Journeys With Jani

The South is a land of contrasts. You can sip cocktails on a rooftop in Atlanta one night and be knee-deep in Appalachian holler country the next morning. Our region is stitched together by highways and backroads that carry you from bustling cities to quiet valleys where life slows to a crawl. And both? They’re equally Southern.

The Big City South

Southern cities aren’t just growing—they’re thriving. Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Birmingham—they pulse with culture, innovation, and a whole lot of grit.

In Atlanta, skyscrapers gleam, traffic crawls (bless it), and you can find everything from five-star dining to hole-in-the-wall BBQ. Nashville hums with music pouring from every doorway on Broadway, but also cradles deep roots of Southern hospitality in her neighborhoods. Charlotte blends banking towers with barbecue joints, while Birmingham’s rebirth is all about food and art layered onto its steel-town history.

Big cities in the South bring energy, opportunity, and a melting pot of cultures—but they never lose that undercurrent of Southern hospitality. You’ll still hear a “ma’am” from a waiter and catch a stranger holding the door open.

Life in the Hollers …better known as small town!

Then there are the hollers. Little tucked-away valleys between Appalachian ridges, where neighbors are family, traditions run deep, and the mountains feel like both shield and sanctuary.

Life in a holler is slower but not simpler—it’s hard work, tight-knit community, and an unshakable connection to the land. Folks here pass down stories, songs, recipes, and a resilience that outsiders might not understand until they see it for themselves. The accents are thicker, the stars shine brighter, and the sense of belonging is stronger than Wi-Fi will ever be.

Where the Two Meet

What makes the South so magical is that these worlds coexist. You can spend your morning in a gleaming downtown office and your evening listening to bluegrass on a back porch up in the hills. You can brunch in Charleston one day and sit at a church picnic in a holler the next.

The South’s beauty lies in this balance—its ability to embrace progress without letting go of tradition, to celebrate the rush of the city and the quiet of the holler with equal pride.

Travel the Contrast

Want to experience it? Take a road trip that mixes both. Fly into Atlanta, soak in the city, then head north to Dahlonega or the North Georgia mountains for a taste of holler living. Visit Nashville for the music scene, then escape to eastern Tennessee’s tucked-away valleys. Let Charlotte’s skyscrapers wow you, then wander through Appalachian small towns where time moves differently.

Because whether you’re in a big city skyscraper or a tiny holler, the South still greets you the same way: with grit, grace, and a whole lot of charm.

XOXO, Jani