The Southeast has something for everyone, from mountains to sea.
Some of the country’s most stunning natural wonders can be found nestled into the Great Smoky Mountains or along the Gulf Coast.
Take a trip through the Carolinas, to Florida and over to Mississippi and Louisiana, and you’ll find beauty, adventure and history. Search for shark teeth along a stretch of beach in Florida. Learn about a culture that survived the Trail of Tears in North Carolina.
Taste some Tabasco sauce — native to a Louisiana island. See how a legendary baseball player got his start. And so much more.
1. Red Bluff
What: The Red Bluff — a geological formation in Marion County — is known as the “Grand Canyon of Mississippi.” The feature, formed through the natural erosion of the west bank of the Pearl River, is a colorful exposure of red clay, soil, sand and other vivid sediments.
Where: About 85 miles from Jackson. Highway 587, Foxworth, MS 39483
Why it’s a hidden gem: Red Bluff is on land owned by a private individual who lives out of state, and public officials don’t endorse the site.
Most important to know: Visitors routinely ignore “road closed” and “no trespassing” signs and enjoy sitting atop the bluff’s 400-foot incline for views of the Pearl River Basin and eastern portion of the nearby city of Columbia.
2. ‘Shoeless Joe’ Jackson Museum
What: The “Shoeless Joe” Jackson Museum is dedicated to showcasing the legacy of Joseph Jefferson Jackson’s baseball career.
Where: About 100 miles from Columbia. 356 Field St, Greenville, SC 29601
Why it’s a hidden gem: The house has moved around a couple times in its history. It was originally built in Greenville but was lifted off its foundation and moved about 2 miles down the street to 356 Field Street — the number honoring Jackson’s .356 career batting average. The house was moved again in 2020.
What to know: Jackson would come to be known as “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, after, it is said, playing a game in Greenville without shoes. He would come to be known as one of the greatest professional baseball players of all time. And he would become one of eight players who lives on, too, in baseball infamy, due to the Black Sox Scandal, the throwing of the 1919 World Series. Though a jury found Jackson and his Chicago White Six teammates not guilty of wrongdoing, baseball banned them for life.
3. Avery Island
What: Avery Island, birthplace of the state’s famous hot sauce, Tabasco, hosts a factory museum tour and allows visitors the chance to taste them in Restaurant 1868’s authentic Cajun cuisine – paired with a drink from the Bloody Mary bar.
Where: About 30 miles from Lafayette. 329 Avery Island Rd Avery Island, LA 70513
Why it’s a hidden gem: Most associate Avery Island with Tabasco but don’t know about the other activities to do in the area.
What to know: Visitors can also visit the Jungle Gardens to see 170 acres of oak trees, Spanish moss and wildlife that the Sportsman’s Paradise is known for.
4. Qualla Township
What: The Qualla Township, the ancestral homeland of the Cherokee Nation, features attractions and events celebrating tribal history, culture and art, such as the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.
Where: In the corner of Western North Carolina, about 40 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains. 4 Qualla Rd, Hayesville, NC 28904
What to know: The area is a sovereign nation to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, with about 15,000 enrolled members. The Cherokee host seasonal attractions, including the Oconaluftee Indian Village living history museum (open May-October), Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual and the outdoor drama “Unto These Hills” (summers only).
5. Venice Beach
What: Venice Beach is like a time machine where visitors can find fossilized bones and teeth of creatures, such as the megalodon and Mako shark, that inhabited the Earth up to millions of years ago.
Where: About 150 miles from Orlando. 101 The Esplanade S, Venice, FL 34285
Why it’s a hidden gem: It isn’t — just about anybody can find a shark tooth. You don’t need a boat or Zen-like patience.
What to know: Shark teeth, ranging in size from less than a dime to as big as an adult’s hand, are the most abundant, although it’s possible to find ice age fossilized mammoth, mastodon and horse teeth. Megalodon grew up to 59 feet in length and looked like a more robust great white shark. Its teeth are particularly prized.
