Southeast USA Attractions

The Birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi is the only location in the world where you can see, feel and touch where the King of Rock & Roll began his musical journey.
Only in Tupelo can you walk into the room where he breathed his first breath, take a stroll to his favorite location as a boy to relax looking over Tupelo, and see first hand how it all shaped this young boy from Mississippi into the international rock & roll music legend he is today.

A theme park that lets visitors "Ride the Movies." The theming in Universal Studio's is targeted at making guests feel like they are in a movie set with rides that are inspired by popular films. The park consists of six themed areas - Hollywood, Production Central, New York, San Francisco / Amity, World Expo and KidZone. Source: Wikipedia.org

The Landing hosts more than 350 events each year including Florida/Georgia Weekend Celebrations, the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, New Year’s Eve and Gator Bowl Celebrations, St. Patrick's Day and July 4th. Weekly events include live weekend entertainment in the center courtyard offering a variety of music including classic rock, oldies, contemporary, jazz, and top 40. The Landing also hosts a myriad of events for the community such as charity walks and runs and the Earth Day Ecology Fair. There is always something going on at The Jacksonville Landing, and a complete list of all Landing events can be found in the events section.

Escape to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for the only walking safari in Northeast Florida. Discover the earth's wildlife through interactive and educational experiences. A true family adventure, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is growing and changing daily and is dedicated to the consistently improving. Beginning in 2004 with Range of the Jaguar and continuing with Giraffe Overlook and Savanna Blooms garden, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is quickly becoming a world-class establishment. The Zoo has something for everyone with over 1,500 rare and exotic animals and 1,000 varieties of plants. Whether you are a visitor to Florida's First Coast or a lifetime resident, we invite you to experience the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens through interactions with people, wildlife and the environment.

Nestled at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains in Maggie Valley, Ghost Town offers rides fit for the youngest buckaroo to the bravest outlaw. Ghost Town also features staged gunfights, live music and shows, crafts, food and lots more fun.
Step back into the Wild West at this timeless, family-fun destination located in a beautiful mountain setting surrounded with breathtaking views. Ghost Town in the Sky has something fun for all ages.

Featuring:
Otter Bay - A kiddie pool area with a 6 lane racer slide, sprays and a total of 10 different interactive features
Lily Pad Lagoon - A toddler play area with a shallow pool and 3 different spray geysers
The Big Kahuna - A wave pool offering 27,000 square feet and many different types of wave action
Riptide Run- A mat racer slide delivering 347 feet and 6 lanes of sliding
Tubular Twister- A multi-slide complex with three different selections of thrilling spills, each approximately 300' in length
Big Splash Tree House- A Tree House Play Structure with 66 interactive play elements including pinwheels, troughs, 4 body slides, jets, waterwheels, and a giant bucket which dumps 1,000 gallons of water from above
Rollin' River- A lazy river featuring 870 feet of relaxation A Corporate Picnic Area for group and company outings (group packages, prices and menus available).

Get to know the Atlanta Botanical Garden's numerous themed plant collections. These gardens grow throughout the Garden and are cultivated for their preservation and in harmony with their place in the ecosystem.

Magic Kingdom theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks in Walt Disney World Resort, captures the enchantment of fairy tales with exciting entertainment, classic attractions, backstage tours and beloved Disney Characters.
Designed like a wheel with the hub in front of Cinderella Castle, pathways spoke out across the 107 acres of Magic Kingdom theme park and lead to these 7 whimsical lands: Main Street, U.S.A.® area * Adventureland® area * Frontierland® area * Liberty Square * Fantasyland® area * Mickey's Toontown® Fair area * Tomorrowland® area Travel through these lands and see how fantasy becomes reality when you learn how to be a pirate, match wits with funny monsters and conquer mountains. Get swept up in the spectacle of splendid parades and fireworks shows at Magic Kingdom theme park—it's here that dreams come true for children of all ages.

Welcome to Bellingrath Gardens and Home! An abundance of colors, fragrances and scenic views await you.
Throughout the year, this 65 acre Garden Estate is in full bloom with camellias in the winter, azaleas in the spring, roses in the summer, chrysanthemums in autumn and Magic Christmas in Lights during the holiday season.

