Southern States

Stretching more than 22 miles along the Atlantic coast of South Florida, Martin County provides an uncrowded escape that combines Old Florida nostalgia and authentic seaside charm. From secret sun-drenched coves and private stretches of sand to expansive, lifeguard-protected beaches, there’s plenty of room to spread out and explore. This easy-to-get-to but hidden gem also offers more than 100,000 acres of parks and conservation land, world-class fishing, lively downtown districts, endless golfing, unique attractions and more

Port Salerno Ghost Tours “throws shade” on Florida’s sunny reputation with dark, shivery tales of this historic fishing town. During the bone-chilling tour, guests meet the spirits of ancient Indians, plundering pirates, a phantom widow watching for lost seamen and the victims of a deranged police officer who still linger at the Devil’s Tree (where their bodies were eventually found). Does Black Caesar still steer his ghost ship toward Dead Man’s Point? Are there ghostly clues to sunken treasure off Port Salerno’s coast? What other spirits still lurk along these picturesque shores?

Tours are led by Patrick and Patricia Mesmer, authors of “Ghosts of the Treasure Coast” and experienced local guides who base their stories on extensive history and professional paranormal research. They also conduct separate paranormal investigations and events at other haunted locations throughout the year, such as the House of Refuge—Martin County’s oldest surviving building, which once served as a safe haven for travelers who shipwrecked along Florida’s treacherous shores. To assist on the tour, guests are equipped with instruments like electromagnetic field detectors and infrared thermometers; the same tools used on TV shows like “Ghost Hunters” and “Ghost Adventures.” The two-hour walking tours take place most Saturday nights, with equal emphasis on local history and paranormal activity. Port Salerno Ghost Tours, 4745 Southeast Desoto Avenue, Fish House Art Gallery, Stuart, Florida; (772) 223-5482 or check https://www.facebook.com/ portsalernoghosttours for updates and upcoming events. In Martin County, a thriving arts and culture scene celebrates historic preservation and the region’s rich legacy. Area restaurants feature fresh-caught fish served alongside ingredients from local, organic farms. Martin County offers many lodging options, including quaint inns, one-of-a-kind bed and breakfasts, chic oceanfront resorts, quirky fish camps, rustic campgrounds and your favorite national and global hotel brands. www.DiscoverMartin.com

Only 30 minutes south of Atlanta, and a convenient stop on the way to Savannah or Orlando, Henry County includes the cities of Stockbridge, McDonough, Hampton and Locust Grove, as well as delightful family farms for tours, produce, honey, handcrafted soaps and more. Memorable attractions include Atlanta Motor Speedway, inspiring animal encounters, military museums and helicopter rides in military aircraft and one of Georgia’s few remaining Civil War battlefields. Fear the Woods is a professionally-produced haunt emphasizing ghoulish actors over animatronics; it has consistently been ranked one of the top haunted tours in Georgia. The Haunted House preys on one’s psychological fears; the Haunted Trail challenge is finding the way back after being dropped off in the middle of the woods and corn fields with the Skinner family. Pandemic is a new 80,000-square-foot interactive, competitive, combat field where skills determine each guest’s fate. The Yule Forest Family Farm offers kid-friendly outings from October through mid-December. The farm is open seasonally for pumpkin picking, fall fun, free Saturday afternoon concerts, an action-filled festival with a hay maze, hayride and petting zoo. Kid-friendly Pumpkin Patch open every day. Fear the Woods open Friday-Sunday in October, not recommended for small children. Call or check website for pricing, times and details. From Thanksgiving through mid-December, return for precut and cut-your-own Christmas trees. Yule Forest Family Farm, 3565 North Highway 155 Highway North, Stockbridge, Georgia; (770)954-9356. FeartheWoods.com At Southern Belle Farm, enjoy a pumpkin patch, four-acre corn maze, U-pick flowers, farm market and bakery. At The Georgia State Fair enjoy exciting attractions and shows along with live music, carnival rides and your favorite fair foods. Held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway October 1-10, 2021, tickets should be reserved in advance. The Army Aviation Heritage Foundation and Flying Museum honors the military’s “Sky Soldiers” by restoring and maintaining vintage aircrafts of the Vietnam War. Veteran pilots take guests on chopper rides aboard a UH-1H Huey or AH-1F Cobra attack helicopter. Visitors can find family-friendly and upscale dining as well as a variety of lodging options from familiar brand hotels to sleeping under the stars at beautiful campsites. www. VisitHenryCountyGeorgia.com For more on Georgia

