ALABAMA | GEORGIA | LOUISIANA | MISSISSIPPI | TENNESSEE
Alabama
Alabama Mountains
Mountain panoramas, waterfalls, caverns and gorges await exploration
in North Alabama. Go horseback riding and view a majestic 104-foot
waterfall in Fort Payne.
Hike miles of trails in DeSoto State Park and the Little River Canyon National
Preserve or go underground for a cave tour. See glass-blowing demonstrations
at the Orbix Hot Glass studio, or in nearby Scottsboro visit Unclaimed Baggage
where lost airline luggage is sold to the public. In Huntsville see America’s
largest seasonal butterfly house at the lovely botanical gardens.
Huntsville
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is the world's largest space attraction and
features dozens of interactive exhibits surrounding Apollo, Mercury and Space
Shuttle spacecraft. See the U.S. Space Camp Training Center where youngsters
of all ages (and adults) conduct simulated missions. Experience three times the
force of gravity as you spin in the "G-Force Accelerator." Feel the
powerful G forces of launch aboard the "Space Shot." Manoeuvre through
space aboard the "Mission to Mars." Travel through space during breathtaking
shows in the Spacedome Omnimax theater.
Alabama’s Coast
Visit Gulf Shores along the Alabama Gulf Coast with its
32 miles of soft white sand beaches and sparkling Gulf waters. Take a dolphin-watching
trip or a scuba-diving adventure. Nearby is Mobile, location of the first capital
of the Louisiana Territory by the French. Mobile’s downtown reflects
the past with famous architecture, fabulous food and a host of attractions.
The family
can kayak to barrier islands off Dauphin Island or go bird watching along the
Alabama Coastal Birding Trail.
Georgia
Dahlonega
Forget about California. The first American gold rush was in the hills
of North Georgia in 1828. Take a walking tour through the massive underground
network
of tunnels at Consolidated Gold Mines and learn about techniques used by the
early miners. Pan for gold at Gold’n Gem Grubbin’ Mine and learn
the story of the first gold rush at the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site
in the old county courthouse. Celebrate Villa Rica, the City of Gold, at the
Gold
Rush Festival every October.
Georgia’s Coast
Georgia’s coast extends 100 miles from South Carolina to Florida with pristine
barrier islands, quiet swamps, unspoiled beaches and marshes thriving with wildlife.
There are dolphin tours, sea kayaking, sailing and fishing to be found all along
the coast. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic district on
Jekyll Island or ride the ferry from St. Mary’s to the spectacular world
of Cumberland Island, where wild horses graze and armadillos skitter around
the pristine island. Less than one hour inland from the coast, the Okefenokee
Swamp
is a national gem. Once part of the ocean floor, the swamp covers 650-square
miles and is home to hundreds of species of wildlife including 10,000 alligators.
Atlanta
Atlanta has something for all the family from the stunning Georgia Aquarium
and its gigantic whale sharks and Beluga whales to a studio tour at CNN
or a taste
of the world’s favourite beverage at the World of Coke. The most-visited
attraction in Georgia is Stone Mountain, just 16 miles from downtown Atlanta.
It is best known for the huge bas-relief carving of Confederate heroes Jefferson
Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee – the largest such sculpture
in the world. The park also features Crossroads, which recreates an 1870s community;
a sky lift to the mountain summit; a lake; a water park; a side-wheeler riverboat;
a railroad; hiking trails and camping facilities.
Louisiana
New Orleans
Louisiana’s own,
very colourful city
of New Orleans is overflowing with history, culture and an energy that
reverberates throughout the city. There is a wealth of experience for all
the family in New Orleans - paddle steamers, the Aquarium, Audubon Zoo,
the Voodoo Museum, Mardi Gras World, air boat swamp tours, street car rides,
Carnival floats being made year-round at New Orleans’ Mardi Gras
World and the National
World War II Museum for starters.
Outdoor Fun
Kids love outdoor fun and animals, and Louisiana has all the natural
ingredients. They can walk with the alligators and experience unusual
views of “Louisiana’s
Outback” by visiting the Creole Nature Trail National Scenic Byway.
