Surprising Southern stops; rolling under the stars
 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHEW MICAH WRIGHT, GETTY IMAGES | | By Jennifer Barger
Highway-side historic markers, undiscovered rural diners, and views of nature whizzing by make traveling by car seem adventurous and nearly mythical. (“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars,” wrote Jack Kerouac in On the Road.)
In fact, last summer, an estimated 100 million Americans took road trips. But 2022—with gas prices soaring and climate changes roaring—might be the summer of the no-car trip, aka choosing a destination where automobiles aren’t allowed, forcing travelers to unplug and explore on two feet or two wheels.
“Traveling without a vehicle, says Paul Melhus, co-founder of Tours By Locals, “allows people to slow down and soak in a destination at walking speed.” We cover nine of these no-honk havens, including a secluded Caribbean island once frequented by pirates, a sanctuary on Lake Huron, and an ancient Moroccan city where walking is the only way to explore the markets and madrassas. (Pictured above, Hội An, Vietnam, where driving is limited.)
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 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY WILTSER, GETTY IMAGES | | | Michigan’s Mackinac Island (above) is another no-honk haven. Cars are banned, so tourists get around the 3.8-square-foot island on foot, bike, or via horse-drawn carriage. | | | |
| Taking a dip: A kayaker enjoys the waters of the Juquiá River in Brazil. The river, an hour away from the city of São Paulo, cuts through the Atlantic Forest and is the birthplace of whitewater rafting in Brazil. At the end of the rapids there is a huge dam, whose waters supply two million inhabitants and where it is possible to paddle surrounded by nature. See another, more remote Brazilian paradise.
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 | PHOTOGRAPH BY PAT JARRETT, VIRGINIA HUMANITIES
| | | Rolling in the dough: Lelis Garcia Olaes and her son Ken (above) make ube hopia, a flaky pastry filled with purple yam. Ken is an apprentice under his mother and the owner of Virginia Beach’s Angie’s Bakery, which specializes in Filipino breads and pastries. A few years ago, he bought the bakery from his uncle—and now creates everything from spiraled brioches (ensaymada) to traditional rolls (pandesal). His hand-crafted ube lattes are a cult favorite. | | | |
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 | | Exploration isn’t reserved for a few special people. Exploration is accessible to everyone. We all have the agency to ask questions and discover incredible things. | | | | David Lang | | Entrepreneur, sailor, Nat Geo Explorer | | |
 | PHOTOGRAPH BY KRIS DAVISON, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
| | | Southern stories: The history of the U.S. South is as rich as it is complex. No surprise, given that it was home to pirates, Jim Crow, Martin Luther King, Jr., and ghosts. Its spectacular parks are not only reminders of social history but serve as serene spaces for inspiration and reflection. Check out these six parks, full of surprising stories of heritage, heroes, and ecological wonders. (Pictured above, houseboats and cabins are available for rent in the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, which stretches across 14 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes.) | | | |
Oh, we almost forgot: Happy World Bee Day! Here’s our favorite feature, on a group of wild honeybees in a tree trunk.
This newsletter has been buzzed around and edited by David Beard, Monica Williams, and Jen Tse. We’d love to hear from you at david.beard@natgeo.com. | | | |
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