Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is the largest urban wildlife refuge in the United States. It contains 23,000 acres of both fresh and brackish water swamps, marshes, and bayous. Over 340 different bird species make use of the refuge throughout the year, as well as providing a safe home for many native species, such as alligator, beavers, and deer.

Though a bustling and growing city, areas in and around Charleston, South Carolina still preserve some remarkable swamp and marsh lands. These are both on the inland and coastal regions preserved to protect both the wildlife and natural landscapes that once dominated the region. Many of the larger ones include Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, and the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Even the smaller parks such as Stono River County Park offer plenty of nature and opportunities for wild nature.

Congaree National Park is located near central South Carolina, protecting a fragile swamp region that's home to numerous champion trees. Boardwalks and trails bring hikers through the remarkable swamps and wetlands, providing an opportunity to see the aforementioned trees, as well as native wildlife to the area. A particular highlight of the park is each May when the native fireflies come out and blink synchronously as the day turns to night.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves some of the last remaining virgin forests in the Appalachian Mountains. Home to black bear, deer, and many other forms of wildlife, the park is easily the most popular national park in the National Park Service, averaging over 9,000,000 visitors each year. The area preserves mountain terrain and diversity that have been living in the mountain environment for over 300,000,000 years, when the Appalachian Mountains were formed. The area is renowned for its diversity in both flora and fauna while also containing a popular segment of the ambitious Appalachian Trail, where it straddles the borders of North Carolina and Tennessee.

Mammoth Cave was designated a national park in 1941, and is the world's largest known cave complex. Comprised of limestone, the cave is still being explored with no end in sight. The park boasts a number of tours to explore the cave's depths and remarkable features, while also containing a number of above-ground activities and hiking trails. Mammoth Cave was also the site of a number of mining operations during the Civil War prior to its protection.

New Orleans, Louisiana is a city unlike any other. Combining a rich historic culture of French and Spanish, the French Quarter preserves much of the history and culture that defined the city early in its history. Places like Jackson Square and the Cabildo are some of the oldest European buildings and settlements in the continental United States. Farther up the Mississippi River where town eventually expanded in the 20th century, Audubon Park, named after the famous birder, preserves not only the unique flora of the area, but also an enormous diversity in birds. Many of these birds stay year-round, others migrate in and out with the seasons from as far away as South America.

William B. Umstead State Park is conveniently located very close to Raleigh, North Carolina. It was named after a former governor of the state thanks to his tireless conservation efforts. The park boasts 22 miles of beautiful hiking trails as well as many other forms of recreation for those eager to explore the area.