Georgia On My Mind

I love Georgia. I love Atlanta, I love the Georgia coast, I love the southern belle quirkiness of some of the inland towns - I just love Georgia period

Atlanta

Atlanta is one of my favourite cities; and I would certainly recommend spending a couple days exploring Atlanta before venturing any further into Georgia's delights. If you're a foodie - you'll find some great restaurants here (I had one of the best steaks of my life at Bones). There are lots of retail therapy options if that’s your bag. And if you're looking for things to do with (or without) children don't miss the fascinating World of Coca Cola, the inspiring and humbling Martin Luther King Jr national historic site and, (my own little slice of movie/literature heaven) the Margaret Mitchell house which celebrates all things Ms Mitchell and Gone With The Wind.

Madison and the road to the coast 

Beyond Atlanta, Georgia is a beautiful State, taking in farmland, mountains and coastal beaches. And also 350+ golf courses for any golfers in your group! If you are keen to get into the great outdoors and to explore a little way off the beaten-USA-tourist track then Georgia is a perfect starting point. Atlanta itself is a big city with a population of over 6 million, but step away from Atlanta and you will find lots of inviting small towns, full of Southern charm. It’s easy to drive across Georgia with the journey from Atlanta to coast taking about 4 hours, give or take.

Madison is one of my favourite small Georgia towns. It is famously known as the town that Sherman didn’t burn. The story goes that the town was too pretty for him to torch on his march from Atlanta to Savannah. The probable truth is a little less romantic, the town was home to several prominent Georgians – some of whom were friends with Sherman. Whatever the reasoning, Sherman’s refusal to burn Madison means that the town has many ante-bellum mansions and is a delight to visit. Beyond the town itself, Madison is surrounded by beautiful countryside and parkland, giving lots of opportunities for hiking, cycling and horse riding. There are guest ranches around Madison, so if horseriding is your thing consider spending a few days here. There's plenty to keep any non-horsey travelling companions occupied. 

Savannah 

I couldn’t talk about Georgia without mentioning Savannah. Stay in the Historic District here to get that full ‘Southern’ feeling. There is so much to do in Savannah that I can’t being to list things here – it’s a foodie heaven with wonderful wine tasing opportunities, throw in a bit of voodoo and some Southern icons (Johnny Mercer, who wrote Moon River was a Savannahian) and you begin to get the picture. Savannah oozes Southern charm, the Squares that are scattered across the Historic District are punctuated by live oak trees dripping Spanish moss – it’s picture perfect. And if you’re a movie buff, you’ll spot a few familiar places – not least Forrest Gump’s bench. I’d recommend reading John Berendt’s Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil – it’s a great story (based on fact) and gives something of a flavour of the city of Savannah.

Tybee Island 

If you want to include some beach time on your holiday - then head to Tybee Island, just a short drive from Savannah (20 minutes or so), Tybee has five different beaches to explore. There's a beach for everyone here; you could birdwatch, climb a lighthouse, sea kayak, dolphin watch, collect fossils or just sit back and chill with some local cuisine and a cold beer.  Heavenly. 

With direct flights from London, Manchester and Edinburgh - getting to Atlanta couldn't be easier. Contact me to talk about your ideal USA holiday in Georgia.