Come Walk With Me

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 people who want weekends that feel grounded.

I live here. I pay attention. I notice the good, the complicated, and the moments that make you slow down without realizing why.

This is the South as I experience it — curious, layered, sometimes uncomfortable, often beautiful, and always worth walking through.

Let’s explore it together.

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The Southern Weekender

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The Southern Weekender •

ROOTED IN SOUTHERN STORIES

This site is about experiencing genuine weekends and honest places. Cities with deep memories. Small towns you didn’t expect to care about. Meals that stick with you. Streets that reveal themselves if you pay attention. I’m not here to sell you on an Instagram vacation or top ten listicle. I write about what it really feels like to be in these places, not just passing through for photos. Some of it will be light, some of it won’t. All of it comes from experience. If you enjoy travel that encourages thinking, tasting, and observing, 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. I’ve lived in the South long enough to understand it’s never just one thing. I grew up here, traveled for years, and eventually returned home with more questions and a clearer idea of what matters to me. I’m in my forties, a seasoned local, a museum docent, and someone who plans weekends as carefully as others plan vacations. I think deeply about art, history, food, and place — and how they influence our perspective and movement through the world. Here, I share weekend ideas, city guides, and my reflections on the places that leave a mark on me. I write spontaneously — about my meals, my observations, and the echoes of those moments that linger long after I’ve left.

What You'll Find Here

Weekend guides that truly feel like actual weekends

Delicious food with engaging stories

Cities you can genuinely love without pretense

Quiet towns full of character and calm

Stories that resonate with your own experiences

I prioritize small businesses, mindful travel, and selecting meaningful experiences. I’m not interested in superficial prettiness for its own sake — but I will highlight what’s truly worth your time.

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

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  • 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.