Drayton Hall is different. It’s the real thing, and it is the mission of the staff to preserve the property—that is, to keep it in near-original condition just as the National Trust received it from the Drayton family in 1974.
Instead of being restored to the vision of those who lived centuries after it was built, Drayton Hall is an artifact that has survived the American Revolution, the Civil War, the earthquake of 1886, hurricanes like Hugo, and maybe most surprisingly today, urban sprawl.
On top of that, it’s not just that it’s a survivor. The main house is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States. The grounds represent one of the most significant, undisturbed historic landscapes in America. And Drayton Hall’s stories—stories of race, family, culture, sacrifice, innovation, and preservation—reveal who we are and where we’ve come from.

From elephants and koalas to penguins and sharks, formal gardens to natural woodlands, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden promises new discoveries around every corner!

The largest cable-supported domed stadium in the world, opened in 1992. Located in downtown Atlanta, the Dome is the home venue for the Atlanta Falcons, host to Super Bowl XXVIII and XXXIV, host of the gymnastics and basketball events for the 1996 Olympic Games and host to both a Men's and Women's NCAA Final Four.
Annually, the Dome hosts the Bank of America Atlanta Football classic, the SEC Football Championship and the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Dome is equipped to handle large non-sporting events which include everything from major trade shows to concerts by such entertainers as the Rolling Stones and Backstreet Boys to religious events by such ministers as Billy Graham and T.D. Jakes.

Point Mallard Park offers the great outdoors like you've never experienced it before! Hidden among North Alabama‘s wooded pines, the 500-acre family park lets you stay in tune with nature 365 days a year. Come play 18 holes on one of the South‘s best golf courses, stay in our 25-acre, wooded campground, visit America's first wave pool at our Waterpark, and/or cool off in the indoor ice skating rink!

Unique as its namesake Dolly Parton, Dollywood is a one-of-a-kind Smoky Mountain Family Adventure! Spanning 125 acres and nestled in the lush foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near Gatlinburg, Dollywood is one of the most popular family vacation destinations. Thrill to spectacular Dollywood theme park rides including the award-winning wooden roller coaster The Thunderhead™-the wildest ride in the woods. Family vacation fun features kiddie rides and 10 new family attractions in our expanded Country Fair area. Dollywood's live entertainment showcases the best in country, bluegrass, mountain and gospel music with more than a dozen stage shows. Master craftsmen demonstrate centuries-old crafts including blacksmithing, glass blowing and wood carving. Dollywood is also home to four of the South's largest festivals-Festival of Nations™, KidsFestsm, the new National Harvest & Music Celebration and Smoky Mountain Christmas. No matter what time of year you visit, Dollywood offers something special for every member of the family! Buy your tickets today!

Visit the Tennessee Aquarium on the Chattanooga Riverfront and see why it was rated one of the top aquariums in the country by TripAdvisor. Take a remarkable journey from a cove forest high in the Appalachian mountains to a coral reef in the blue depths of the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, see thousands of animals and three living forests . . . exploring life above and below the water's surface.

Marine Life Oceanarium has been educating and entertaining families for over forty-eight years. Interactive exhibits, thrilling shows, educational sessions, train tours of the harbor area, and just plain fun are all part of the Marine Life experience.
No trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast is complete without spending a few hours at Marine Life. Centrally located in Gulfport, Mississippi, Marine Life is just where you need it to be...close to hotels, beaches, restaurants, shopping, and casinos.
We are open year round, except for Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, so you will never catch us in an "off season". And don't let unpleasant weather keep you away. Our shows and attractions are sheltered from the weather. So what are you waiting for? Come visit the largest family attraction in Mississippi!

Mississippi's #1 family attraction, Geyser Falls is a 23-acre water theme park located in Philadelphia MS. After entering the park, the excitement begins as you pass Geyser Flats with bubbling fountains, gurgling water pools and multiple spouting geysers. Inside the park, the endless attractions keep families entertained all day long with the little ones begging to go back.

In 1743, the son of Major John Boone planted live oak trees, arranging them in two evenly spaced rows. This spectacular approach to his home symbolizes southern heritage and will take root in your memory for many years to come. It would take two centuries for the massive, moss-draped branches to meet overhead, forming today's natural corridor and a scene that NBC Daytime television says is "a must see stop on any trip to Charleston, S.C."

