10 Places to Go in Georgia for the Weekend

Art, history, science, food, music, recreation – Atlanta has it covered. Georgia’s capital city shows its cosmopolitan side with the High Museum of Art, a striking building with an impressive scope of works. Another bold building houses the Center for Civil and Human Rights. The 35-acre Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park documents powerful history via exhibits, monuments, and institutions such as Ebenezer Baptist Church. History buffs will love visiting the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

The Fox Theatre hosts live music, movies, and stage productions, while the Buckhead is among neighborhoods with great restaurants. Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden offer gorgeous urban outdoor experiences, and the Georgia Aquarium boasts 100,000 water creatures.

Savannah is steeped in history, gorgeous with an old-South gentility, yet it has an undercurrent of mystery one might expect from New Orleans – an intriguing combination. The historic district with its museums, 18th-century houses, 22 park squares, and restaurants is a great place to start. Strolling through Forsyth Park with its famous fountain and then along River Street with its great views and seafood bring out the feel of the city.

The Basilica of St. John provides an ornate and elegant detour, while the majestic Bonaventure Cemetery offers a more thoughtful take on history. Savannah is said to be the most haunted city in the U.S., so if you dare, take one of the city’s very popular ghost tours.

Augusta offers a lot of what Atlanta and Savannah do, in addition to an exceptional golf course. The Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art exhibits fabulous contemporary works. The Augusta Museum of History includes permanent and rotating exhibits on the city and Augustans, including the godfather of soul James Brown. Find more about local heritage at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, which highlights the contributions of African Americans from Augusta.

It's near great outdoor activities, including the Forks Area Trail System for mountain biking and hiking, and Betty’s Branch (part of the Savannah River) for paddleboarding or kayaking. Noteworthy restaurants include the Abel Brown Southern Kitchen & Oyster Bar, and the Boll Weevil Café & Sweetery.

Helen is a Bavarian-style village in the Blue Ridge Mountains about 90 minutes north of Atlanta with a quaint downtown, seasonal festivals, and access to outdoor recreation. The Helen Arts & Heritage Center displays local art and tells the story of the town’s history. Uhuburg is a European-style castle with gardens, murals, statues, and a tower you can climb offering great mountain views.

For recreation, you can kayak or tube down the Chattahoochee River, which runs through town. Cool River Tubing offers drop-off and pickup. Ride a zipline from tree to tree and get a top-down view of the forest with Nacoochee Adventures. Seasonal events include Oktoberfest (naturally) and the Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race and Festival.

Driftwood Beach could be called nature’s coastal sculpture garden. Erosion turned what once was a maritime forest into a sandy shoreline containing huge tree trunks and branches. It’s on Jekyll Island in Southeastern Georgia, and it has become a big attraction in the Golden Isles area of the state. Many weddings are held there. The potential for beautiful views – and great photographs – is present most any time of day or night. However, the beach itself is much more accessible during low tide.

While you’re on Jekyll Island, you can also schedule a dolphin tour, visit Great Dunes Beach Park, stop by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, walk the scenic Jekyll Island Trail System, or tour the historical district.

Providence Canyon State Park contains the formation known as “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon.” The natural wonder with gullies as deep as 150 feet was caused mostly by poor farming practices in the 19th century. It created visible sandstone strata that are orange, pink, red, and purple, making for phenomenal viewing and great photographs. The rare plumleaf azalea grows in the area, adding to the beauty.

Spectacular views are available from a rim trail, and there are hiking routes into the canyon. The 1,003-acre park has campsites, picnic shelters, a museum, a visitor center, and a playground. Backpackers can camp along the backcountry trail, which winds through forest and highlights portions of the canyon.

Fort Mountain State Park offers some of the most scenic mountain trails in Georgia as well as a lake and two unusual architectural structures. Hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding are popular through hardwood forests and around Fort Mountain Lake, the site of the campground and a sandy beach. Multiple viewing points overlook parts of the park’s 3,700 acres.

A mysterious 855-foot rock wall climbs over the highest point on the mountain. It’s believed to have been built by ancient Native Americans, but its intended purpose is unknown. Elsewhere, hikers can find a 38-foot stone fire tower built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Tybee Island is home to a coastal community that has long been a getaway spot for Georgians. It’s a small barrier island known as “Savannah’s beach” because of its proximity to that city. Historical landmarks include the Tybee Island Lighthouse and a former coastal defense area, Fort Screven, now a well-traveled bicycle route. Sea kayaking is also popular, as is bird watching.

Fresh seafood is prevalent. The Crab Shack is open for lunch and dinner, and Sting Ray’s Seafood is known for its fish tacos. End the day at sunset, watching sea mammals from one of Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure boats.

The mountain town of Blue Ridge provides a good base for seeing the stretch of Blue Ridge Mountains that extend into Georgia from Tennessee and North Carolina. Within reach are the Chattahoochee National Forest, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, and plentiful streams for trout fishing. Hike the Trout Adventure Trail, learn about its surroundings and habitat, and earns a commemorative patch. Boat, fish, or paddle on Lake Blue Ridge. Find a guide to show you the good fly-fishing streams for trout.

The Blue Ridge Railway offers four-hour trips along the Toccoa River to the fellow mountain town of McCaysville and back. Try Harvest on Main for locally sourced food, or Black Sheep for traditional Southern comfort fare.

Lake Oconee is a 19,000-acre lake spread across four counties between Atlanta and Augusta known for outdoor recreation such as boating, fishing, and golf as well as dining. Boats, jet skis, kayaks, and paddleboards are available for rent from Young Harris Watersports as well as Oconee Wild Watersports. For gifts and art, Genuine Georgia is an artisan marketplace featuring more than 100 Georgia artists.

The Reynolds Lake Oconee resort maintains six golf courses and has 11 restaurants. The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds offers eateries including the Linger Longer Steakhouse and Gaby’s by the Lake. For a local craft beer, visit the Oconee Brewing Company. If skeet shooting’s your thing, try Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds.