I've been toying with the idea of visiting the southern US for a while. Now I've finally got a job that isn't complete balls travel is no longer a pipe dream.

I'm curious because it's a part of the U,S. I've never visited. Never even been remotely near unless you count Miami, and I wouldn't.

Why? It just seems so foreign and alien compared to where I live. Laugh if you want, but those of you who have been to or know anything about Vancouver, Canada might understand what I'm getting at.


So -what cities/towns/states are worth a look? I know jack shit about pretty well any place in the South except that, if Futurama is to be believed, Atlanta will one day be under water.

New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Charlotte and Savannah would all be at the top of my list.

New Orleans, Austin, Memphis and Santa Fe are Tier 1 for me
[Edited 3/30/10 20:35pm]

austin, savannah, atlanta, or memphis

Stax said:

oh, savannah and me had a glorious one day and one night stand. i am dying to go back. that place is incredible. and seeing places from the book is fun too.

Lammastide said:

austin would be a good fit for meow-meow too. she'd love it.

cborgman said:

Which state is that in?

cborgman said:

I've been told before I'd like Austin, but I don't know anything about it.

Care to fill me in?

meow85 said:

savannah georgia. it's on the coast.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...h,_Georgia

beautiful, magical place. very eccletic, full of every culture, all kinds of people, and charm out the wazoo. it's beautiful. the architecture, the decadence, the people...

when i was there was when i was leaving texas to move to nyc. so, sadly, i only got one day and 1 night there.

during the day, we drove around seeing all the architecture and the parks. that night we went to a gay bar right on the water, where it was karaoke. i sang a prince song, and suddenly it turned into prince ngiht. everybody was doing p and the time, vaniy, apples, all of it. we were dancing and all siging along. i don't think i paid for a drink all night. met the most heavenly guy, who hung out with me, asked me to dance, made out with me, and was a complete southern slice of gorgeous gentleman. gave me his number and told me to look him up next time i get to savannah before i went back to the hotel with my travelling buddies.

there's a GREAT book that is (mostly) true story of some of the people there during a murder trial in the 90s. it's called "midnight in the garden of good and evil" and it's fantastic. the locals don't always love the book, but you can see all the buildings where everything took place and where all the colorful locals lived.

cborgman said:

Sounds like a pretty great night!


Thanks for the link, for I am woefully uneducated on this city.

meow85 said:

i have lived all over in 4 different states and many different towns and cities within each. out of all let's say 50 of those, austin is the only place other than nyc that i have lived that i truly loved.

just a wonderful place. super chic in it's own mellow way. fantastic food, fantastic hippiesh people mixed with artists of any and every sort. great theatre, great film scene, fantastic visual art everywhere.

the springs are awesome. just natural springs in the downtown area that is managed by the city, where you can go on a hot day and hang out with lots of mellow peaceful people.

excellent live music scene, very gay friendly. i love austin.

meow85 said:

actually, so are most americans. it's part of the charm of the city that it isn't super touristy.

cborgman said:

Sounds like a Texan Vancouver.

meow85 said:

i havent been to vancouver since i was a young child.

Austin is great (my sister lives there), but for some reason I have never considered Texas to be the south. It's Texas. I know it's stupid, but Texas just seems like its own stand-alone thing to me.

Stax said:

yea, it's not quite south, not quite west. and it's definitely it's own entity

As for New Orleans, I'd like to go but I'm conflicted. The history of an older city like that is completely different than a relatively new city like my own, in so many more ways than just number of years, and I know I'd find it fascinating. I know the city needs the money from tourism too, but I'm not sure how I feel about playing tourist in a city that still has so much devastation.

It's not seeing it that would be a problem for me, I do live near the DTES here so I'm used to witnessing all kinds of unfortunate things. I think I'd want to know my money was actually going to be helping those who need it rather than lining city staffer's pockets. It seems a little, I don't know, dismissive to do something like tour creole restaurants and jazz joints while zipping past neighbourhoods with ruined homes as fast as possible.


But the Anne Rice nerd in me does want to see if I can find Lestat's house....

cborgman said:

Come up for a visit! I'll gladly play tour guide for you.

meow85 said:

you could always donate a few hours to helping with rebuilding that continues down there. brad pitt and angelina jolie shell out a lot of money to pay for supplies and material, and lots of people volunteer. and there's always habitat for humanity, if they're not the same program.

meow85 said:

it's harder now that a passport is required.

i need to get my passport so i can go to wales. two of my dearest friends live there now.

Pelahatchie, Mississippi

vainandy said:

that is one of the least latently gay white pride guys pic i have ever seen.

i guess that's something.

cborgman said:

It's an idea.

cborgman said:

You don't have a passport?

vainandy said:

The hell...?


Is that father and son or a Daddy and Son?

Good gravy!

meow85 said:

no. the only times i have been out of the country (mexico and canada), was pre 9/11 so they weren't required

cborgman said:

Wowzers. I never leave the house without my passport, just in case I do get the urge to cross border.

cborgman said:

SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design) is there too.....really good art school. Savannah, New Orleans, and even Charleston, SC all have the same vibe. Charleston is one of the most haunted cities in the U.S, along w/ New Orleans & Savannah.....lots of ghost tours. They're really fun, even if you don't believe in the supernatural. Charleston is only about 1 hr 45 min from Savannah.

AnckSuNamun said:

Charleston! Yes. That's the city I was thinking of when I listed Charlotte, above.

Come to Virginia - Charlottesville or the Hampton Roads area.