These are currently the four most important emerging destinations in the south

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When you imagine the South, you think of so many different destinations.

Despite its less-than-stellar reputation in some regions, the South undeniably offers some of America’s most pristine beaches, timeless towns, inviting culture, and vibrant cities to explore.

But what we’re about to reveal here on Travel Off Path is probably not what you expect to hear when you think about the hotspots of 2026.

It’s not Dallas, Miami or even nostalgic small towns that are emerging as the South’s top destinations; it’s a mix of vibrant cities, exciting theme parks and paradisiacal beaches that are somehow only now getting the attention they deserve.

Cue Drake: we start at the bottom and go all the way up to the trendiest city in the South right now.

These are currently the top 4 emerging destinations in the South Data from GoBankingRates.

4) Greenville, South Carolina

Charleston is the obvious choice for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a major SC city, but Greenville is creeping up the ranks.

By welcoming nearly 59,000 additional passengers with quintessential Southern hospitality by 2025, Greenville has become one of the South’s biggest surprises.

So why are more people visiting?

Greenville is a small town with locals and big city delights. The cityscape is open and walkable, especially along Main Street and the Reedy River.

While it’s hard to keep up with Charleston’s food scene, Greenville is making a name for itself as an emerging culinary center.

The weather isn’t the best at the moment, but for three seasons a year this city and its surroundings are too beautiful to pass up, with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance and endless outdoor activities in the backyard.

3) St. Petersburg, Florida

Turns out travelers aren’t sticking to the script of Destin, Panama City and the annual duel of Clearwater versus Siesta Key as America’s best beach.

While many fly to Tampa to visit the latter, St. Petersburg is a local favorite as tourists flock elsewhere.

Well, that seems to be changing. GoBankingRates reports almost 10% growth compared to 2024 visitor numbers.

St. Pete features beautiful white sand beaches, laid-back ocean bars, and city fun without the crowds.

With year-round sunshine, there’s no bad time to visit, with the exception of hurricane season.

Better yet, don’t be fooled into thinking you have to fly to Tampa; St. Petersburg has its own airport, anchored by Allegiant, for likely cheap fares.

2) Orlando, FL (Sanford)

Are you surprised that Orlando is mentioned?

Unlikely. This city has always been a mainstay, some would even call it an icon at this point.

Of course, we all know Orlando’s claim to fame: the land of big rodents and screaming children, which will always be the biggest temptation as a family-friendly vacation, as this is a rare Florida city without a direct coastline.

That said, this isn’t a dampener for Orlando that they are seeing over 91,000 more passengers than normal at Sanford (SFB), their secondary airport that is also anchored by Allegiant, just like St. Pete.

So that’s the surprise, ultimately offering travelers a wallet-friendly loophole to visit one of America’s most esteemed cities right now, whether you’re here for all things Disney, an NBA game, or a busy schedule of concerts, conventions, and live events.

Not to mention Orlando new sloth aquarium. What?! 🦥

1)Knoxville, Tenn

Perhaps the biggest shocker on the list is also the South’s most popular destination.

Before 2025, you could put the ‘Fort Knox’ in Knoxville – this underrated city managed to stay under the radar for much longer than it should have, even as ever-trendy Chattanooga attracted a lot of attention. But times have changed.

Knoxville has quietly become the perfect alternative to Nashville, especially now that Broadway’s honky-tonks are packed every weekend and the prices feel high at best.

Instead, we recommend Gay Street, which is much less crowded, has tastier menu prices, and many other urban attractions, such as the always-fun market square, live music venues, and a picturesque riverbank.

Tennessee’s new hotspot welcomed more than 120,000 more visitors than in 2024 as more travelers look for easy weekend getaways, according to several new reports on 2026 trends.

Sam Sears

Sam, our lead writer and San Diego-based journalist, has visited 36 countries and written more than 1,000 articles with an emphasis on sharing his own travel experiences and highlighting lesser-known gems.