Featured image: Travel South / Heaven Hill Distillery
‘Tis the season to plan ahead, and if travel is on your resolutions list for 2025, there’s no greater time than the present to get those plans on the books. The South continues to be a buzzy region for tourism, and for good reason. Whether you’re a Southerner looking for a perfect road trip itinerary or hoping to swap your big city hometown for a dose of Southern hospitality, we’re rounding up seven buzzy destinations to consider next year.
These cities have big things to celebrate: whether it’s newsworthy hotel openings or major anniversaries, mark your calendar and start planning for trips to these spots around the South.
Wilson, Arkansas
Set amongst the Indigenous mounds on the bends of the Mississippi River is the charming town of Wilson. What the Delta town lacks in size, it makes up for in charm, like something you’d see in a Hallmark movie. Wilson Cafe is a longtime staple in town, with farm-to-table fare and an extensive wine list, thanks in part to the town’s owner’s Napa Valley ties.
The Grange at Wilson Gardens is an all-day cafe surrounded by the town’s greenhouses, using the fresh tomatoes and greens in salads and sandwiches. The Louis Hotel‘s staple is all about craft cocktails and quality pours from wineries and distilleries, including Arkansas-made spirits.
Alabama Gulf Coast
It’s the perfect time to plan a trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast as the communities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bushwhacker cocktail. The region’s signature drink, originally created in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1975, has been adopted stateside.
The boozy milkshake-type drink is found in several places, but none quite as famous as Flora-Bama, located just across the state line in Perdido Key, Florida. The dive bar hosts live music 365 days a year plus events like the annual Mullet Toss and Polar Bear Dip. There’s even a Bushwacker Trail! Embassy Suites by Hilton Gulf Shores Beach Resort will open in fall 2025 for guests looking for stylish and spacious rooms right across the street from the beach.
Pensacola, Florida
The old Florida city celebrates some big birthdays this year. The Saenger Theatre, which hosts performances by the region’s opera, orchestra, and ballet, will ring in its centennial. It was originally built in 1925 for vaudeville performances and silent films. The likes of Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, and Robin Williams have taken the stage over the years.
Fort Barrancas will also celebrate 160 years since Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation when it reopens in May 2025. The site is part of both the Gulf Islands National Seashore and the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Guests can enjoy a stay at Lily Hall, a 15-room converted church that opened in 2023 with a restaurant and speakeasy.
Atlanta, Georgia
There’s always something happening in the capital city, including the 2025 MLB All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park. The Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Sweet Auburn, where Martin Luther King Jr. was the preacher, was selected as one of the 11 proposed Civil Rights Movement sites to be suggested for UNESCO World Heritage status. The site, along with the rest of King National Historical Park, celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2025 as well.
The Michelin guide returned to the city to heap praise on more restaurants and cement status for others, including Atlas and Bacchanalia. The hotel scene is seeing new additions like the Signia by Hilton, the first new hotel downtown in decades, and Forth, a trendy hotel and social club in the Old Fourth Ward.
But it’s not all new. Hotel Clermont celebrates its 100th anniversary and Hotel Granada opened in 2024 in the former Artmore Hotel space.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail
You don’t have to be a bourbon fan to appreciate the darling towns of Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail. The historic towns of Bardstown and Frankfort offer plenty of charm outside the big cities. Bardstown Motor Lodge was added to the area’s hotel offerings in 2023, followed by The Delegate Hotel and Ashbrook Hotel in Frankfort in 2024.
Old Talbott Tavern is nothing new, but worth a detour for history and a hearty meal of Kentucky’s famous Hot Brown sandwich. And if you do want some brown water after all, Buffalo Trace, Castle & Key, and Heaven Hill aren’t far away.
Nashville, Tennessee
Country music’s greatest stage, the Grand Ole Opry, celebrates 100 years since its founding with a year-long series of concerts and events at the Ryman Auditorium from its famous members.
The historic Nashville Arcade is also set to reopen in 2025 with arts programming, gallery space, restaurants, and retail. Spend the night at one of the city’s newest hotels, including The Chloe Nashville in Hillsboro Village and Caption by Hyatt in The Gulch.
Bristol, Virginia
Sitting on the line with Tennessee, Bristol is considered the site of the “big bang of country music” because of the 1927 Bristol Sessions, which brought together the day’s top artists to be documented for the first time. This event, and the modern music industry, is honored at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Artists still come to record at Earnest Tube, a cozy studio in the heart of downtown, and to perform at the annual Rhythm & Roots Festival. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol opened in late 2024, with luxury rooms, dining, and weekly concerts.
Looking for more ideas as you plan your 2025 travel? Check out our list of the South’s most luxurious resorts.
