7 best places to visit in Georgia for soulful southern vibes

Georgia is steeped in the imagery of the past, of grand old homes and Spanish moss-draped oak trees, where you might see Forrest Gump waiting at the next bus stop. But there’s so much more tucked within its boundaries, depending on what you want to see and do.

It’s possible to traverse the entire length of the state within one day, or a little over five hours, so plan your trip around multiple stops. In a single visit,  you can experience the fast pace of its capital city, Atlanta, roam Georgia’s barrier islands, or start the journey from the southernmost point of the Appalachian Trail.

This is a state rich in variety. Private islands along the coast are home to significant species of plants and animals, while charming Antebellum towns between Atlanta and Augusta feel preserved in amber. No matter what time of year you visit the Peach State, you’re sure to find something to keep you coming back for more. Here are the best places to visit in Georgia.

1. Atlanta

Best for history and culture

Most travelers will end up in Atlanta at some point or other, as this is where the state’s main airport – the world’s busiest – is located. But you’ll also find top-tier museums, award-winning restaurants and easy day trips into the heartland of Georgia.

Start in the city at the Martin Luther King Jr National Historical Park, which includes the Civil Rights hero’s childhood home and tomb. Dive deeper into the history of both the city and the region as a whole at the Atlanta History Center, with its adjacent historic homes and galleries of artifacts from the past century. The High Museum of Art is another essential stop, hosting both touring exhibitions (recent shows include statues from China’s Terracotta Army and Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors) and a diverse array of permanent works. 

Local Tip: Atlanta traffic is notoriously taxing, so get around using MARTA, the city’s network of buses and local trains, which stop by all the top landmarks. Each ride costs $2.50, but it’s better value to get a reloadable multi-day Breeze pass. A three-day pass should be enough to get you through a visit.  

2. Augusta

Best for golf fans

Most travelers know about Georgia’s second-biggest city because of its globally recognized golf course, the Augusta National Golf Club, which hosts the top names in the sport for the annual Masters tournament in April. For those who can’t get tickets for the games behind these esteemed gates, this is also the city where singer James Brown spent most of his life – the “Godfather of Soul” is celebrated by a life-sized statue downtown. 

To understand how Augusta came to be, start at the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, where canals were excavated around the Savannah River to support local industry. You can still see several old mills and factories set beside the water; view them from boat tours arranged through the museum or bike your way down the riverside paths. The Augusta Museum of History is the place to find items of treasured memorabilia such as Brown’s famous costumes and a green jacket from the Masters. 

3. Cumberland Island

Best for untamed beauty

Accessible by private boat or public ferry, Cumberland Island National Seashore is a protected barrier island known for the wild horses that roam its sandy beaches, alongside important wildlife species such as sea turtles and armadillos. Once upon a time, the rich and famous Carnegies called the island home, alongside other 19th-century movers and shakers.

Some of the elegant residences here are still privately owned, while others are open for tours. The ruins of Dungeness are the most photographed structure; the mansion burned to the ground in 1959 under mysterious circumstances. Plum Orchard is another grand period home, still standing with most of its original furnishings. 

While you’re here, visit the north side of the island to see the First African Baptist Church, built in 1893 by the local Gullah community, formerly enslaved people who retained many aspects of their African culture. It’s also where John F Kennedy Jr got married, before his tragic death in 1999. If you’re short on time, join the Lands and Legacies guided van tour, which will whisk you to all the highlights in air-conditioned comfort. 

Local Tip: Options for refreshments on the island are limited, so bring everything you’ll need for your stay – especially water. 

4. Dahlonega

Best for wine lovers

Before the famed gold rush in California, there was a smaller rush for gleaming metal in the North Georgia town of Dahlonega in 1828. These days, its charming downtown area is best known as the setting for several Hallmark Christmas movies and the tasting rooms of nearby wineries. In fact, the Dahlonega Plateau AVA is the state’s latest wine region, home to respected operations such as Wolf Mountain and Cavender Creek. 

You may not strike it rich like the prospectors of old, but Dahlonega still has an ongoing connection to gold mining. The Crisson and Consolidated gold mines offer tours and gold panning, while the Dahlonega Gold Museum is packed with displays on the gold rush that gave the town its start. 

Local Tip: If you plan on visiting multiple wineries, book a tour so someone else can cover the transport side of the equation, or assign a designated driver.

5. The Golden Isles

Best for beach time

When it’s time to head to the beach, set a course for Georgia’s Golden Isles – a scenic stretch of barrier islands that includes St Simon’s Island and Jekyll Island, both accessible by causeway bridges. Jekyll was the site of an early colonial settlement and later, home to the famed Jekyll Island Club, a popular hub for the rich and famous, where the original idea for the Federal Reserve banking system was brainstormed.

These days, both islands are loved for their long, family-friendly stretches of beachfront, with waterside accommodations and casual beach cafes. On St Simon’s Island, visitors love the historic lighthouse and fishing from the pier, while on Jekyll Island, Driftwood Beach is a popular spot for photos of the flotsam-strewn shoreline. The island is well connected by bike paths, making it easy to get around by rented bike.

Local Tip: St Simon’s Island is free to visit, but you’ll need to pay a fee to enter Jekyll as it’s operated as part of the state parks system. 

6. Macon

Best for music lovers

This middle Georgia city is considered the birthplace of Southern rock music, especially by fans of the legendary Allman Brothers Band, who lived in Macon for many years. Their former home is now the Big House Museum, and you’ll spot the band painted on the side of H&H Soul Food, one of their favorite restaurants (it’s said to serve the city’s best fried chicken). 

Recording-studio-turned-museum, Capricorn Studios, is another essential stop; it hosted the Allman Brothers and countless other pioneers of the southern sound. The Tubman African American Museum focuses on Black history and significant African-American musicians such as Otis Redding and Little Richard, whose piano is part of the collection. Before you go, stroll through Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, a sprawling site dotted with Indigenous ceremonial mounds dating back thousands of years. 

7. Savannah

Best for old-school charm

Part of what makes Savannah so special is its remarkable state of preservation – thanks in no small part to the work of local historians. Visitors can tour a string of famous residences in the downtown Historic District that operate as museums, including the former homes of Flannery O’Connor, Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low, and James “Jim” Williams, tried four times but acquitted for a murder in the house in 1981 (events retold in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt). Don’t overlook the town’s historic graveyards, such as Bonaventure Cemetery.

Some of Savannah’s most historic spaces are just beyond its boundaries. Tybee Island is a favorite day trip for travelers, who come to see the lighthouse founded in 1736 and chow down on fresh seafood, while the historic colonial settlement at Wormsloe State Historic Site draws visitors with its dramatic oaks. The Pin Point Heritage Museum is an important counterpoint, interpreting the lives of members of the historic Gullah community who worked in Savannah’s seafood industry.