40 Things Every Southerner Ought To Do!

1. Take the Plunge
Summer temperatures steer Southerners toward rivers. Texans play in the currents of the Guadalupe. Hardcore adventurers tackle the Class V+ rapids of the Gauley in West Virginia. The more sedate are content to tube the gentle flow of Florida's Ichetucknee. To experience the South's best water adventure, though, you need to raft South Carolina's Chattooga River.

2. Road Thrills
Glorious stretches of open road await in the South. You can drive well-traveled miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Or take a tropical trek down U.S. 1 to Key West. For an undiscovered jaunt through the peaks of Tennessee and North Carolina, hit the Cherohala Skyway. But for sheer nostalgia, remember the song and get some kicks. Follow Route 66, where it rolls across the open miles of Oklahoma.

3. Step Lively
We Southerners are dancin' fools. In Myrtle Beach, South Carolinians have perfected that funky move called the shag. Down in Miami, salsa steps heat up the nights. Texas, however, claims the best moves of all. Scoot a boot, and master the two-step at Gruene Hall in the Hill Country.

4. Get Some Culture
Southerners may be known for good times, but we're also a cultured lot. Everyone knows the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex, in Washington, D.C. Atlanta's High Museum of Art, praised internationally for its collection, has recently expanded. Still, to see fabulous art and a spectacular facility, head for the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. It may be the biggest surprise in Cowtown.

5. Party Hearty
Nobody parties better than Southerners. Just look at our roll of festivals. The mother of them all is New Orleans's Mardi Gras. At Memphis in May International Festival, the barbecue comes with a plentiful side order of live music. Next March 17, though, make a date for Savannah's St. Patrick's Day Parade. You don't have to be Irish to fall in love with this celebration.

6. Life's a Beach
The region boasts some of the most magnificent stretches of sand and sea that the nation has to offer. Some folks are partial to the solitude of remote Ocracoke, North Carolina, while others prefer to drive their car right on the sand at Florida's Daytona Beach. Extroverts who like action as much as the Atlantic swear by the boardwalk experience of Ocean City, Maryland. Still, it's hard to top Siesta Key in Florida, home to the whitest sand and prettiest sunsets on the planet.

7. Just Veggies, Please
When it comes to understanding Southern food, you need to appreciate the vegetable plate. While mac and cheese usually anchors the dish, it pairs in the South with special regional offerings, such as crisp fried okra, black-eyed peas, and cornbread. Yes, seconds are always allowed (To check out our favorite veggie recipes, visit southernliving.com/features).

8. Drink to This
We all know that icy concoctions are the toast of the South. Atlanta gave us Coke (pronounced Co-Cola); Waco, Texas, taught us how to "Be a Pepper"; and on beaches or piers in the summertime, Mountain Dew flows like suntan lotion. Still, as they pointed out in Steel Magnolias, the "house wine of the South" is sweet tea. Extra lemon, please.

9. Get Revved Up
We Southerners are wild for spectator sports – The Masters at Augusta National. You can snag foul balls at some glorious settings, such as Baltimore's Oriole Park at Camden Yards or Atlanta's Turner Field. But the hottest new obsession is one wild ride. Gentlemen, start your engines, and attend a NASCAR race at Alabama's Talladega Superspeedway

10. Take a Chance – Or Not
You know you've said it: "Hey, y'all, watch this." Face it: We Southerners will try anything once. Attempt any of these, and you'll earn a story to tell for a lifetime. Hang glide off Tennessee's Lookout Mountain. Hike toward the sky at Mount Mitchell in North Carolina, or ride Disney's stomach-turning Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, where an Aerosmith theme thrills you. If all this sounds too daunting, then live vicariously and fly a kite on North Carolina's Outer Banks, where Wilbur and Orville took their first flight.