Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel....

SOUTHEASTERN OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:

HEAD SOUTH (& OUTSIDE)

When it comes to outdoor adventures, the Southeast makes it easy to get going. “I think the Southeast offers one of the most diverse landscapes in the world,” says Glenn Couvillon, managing director of Atlanta-based Travel South, an organization representing 12 states in the Southeast region. “With the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, thousands of miles of beaches, the plains of the Mississippi, the weather, and more, the Southeast is simply ideal for outdoor adventures.”

MYRTLE BEACH-BOUND

The Myrtle Beach area is a year-round vacationers paradise on the northern shores

of South Carolina’s spectacular coastline. Wide golden sand beaches, lapped by the warm waters of the sparkling Atlantic, stretch 60 miles from Little River to Georgetown. This natural playground offers beachcombers an array of activities, from shell seeking, wading, and fishing, to swimming, kayaking, surfing, and boating.

Nature enthusiasts will find a host of trails, marshes, and ancient blackwater rivers to explore. Those who treasure the beauty and grandeur of bygone days will delight in visits to the area’s historic homes and magnificent gardens. For more information about the Myrtle Beach area, call (800) 356-3015 or visit www.myrtlebeachlive.com.

FLORIDA’S INDIAN RIVER COUNTY CALLS

The Indian River County region is like no other on earth. Here, the warm-temperature climate to the north meets a subtropical climate from the south, providing a greater diversity of plant and animal life.

There is an abundance of unique opportunities for the environmentally-minded visitor to the region, which is home to the West Indian Manatee, loggerhead turtles, and thousands of other animals, fish, birds, and plants (including species that are considered rare or endangered)

The area is a beautiful home to people, too, who travel from around the globe to surf the waves, fish the water, birdwatch, swim, diving, waterski, and boat. Indian River County is always in season. For more information, visit www.indianriverchamber.com.

MAKE A REZ

Hotel Reservation Network offers discount hotel rooms and condominiums up to 65% off in most major cities worldwide, including accommodations for sold-out periods. Some examples include: Orlando from $39; Miami from $49; New Orleans from $59; New York from $69; Las Vegas from $29; San Francisco from $59; Paris from $59; London from $79; and many more cities and destinations. They also offer condominiums from $89, including studios to four-bedroom suites. For great reservation rates call (888) 511-5317 or visit www.hotelreservationnetwork.com.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

Outdoors adventurers with the Peach State on their minds will find many regions that are ideal for exploration. Start any exploration by calling (800) VISIT-GA or visiting www.georgia.org.

Visitors to the Magnolia Midlands can explore the Altamaha River, named ‘One of the Last Great Places in the World,’ and get up close to many endangered species, including the gopher tortoise. Visitors are guaranteed to spot some ‘wildlife’ the weekend of June 2nd at the Altamaha River Rat Canoe Excursion. Call (912) 367-7731 for more information and find a guide so the family can join the rat pack.

Be sure to visit the Plantation Trace area of Georgia on the first weekend in May for the Riverside Artsfest. Each year, the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce features the art and culture of a different state. There is a grand finale concert held on the banks of the Flint River, featuring a nationally known recording act.

The Classic South is located midway between the mountains and the coast and a short two hours from Atlanta. Georgia’s Classic South is a outdoors lover’s paradise. Highlights include two sparkling lakes and three shining rivers teeming with fish of all species, surrounded by unspoiled forests perfect for hunting or hiking nature trails. From largemouth bass to bob white quail and mountain biking to canoe paddling, good times abound in east central Georgia’s Classic South (including a wide variety of events).