Travel

Mountain Time

Asheville, a small city in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, is known for its quirky charm and beauty. With a thriving culinary and arts scene, a walkable downtown bursting with shops, art galleries and restaurants, and…

Big skies & wine

Drinking and driving? That’s dangerous! But nobody says you can’t shuffle a few steps from the wine bar to your comfy bed using your own two feet after a few tipples. Romantic, beautiful to behold, and a way to…

Coastal Vibes

A chill in the air doesn’t hamper the fun along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Even when temperatures drop too low for walks on the world’s longest man-made beach, there are indoor activities, including great dining and casinos. Coastal Carnival…

Outdoorsy Escape

  On a recent visit to Memphis, I had the pleasure of exploring not only the music scene in Blues City but also top-notch accommodations, decadent restaurants and other fun attractions. Just a short flight from New Orleans (or a…

A City with Soul

While barbecue and the rich music scene are reasons enough to visit Memphis, it turns out that the Bluff City has much more to offer. Of course the hopping nightlife on neon-lit Beale Street shouldn’t be missed, nor should…

Gulf Coasting

Mention Louisiana and most people identity with New Orleans, Cajun Country, casinos and LSU. When it comes to the state’s coastline, a fog often settles in their gaze. Sure, our coastline is famous for its fishing and surrounding marshlands teeming…

Beach Bound

Festivals are coming back in a big way to Alabama beaches, including the enormously popular Hangout Music Festival May 20-22, which combines music, food and activities such as roller disco and beach volleyball. Speaking of volleyball, the National Collegiate Women’s…

Beach Reads

Coming of Age The Crocodile Bride “The Crocodile Bride” follows 11-year-old Sunshine Turner as she navigates the difficulties of growing up and the secrets of her family’s past in the tiny town of Fingertip, Louisiana. With the world around her…

Best Coast

In the Deep South, March comes in like many things, not restricted to being a lion as in other regions of the country. When the sun warms our faces and winter seems to have left us for good, it’s time…

Head for the Hills

Photos Courtesy: Hubba hubba smokehouse; flat rock playhouse Louisiana residents don’t have to be told how hot and miserable the deep coastal…

Charming Towns

Take a road trip through Louisiana and visitors will find the most charming small towns scattered throughout the Bayou State. Nestled among bayous, fields of sugar cane and cotton, and filled with historic properties, these small towns provide for outstanding…

Farther Flung: Traveling through the Gateway

Doth Union and Confederate troops had Corinth in its crosshairs during the height of the Civil War, due to its two strategic rail lines. The small town in the northeast corner of Mississippi was originally named “Cross City” for the…

Farther Flung: Party Like a Victorian

Despite buttoned up clothing, the Victorians knew a thing or two about pleasurable pursuits. They nicknamed historic Galveston Island “the Playground of the South,” for its more than 30 miles of shoreline, palm-lined Seawall, healthy marine air and bustling boardwalk.…

Farther Flung: Cruisin' 30A

It sounds so easy: Hop over to the Florida Panhandle and enjoy fabulous sun, emerald Gulf waters, grab a cool beach drink and enjoy exquisite seafood. But alas, the region known as 30A — referring to the highway that runs…

Eating Our Way Through Shreveport

  Go ahead, twist our arm! The 318 Restaurant Week, a citywide promotion of local restaurants organized by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau and its partners, returns March 18 through 23 at more than 50 participating restaurants. Lunch and…

Traveler: Pirate Tales

The town of Jean Lafitte invites you to meet its favorite pirate and explore his Barataria wetlands with dry feet. Predictably, the town holds the title of unofficial guardian of its namesake’s place in history, but local bragging rights don’t…

Farther Flung: Southern Hospitality

Atlanta may be the most-visited but rarely-seen city in America — its international airport calls itself the world’s busiest in terms of passenger traffic. But if you’re like many travelers and only visit Atlanta to change planes, it’s time to…

Chasing Eagles

  Years ago, on a visit to Toledo Bend I spotted a bald eagle’s nest in a remote spot of South Toledo Bend State Park. When January rolled around this year and I was in bad need of a nature…

Hangin' in the Hub

Two hours from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, takes you to Jackson, New Orleans and the Coast, which is why it’s known as the Hub City. Shopping, craft breweries and art galleries dot the historic downtown and at the city’s heart lies the…

Breakaway largest ship to sail from New Orleans

This past week Norwegian Cruise Line brought its Norwegian Breakaway ship to the New Orleans port and now offers five- to 11-days cruises to the Caribbean. The Breakaway, named Best Cruise Ship for Families by USA Today, is now the…

Get Lost In A Corn Maze

Fall comes slowly to Louisiana, with temperatures taking their sweet time to drop and trees turning colors closer to Thanksgiving than Halloween. If you’re eager for something that smells and tastes like autumn, besides the pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks,…