Sometimes it's not the amount of money you can spend to have an experience. Sometimes the experience just comes naturally no matter what you spend to get it.
Traveling to these sites within and outside the Peach State guarantees breathtaking views and an appreciation for the world around you. And guess what? They're Southern savers to having a doggone good time.
Lookout Mountain: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Drive through a section of the South's most captivating nature sites by way of Lookout Mountain Parkway. Spanning from Chattanooga to Gadsden, Alabama, this 93-mile car ride brings you by mountain vistas, cascading waterfalls, colorful canyons, quaint small towns, and state/national parks. For only a few hours you can explore the best of Southern and countryside living.
Cost: Free.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Credit: Photo courtesy of Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Wormsloe State Historic Site: Savannah, Georgia
This Spanish moss and oak-lined avenue is the ideal destination to take a journey back in time to the oldest standing structure in Savannah. This site teaches about the founding of Georgia and also serves as a romantic location for "I dos" and couple retreats near its trails or waterway. Cost: adults, $10; seniors, $9; youth (6-17), $4.50; children (under 6), $2.
Antique Car Museum: Asheville, North Carolina
Into all things antique and automotive? A trip to this Asheville attraction is worth hitting the road. Nineteen vintage cars, which include a rare 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (only 400 produced), call this museum home. And they're all still in running condition. The museum also features horse-drawn carriages and a 1921 American LaFrance fire engine. Cost: Free.
Reynolds Mansion: Sapelo Island, Georgia
Take an island adventure along the state's coast. Reynolds Mansion is located on a 16,006-acre barrier island with beaches, dunes and coastal wildlife, showcasing Georgia's classic architecture of marble sculptures, murals, billiards. The mansion is surrounded by the natural world. Promenade its inshore waters with leisurely nature hikes or sunset walks along the seashore. Cost: $15
Old Governor's Mansion: Milledgeville, Georgia
Dubbed one of the finest examples of High Greek Revival design in the nation, the Old Governor's Mansion's Corinthian columns and imposing façade has stood the test of war times. The 1839-built mansion is designated a National Historic Landmark, once serving as residence for Georgia executives from the antebellum, Civil War and early Reconstruction years. Rich in history, the "prized" war structure stands tall to this day. Cost: adults, $10; groups, $7; seniors, $7; students, $2, children (under 6), free.
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