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See the South through a Black Southern woman’s eyes

The Southern Weekender is a travel and culture journal for women who know the South is more than slogans and stock photos. From small-city art scenes and sleepy coastal towns to food traditions and road trips, this space is for Black women and people who want weekends that feel grounded.

The Southern Weekender

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The Southern Weekender •

ROOTED IN BLACK SOUTHERN STORIES

The South makes more sense when you start with Black life at the center. Every city, highway, and backroad carries our fingerprints, from food and music to language and faith.

I write from that starting point. You’ll find weekend guides, essays, and road-trip ideas that honor the artists, cooks, elders, and everyday folks who shaped this region long before tourism boards tried to package it. If you care about where your dollars, your time, and your energy go, you’re in the right place.

Red and pink bougainvillea flowers with green leaves.
A woman standing outdoors in a garden setting, wearing a floral dress, with her hands on her hips, and looking off to the side.

Meet the Owner

Hi, I’m Tia Johnson, the writer and weekend-obsessed Southerner behind The Southern Weekender. I grew up in this region, spent years hopping around the world with only a carry-on, and eventually found my way back home with more questions, more context, and a lot more opinions.

I’m a Black Southern woman in my forties, veteran, and a museum docent in Augusta, Georgia. I spend a lot of time thinking about how art, history, and place shape the way we move through the world. This site is where all of that comes together

Here you’ll get practical weekend ideas, honest takes on Southern cities, and thoughtful stories about what it means to travel this region as a Black woman who actually lives here, not someone just passing through for content.

WHAT I’M HERE TO DO

Celebrating Black Culture Through Travel in the South

The Southern Weekender exists to help you spend your time and money in places that feel worth the trip. That might look like a quiet lake weekend, a girls’ trip built around a festival, a quick city break with good food and one great museum, or a slow drive through a historic corridor.

I care about small businesses, Black-owned spaces, local art, and the corners of town that rarely show up in glossy round-ups. I’ll give you the context, the options, and the mood so you can decide what fits your life right now as a grown woman juggling work, rest, and real-world responsibilities.

Person lying on a green bench in a grassy yard, wearing a black floral dress and a hat, with a bouquet of white flowers on a small wooden table in front, surrounded by trees and bushes under a cloudy sky.

Explore Our Blog

Colorful townhouse row with decorative iron balconies, green shutters, potted plants, and lush greenery in the foreground.
A historic three-story house with weathered white walls and ornate window frames, black wrought iron balcony railings, a small front porch with columns, and a staircase leading to the front door. There are trees and plants in front and a street sign that reads W. GORDON ST.
A pink, multi-story house with white trim, blue shutters, and balconies, surrounded by green bushes and tall palm trees, under a clear blue sky.

The Importance of Self-Care

Guide to Savannah

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How to Set Achievable Goals

  • A group of partially melted white candles with visible flames on top.
  • A woman in a vintage beige dress with puffy sleeves, sitting on wooden steps in front of a weathered wooden shed, wearing a large brimmed hat tilted to one side.
  • A floral arrangement of pink and purple flowers in a glass vase, two cups of tea, a teapot, a sugar bowl, a plate of cupcakes, an open book, and scattered petals on a table with a white tablecloth in a cozy wood-paneled room.
  • Woman wearing a large black hat, statement jewelry, and black off-the-shoulder dress, holding up both middle fingers.
  • Six women in white dresses standing in shallow water during sunset or sunrise at the beach.
  • A vintage-themed room wall decorated with numerous framed photos, paintings, and mirrors, illuminated by a classic fringed lampshade lamp.