top 5 mini vacays in the south
We may not be able to hit the streets of Rome or eat our way through Paris, but that doesn’t mean we can’t explore our own country (especially the wonderful South). Checkout my top 5 mini-vacation destinations within the southern region. All are perfect for a couples getaway, friends bash, or solo traveling (which if you haven’t tried before, I would suggest - growing experience). Fried food, country music, drinking - need I say more?
Don’t worry, I will have a post completely dedicated to each city soon. But here is a quick little teaser for ya!
AUSTIN, TEXAS
Keep Austin weird, amirite? Eat your weight in BBQ, enjoy the lake, dance the night away, and strike a pose in your cowboy hat. Austin is such a fun city full of life and intrigue.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Fun patterns, interesting textures - this hotel is perfectly set in the Second Street District. Try out this lifestyle hotel with a fun bar and vibey pool. If you are a luxury hotel lover like me, think Firmdale Hotel Group, but at a lower budget.
If you haven’t been to Austin, South Congress is the place to be. Filled with amazing restaurants, shops, & instagrammable moments, this is the place to be. The lobby bar reminds me of a 1 Hotel with its repurposed wood and natural colors. The rooms are more industrial in style.
HOTEL VAN ZANDT, A KIMPTON HOTEL
Located in the Rainey District, Hotel Van Zandt is a fantastic place to stay in Austin. And talk about amazing views of the city! The rooms are a bit masculine in feel but beautifully designed and the pool deck will blow your mind.
RESTAURANTS
Emmer & Rye is a restaurant designed around the farmer’s haul, featuring a menu that changes daily with a focus on seasonal and local cuisine. When you visit the restaurant, check out our larder to see vinegars, pickles, and brines bubbling away. Definitely try their Carolina Gold rice pudding.
*courtesy of emmerandrye.com
Jeffrey’s is a neighborhood fine dining restaurant featuring dry-aged prime beef and French American classics.
*courtsey of jeffreysofaustin.com
This is the kind of legendary BBQ joint that can only exist in Texas. Run by Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue has been selling out daily since it opened in 2009 (at the time, in a trailer). Prepare for a MASSIVE line!
*courtesy of franklinbbq.com
SO MILLENNIAL
Take some pics for your insta at these below places. They’re bound to garner some major likes!
I Love You So Much mural
Greetings from Austin mural
Mueller Lake Park
2. CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Enjoy the Southern food, fresh sea breeze, and beautiful architecture in Charleston. From historical tours to eating your way through the city, there is so much to do in this amazing lil’ Southern oasis.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Talk about quaint. Zero George just screams “southern comfort" with its light and airy guest rooms. The property is full of history and makes you feel at home. And their amazing restaurant is just steps away from your room - just the cherry on top!
On the corner of Market & Meeting Street, you are in the best location. As a Relais & Chateaux property, the food is divine at Peninsula Grill. The decor at Planters Inn is a more contemporary Southern design - some dark wood and some floral window treatments. Your grandma’s home - but in the 21st century.
This hotel is more contemporary in style with deeper velvet accents and wonderful tall windows. Enjoy the rooftop cocktail lounge - fun fact - which is the highest rooftop in Charleston. The Dewberry is both luxurious and welcoming.
RESTAURANTS
Butcher & Bee opened on King Street in 2011 with the simple mission of serving honest-to-goodness sandwiches made with flavor combinations and food quality usually reserved for fine dining.
*courtesy of butcherandbee.com
In 2003, Mike and Adam began with a simple philosophy that holds true today: serve honest, local ingredients, with informed service, in a comfortable setting. Once a humble corner bistro, FIG has blossomed into one of the Southeast’s top culinary destinations. The staff is passionate and polite. The room is simple and modern. The menu is creative and seasonal.
*courtesy of eatafig.com
Opened in 2011 by Chef Kevin Johnson and his wife Susan, The Grocery has always been committed to regional ingredients executed in innovative ways.
*courtesy of thegrocerycharleston.com
SO MILLENNIAL
Instagram this -
Folly Beach
Broad Street
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit
Rainbow Row
3. SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Savannah has kept its history and charm throughout the years. Enjoy ghost tours, national landmarks, deep southern food, and 18th century architecture while strolling the cobblestone streets full of restaurants and lively bars.
ACCOMMODATIONS
A Luxury Collection Hotel which mixes old soul with a modern outlook, and worldly elegance with a creative edge. Enjoy the amazing views and well-appointed hotel rooms at this gem of a hotel.
The Drayton Hotel is housed in a 19th-century building in a historic neighborhood. The rooftop offers unparalleled views and the rooms are more minimal in style with masculine colors. The lobby offers colorful couches perfect for sitting back and relaxing.
AKA “The Southern Belle of Hotels in Savannah” - it is a beautiful boutique hotel situated in the center of the Historic District. Take a stroll down the cobblestone streets that surround the hotel and enjoy the wonderful architecture. The accommodations are elegant with a pop of sass.
