Plus: Kentucky Derby travel tips, an Augusta trip, and gluten-free bakeries

PHOTO: THE DOLLYWOOD COMPANY

Before Dollywood’s grand opening in 1986.

Tucked into the Tennessee hills, Dollywood has long been more than a theme park—it’s a love letter to Appalachian culture, Southern hospitality, and the rhinestone-studded charm of Dolly Parton herself. As the park celebrates its fortieth year, there’s never been a better time to plan a visit. From steam trains to cinnamon bread, bald eagles to bedazzled boots, find out what’s stayed the same—and what’s just arrived.

WILMINGTON, NC, AND ITS BEACHES

A concert at Wilmington’s Riverfront Park.

SET A COURSE FOR SUMMER FUN: Nothing pairs better with a day on the water than an evening of live music, and vacationers will find plenty of both in Wilmington, North Carolina, and its island beaches. Try a sailing lesson with Wrightsville Performance Sailing, or book a private charter from Wrightsville Beach to downtown Wilmington with Soundside Adventures. Cruise inland waterways on an eco-tour with Wilmington Water Tours, or hop aboard a Stargazer Yacht Charter for stops at several nearby private islands. Afterward, soak up jazz at the Mansion—aka the summer concert series at historic Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design—or fireworks and live bands at the iconic Carolina Beach Boardwalk (the Friday before Memorial Day and Labor Day and Thursday evenings throughout the summer). Other settings for live music include picturesque gardens, oceanfront piers, rooftop bars, and both a riverfront and lakeside amphitheater featuring national acts. In Wilmington, summer never sounded so good. Find summer entertainment in Wilmington, North Carolina, and its island beaches.

Augusta, Georgia. “Augusta…say it loud and there’s music playing, say it soft and it’s almost like praying.” With apologies to Steven Sondheim’s “Maria,” no trip I’ve ever taken as a travel writer has elicited friend envy equal to my attending the Masters. Rory roars aside, I discovered the city of Augusta had plenty to recommend it beyond that little swath of verdant paradise off Washington Road.

But first, yes, the Masters. One doesn’t have to be golf-obsessed like me to appreciate the pristine beauty of Augusta National Golf Club. My partner, a video producer, had assumed CBS cameras used green filters. Not so, she observed live, noting no studio color correction could perfect this brilliant hue. The entire event, from famous peach ice cream sandwiches to manual scoreboards, conjured up some Ozian fantasy I captured not with a click of my heels, but by “taking” mental photos by (I kid you not) intentionally blinking my eyes.
Other Augusta tracts. We joined Drew Jordan, second-generation owner of Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse, for a canal path ride to the Augusta Canal Singletrack trail system, part of over 100 miles of prime mountain bike trails in the area. “The trails here are flowy, the hills are undulating with few sustained climbs,” says Drew, explaining why, as we discovered, these paths are perfect for all levels of rider. If you prefer plumage to pedals, don’t miss Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, a sumptuous wildlife habitat teeming with bird life.
Café society. Much is made of the Masters’ gentile ways. The dining scene, however, is anything but traditional, beginning with the cool café culture at Relic Coffee Company, a “100 percent Ecuadorian” café and bakery that features “Quito Fog,” a Bergamot-citrus tea with steamed housemade almond milk. 5th and Fire, located on vibrant Broad Street, tees up an outrageous combo platter of BBQ brisket, pulled pork, ribs, multiple sauces like honey holler and sweet heat, plus a baker’s dozen of sides. The new joint’s outdoor warehouse–style space is as buzzworthy as the house spirits.