Are you serious? Atlanta not "southern"?

Ya learn something new every day! :-)

It's funny how different people perceive places. I'll readily admit I haven't spent enough time in Atlanta to make a judgment there. But when I went to grad school in the Triangle area of NC, I'd heard so much about how pretty it was and how Chapel Hill is "the Southern part of heaven" that when I got there and experienced it myself, I had a little bit of culture shock. It sure wasn't the South I was used to (I'm from East Tennessee, so even the hills and trees didn't impress me too much). I was talking with a friend of mine from Alabama once about how we didn't feel like it was very friendly, but our friend from California practically felt smothered by the friendliness of grocery store cashiers. :)

NC is extremely diverse from the Outer Banks with its' beaches and lighthouses to the Smokey Mts.(most visited national park) with its incredible vistas. Also, Asheville and the Biltemore Estate is a great place to visit.

Depending on interests, one could easily spend 4-5 days in Atlanta seeing the sights -- I did. Nearby Stone Mountain alone can take a full day to visit. If you spend just a couple days here, would recommend doing some research and then narrowing down options. Atlanta itself didn't seem especially charming, but it has several worthy attractions.

I found two full days in Savannah and three in Charleston enough to see much of what's there. Lovely cities both, in my opinion.

Atlanta is certainly in the south. It is a big ole city--and always has been relative to the population at the time. It has a wonderful museum.
There are LOTS and LOTS of more charming parts in the south to see and do.
One day in Savannah and 3 in Charleston would be much more to my liking than 5 in Atlanta.
As for Chapel Hill and the "southern part of heaven"--if you can't recognize that as hyperbole by Carolina Blue lovers, you have sorely missed the boat. Sorry, and LOL!! It's a "saying" as the "saying" goes!! Just like God made the sky Tarheel blue!! But Chapel Hill and that area are fun--no doubt about it.

Gretchen - oh, I knew it was hyperbole, but I was still expecting Southern. But it didn't feel Southern to me, except when I was looking at the old houses along Franklin Street!

Its only "historicity" is the age of the University really. Pittsboro and Hillsborough are nice old towns. NC and Tennessee were really border states for the Old South, and while very southern, are not OLD South, in my opinion, and I live here!! It's still a great place to live.

IMO Atlanta is a city. It feels like a city. But, it is definitely a Southern city.

Yes, there are big towns (small cities) and small towns that feel more "Southern" because they aren't....well, cities.

Madison, GA feels more "Southern" than Atlanta...just up the road. So does Social Circle. And, Marietta. Heck, so does Athens.

But, if we are talking a "city" then, it's Atlanta and no, it's not going to feel as "southern" as a big town OR small town. But, IMO (as a native Atlantan) it's very "Southern".

Different strokes for different folks.

Not denying for a minute it is a southern city. When I was in high school, and driving with my parents to Florida, I begged my dad to take me to Five Points. I just KNEW that Scarlet would be there!! LOL
I just don't find Atlanta "charming".

July is pretty busy anywhere on the coast but things quickly get booked for the weekends. If you have flexibility try visiting the beach leg of your trip mid week. The hotel/condo rates are cheaper, the restaurants are less full and traffic is a lot better.

One tip, if you are trying to visit one of our island destinations such as Hilton Head, avoid driving into the island on Saturday. About half of the units rent by the week and Saturday is the most common change over day. Likewise if you try leaving on Sunday, you will get stuck in traffic from the weekend visitors and those who have beach houses and are going back to work.

Our roads do a good just of accomodating year round residents and summer visitors, but during July weekends, they are packed some times of day.

There are in my understanding four different bits of the South: the gulf coast, the Atlantic seaboard, the Deep South (Alabama, Mississippi, west Tennessee, Georgia), and the Southern Appalachians. All are equally Southern, just in different ways. I know the most about the Southern Appalachians and can certainly assert that that bit is the most scenic part of the South, but there's no question that all parts are worth visiting for their own reasons.

One major plus about the Southern Apps in relation to the preferences you gave in the OP is that you wouldn't have to spend near any time on Interstates, and most of the highways you'd be taking are quite scenic. Some incredibly scenic.

You could easily spend all your time in just the Southern Appalachians if that's what you wanted to do. To an extent concentrating your time in one region is a good idea so you come away with a more than skin deep understanding.

On the most part you won't find the South in big cities. We've historically been a rural folk, and the growth of cities has diminished Southern culture more than strengthened it. That said, Southern cities offer some neat stuff.

www.chattanoogafun.com