this: after a few days in western Louisiana, my mother, aunt and I drove to Atlanta to visit with other family (new babies!).  We ended our trip in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina where I vacationed as a child but hadn’t visited in a few years.

Harbour Town Lighthouse – Hilton Head Island, SC

During my time on the road, I was able to visit one of my favorite Southern cities, and one Southern city I had never been to before but knew it would be love at first sight…and I was right.  The first was New Orleans. I mean…what can I say?  New Orleans is one of those cities that is absolute perfection.  From the food to the music to the culture to the food to the people to the architecture and did I mention the food? For anyone who hasn’t spent much time down South, I suggest that New Orleans be the first city they visit.  The second visit, and one of my new top five favorite cities, belonged to Savannah, Georgia.  At first glance of the Spanish moss-covered Oak trees, I was in love.  Savannah has the perfect mix of new and old.  As one of the few cities that wasn’t burned to the ground during the Civil War, most of the buildings in Savannah are over 200 years old and absolutely stunning.  The city is also home to the Savannah College of Art and Design making for an eclectic mix of young and hip boutiques, restaurants and hotels.  I was only able to spend a few hours in Savannah but I cannot wait to go back.  I’m betting that it’s unbelievably gorgeous in the Springtime. After checking out the album tell me, are you in love with the South yet? xx