30 Best Things to Do in Georgia: Mountains to the Coast

Georgia is bigger and stranger than people think. As the largest state east of the Mississippi by land area, it can take you from a mountain waterfall to a swamp full of alligators in a single day of driving. In between, there are colonial squares, a civil rights story that belongs to the whole country, a canyon that farmers created by accident, and one of the busiest cities in the South. Most visitors see one corner of it. Here’s the rest.

A long avenue of live oaks draped in Spanish moss at Wormsloe, Savannah — The avenue of live oaks at Wormsloe. Photo: Slp1 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

The best things to do in Georgia are exploring historic Savannah, relaxing on Jekyll Island and Tybee Island, paddling the Okefenokee Swamp, visiting the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, seeing Providence Canyon, and hiking Amicalola Falls and Tallulah Gorge in the North Georgia mountains.

The list runs from the coast up through the state, grouped by region so you can build an actual trip.

The Coast

1. Walk Savannah’s Squares

The white fountain at Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia, framed by trees — The fountain at Forsyth Park. Photo: Seasider53 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Savannah’s historic district has 22 squares shaded by live oaks, and it’s best seen slowly and on foot. Spend time at Forsyth Park, and tour the Owens-Thomas House, which tells the story of the people who were enslaved there.

2. Tour Bonaventure Cemetery

The Mongin tomb at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah. Photo: Slowking4 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Set on a bluff over the river, this moss-draped cemetery is famous from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. You can visit for free, and early morning is the time to go.

3. Drive the Oaks at Wormsloe

Weathered tabby ruins among the trees at Wormsloe State Historic Site near Savannah — The tabby ruins at Wormsloe, past the famous avenue of oaks. Photo: BaromYngve via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Everyone comes for the oak-lined avenue at this state historic site, one of the most photographed scenes in the South. Pay the fee, then keep going past the avenue to see the tabby ruins and the marsh.

4. Hit the Beach at Tybee Island

Trees and rooftops on Tybee Island seen from the top of the lighthouse — The view from the top of Tybee Island Lighthouse. Photo: Brian Stansberry via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Savannah’s beach town is friendly and a little funky, with a historic lighthouse and a pier. Parking isn’t free, so arrive early and use the parking app.

5. See Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island

Bare, weathered trees on the sand at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island — Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island. Photo: Rob Holland via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Bare, weathered trees lie scattered across the sand here, and you won’t see another beach quite like it on the coast. The island charges a daily vehicle fee. Come at sunrise.

6. Visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. Photo: Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Also on Jekyll Island, this working hospital lets you watch injured turtles in recovery. Bring the kids, and they’ll leave knowing a lot more about the coast.

7. Climb the St. Simons Lighthouse

The white St. Simons Lighthouse and keeper's building in Georgia — St. Simons Lighthouse. Photo: Ebyabe via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

St. Simons Island has a lively village, wide beaches and a lighthouse with views from the top. Nearby, Fort Frederica preserves a British colonial settlement from the 1730s.

8. Ride a Ferry to Cumberland Island

A sandy trail through maritime forest at Cumberland Island National Seashore — A trail on Cumberland Island. Photo: Advyth Ramachandran via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

This national seashore has about 17 miles of wild beach, plus feral horses and Carnegie-era ruins. Ferries leave from St. Marys, and you need to reserve ahead. Of all the coastal trips in Georgia, this is the one to plan around.

9. Learn Gullah Geechee History on Sapelo Island

The beach at Sapelo Island. Photo: [email protected] via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Sapelo is home to Hog Hammock, one of the last Gullah Geechee communities on Georgia’s barrier islands. Access is limited, so you’ll need to book with an approved tour.

10. Paddle the Okefenokee Swamp

A dark canal lined with trees in Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia — A canal in the Okefenokee Swamp. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

This huge blackwater swamp in the far southeast is one of America’s great wild places. Take a boat tour from one of the visitor areas, or paddle on your own. Expect alligators, wading birds and enormous night skies.

Atlanta and Around

11. Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

The Queen Anne-style birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta — The birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. Photo: Mikefairbanks via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

King’s birth home, Ebenezer Baptist Church and his tomb are all close together in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood. Few places in the country matter more. The birth home reopened in July 2026 after nearly three years of restoration, so ask the National Park Service about tour details.

12. See the Georgia Aquarium

The wave-shaped exterior of the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta — The Georgia Aquarium. Photo: Diliff via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5

This is among the largest aquariums in the world, and the whale sharks are what people come for. Buy timed tickets ahead of time, and go on a weekday if you can.

13. Walk the Atlanta BeltLine

The Atlanta BeltLine's Eastside Trail in Inman Park — The Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail in Inman Park. Photo: John Phelan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

This trail on an old rail corridor links neighborhoods with public art, restaurants and parks. Start with the Eastside Trail, the most popular part, and stop at Ponce City Market along the way.

14. Tour the Center for Civil and Human Rights

A human rights exhibit at the Center for Civil and Human Rights. Photo: Adam Jones via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Right by the aquarium, this museum links the American civil rights movement with human rights struggles today. Leave time to sit with it afterward. The lunch counter simulation is especially hard to forget.

15. Stop by the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Next to Piedmont Park, these gardens have a canopy walk and seasonal exhibits, including a popular holiday lights show. Book timed tickets and give yourself a slow afternoon.

