Backroads

Best Small Towns in the South: Hidden Gems Worth the Drive

The American South is home to some of the most charming, authentic, and welcoming small towns in the country — places where the food is extraordinary, the history is deep, and the hospitality is genuine.

The American South is home to some of the most charming, authentic, and welcoming small towns in the country. These are places where the food is extraordinary — not restaurant food, but the kind of cooking that has been passed down through generations and refined over centuries. Where the history is deep and genuinely present, not just preserved in museums. Where the hospitality is real, not performed.

The South's small towns are also remarkably diverse — from the mountain communities of the Appalachians to the fishing villages of the Gulf Coast, from the antebellum towns of the Deep South to the frontier communities of the Texas Hill Country. What they share is a sense of place that is increasingly rare in an America of chain restaurants and identical strip malls.

Here are 15 of the best small towns in the South, drawn from Outdoor Taste & Tour's extensive coverage of the region.

Appalachian Mountain Towns

Franklin, North Carolina — The Gem Capital of the World

Franklin sits in the far western corner of North Carolina, surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest and the southern Appalachians. The town is famous for its gem mines — the region's geology has produced an extraordinary variety of precious and semi-precious stones, and fee-mining operations allow visitors to sift through gem-bearing ore and keep what they find.

The Nantahala River — one of the Southeast's premier whitewater destinations — flows through the nearby gorge, and the Appalachian Trail passes through the surrounding forest. Franklin offers the rare combination of outdoor adventure, geological wonder, and genuine small-town character.

Don't Miss: The Sheffield Mine for gem mining; the Nantahala Outdoor Center for whitewater rafting; the Frog & Owl Kitchen for farm-to-table dining.

Rabun County, Georgia — Waterfalls and Farm-to-Table

Rabun County occupies the far northeastern corner of Georgia, where the Blue Ridge Mountains reach their southern terminus. The county is home to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Southeast — Tallulah Gorge, Minnehaha Falls, and Angel Falls — and a farm-to-table dining scene that has been drawing food lovers from Atlanta for years.

The county's vineyards produce excellent wines from muscadine and hybrid grapes, and the surrounding Chattahoochee National Forest offers exceptional hiking and fishing.

Don't Miss: Tallulah Gorge State Park; the local wineries; the farm-to-table restaurants in Clayton.

Cherokee County, North Carolina — Mountain Lakes and Appalachian Heritage

Cherokee County occupies the far western corner of North Carolina, where the Appalachian Mountains meet the Tennessee border. The county is home to Hiwassee Lake and Apalachia Lake — two beautiful mountain lakes that offer excellent fishing, boating, and swimming — and the Murphy area, a charming small city with a thriving arts scene.

Don't Miss: Hiwassee Lake for fishing and boating; the Murphy arts district; the Appalachian Trail crossing at Bly Gap.

West Virginia Mountain Towns

Fayetteville, West Virginia — The Adventure Capital

Fayetteville is the gateway to the New River Gorge National Park — America's newest national park — and has evolved into one of the most vibrant small cities in West Virginia. The downtown features excellent restaurants, craft breweries, and outdoor gear shops that cater to the adventure community that calls this town home.

The New River Gorge offers whitewater rafting, rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking in a spectacular setting. The annual Bridge Day festival — when the New River Gorge Bridge is opened to BASE jumpers and rappellers — is one of the most spectacular events in the country.

Don't Miss: Cathedral Café for dining; the New River Gorge Bridge overlook; whitewater rafting on the New River.

Lewisburg, West Virginia — The Cultured Mountain Town

Lewisburg was named one of the "Coolest Small Towns in America" by Budget Travel magazine, and the designation is deserved. The historic downtown features beautifully preserved 19th-century architecture, excellent restaurants, and a vibrant arts scene anchored by the Carnegie Hall arts center.

Don't Miss: Carnegie Hall for concerts and exhibitions; the General Lewis Inn for dining; Lost World Caverns for underground adventure.

Gulf Coast Towns

Port Arthur, Texas — The Cajun Capital of Texas

Port Arthur sits at the confluence of the Gulf of Mexico, Sabine Lake, and the Neches River — a landscape of marshes, bays, and open water that is one of the most productive wildlife habitats on the Gulf Coast. The city is the official Cajun Capital of Texas, with a food scene rooted in the Cajun traditions brought by Louisiana immigrants generations ago.

The birding here is world-class — Sabine Woods is one of the most famous birding spots in North America, and the spring migration brings spectacular concentrations of songbirds from across the Gulf.

Don't Miss: Sabine Woods during spring migration; Sea Rim State Park for beach and marsh; Sartin's Seafood for barbecued crabs.

Kemah, Texas — Bay Area Houston's Waterfront Gem

Kemah sits on Galveston Bay, about 25 miles southeast of Houston, and offers a waterfront experience that is genuinely different from the city. The Kemah Boardwalk is the social heart of the community, with restaurants, shops, and amusement rides overlooking the bay.

