incorporated hot tubs on wrap-around decks and wood-burning fireplaces in a celebration of 21st Century mountain culture .
The historic town of Gatlinburg serves as the gateway to Great Smoky National Park . The greater area offers museums , hiking , ziplines , rafting and even a ski resort . It ’ s all about family fun here . Make no mistake : This is Dolly Parton country . Born in a nearby one-room cabin , the child prodigy first performed at church and went on to become one of the great American singer / songwriters , with much of her work reflecting the very essence and the beauty of everyday life here in the Smoky Mountains .
THE EMERALD COAST
We now head south , taking a detour through the Mississippi Delta — home of the Delta blues — and we keep going until we reach the beach . The sand here is soft , flour-like , and blindingly white on sunny days . And it ’ s made of quartz . The crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico , by contrast , are turquoise and seem lit from within . Where did the sand come from ? The Appalachian Mountains . Toward the end of the last Ice Age , the quartz eroded and was washed away and carried south by the Apalachicola River all the way to the Gulf . Tides and currents then sent it westward as far as Pensacola Pass , forming what is now known as the Emerald Coast .
Today , there ’ s more to the area than this thin ribbon of sand . The distinctive communities of Scenic Highway 30A offer a vibrant art scene encompassing live music , painting , the performing arts and , of course , architecture . This is the home of Seaside , Florida , one of the progenitors of the New Urbanism movement , along with WaterColor , WaterSound , Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach . Destin Harbor is home to Florida ’ s largest charter fishing fleet .
TYBEE ISLAND
We ’ re now heading northeast , nearly completing a circle that began in the Sea Islands of South Carolina . This is historic Tybee Island , Georgia , just 18 miles from downtown Savannah . Known as “ Savannah ’ s Beach ,” Tybee Island offers all the natural beauty stops along the way
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
• Gatlinburg
• Knoxville
• Asheville , North Carolina
THE SEA ISLANDS
• Beaufort , South Carolina
• Charleston
• Hilton Head Island
TYBEE ISLAND
• Savannah
• Tybee Island Light Station and Museum
• Fort Pulaski
EMERALD COAST
• Coastal Dune Lakes
• Seaside
• Destin Harbor
of the Low Country and sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean from its lighthouse — the tallest and oldest , dating back to 1736 . Fort Pulaski , a Civil War-era garrison on Cockspur Island between Tybee and Savannah , is a must-see for history buffs .
If watersports are your thing , Tybee is your island . The surrounding salt marsh is lush with spartina , making it perfect for wildlife watching by sea kayak . Chances are you ’ ll spot several of the area ’ s bottlenose dolphins . The Tybee Island Marine Science Center serves as an on-the-water classroom for visitors and groups eager to learn about the area ’ s marine ecosystems . The beautiful city of Savannah , “ The Hostess City of the South ,” is always just minutes away .
THE AMERICAN ROAD TRIP FEATURE beachLIFE 85