The family can have a close encounter at over 25 swamp and airboat tours,
the Global Wildlife Center, Audubon Zoo, and Bayou Pierre Alligator Park.
They can touch history on the B-52 bombers at the 8th Air Force Museum,
LSU Rural Life Museum, Acadian Village and Vermilionville.
Indoor Excitement
No problem if a cooling Gulf shower passes through. The family can have
fun at the nationally-recognised Sci-Port Discovery Center in Shreveport,
be spooked at haunted plantation houses, or be amazed at the Aquarium of
the Americas. The brand new Louisiana Boardwalk in north Louisiana and
the Tanger Factory Outlet in south Louisiana are great places for family
shopping and having fun with the kids - and international visitors get
an extra 9% tax back!
Mississippi
Biloxi & Gulfport
For a breathtaking, unforgettable view, drive along the Mississippi
Gulf coast, where the Gulf of Mexico’s gentle waters nestle
against 26 miles of white-sand beaches. Beyond the beaches, board
a Shrimping boat
for an authentic Shrimping expedition or discover the serene barrier
islands, accessible by Ship Island Excursions, where you can sunbathe,
swim or watch
the dolphins bobbing through the waves. On shore, there are family activities
galore including the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center and the Fun Factory,
the largest indoor playground on the coast.
The Natchez Trace Parkway
This historic, 444-mile scenic parkway links Natchez with Nashville and
crosses some of the most beautiful terrain in the states of Mississippi,
Alabama and Tennessee. The Parkway has been declared a National Scenic
Byway and an All-American Road and has been chosen as one of America's
10 best biking roads. Open year-round for motorists, hikers and bikers,
it provides visitors the opportunity for an unhurried trip through time.
Tunica RiverPark
Right in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, The Tunica RiverPark Museum
is an extensive, one-of-a-kind interactive, interpretive center that
showcases the legend and the life of the Mississippi river and its history.
The Tunica
Queen - one of the newest and most exciting attractions in Tunica Resorts – departs
from the RiverPark landing and allows passengers to enjoy the beauty
and luxury of a classic 19th century riverboat while relaxing in the
air-conditioned
and heated comforts of the 21st century.
Tennessee
Chattanooga
Chattanooga has reinvented itself in recent years and has become
a magnet for families. Visit the remarkable Tennessee Aquarium, take
a cruise
on the river, spend time on Lookout Mountain, ride the Incline Railway,
explore Point Park, the site of “The Battle Above the Clouds” in
1863, go deep underground at Ruby Falls and see the inspiration for Disneyland
at Rock City Gardens. There’s also the Children’s Discovery
Museum of Chattanooga and the IMAX cinema that shows a variety of movies
in 3-D.
Pigeon Forge & The Smokies
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is actually the most visited
in the USA – more
than the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone!
There is so much for the family to do in the mountain towns of Gatlinburg,
Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. The natural surroundings offer mountain
biking, white water rafting, horseback riding, hiking and in winter,
even skiing. In nearby Pigeon Forge, Dolly Parton’s theme park,
Dollywood, has entertainment and rides for the whole family. In the summer,
Dollywood’s Splash Country offers a cool, refreshing experience
to escape the heat. Along the parkway in Pigeon Forge are attractions
tailor-made for the family such as go-karts, bungee jumping, crazy golf
and even simulated sky diving!
Oak Ridge & Norris
Welcome to the secret city, a place that almost 60 years ago didn’t
even officially exist despite some 75,000 people living there. Oak Ridge
was created as part of the Manhattan Project to develop the nuclear bomb
which brought a sudden end to the Second World War. The American Museum
of Science and Energy is the place to visit, a hands-on, great-for-children
place that devotes a floor to the Manhattan Project, including a fascinating
film. Travel 200 years in fifteen minutes to the Museum of Appalachia,
a 65-acre living history museum. From farm animals in their natural settings,
furnished pioneer cabins, and 250,000 plus mountain artefacts, this museum
offers fun for the whole family.
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