It would be fun to get "lost" in the Carolinas and Georgia, wandering back roads at your leisure, discovering country villages off the beaten path. But few of us have such a generous amount of vacation time in the speeded-up 21st century.
If your time is limited, it is possible to hit the highlights of the tri-state area -- if you stick to a lean-and-mean schedule and stay on the move. If you're a time-pressed traveler, however (and most of us are), you may want to concentrate on just one scenic adventure at a time. If you've been to the South before, especially to Savannah, Charleston, or Atlanta, you may want to spend a week in the western mountains of North Carolina.
The itineraries that follow take you to many major attractions and some of the most scenic Southern villages. The pace may be a bit breathtaking for some visitors, so skip a town or sight occasionally to have some chill-out time. After all, you're on vacation. Of course, you can use any of these itineraries as a jumping-off point to develop your own custom-made trip.