It's All About the South: My Epic Road Trip

Fort Houston is a b-side gem of Nashville's music and art scene. Shhhh... don't tell anyone! In this 10,000-square-foot warehouse there are more than 15 local artisans, and it includes a metal shop, print shop, wood shop, and darkroom. This underground art space often throws events, such as the Fort Houston Art Crawl, that are open to the public. Walk around and see local creators in their studio spaces and marvel at the antiquity of the warehouse itself.

Mmmmm. mmm. mmm. This roadside barbecue happily would be my last meal. We researched barbecue spots for days and days while we hid out in Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, and this spot is the créme de la créme. Careful: It's only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and if you aren't there early, they WILL sell out of some of their meats. You can smell it from down the road... just follow your nose!

This is Southern hospitality at its finest. This charming plantation house turned bed and breakfast is off the beaten track and deep in the heart of Dixie. We stayed up late with the owner while the house cooled off and listened to the crickets and the southern breeze. This place has an amazing story. Our room was affordable, uniquely decorated, and the period furnishings were historically accurate. The host and staff were so sweet to us and treated us to a delicious breakfast in the morning.

This roadside flea market is a collector’s paradise offering everything from rare vinyl to cast iron cookware. Prices are always negotiable, so don't be shy about your haggling skills. There are incredible people at this flea market and you'll get a real chance to get to know the people that live and work in the rural area that we drove through on our way to New Orleans. Have fun and maybe treat yourself to a new steering wheel cover, some fuzzy dice for your road-trip mobile, and definitely grab some boiled peanuts; we love the Cajun ones.

Take your sweet Georgia peach to this epic Florida Beach. Honeymoon Beach is a white sand beach where you can lay out all day and listen to the waves lap up on the shore. The cute town of Dunedin is only 10 miles away, so you can pack a nice cooler and plan spend all day enjoying this sunny, forever-summer region.

You will feel like you have been transported to the tropics at this lush, fruit-laden paradise hostel in the Everglades. This hostel boasts its own swimming pool and waterfall (fed by a crystal clear underground river), unlimited pancakes all times of the day, banana trees and avocado trees, and one of the most amazing treehouse forts you will ever see. You can pitch a tent anywhere on their large fenced-in property, or grab one of their many themed rooms. This hostel is often filled with awesome international travelers, and you will meet incredible people during your stay. From the hostel you can drive to the entrance to the Everglades National Park in about 15 minutes where you will see crocodiles, alligators, birds of paradise, and so much more.

Take Highway 1 across the ocean to the southernmost tip of the country on Key West. Here, only 90 miles away from Cuba, you will find the most amazing Key lime pies that have ever existed. Eat them all. We tried six different pies in one day! While you are enjoying all of the classically tart and refreshing pies of Key West, save a little room for Burdines deep fried Key lime pie. Yeah, it’s real, and friends have been lost fighting over the last bite. Don't be afraid to order two. You know, in the interest of saving friendships.