Georgia: The New South

Georgia’s historic awareness presents an outstanding opportunity to glimpse the culture of the Old South: You can choose from a wide assortment of vintage homes and plantations, forts and battlefields, reenactments and museums. The state is not trapped in its past—witness the amenities of cosmopolitan Atlanta or the contemporary arts and music scene of Athens—but the state’s reverence for previous times is one of its most endearing qualities.

Atlanta

Atlanta, the premier city of the Deep South, manages to be both cutting edge and tradition bound at the same time. Imagine walking through a plantation-style home outfitted with every high-tech gadget on the market, and you’ve got a good sense of Atlanta’s dual nature. Major influences range from Ted Turner and Coca-Cola to Martin Luther King Jr. and Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell. 

Atlanta transformed itself from a segregationist’s haven to a forum for preaching equal opportunity in the1960s and ’70s, and since then, it has taken its place as an international nerve center of the telecommunications industry. The 1996 Olympic Games gave the city added prestige and a face-lift, with new public artwork, wider sidewalks, improved parks, street signs and lights. 

Athens

Athens provides a good study in how the New South coexists with the Old South. A lively music scene (supported by students from the University of Georgia) flourishes in the bars, clubs and coffeehouses of the restored downtown (it brought the world such bands as R.E.M. and the B-52s). But you don’t have to look far to find the Old South: It’s apparent in the many Greek Revival homes and buildings that dot the city, the best example being the Taylor-Grady House. 

On the Coast: Savannah

Savannah is hot, and we don’t mean the weather (though that can be hot, too). Always a popular travel destination, the city has become busier than ever since publication of the best-selling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. “The Book,” as it’s known in Savannah, examines a sensational murder trial, and fans are pouring in to see the place where it all happened. As a result, a slew of Midnight tours has sprung up to usher visitors past the key sites. Beyond the sensation of The Book, Savannah’s biggest assets are the same ones it has had for years: It contains the largest National Historic District in the United States—block after block of exquisite Federalist, Regency and Victorian homes interspersed with 22 gorgeous town squares full of azaleas and live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. 

Back to nature

In the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Chattahoochie National Forest covers a wide stretch of northern Georgia and offers a summer haven for those looking to beat the heat of Georgia’s lower climes. Within the Chattahoochie you’ll find beautiful waterfalls (including Amicalola and Toccoa), ample fishing and hunting, striking Tallulah Gorge and extensive walking trails. (The Appalachian Trail begins there and runs all the way north to Maine.) 

The Golden Isles is a group of islands off the southern Georgia coast was once the playground of some of the wealthiest families in the world. Today, it continues to draw well-heeled travelers, but those of more modest means can also enjoy the semitropical beach resorts and nature preserves. 

No matter what part of Georgia you’re visiting, you’ll find nature preserves and recreation areas in easy reach. The state rightly claims an abundance of beauty: Even if you’re not a great outdoors person, consider seeing at least a bit of Georgia’s natural wonders.