16. Walk Up Stone Mountain

Hikers on the bare granite slope of the walk-up trail at Stone Mountain, Georgia — The walk-up trail at Stone Mountain. Photo: Ron Ritzman via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Just outside Atlanta, this huge granite dome has a popular park and a steep walk-up trail with big city views. The mountain also carries a giant Confederate carving, which remains a source of debate, so know about it before you go.

Central and South Georgia

17. Climb the Mounds at Ocmulgee

The large grassy Great Temple Mound at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon — The Great Temple Mound at Ocmulgee. Photo: Bubba73 (talk), Jud McCranie via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

In Macon, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park preserves more than 12,000 years of human history, including that of the Muscogee Nation. Climb the Great Temple Mound for a view of downtown.

18. Follow the Music in Macon

The Big House, the Allman Brothers Band's former home in Macon — The Big House, the Allman Brothers Band’s former home in Macon. Photo: Infrogmation via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Macon gave the world Otis Redding, Little Richard and the Allman Brothers. Visit the Big House, then head downtown for live music. Come in March if you can, when the city’s cherry trees bloom.

19. Take a Canal Boat in Augusta

A tour boat leaving the Enterprise Mill on the Augusta Canal — A canal tour leaves from Enterprise Mill. Photo: Sregor54 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

There’s more to Augusta than the Masters. Walk the riverfront, then take a historic canal tour on a replica boat. James Brown grew up here too, and his statue stands on Broad Street.

20. See Athens

The Arch at the University of Georgia in Athens. Photo: JJonahJackalope via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Home to the University of Georgia, Athens is a college town known for the live music scene that helped launch R.E.M. and the B-52s. You can walk all over downtown, and the state’s botanical garden is close by.

21. Explore Callaway Gardens

The small stone chapel by the water at Callaway Gardens in Georgia — The chapel at Callaway Gardens. Photo: Mooveeguy via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

In Pine Mountain, this huge resort property is known for its azaleas, butterfly center and lakes, along with a small stone chapel. Go in spring, and look up current admission first.

22. Visit the Little White House

Franklin D. Roosevelt's white-columned Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia — The Little White House in Warm Springs. Photo: Kåre Thor Olsen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Franklin D. Roosevelt came to Warm Springs for treatment of his polio, and he died at this modest home in 1945. His unfinished portrait is still on display, and it’s a moving thing to stand in front of.

23. See Providence Canyon

Eroded red and orange canyon walls at Providence Canyon State Park — Providence Canyon. Photo: Robbie Honerkamp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Sometimes called Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon, this park’s red and orange gullies formed through erosion after poor farming practices in the 1800s. Most people don’t expect it in Georgia, and you’ll be glad you made the drive.

24. Pay Your Respects at Andersonville

A monument at Andersonville National Historic Site. Photo: Dsdugan via Wikimedia Commons, CC0

This national historic site preserves a notorious Confederate prison camp where thousands of Union soldiers died, and it’s also home to the National Prisoner of War Museum. Expect a sobering visit, and a well-done one.

25. Visit Plains

The Plains depot at Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. Photo: Riis2602 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

President Jimmy Carter’s hometown remains small and largely unchanged. The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park includes his boyhood farm and his old high school, and they give you a rare, down-to-earth look at presidential history. Carter died in 2024 at age 100 and is buried here in Plains.

North Georgia

26. Hike Amicalola Falls and Tallulah Gorge

Georgia’s tallest waterfall drops 729 feet, while Tallulah Gorge is about 1,000 feet deep. Both are classic hikes, so start early to beat the crowds on fall weekends.

27. Pan for Gold in Dahlonega

Historic buildings on the square in Dahlonega, Georgia — The square in Dahlonega. Photo: BullDawg2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

America’s first major gold rush began here in 1828. Take a mine tour, look around the gold museum and the nearby vineyards, then have dinner on the square.

28. Wander Bavarian Helen

Bavarian-style buildings along the main street in Helen, Georgia — The main street in Helen. Photo: Thomsonmg2000 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0

This little town remade itself as an alpine village in the 1960s, and now it’s all bratwurst, tubing and Oktoberfest. Yes, it’s kitschy, and that’s why it’s fun. Nearby Anna Ruby Falls makes an easy walk.

29. Ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

A train of the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway in Blue Ridge, Georgia — The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. Photo: Thomson200 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0

From downtown Blue Ridge, this vintage train follows the Toccoa River up to the Tennessee line. Families love it, especially in fall, when you’ll need to book ahead.

30. Stand at Cloudland Canyon

A waterfall dropping into a rocky gorge at Cloudland Canyon State Park — A waterfall at Cloudland Canyon. Photo: Ronmacal via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Way up in the northwest, this state park has dramatic overlooks and waterfalls in a deep gorge. While you’re nearby, Rock City on Lookout Mountain is an old-fashioned roadside classic with good views.

Planning a Georgia Trip

The state’s bigger than it looks. The drive from the mountains to the coast takes about five or six hours, so don’t try to do both over a weekend. For a first trip, try Savannah plus one of the islands, then come back another time for Atlanta and the mountains.

Spring and fall are the best seasons nearly everywhere. Summers are hot, particularly in central and south Georgia, so head to the beach or the mountains. Fall brings color to the north by mid to late October. Hurricane season runs from June through November on the coast, so watch the forecast.

Where to next? For a quiet base in the North Georgia foothills, try our guide to Jasper. You can also browse our Georgia guides or all our travel guides on Decidel.

How we checked this guide: details were checked against official and published sources in November 2026. They can change, so confirm with the venue or park before you go.