{"id":38693,"date":"2019-11-29T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=38693&preview=true&preview_id=38693"},"modified":"2025-03-19T03:55:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T16:55:20","slug":"southern-hospitality-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/southern-hospitality-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"Southern hospitality is a thing. Here’s what to expect on a trip through America’s southern states."},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s nothing quite like the kindness of strangers. Some places are known for it more than others, but nowhere quite compares to old southern hospitality. From Nashville to Savannah and beyond, old school values and charm make the USA’s southern states some of the friendliest places to visit.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unexpected kindness is a part of everyday life in the south. Here\u2019s what you can expect while you’re travelling overland from Nashville to Savannah, through Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee<\/a>, on an Intrepid small group adventure.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. People will hold open doors for you<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"TwoWith a nod of the head, a tip of the hat or an ‘after you\u2026’ spilled in a deep Southern drawl, it\u2019s frequent to have doors held open for you in the South. It\u2019s just the way things are done in this part of the world. Every hotel we stayed in had a friendly bell-hop, who greeted us with a huge amount of enthusiasm. Even our campsite in Mount Pleasant, Charleston had a helpful caretaker willing to show us the way (not to mention the infinite kindness of our guide Mikaela<\/a> who looked after us for our entire trip!). So many people are willing to go out of their way to assist in the South; it\u2019s a really humbling experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

EXPLORE OUR FULL RANGE OF SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTHERN USA HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

2. You will frequently be referred to as Sir or Ma\u2019am<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"TourUsed as an informal greeting, a thank you or a way to get your attention when you\u2019re about to walk into oncoming traffic, there is something endearing about being referred to as Sir or Ma\u2019am. The old school titles evoke feelings of nostalgia, and the novelty of being referred to in such a way doesn\u2019t wear off. According to an affable local at the Tennessee Whiskey Distillery in Nashville, the titles originated from the French terms \u2018monsieur\u2019 and \u2018madame\u2019, which were eventually abbreviated over time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Cars will wait for you to cross the street\u2026 even if you aren\u2019t crossing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"AIf you are even remotely near the side of a road on Rainbow Row in Charleston, cars will slow and give you the universal wave of, ‘no, please, you first!’. What usually follows is a series of apologetic hand gestures until you realise you\u2019ve been lingering dangerously close to the roads’ edge, with a camera in hand and have no need to cross. Of course, drivers aren’t bothered in the slightest and will usually give you an amiable wave as they continue on their way. The locals are used to tourists on this pretty little street and everybody is very patient.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. If you\u2019re unsure of a menu item, you\u2019ll be offered a taster<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"AWhat even ARE grits? Are they bits of bacon? Oats? Some kind of other grainy porridge? At Paula Deen\u2019s Lady and Sons Restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, one waiter helped us settle the debate by bringing out a taster. The verdict? Kinda like polenta in texture, but also not, so maybe give these a shot for yourself! It\u2019s got to be experienced first hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: 6 REASONS TO DO A GROUP TOUR IN THE USA (FROM A GROUP TOUR SKEPTIC)\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

5. Restaurant owners often introduce themselves and check in on customers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"AA tradition that is occasionally seen in big Australian cities, restaurant owners and venue managers will personally check in on tables to make sure everyone is enjoying their meal, and the service. While it\u2019s common for waitstaff to check in on diners, a fair few southern restaurants are going the extra mile, with owners often making an appearance; you can\u2019t fake those family and community values! Our group felt like VIPs at Halls Chophouse in Charleston when we were all greeted as Sir and Ma\u2019am \u2013 and even more when the owner came out and offered us all glasses of Champagne on the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: HOW TO WATCH MUSIC LIKE A LOCAL IN NEW ORLEANS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

6. Everyone wants to know where you\u2019re from and what you\u2019re doing in the south<\/h2>\n

\"AAn Australian accent really<\/em> stands out in the South. From one man leaning out his car window in the Loveless Cafe car park to ask, ‘Are you guys \u2018Ossies\u2019?’, to strangers in parks stopping to see what all the camera commotion is about, everyone’s excited to hear about a foreigner exploring their neck of the woods. Southerners are proud of their cities, so you\u2019ll often get stuck in conversation about a piece of southern history you had no idea about \u2013 and there\u2019s nothing like learning about a place from the locals themselves. In the Smoky Mountains, I chatted to a park ranger who, after posing for a photo, wanted to share some tidbits of information about the Smokies, such as where the name comes from. Its Smoky namesake originates from the fog that often hangs over the mountains. Makes sense!<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: 10 OF THE USA’S BEST NATIONAL PARKS AND FORESTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

7. Everyone lets you pat their dog (or cat!)<\/h2>\n

\"Tour\"AClearly the most important item on this list; dogs are always<\/em> popular and everyone’s happy to share their furry friends affection with you. If you\u2019re a dog person, saying hello to the local pets is a great way to introduce yourself to their owners and ask suggestions on things to do and see \u2013 and Southerners are more than happy to oblige. In Savannah, we all chatted to a friendly local with a rescue kitten who spoke to us about what it was like growing up in the South.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: FINDING THE UNFAMILIAR IN AMERICA’S HEARTLAND<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

8. People are happy to pose for a photo (even the fire department!)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"TwoWherever you are in the world, it’s important to ask permission before taking someone’s photo. On our trip, people were a little embarrassed when we asked to take a snap, but they were happy to flash a smile and have their picture taken. In Asheville, North Carolina we met two firemen who were keen to strike a pose, even with their team members watching on and insisting to us that they were both Abercrombie models.<\/span><\/p>\n

Experience Southern hospitality at its best on an Intrepid small group adventure through the USA’s southern states. Check out our range of trips here.<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

All images by Rachel Claire.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Nashville to Savannah and beyond, old school values and charm make the USA’s southern states some of the friendliest places to visit.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16204,"featured_media":38706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[286],"tags":[423,3096,330],"class_list":["post-38693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-north-america","tag-southern-usa","tag-usa","ipf_theme-18-to-29s","ipf_region-united-states"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSouthern Hospitality: What It's Like In America's South | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Southern hospitality is alive and well. 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