The first time we're in Georgia, we're staying in Atlanta. This city wasn't originally in our plan but when I rearranged our route through the Smoky Mountains, it gave us an opportunity to stop here for a couple of days.
Atlanta has a bad reputation and I am a little nervous about staying here but I guess its like any big city, it has its good areas and its bad. We still need to do a little research into where the bad areas are and what we need to avoid. If we arrive and we really don't like or don't feel comfortable, at least we can just move on!
Next stop after Atlanta is at Tallulah Gorge State Park and there won't be a single high rise building in sight! Tallulah Gorge is a 1000 foot chasm carved over millions of years by the Tallulah River and it is home to the Tallulah Falls, a series of six waterfalls cascading down through Tallulah Gorge. One of the things I love about America is how in the morning you can be sitting in a coffee shop in the middle of a huge city and by the afternoon, walking in the wilderness with just the bears to keep you company.
| State: | Georgia |
| Towns of Interest: (FB) = Firebreak | Savannah Athens Atlanta |
| National Parks: | N/A |
| State Parks of Interest: | Cloudland Canyon State Park Tallulah Gorge State Park |
| Places of Interest: (N) = Night Stay | Lookout Mountain Parkway Point Park (Rte 210 scenic loop passes the Park - see up to 6 states) Cloudland Canyon State Park (Panoramas of the hills and hollows) Route 157 (Lookout Mountain Parkway) Atlanta (Nx2) Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site (he modest home where Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was born and raised) Piedmont Park (Adjacent to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Midtown, perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon) Centennial Olympic Park ( 21-acre patch of land that features lush paths of grass, artwork, pools and fountains. The park was originally built for the 1996 Olympic Games and was a centerpiece of the festivities; now, it's one of the most visited areas of the city) World of Coca-Cola ( a museum dedicated entirely to Coke) Stone Mountain Park (Standing tall in this 3,200-acre park is a massive quartz monzonite mountain etched with the images of three famous Civil War figures: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis) Toccoa Falls (Waterfall just outside Toccoa) Scenic Loop 15 (Tallulah Gorge Scenic Loop) Tallulah Gorge Visitor Center Tallulah Gorge State Park (N) Clayton (Trading post for the Cherokee Indians) Savannah (Nx2) (best explored on foot) Historic Trolley Tour (tour of the city in an old trolley bus) Historic Squares (The 22 squares of Savannah, most named in honor of a person, are the heart of the city. These communal mini-parks are scattered through the historic downtown. Make sure to visit Chippewa square where the famous bench scene in Forest Gump was filmed) Jones Street (was voted one of the most beautiful in North America by Southern Living) Forsyth (large city park located in the historic district of Savannah) Jen’s & Friends (dive bar with hundreds of creative martinis to choose from. And they come with edible accessories) Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Broughton Street (Bars and Restaurants) Drive Under the Oaks (for the best experience, drive under the oaks on the way to Wormsloe, an avenue sheltered in the impressive trees) City Market (in the historic district) River Street (Waterfront district, lively area, good for an afternoon stroll) Altamaha Historic Byway (Route 17) Darien (Sea food and wharf crowded with fishng boats) |
| Routes of Interest: | Altamaha Historic Byway / Route 17 Scenic Loop 15 (Tallulah Gorge Scenic Loop) Lookout Moutain Parkway (Route 157 - views of the three states) |
| Where to Stay: | Atlanta - need to check where is safe before staying Aloft Atlanta Downtown ($103) Atlanta Marriott Marquis ($120) Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta Downtown ($111) Sheraton Atlanta Hotel ($92) Savannah Thunderbird Inn ($88) Quality Inn Savannah Historic District ($118) SpringHill Suites by Marriott Savannah Downtown/Historic District ($129) Tallulah Gorge State Park Tallulah Gorge State Park Camping ($20) |
| Useful Links: | http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trips/low-country-south-carolina-georgia-road-trip/ http://www.exploregeorgia.org/slideshow/georgias-must-sees http://www.oldsavannahtours.com/ |
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