Why Georgia is Truly on Everyone's Mind: Outdoor Wonders, Culinary Gems, History, and Hollywood Hotspots
When Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell penned Georgia On My Mind—later immortalized by Ray Charles—they couldn't have anticipated how literally the lyrics would resonate today. Georgia's stunning landscapes, award-winning cuisine, rich history, and booming film industry are drawing travelers from around the world.
Georgia earned a spot on Newsweek's list of must-visit global destinations for foodies, right after the Amalfi Coast. Marvel enthusiasts flock to filming locations from Avengers: Endgame to Black Panther. Nature lovers take note: Outside magazine recently named Amicalola Falls State Park home to some of the best hikes in the U.S.
Georgia is buzzing—choose your adventure from the highlights below and plan your spring getaway.
The Exceptional Outdoors
Georgia overflows with waterfalls, especially vibrant with spring wildflowers. The family-friendly trail to Minnehaha Falls offers a short hike to a stunning 100-foot multi-tiered cascade over stepped rocks.
For a challenging trek, try the Len Foote Hike Inn Trail in Amicalola Falls State Park—a 10-mile loop through north Georgia's foothills to the state's tallest waterfall, praised by Outside as one of America's best.
Discover a surprising desert-like wonder: Providence Canyon's "Little Grand Canyon," with 10 miles of trails amid vibrant red, pink, orange, purple, and white rock formations.
View Georgia's beauty from above on zipline courses like Zipline Canopy Tours of Blue Ridge, soaring from treetops over valleys, pastures, and creeks.
Or paddle through the unique Okefenokee Swamp by kayak, surrounded by lily pads, peat bogs, and alligators—a one-of-a-kind adventure.
Culinary Delights for Food Lovers
No surprise that The Farmhouse at Serenbe—near Atlanta—made Newsweek's global foodie list. Fresh from its garden or nearby farms, ingredients hit your plate with minimal intervention in this New Urbanism haven.
In Savannah, Mashama Bailey's The Grey earned the James Beard Best Chef: Southeast award. This elevated Southern bistro in a restored 1938 Greyhound terminal preserves heritage—select oysters from the former ticket counter.
For classics, visit Atlanta's The Colonnade (fried chicken livers and salmon croquettes since 1927) or Mary Mac's Tea Room, "Atlanta's Dining Room," famed for sweet potato soufflé and fried green tomatoes.
Head to Macon for H&H Restaurant's "Ramblin’ Man" (smoked brisket, BBQ sauce, fried green tomato). In Savannah, Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room serves family-style favorites since 1943.
Savannah innovates too: Cotton & Rye (crispy chicken wings with spicy honey and sumac) or waterfront The Wyld (steamed banana leaf fish tacos).
James Beard finalist Hugh Acheson's new By George in Atlanta's Candler Hotel shines with poulet roti pommes Dauphines. Explore his Empire State South (Atlanta), Five & Ten, and The National (Athens).
Civil Rights and Black History
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta engages all ages, including kid-friendly Shout, Sing-Out.
The expanded Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park now includes his Vine City home. Join Tom Houck's Civil Rights Tour: King Center, birthplace, Ebenezer Baptist, and more.
Follow the Black Heritage Trail to sites like the National Civil War Naval Museum. Catch the Freedom Singers at Albany's Civil Rights Institute. In Savannah, visit Pin Point Heritage Museum for Gullah Geechee culture.
Hollywood and Showbiz Trails
Georgia surpassed California as the top film production state in 2016, with Marvel hits and Delta's Burbank-Atlanta flights fueling the "Hollywood of the South."
Marvel fans: Atlanta tours reveal Captain America: Civil War's Avengers HQ via Atlanta Movie Tours Hero Tour. Tony Stark's cabin is on Airbnb nearby.
Covington starred in Gone with the Wind, Vampire Diaries; see the Walk of Stars.
In Senoia, Walkin’ Dead Tours and Georgia Tour Company cover The Walking Dead and more.
Stranger Things fans head to Jackson for downtown sites, or Escape Woods in Powder Springs (Hopper's cabin). Atlanta Movie Tours offers Stranger Things and Atlanta Upside Down Tour.
Create your own Georgia story with friends and family.
Plan Your Georgia Getaway
*Header image of Wormsloe Historic Site in Savannah, Photo by @goanniewhere.
