YEAR IN REVIEW

Our Ten Most-Clicked Stories of 2023

Meet the makers of the world’s best bourbon, listen to music from a Mississippi trio, read about a bewildering kidnapping, and more
A man on a surfboard smiles in the water with a hilly town behind him

Photo: chris dixon

Jimmy Buffett surfing at Waikiki, Hawaii, with Diamond Head in the background.
photo: COURTESY OF DANIELLE PARTON

Danielle Parton, Dolly Parton’s Moonshine-Making, Airliner-Flying Niece, Pilots Her Own Course

The decorated veteran brings family tradition and her aunt’s hustler mentality to the skies and the still. Read more 


photo: COURTESY OF GAY FISH COMPANY

A South Carolina Seafood Company Reveals a Piece of Forrest Gump History

How much shrimp is required to create a movie classic? About six thousand pounds, apparently. Read more


photo: COURTESY OF AUGUSTA DISTILLERY

Meet the Makers of the Newly Crowned World’s Best Bourbon

The young Augusta Distillery notched a huge win at this year’s prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Read more


photo: sully sullivan

Step into the World of the Carolina Shag

For almost a century, one dance has captured the spirit of the Carolina coast and beyond. Follow along with three generations of the Free family as they pivot, belly roll, and boogie walk to keep the tradition alive. Read more 


photo: ALEXIS CARTER

Listen to Chapel Hart’s “If You Ain’t Wearing Boots”

New music from the Mississippi trio who rose to fame in 2022 on America’s Got Talent. Listen now


photo: chris dixon

My Wild Ride with Jimmy Buffett

How a chance career opportunity turned into an enduring friendship that ended too soon. Read more 


Watch: Mama Turkey Fends Off a Big Rat Snake

This video proves: Don’t mess with a mother turkey. Watch now


illustration: EDDIE GUY

An Alabama Kidnapping That’s Stranger Than Fiction

Rousted from his house by an audacious pair of criminals and their kids, a wealthy Birmingham businessman gets taken for the most terrifying—and bewildering—ride of his life. Read more 


photo: Emily Daily

Seven of the Best Southern Beaches for Finding Shark Teeth

Sometimes the most memorable souvenirs are free. Here are a few prime spots to snag some of your own. Read more


photo: KRIS D’AMICO PHOTOGRAPHY

Reba McEntire’s Pinto Beans and Cornbread

An elevated version of the musician’s forever favorite. Get the recipe