The South's Best 2024

How many times have you been on a road trip and realized that you must have taken a left turn where you should have made a right and ended up in what felt like the middle of nowhere? More often than not, whenever that happens, you’ve actually arrived somewhere that’s pretty special to the folks who call it home.

When we started planning the survey for our eighth annual South’s Best awards, we wanted to include a way for you, our readers, to not only vote for your favorite places but to nominate them too. And while we’re always excited to showcase bustling cities on the rise and charming small towns, we also hoped to recognize beloved gems that might be tucked away on side streets or along back roads.

As usual, your responses were overwhelming, and we’re honored to celebrate them. So the next time you take a wrong turn, remember that you might be only a few steps away from a town’s best-kept secret. Just ask a local.