Let's just say I wanted to tour the South 'with the family'

[Taverner]

Where exactly do you think I could go, besides Orlando, New Orleans (they'll be visited, but only for a day)?

Some place where an interracial family could travel welcomed along the way.

I KNOW not all of the South is racist. But there is a difference in my wife's home state (and town) (OR) between Eugene and Springfield.

I want to visit the Eugenes, not the Springfields.

[xmas74]

1. I have family in Atlanta

and they visit Savannah all the time for the ghost tours. They're interracial and they seem to have no problems.

[Taverner]

2. Excellent!

And I know my kids and wife would love "ghost tours"

From what I've heard Savannah is actually a relatively progressive place...

Just doing mansion tours would be fun there!

[xmas74]

13. Everyone I know who has done the tours

loved them. Also, Savannah was the home of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts, so there should be some good kid-friendly activities.

[Luciferous]

8. Savannah is the first place I thought of- you can do the ghost

tours, walk around the historic district, and visit Tybee Island.

[xmas74]

14. I need to get down that way someday.

I've heard wonderful things about Savannah.

[taterguy]

3. You probably wouldn't have any problems in the overwhelming majority of the so-called South

Ever since air conditioning it's been swarming with Yankees and most of the old stereotypes aren't true anymore.

I highly recommend the Outer Banks, depending on the time of year you go there.

Just don't stop your car between Nags Head and Raleigh (kidding).

[Little Star]

4. Smoky Mountains National Park. We stay in.....

Pigeon Forge (where Dollywood is) when we visit the Smokies. Pigeon Forge is a tourist Mecca and there are plenty of people of all stripes and color who visit there. I like it there because you have easy access to the beautiful Smoky Mountains National Park, Dollywood, live theater and tons of other stuff to see and do. We always rent a cabin (they have some beautiful ones there) but they have hotels too. We pick up a cheap styrofoam cooler at the market and pack our lunch to eat on the days we go up into the Smokies. It is so beautiful and also so much fun.

Now that makes me want to go back but this year we are going to Myrtle Beach.

Hope your family has a good vacation no matter where you end up visiting.

[RebelOne]

6. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are really excellent

for vacation spots, but totally touristy. I have visited many times. But since I live in the Atlanta area, it is very accessible to me. And Atlanta is also great place to visit. Stay away from Dollywood. It's a total rip-off. At least, it was when I went there when it first opened.

[trof]

5. Surprisingly...Gulf Shores, Alabama.

OK, I know we're a DEEP scarlet state.
:-(
But the beach milieu is 'different'.
What the local tourist industry wants, NEEDS, is YOUR MONEY.
And that tends to make it all pretty color blind.

I've seen several bi-racial couples and families on the beach, in restaurants.
No problem, as far as I can tell.

And our beaches are fantastic.
Brightest, whitest sand you've ever seen.
It's so fine, it squeaks when you walk on it.

If you include here in your plans, PM me.
:-)

[nolabear]

7. The coasts and bayous are terrific.

While you're in the New Orleans area take a swamp tour. They're really quite cool. And you won't run into problems with the family. People are far more cool than they're given credit for. Visit some cemeteries to give you an appreciation of how OLD the whole coast is.

The Appalachian Mountains are just gorgeous, but the people may be a little stiffer with you in the really small towns. All the islandes off the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas are outstanding, and the history is amazing...pirates, disappeared settlements, and all.

But I'm a Gulf Coast and New Orleans gal and I don't seem to be able to think in terms of anything but water.

Oh, and go to LuLu Buffett's place in Gulf Shores.

[Zephie]

9. I always enjoyed Cherokee, North Carolina as a child

I insisted we went there every trip we took to NC to visit family. I highly recommend the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and Oconaluftee Indian Village, where there is a replica of an 18th century Cherokee village and local Cherokee guides do demonstrations of traditional artisanship and discuss the history of the nation, as well as the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual which displays native Cherokee art and is free to enter. Then there is the Unto These Hills outdoor performance which is quite powerful and tracks the nation from the arrival of De Soto all the way up to the Trail of Tears.

In addition to all the cultural and historical aspects if the town there are also your more traditional attractions around, such as gem panning (use a non-salted panning mine if you want more of a challange or a salted if you want to be sure to walk away with a few gemstones), and rafting tours are plentiful. I believe the great smokey mountain railroad also does train tours in that general area as well, however I never went on that one myself.

[Xipe Totec]

10. Austin; the last bastion of sanity in Texas. nt

[WorseBeforeBetter]

11. Asheville, NC, Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.

http://savannah.locale.com/media/galleries/savannah+ga/area+info/savannah+real+estate+overview/jones_street_savannah_ga_dscf8417.jpg

[GoCubsGo]

12. Yup.

I'm not all that enamored with Savannah, but Asheville is awesome, and I love Charleston. Lots more to do there than in Savannah, IMO. I would move to Asheville in a heartbeat, if there was a job for me there.

[MilesColtrane]

15. Charleston, S.C.

And, the Low Country...