11 Southern Towns You're Forgetting About But Shouldn't

The South can be pretty damn charming, true, and there is certainly more to it than places likeNashvilleorCharleston(which are admittedly great).

There are some cute towns strewn across the region, each with their own unique vibes that make us want to visit stat.

Here are 11 places you're definitely missing out on.

Abingdon, Virginia

Founded in 1778,this beautiful townin the Blue Ridge Mountains is well known for two main things: pretty trails and high-class theater. VisitBarter Theatreto take in a show, hike the Appalachian or Virginia Creeper Trails for some beautiful views and definitely stop by theHolston Mountain Artisans housesfor some crafty goods to take back home.

Mooresville, Alabama

This epitome of "small town," Mooresville has a population of53 people. Described as a "step back in time," the village is on the National Register of Historic Places for good reason -- nearly everything in use is from the19th century. Don't leave town without touring the historic buildings and definitely stop by Lyla's Little House for some pralines and hand-dipped ice cream.

Oxford, MS

Faulkner called this small northern Mississippi town home and it shows. There's still a strong literary scene here but it can be argued that the main event is Ole Miss football -- the campus still has aspeed limit of 18mphto honor favorite son Archie Manning's one-time jersey number (to be fair, the campuschanged the speed limit on Manning Way to 10mphto honor Archie's son, Eli, and his second Super Bowl win.)

Flickr:damiandude

Durham, NC

The home to Duke (among other universities) is also home to a killer food and beer scene. There's the seasonal bakeryScratch;Mateo, a Southern-influenced tapas bar (think duck eggs and chorizo succotash) andGeer St Garden,plus the belovedFullsteambrewery.

Birmingham, AL

Forget what you know about Birmingham and embrace the present: It's increasingly becoming a foodie's and culture-lovers destination. Sure while there you should check out the historic sites like the 16th Street Baptist Church and the Civil Rights Institute, but you should also go to the much-buzzed aboutHot & Hot Fish Clubor head toHomewoodfor a quaint town feel and great shopping.

Athens, GA

Athens is known by different people for different things: to some, it's the birthplace of the B-52s and REM and a present-day killer music scene, to others it's the home of the University of Georgia. It's also just a really cool, walkable college town about 70 miles east of Atlanta.

Franklin, TN

OK, so this is kinda suburbanNashville, but it's worth a trip down to check it out if you're in the neighborhood. Think quaint downtown, cute boutiques and yummy food, like55 South.

Asheville, NC

Go for the hiking, stay for the food in this western North Carolina town. Sure, theGreat Smokies are a draw, but so are theinsane number of breweries in and around town. It's also safe to say that you haven't lived til you've eaten atCurate, the delicious Spanish tapas restaurant.

Lexington, KY

Horses, bourbon and Kentucky basketball are the names of the game in this town. And that's just fine by them. If you want a dose of history, head over to Ashland, theItalianate estate of Henry Clay, or the Mary Todd Lincoln house.

Greenville, SC

Don't scoff, Greenville is a destination in its own right. In the corner of South Carolina, this town has a really beautifulRiver Walk, a fun downtown area (eat atGrill Mark'sfor burgers and the like or hit up the coffee/ice cream shop,Spill the Beans) and aminor league baseball stadiummodeled after Fenway Park that's worth a visit in its own right (bonus: tickets are super cheap).

Charlottesville, VA

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains sits the University of Virginia and all that entails, including amongst themost eateries per capita in the U.S., great architecture (thanks, Jefferson!) and avineyard owned by Dave Matthews, because of course.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.