Located in Broadway-at-the-Beach, an entertainment and dining complex that features restaurants, rides, shops and the 85,000 square foot Ripley’s Aquarium.

Six Flags Over Georgia has unleashed a GIANT in 2006. Soaring over 200 ft. above the park and covering an area 8.5 acres in size, this much-anticipated steel monster is appropriately called: GOLIATH.
See an overview of GOLIATH, plus 10 other roller coasters at Six Flags Over Georgia, courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Check out the coaster science behind GOLIATH and take a virtual ride.

When you think summer, think Wet‘n Wild. The largest water park in both the Carolinas is the place to cool off, get sun and have fun. With over 36 rides and attractions, there's something for everyone…from mild to wild…from tots to seniors. It's family friendly and the young kids (and mom and dad, too) will have a great time in Splash Island and Happy Harbor, our two large children's areas. When you're ready to kick back and relax after enjoying the over 3 million gallons of water fun, Wet‘n Wild Emerald Pointe offers an abundance of lounge chairs and shaded areas.

The orchestra performs more than 200 concerts each year, with its main subscription series augmented by pops series, family concerts, and a full summer schedule including classical, pops, and free parks concerts. Its educational concerts for young people are consistently sold out and, along with outreach initiatives in schools and community centers, serve more than 50,000 youngsters annually.
Music Director since 2001, Maestro Robert Spano has led an innovative period for the ASO that has included commissions for video and animated installations in the concert hall as well as video interviews with living composers and a greater emphasis on contemporary repertoire.

Excitement on land and adventures in the water. Waterville U.S.A., the ultimate in family fun, is a 20 acre Water Park and Amusement Park located in the beach resort community of Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The Waterpark sports rides for everyone from the thrillseeker in you to the more relaxed family attractions. Ride 3 foot waves in our giant wave pool, feel the rush of our towering "Kamikaze" straight drop, speed down the twists of our water slides or relax on the 1,800 foot long float stream. Come see our newest attraction The Great White.
The Amusement park has grown over the last eight years to become the largest in the area, with the Cannonball Roller Coaster and Waterville 500 Nascarts, The Fun Depot for the little ones, and more.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Ripley's Aquarium and Gatlinburg Mass Transit Center together represent a $70 million cooperative project between the city and the entertainment company. The 115,000 square foot, 1.3 million gallon Ripley's Aquarium is home to 10-foot sharks, 8,000 exotic fish, and the world's longest aquarium tunnel.

Bring your child to a play experience unlike any other around!! At Imagination Station the sky is the limit as your children play in a simulated" grown-up" world. Fabulous stations with endless possibilities for fun and learning! The Sun is always shining at Imagination Station, Inc. a creative play experience!!

Located over 1120 feet beneath the surface, Ruby Falls is the nation’s largest and deepest waterfall open to the public. Hundreds of gallons of water rush over by the minute and amaze visitors.
Learn about Ruby Falls’ commitment to Environmental Sustainability including the installation of LED lighting and solar panels, recycling programs, and becoming the first U.S. attraction to receive the Green Globe certification.

This art-deco hall honors great jazz artists with ties to the state of Alabama. While furnishing educational information, the Hall is also a place for entertainment. Exhibits convey the accomplishments of the likes of Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and Erskine Hawkins and the music that made them famous. Within this fine musical collection, visitors travel from the beginnings of boogie woogie with Clarence "Pinetop" Smith to the jazz space journeys of Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Space Arkestra.

Located just south of Asheboro, the North Carolina Zoo is seated on a 1,500 tract of land in the Uwharrie Mountains. Approximately 500 acres of this property have been developed into one of the largest "natural habitat" zoos in the United States. You won't find cages made of steel and concrete here! Our animals are given enclosures that mimic their natural habitats to include trees, ponds, rocks, grass and dirt.
The North Carolina Zoo grew from an idea initiated by the Raleigh Jaycees in 1967. Through a series of fund-raising events-including at least one professional football game-the site was selected and secured to be close to the center of the state. We are 75 miles east of Raleigh, 25 miles south of Greensboro and 75 miles northeast of Charlotte.