One of ‘World’s Greatest Places’ a Short Drive from Louisiana

Did you know that Louisiana is the official unofficial home to 13 different world capitals? We call them "official unofficial" because the group that is bestowing the honor is basically us. The way we look at it, if Time Magazine can go on a search and name their world's greatest, then so can we, right?

Were you able to name all 13 of Louisiana's World Capitals? I would be surprised if you couldn't name most of them, except for the really strange ones that come from the northern part of the state. And while we think our list is pretty good, the aforementioned Time Magazine felt the need to go one better. They came up with a list of the "World's Greatest Places".

The Time Magazine article spotlights 50 unique places to stay and 50 unique places to visit. The places to stay ranged from luxury hotels to wilderness camps. The unique places to visit ranged from deserts and tropical islands to a destination that is just a few hours down the road from Louisiana.

The 'World's Greatest Place' in the South to Stay

According to the Time Magazine article, the place to stay in the South was The Wayback in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The property is new to the Pigeon Forge landscape and offers guests a bit of luxury while surrounded by the architecture of the last century.

The Wayback features 134 rooms and its brightly adorned color scheme adds the fun ambiance the property was created to inspire. The property features several bars and restaurants and a large swimming pool and lounge space. So, that would be our choice from the "World's Greatest Places" to stay.

The World's Greatest Place to Visit in the South

You'd think with a hotel already on the list from the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee that a "World's Greatest" whitewater rafting facility would also have to be in that neck of the woods, right? Well, it's not. That facility is actually closer to Louisiana than you would imagine.

Also making Time Magazine's "World's Greatest Places" list was Mongtgomery Whitewater Park in Montgomery Alabama. It's about a four and half hour drive from New Orleans and it offers rafters and kayakers an experience like no other.

It's just one of three venues of its kind in the country and has only been open for about a year. Admission to the park is free if you just want to stroll the grounds, enjoy the scenery, and watch the whitewater rolling by. There is a charge if you want to attempt to get in the water though.

Activities include kayaking, paddling, surfing, and a lot of other water-related activities. The park has plans to expand. In the future, they hope to offer guests ziplines, rock climbing, ropes courses, and mountain biking too.