US South - Best History & Culture

1. Charleston, South Carolina. This is a city rich in the history, architecture, and tradition of southern gentility. Established some 300 years ago in honor of a British monarch (Charles Towne), it has seen war, flood, and hurricane enough to shake any ordinary city to its foundations. Either by organized walking tour or self-guided stroll along South Battery, explore the stately colonial and antebellum homes and delightful courtyards. At day's end, eat in high style at Magnolias, which serves up excellent low-country cuisine. For more information, call 800-774-0006.

2. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. From gliders to jumbo jets, this is where it all began. The Wright brothers abandoned their Ohio bike shop for the prevailing winds of Kitty Hawk and the chance to be the first men to fly. Once you have finished with the monument and history lesson, check out the possibilities of flight yourself. Hang gliders and kite flyers flock to the high dunes for the same reasons as Wilbur and Orville: great wind and soft sand for those, ahem, unexpected landings. Call the Wright Brothers National Monument at 252-441-7430.

3. National Archives, Washington, D.C. You can find many of the world's greatest treasures along the mile-long mall, bordered on all sides by museums and monuments. But to check out some of our nation’s greatest possessions, head over to the National Archives. Within the stately rotunda are three of the most important documents in our nation's short history—the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights—as well as Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and the Magna Carta (1215). Exhibits change regularly, so call 202-501-5205 for up-to-date announcements.

4. Preservation Hall, New Orleans. This isn't the New Orleans of plastic beads and bare breasts. Rather, it’s Mecca for those who love traditional Dixieland jazz. Step back in time, not with costumes and playacting, but with simple respect for the music. Unlike many nightspots in the French Quarter, food and drinks are not served and seating is sparse, so BYOB and expect to stand. The old-timers take requests, but you don't need to ask for Saints come Marchin'— it's all but guaranteed. Call 504-522-2841.

5. Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, Alabama. There is a lot to see and do in Tuskegee, a city nearly synonymous with black history in America. The Archives and Washington Carver Museum are located on the University campus, which was founded back in 1881 by Booker T. Washington as the Normal School and Institute for former slaves. World War II saw the first African-American aviators trained at nearby Moton Field. Or learn about an ambivalent U.S. Health Services that, in 1932, began an ethically unsound 40-year study of the effects of untreated syphilis on African-American men. Contact the National Park Service at 334-727-6390 to learn even more about the sometimes triumphant, sometimes tragic past of Tuskegee.