RESTAURANTS
The Collins Quarter opened in 2014, and brings Australia's café capitol to Savannah. Styled after Melbourne's historic Collins Street, they deliver a unique café experience by pairing specialty coffee with innovative cuisine – all served in relaxed and casual environment.
*courtesy of thecollinsquarter.com
Inventive Southern cuisine served in an elegant Colonial mansion & live music in the cellar tavern.
Vic’s is located in a beautiful old cotton warehouse overlooking the Savannah River and Historic River Street. With entrances on both Bay and River Streets, they are easy to access. Along with their spectacular views, Vic’s menu reflects Savannah’s Southern charm with their sophisticated take on traditional Southern cuisine and our fresh, local seafood selections.
SO MILLENNIAL
Savannah is all about the history - so a lot of the instagram-worthy spots revolve around this (or food).
Collins Quarter
Rainbow Row
Leopold’s Ice Cream
Forsyth Park
4. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
If you wanna have a fun time - eat, drink, listen to country music - Nashville is the place for you. Head to Broadway to stroll the streets full of bars owned by all of your favorite country singers. Go to East Nashville for some good grub. 12th South has some cute little shops - including Reese Witherspoon’s store Draper James. Don’t worry, you are bound to have fun in Nashvegas - and maybe end up a bit hungover.
ACCOMMODATIONS
One of my favorite boutique hotels in Nashville, the Thompson is located in The Gulch. A neighborhood that stands in between 12th South and Downtown Nashville. It is full of cute shops, good restaurants, and much more. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and are minimal in design. The lobby is welcoming - sit back, relax, and enjoy the hotel.
Noelle, a boutique hotel located in Downtown Nashville, lets you experience the energy that Broadway has to offer. Just a few blocks from the madness, enjoy this hotel with its amazing rooftop bar, art-driven rooms, and cozy common areas.
Another boutique hotel in Downton Nashville, the Bobby Hotel is definitely eclectic. During the holidays, they have igloos on their roof - so enjoy some hot toddy’s and take in the views of downtown. The rooms are funky and have a musical theme with muted grays and pops of orange throughout.
RESTAURANTS
Inventive cocktails and plates shared at a convivial bar or at communal tables make this upscale Germantown New American a popular group gathering spot, and it also works for an intimate dinner date, with additional seating at private tables and a warmly lit setting in a renovated old factory; heartier housemade pastas and meaty dishes round out the menu.
Adele’s menu focuses on seasonal, accessible comfort food sourced from local farms and purveyors. the restaurant features an open kitchen, white quarter-sawn oak bar, chef’s counter, and outdoor dining patio.
*courtesy of adelesnashville.com
5th & Taylor is Chef Daniel Lindley’s homage to the American family meal. Inspired by Sunday dinners from his childhood, the menu features familiar yet refined expressions of traditional fare meant to foster a sense of community among guests.
*courtesy of 5thandtaylor.com
SO MILLENNIAL
Nashvegas is FULL of instagram spots, I mean FULL of them. Guaranteed likes!
“I Believe in Nashville” mural - FYI dats me —>
Draper James wall
Amelia’s Outdoor Flower truck
What Lifts You mural
House of Blues Studios mural
5. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Jazz, Cajun food, drinking, drinking, drinking - what else do you need? Grab a hurricane, no guarantee you’ll remember the rest.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Ace Hotel is located in the Warehouse District - just a few minutes away from the French Quarter. The rooms are a bit masculine in decor with dark colors and leather, but still very homey. The lobby reminds me of a gentleman’s library - full of leather couches, photos lining the walls, and low lit lamps.
Loft 523 offers loft-style rooms with minimalist decor. It is only steps away from Bourbon Street located in the Central Business District.
Southern charm meets luxury. “Maison de la Luz is a lighthouse for the senses, reverent of elegance, irreverent of convention and is marked by generosity of spirit.” The lobby itself is inviting and quite grand if I do say so myself.
RESTAURANTS
Chef Donald Link’s Herbsaint Bar and Restaurant, established in 2000 on historic St. Charles Avenue, is the flagship of the Link Restaurant Group. The kitchen is overseen by Chef de Cuisine David Rouse who works closely with local farmers and fishermen, offering contemporary, seasonal French-Southern cuisine with elements of rustic Italian cooking.
*courtesy of herbsaint.com
Sylvain is an unruly Southern bistro for locals in the French Quarter with inspired cocktails that riff on the classics. Here, we laugh loudly, shoot whiskey, and linger among friends old and new.
*courtesy of sylvainnola.com
From beignets to café au lait, Café Du Monde is a New Orleans tradition. Bring part of our New Orleans tradition to your home.
*courtesy of shop.cafedumonde.com
SO MILLENNIAL
In NOLA (similar to Savannah), your instagrammable moments will revolve around architecture or food - plain and simple.
French Quarter balconies
Beignets at Café Du Monde
Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral
The St. Charles Streetcar