NATCHITOCHES - In north-central Louisiana along the banks of the Cane River is the oldest city in the state.. Named after an American Indian tribe, Natchitoches (pronounced Nack-a-tish), its 33-block National Historic Landmark District is paved with weathered brick and lined with wrought iron-laced buildings, stately live oaks, magnolia trees, shops and restaurants.Nearby, Melrose Plantation was built by the family of a former slave who attained her freedom. Don’t miss the works of renowned folk artist Clementine Hunter who began life as a field hand and cook here.

A Natchitoches couple transformed a literal ghost town into Dark Woods Haunted Attraction, an outdoor adventure that combines a vintage setting with 21st century technology. Buildings in the former logging village have been preserved along with a rural cemetery and a turn of the century grave diggers shack. The new-each-year storylines bring the horror, folk tales and legends of Louisiana together in a unique immersive experience that is top-rated by aficionados, including The Scare Factor and Louisiana Haunted Houses websites.

Character actors, detailed costuming, realistic sets and Hollywood-style special effects produce an atmosphere of foreboding and fright covering over one terrifying mile. Black lights, 3-D attractions with Chroma-depth 3-D glasses, strobe lights, fog and moving floors add to the shock, awe and fear factor. Open October 1-2, 8- 9, 15-16, 21-23, 29-31. Dark Woods Adventure Park, 4343 University Parkway (Louisiana Highway 6) Natchitoches, Louisiana 71457, (318) 2899019; www.DarkwoodsHaunt. com

If You Go: The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum celebrates the achievements of legendary Louisiana athletes and sports figures, along with unique state cultural traditions from early Native American civilizations to the present. Take a riverboat ride aboard the Cane River Queen or tour the riverbanks and picturesque downtown streets of Natchitoches in a classic horse-drawn carriage. Don’t-miss restaurants include Lasyone’s Meat Pie Kitchen, where the legendary recipe was thought to originate, Cane River Commissary, with Creole cuisine and a monthly Zydeco Brunch and Mariner’s, serving seafood and sunsets along Lake Sibley. Stay in one of 30-plus B&Bs in the “Bed & Breakfast Capitol of Louisiana.” www.Natchitoches.com

The Mississippi Delta runs south from Memphis through fertile fields and welcoming communities along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. Visitors will see why the landscape, the languid ambiance, the architecture and hospitality invite long stays for plenty of time to dine, explore and experience. With nine counties to explore, there is plenty to do, including driving The Mississippi Blues Trail and savoring unique food and dining opportunities from roadside stand to white tablecloth. Casino entertainment, Civil War history, shopping and family-friendly fun add to the mix. www.VisitTheDelta.com

Just 45 miles west of Jackson and 75 miles north of Natchez, Vicksburg sits at the intersection of I-20 and the famed U.S. Highway 61, known as the Blues Highway. According to all accounts, Vicksburg is the most haunted town in the Mississippi Delta, with seven locations holding years of anecdotal and paranormal-investigator evidence. From a former Civil War battlefield and hospital to stately homes, Mississippi’s most haunted house and one of the state’s most haunted hotels, visitors have plenty of opportunities for eerie shivers. Four historic Bed and Breakfasts even welcome guests to an overnight fright.

Why so many haunts? Vicksburg has a long and bloody history of conflict, between Native American and European settlers to brother against brother in the war between North and South.

