407,000-Acre Okefenokee Refuge Gains World Heritage Status

Southern destinations featured include Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, a major wetland refuge with abundant wildlife, accessible walking routes, camping and extensive paddling trails, and Alabama’s High Falls Park, known for its broad waterfall, gorge and distinctive mountain-top river landscape. Savannah is also highlighted as a major visitor destination, with Forsyth Park’s historic fountain recently restored after extensive repairs. The park will host Savannah’s annual Pride Festival, expected to bring thousands of attendees and more than 100 vendors for entertainment, community activities and a sensory-conscious market; organizers also emphasize the Savannah Pride Center’s year-round support services for LGBTQIA+ residents. One article estimates Savannah receives nearly 15 million visitors annually and that tourism spending reached about $4 billion by 2024.