Don't Miss: The Kemah Boardwalk; sailing on Galveston Bay; the fresh Gulf seafood restaurants.

Columbus County, North Carolina — Lake Waccamaw and Southern Warmth

Columbus County is home to Lake Waccamaw — one of the Carolina Bays, a series of elliptical lakes unique to the coastal plain of the Carolinas. The lake is a National Natural Landmark, home to several species found nowhere else in the world. The surrounding communities offer the kind of genuine Southern hospitality that is increasingly rare.

Don't Miss: Lake Waccamaw State Park; the antique shops in Whiteville; the local barbecue restaurants.

Deep South Towns

Tifton, Georgia — BBQ and Strawberries

Tifton is a small city in South Georgia that celebrates its agricultural heritage with genuine enthusiasm. The city's BBQ scene is exceptional — slow-smoked pork in the Georgia tradition — and the annual Strawberry Festival celebrates the region's strawberry harvest with food, music, and community.

Don't Miss: The local BBQ restaurants; the Tifton Strawberry Festival in spring; the Georgia Museum of Agriculture.

Ridgeland, Mississippi — The Steakhouse Capital

Ridgeland is a thriving suburb of Jackson that has earned the title of Mississippi's Steakhouse Capital. The city's restaurant row along Old Canton Road and the Renaissance at Colony Park development features some of the finest steakhouses in the state, along with excellent Gulf seafood and farm-to-table Southern cooking.

Don't Miss: The steakhouses along Old Canton Road; the Barnett Reservoir for outdoor recreation; the Natchez Trace Parkway for scenic driving.

Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana — Cajun Heritage and the Red River

Avoyelles Parish sits in the heart of Louisiana's Cajun country, along the Red River. The parish is home to some of the most authentic Cajun culture in Louisiana — the music, the food, the festivals, and the traditions that have been passed down through generations of French-speaking settlers.

Don't Miss: The Cajun music festivals; the local boudin and cracklins; the Red River for fishing and paddling.

Tennessee and Kentucky Towns

Clarksville, Tennessee — Fall Foliage and History

Clarksville sits at the confluence of the Cumberland and Red rivers in northern Tennessee, offering a combination of outdoor recreation, Civil War history, and a growing culinary scene. The city's historic downtown features beautifully preserved 19th-century architecture, and the surrounding countryside offers excellent fall foliage viewing.

Don't Miss: The Clarksville Historic District; the Cumberland River for paddling; the fall foliage drives in the surrounding countryside.

Wilson County, Tennessee — Lebanon's Antiques and Farms

Wilson County — centered on the city of Lebanon — is one of Tennessee's most charming rural counties, with a thriving antique scene, excellent farm-to-table restaurants, and a landscape of rolling hills and cedar glades that is beautiful in every season.

Don't Miss: The antique shops in Lebanon; the local farm-to-table restaurants; the Lebanon Wilson County Fair in summer.

Hardin County, Tennessee — Pickwick Lake and Civil War History

Hardin County sits on the Tennessee River in western Tennessee, home to Pickwick Lake — one of the finest fishing lakes in the state — and the Shiloh National Military Park, site of one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles.

Don't Miss: Pickwick Lake for fishing and boating; Shiloh National Military Park for history; the Tennessee River for paddling.

Bowling Green, Kentucky — Caves and Corvettes

Bowling Green is home to two of Kentucky's most distinctive attractions — Mammoth Cave National Park (the world's longest known cave system) and the National Corvette Museum (the only museum dedicated to America's sports car). The combination is unusual but genuinely compelling.

Don't Miss: Mammoth Cave National Park for underground adventure; the National Corvette Museum; the Lost River Cave for a boat tour through an underground river.

Planning Your Southern Small Town Road Trip

The South's small towns are best explored by car — the distances between them are manageable, and the drives between them are often as rewarding as the destinations themselves.

Suggested Itineraries:

Appalachian Loop (7 days): Asheville NC → Franklin NC → Cherokee County NC → Rabun County GA → Fayetteville WV → Lewisburg WV → return

Gulf Coast Loop (5 days): Houston → Kemah → Port Arthur → Avoyelles Parish LA → return

Tennessee-Kentucky Loop (4 days): Nashville → Clarksville → Bowling Green → Wilson County → return

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Southern small towns different from small towns elsewhere? Southern small towns have a combination of deep history, extraordinary food culture, and genuine hospitality that is hard to find elsewhere. The food alone — the BBQ, the Cajun cooking, the Appalachian traditions — is worth the trip.

Are Southern small towns safe for visitors? Yes — the towns featured here are welcoming and safe for visitors. The outdoor adventure communities in the Appalachian towns and the food communities in the Gulf Coast towns are particularly welcoming.

What is the best time to visit Southern small towns? Fall (September–November) is generally the best time — the weather is excellent, the fall foliage in the Appalachian towns is spectacular, and the harvest festivals celebrate the region's agricultural heritage.

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