_Photos are mine—descriptions are part me, part ChatGPT (so blame the weird lines on the robot)._ ![[south.png]] --- **Carlsbad Caverns** – The caverns were jaw-dropping—and yes, I did catch a football team posing for a group photo deep inside the caves. ![[carlsbad-1.jpg]] ![[carlsbad-2.jpg]] **White Sands National Park** – Blindingly bright and surreal—like walking on another planet. ![[White Sands National Park.jpg]] **Meow Wolf (Santa Fe)** – Wildly creative, immersive, and just… strange in the best way. ![[meow-wolf.jpg]] **Ghost Town near Hereford** – Had an eerie, almost forgotten energy that stuck with me. ![[ghost-town.jpg]] **Bug Ranch – Amarillo** – Like Cadillac Ranch’s quirky little cousin, but with Volkswagens. ![[bug-ranch.jpg]] **Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum** – The incident minute was powerful and haunting. ![[okc.jpg]] **Whitney Plantation** – The guided tour was deeply moving—one of the most honest and emotional historical experiences I’ve had. ![[whitney-plantation.jpg]] **New Orleans** – Loved the live music, the Bourbon Street chaos, and riding the streetcar through the city. ![[streetcar.jpg]] **National WWII Museum – New Orleans** – The 4D film narrated by Tom Hanks was surprisingly emotional and incredibly well done. ![[WWII-museum.jpg]] **USS Alabama – Blakeley Island** – Exploring this battleship gave me a whole new appreciation for life at sea. ![[USS Alabama.jpg]] **Legacy Museum – Montgomery** – Heavy, heartbreaking, and absolutely necessary—an experience that stays with you. ![[legacy-museum.jpg]] **Chestatee Wildlife Preserve – Dahlonega** – Unexpectedly fun and full of animals I didn’t expect to meet in Georgia. ![[zoo.jpg]] **Waterfall near Sautee Nacoochee** – Stumbled upon it and it felt like a hidden gem tucked into the hills. ![[waterfall-1.jpg]] **Helen, Georgia** – A little Bavarian escape in the South—kitschy and charming in the best way. ![[helen-georgia-2.jpg]] **Centennial Olympic Park – Atlanta** – Great energy and cool to stand where history (and a few medals) were made. ![[centennial.jpg]] **National Center for Civil and Human Rights – Atlanta** – The exhibits were powerful—and I had to look up how tall Idi Amin was after seeing the life-sized figure. ![[museum-1.jpg]] **Georgia Aquarium – Atlanta** – Just pure fun—especially the giant tank with whale sharks. ![[atlanta-acqurium.jpg]] **Hiking in Arizona** – Hot, rugged, and worth every step for the views. ![[arizona-hike.jpg]] **Otis Redding Museum – Macon** – “Sittin’ On The Dock of the Bay” and “I’ve Got Dreams” hit even harder here—he died so young (26!). ![[otis-redding.jpg]] **Savannah – Waving Girl Statue at Morrell Park** – The story behind it is sweet and a little sad—easy to miss, but I’m glad I didn’t. ![[florence-martus.jpg]] **Jekyll Island – Dolphin Watching** – Didn’t get great photos, but the dolphins were amazing to watch in the wild. ![[dolphin-1.jpg]] **Jekyll Island – Georgia** – Peaceful, beautiful, and perfect for slowing down. ![[jekyll-isand.jpg]] **Okefenokee Swamp** – The boat ride and mini train tour through the swamp were way more impressive than I expected. ![[swamp-1.jpg]] ![[swamp-2.jpg]] ![[swamp-3.jpg]] **Cape Canaveral – SpaceX & NASA Launches** – Watching rockets take off in person was unreal every time. ![[spacex.jpg]] **Sunrises – Cocoa Beach** – Some of the most beautiful, quiet mornings of the whole trip. ![[sunrises.jpg]] ![[sunrises-2.jpg]] **Silver Moon Drive-In – Lakeland** – My first real drive-in movie—so nostalgic and fun. ![[drive-in-theatre.jpg]] **Kennedy Space Center** – The tour was incredible—learned so much and left totally inspired. ![[kennedy space center.jpg]]