"Green" vacation destinations

Hawk's Nest Hideaway in Mentone, Alabama

This two-bedroom, two-bath mountain getaway is nestled on top of north Alabama’s Lookout Mountain. Guests can hike Little River Canyon, the country’s second-deepest river canyon, view beautiful waterfalls, take canoe rides through nearby rivers, ride horseback down the trails or fish in the pond. Click here for more information.

Deer Run Bed and Breakfast in Big Pine Key, Florida

This Caribbean-style inn is a state of Florida-certified green lodge. Located on a private, dead-end street two miles from the highway, Deer Run Bed and Breakfast’s beachfront property enjoys picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean. Organic, vegetarian breakfasts are offered every day and obtained from as many local sources as possible. Guests can charter scuba dives and eco-kayak nature tours. Big Pine is home to the endangered Key Deer (pictured right), not found anywhere else in the world. Nearby Bahia Honda State Park offers guests opportunities to gaze on unique and rare plants, flowers and birds. Click here for more information.

Serenbe Community in Palmetto, Georgia

Serenbe, located in the heart of Chattahoochee Hill Country, is a national model for sustainable development that joins land preservation and balanced development together. It features an organic farm, an inn, stables, art galleries, nationally acclaimed restaurants and more. Serenbe has received the Urban Land Institute's inaugural Sustainability Award. Serenbe’s trees are highly valued and store the equivalent of 7,213 cars’ carbon emissions for a year. Guests seeking to escape the noise of Atlanta or the stresses of every day life have a variety of places to stay at Serenbe, including the Dogwood Cottage, an EarthCraft-rated building with a fireplace on the common screen porch overlooking the lake. In 2009, the New York Times dubbed Serenbe a “Sonoma for the New South.” Click here for more information.

The Bed and Bike Inn in Gold Hill, North Carolina

Guests seeking relaxation or adventure should check out The Bed and Bike Inn. Located in the Uwharrie Mountain region, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy road/mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, golfing and horseback riding. Wine tours, shopping tours, eco-tours, moonlight kayaking trips and night mountain biking adventures are also available to guests. They offer a $10.00 discount to anyone arriving in a hybrid vehicle. Click here for more information.

The Inn at Middleton Place in Charleston, South Carolina

Located on the bluffs of the Ashley River, the Inn at Middleton Place offers a relaxing retreat surrounded by natural beauty and many outdoor and educational amenities. It received the Urban Land Institute’s Sustainability Award for its extensive, leading-edge efforts in modern sustainability, conservation and eco-friendly practices. Guests can enjoy daily guided and self-guided walking, biking and kayaking tours of the woods, marsh and river or enjoy horseback rides on wooded and open trails. Riding lessons are offered to adults and children. Admission for two (a $70 value) to Middleton Place Gardens, House Museum and Stableyards is included in the price of your stay. Click here for more information.

Miracle Farm in Floyd, Virginia

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this eco-friendly resort offers private accommodations, spa amenities, organic vegetarian breakfasts featuring locally grown food, and 25 acres along a river and stream, surrounded by woods and fields. Guests can hike or bike through the property where wildlife abounds. Birdwatchers will not be disappointed. Organic vegetable gardens are filled with flowers and provide beautiful settings for leisurely walks. Click here for more information.

[Photo Credit: Tripadvisor.com]