Georgia, one of America’s Southern states, borders Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina with its deeply indented coastline washed by the Atlantic Ocean.

The region dates back thousands of years to Pre-Columbian Native Americans, long before the arrival of the Cherokee and Creek tribes and the European explorers. The Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto made his way into area in 1540. Other Spanish and English explorers followed him but gradually the English prevailed and so it was that in 1733 Savannah, Georgia, named after King George II, became the 13th British colony in the New World.

Those formative years were not easy ones with Britain applying increasingly restrictive trading barriers. In 1775 the British were expelled and the following year the Congress adopted its first constitution. Georgia ratified the US Constitution in 1788 becoming the first Southern state so to do. As before there was unrest and conflict this time involving slavery and the expulsion of the Cherokee tribe. Slavery prevailed throughout Georgia and the other southern states and was to become one of the catalysts between the North and the South in the American Civil War. Georgia seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy of 11 Southern states. Bitter fighting, followed by hardship continued until 15 July 1870 when Georgia rejoined the Union, the last former Confederate state to be readmitted by Congress.


Georgia’s wealth in the 1800s came from cotton and the introduction of the cotton gin with increasing numbers of slaves from Africa being brought in to work on the large plantations. By the time of the American Civil War almost half of the population were black slaves – more than 400,000 were freed after the war. By the 1950s the city of Atlanta was becoming a major player in the civil rights movement.

By the early 20th century Georgia was a somewhat poor, rural, agrarian society. However, the rise of industrialisation gradually changed Georgia’s fortune and today the state is home to a vast number of major international companies. The Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at Atlanta is the busiest in the US and in 1996 Atlanta was the proud host of the Summer Olympic Games.

Where to visit

Atlanta, the state capital, was originally built as a railway terminus town –actually called ‘Terminus’. It was a Confederate stronghold and was burned by General Sherman in 1864 though quickly recovered and is now noted for industrial and financial expertise. It is a progressive, lively city excelling in the arts with good restaurants, museums, nightlife and shopping facilities.


It was also the hometown of Dr Martin Luther King and a number of the top attractions are associated with the great civil rights leader. Visit the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site to take in his Birth Home, the King Center , the Ebenezer Baptist Church and his grave – his tomb, with an eternal flame burning beside it - rests on a raised pedestal in a shallow reflecting pool engraved with the words ‘Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I’m free at last’.


Other attractions not to be missed are the state of the art Georgia Aquarium and adjacent to it the World of Coca-Cola. The latter provides visitors with a history of the company, a collection of memorabilia, a Pop Culture Gallery and also the opportunity to enjoy a tasting of over 60 products. Also tour Inside CNN, at the headquarters of the 24-hour global news station to see behind the scenes and broadcasting in action. Shopaholics are spoilt for choice in Atlanta – most of them heading initially for Underground Atlanta, comprising six city blocks of entertainment, restaurants, trendy shops and stalls or try the more upmarket shops in the Buckhead district. Visit too the Margaret Mitchell House where the famous author wrote Gone with the Wind, the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, and the beautiful Botanical Garden.



Savannah is Georgia’s oldest city noted for its leisurely pace of life, history, architecture and charm. It lies nearly 20 miles from the ocean on the Savannah river not far from the boundary with South Carolina. In the historic district visitors can take a walking tour or ride in a horse-drawn carriage to discover beautiful squares edged with 18th and 19th century buildings hiding behind ancient oaks festooned with graceful Spanish moss. Some of the old mansions are open to the public. The city’s waterfront is another pleasant spot to while away time – the old cotton warehouses taking on a new lease of life as trendy restaurants and bars.


Georgia also offers attractive coastal communities and a number of off-shore islands to be explored.

Sky Mountain Park to the east of Atlanta is a great place for families. The summit of the mountain can be reached by foot or to save a steep climb take the ski lift. Into the mountain is what is claimed to be the world’s largest bas relief sculpture depicting three horseback Confederate heroes. The rest of the extensive park is given over to a number of different attractions such as a scenic railway and an antebellum plantation and farmyard.

Georgia’s state song, immortalized by Ray Charles is ‘Georgia on My Mind’.

Getting There

Georgia has two international airports.
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport which is 11 kilometres south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia.
And
Hilton Head International Airport which is 11 kilometres northwest of the city of Savannah, Georgia.

Where to stay

On the advise of a new friend and following our own investigation we are delighted to feature one of our favourite things - a hidden gem. It's a B&B in Watkinsville, GA. called Ashford Manor. It is just a few minutes from Athens, GA and an hour from the mountains. We hope these couple of photos will whet your appetite.