Ray Charles knew what he was talking about. The iconic singer recorded one of America’s most beloved songs in 1960 with the hit, “Georgia on My Mind.” Although he didn’t write the song, Charles recognized the state as being one of the country’s great treasures. The song has helped bring national attention to The Peach State, but anyone who has visited it will tell you he or she didn’t need a piece of music to fall in love with Georgia. The state boasts an exciting mix of wild spaces and urban places, with an emphasis placed on art, music and history. Here are two sites to visit on your next Georgia journey.
Atlanta
From museums and botanical gardens to aquariums and zoos, there’s something for everyone in Atlanta. Those hoping to learn about the country’s civil rights struggle will find meaningful exhibits at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park. Sports fans, meanwhile, will certainly want to stop by the College Football Hall of Fame.
Atlanta has become a hub for the television and movie industry, and many fans flock to the area for film location tours of popular shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Stranger Things.” It’s also a mecca for musicians, and numerous venues dot the city where visitors can hear some of the finest hip hop, rap, rock, country and blues music in the nation. With so much to see, embarking on sightseeing flights over Atlanta help to give tourists a quick snapshot of the city’s many offerings.
Savannah
Spanning more than twenty city squares, the Savannah Historic District contains a variety of museums, churches, monuments, mansions and forts that bring history to life. Those aren’t the only things of the past that come alive in Savannah, however. The city is considered to be the most haunted in America, so there are plenty of ghost tours and other paranormal adventures awaiting the unafraid.
Georgia is a peach of a state. Be sure to visit Atlanta and Savannah on your next visit.