Day Trips from Georgia (USA)

One of America's most beautifully planned cities, Savannah's Historic District features 22 park-like squares laid out by founder James Oglethorpe in 1733, each shaded by massive live oaks draped in Spanish moss. The architectural ensemble — Georgian, Federal, Gothic Revival, and Italianate buildings — creates a walking museum of American design. Forsyth Park's ornate fountain, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, and the riverfront district add further layers. Savannah's famous hospitality extends to its food scene, with restaurants showing Lowcountry cuisine.

Georgia's tallest waterfall cascades 222 meters down a series of steps in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and a challenging staircase of 604 steps parallels the falls for impressive viewpoints. The park also marks the southern approach to the Appalachian Trail — an 13-km trail leads from Amicalola to Springer Mountain, the trail's official southern terminus. The surrounding Blue Ridge mountain scenery, during autumn foliage, is spectacular.

Georgia's largest and most pristine barrier island is accessible only by ferry, preserving 18 miles of undeveloped beach, maritime forest, and the ruins of grand Carnegie-era mansions being slowly reclaimed by nature. Wild horses roam the island's interior, armadillos scuttle through palmetto understory, and the beach stretches empty to the horizon. The Dungeness ruins — a massive Victorian mansion destroyed by fire — create one of the most atmospheric sites on the American coast.