At Vicksburg National Military Park, where thousands of soldiers perished, paranormal investigations and ordinary visitors have reported hearing sounds, smells and sights of battle, including cannon fire, horses, orders issued and screams of the wounded over empty fields. Haunted Vicksburg Ghost Walk includes a 12-block, leisurely stroll through Vicksburg’s oldest, most haunted neighborhood. The Trail of Tears, antebellum duels, yellow fever epidemics and a 47-day siege have left quite a legacy of restless spirits. Old Court House Museum at the corner of Monroe and Grove Streets. Tours are March-December. Social distancing required. Booking is online only. www. HauntedVicksburg.com/newghostwalk.htm

McRaven Tour Home is Mississippi’s “Most Haunted House” and is considered to be the third most haunted house in the entire United States. Years of ghostly and paranormal activity have been documented by professional paranormal researchers and explored on A&E, The Travel

Channel, 48 Hours and more. From the hideout of a notorious highwayman on the Natchez Trace to a prominent businessman who was murdered by Union troops, discover why spirits have lingered in the gardens and home that held a Confederate campsite and field hospital. Yearround historic and ghost tours, private paranormal discovery tours, no charge for children 5 and under. McRaven Tour Home, 1445 Harrison Street, Vicksburg, www.McRavenTourHome.com.

The elegance, cuisine and comfort of four Inns and B&Bs make them popular with visitors who scoff at—or search out—eerie adventure. Duff Green Mansion, the McNutt House, Anchuca Historic Mansion and Annabelle Bed and Breakfast all have haunted history. Details can be found at https://www.visitvicksburg. com/mississippi-haunted-hotels).

If You Go: Overlooking the banks of the Mississippi River, Vicksburg is quintessentially Southern. Live music adds to the fun at rooftop bars overlooking the river and outstanding local restaurants throughout the downtown shopping and entertainment district. Historic trail bicycling, fishing and paddling the river are favorite outdoor pastimes. The cuisine is as diverse as the Mississippi culture. Both the Mississippi Tamale Trail and the Mississippi Seafood Trail are represented here, as are revered establishments featuring local produce, original recipes and a reputation for Southern hospitality. www.VisitVicksburg.com

For information on the nine of the region’s counties and the congressionally designated Mississippi Delta Heritage Area, events and more, go to https:// www.travelmediapressroom.com/mississippi/mississippi-delta

For more Vicksburg story ideas, go to https://www.travelmediapressroom.com/ mississippi/vicksburg-mississippi/

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TEXAS CITY - “Avast Ye! Terror Isle Haunted Attraction is the best pirate haunted attraction on the high sea, guaranteed to make the hairs on your sea legs stand. Bring your best crew and try your luck at capturing the Pirate King’s treasure, but beware! Pirates, zombies, hell hounds, and creatures from the deep await to make your nightmares come true.”

The legend continues. More than 200 years ago, two rival pirate captains went to war for control over a vast criminal empire.

Little did they know that a massive storm would come ashore that same night, completely destroying the settlement and washing all traces of their conflict into the sea.

For two centuries they lay hidden on the sea floor: lost and forgotten.

Now these cursed souls have risen from their watery graves. Seeking revenge on anyone who dares intrude upon… TERROR ISLE!

Terror Isle is a fully-immersive Escape Room Adventure Experience and Haunted AttractionTheir tortured souls still wandering, still searching. Haunting all who dare venture into their strange domain. Do you have what it takes to find the treasure and break the curse?

They beckon. Answer the call. Walk the path of the doomed pirate raid that fateful night!

Encounter spectral pirates, zombies, hell hounds, and creatures from the deep as you try to survive the night!

Please visit our Escape Room Adventures and join our correspondence list (coming soon!) to know when we shall raise our flags once more.

Avast ye! Come test your sea legs at Terror Isle, the best pirate haunted attraction on the high seas! We are selling a limited tickets per night. Book your time, no long lines, everyone is a VIP! Walk the path of the doomed pirate raid that fateful night!

Visit the Escape Room Adventures and join our correspondence list (coming soon!) to know when we shall raise our flags once more.

General Admission tickets are 25 dollars. Group discount tickets are 20 dollars (must purchase 10 or more. Free photo booth with a purchase of a ticket.

For more information or to reserve tickets for your alloted time, visit http:// www.terrorisle.com/