10 Small Towns in Georgia to Visit for a Weekend Getaway
Georgia's small towns make easy weekend getaways. In Dahlonega, the country's first major gold rush kicked off in 1828. Senoia spent most of a decade doubling as Woodbury for AMC. Blue Ridge built the longest swinging bridge east of the Mississippi over the Toccoa River. St. Mary's launches the only ferry to Cumberland Island and its wild horses. Each town builds its weekend around something the others can't touch.
Darien
Darien earns a weekend on history alone. Fort King George marks the southernmost outpost of British North America, built in 1721. Scottish Highlanders founded the town in 1736 at the mouth of the Altamaha River. Only Savannah is an older Georgia town.
Just south of downtown, Butler Island grew one of Georgia's largest antebellum rice plantations under Pierce Butler, a signer of the US Constitution. Skipper's Fish Camp pulls shrimp boats to its own dock. It serves the catch on a back porch over the water. Oaks on the River sets a small lodge above the marsh for the overnight.
Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge owns the longest swinging bridge east of the Mississippi. The 270-foot span hangs 80 feet above the Toccoa River. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway follows the same river on a 26-mile round trip. It stops at McCaysville and Copperhill, twin towns split by the Georgia-Tennessee line. Trout water on Noontootla Creek pulls fly anglers across the Southeast.
Downtown squeezes the indoor half of a weekend into a few Main Street blocks. Tasting rooms, antique shops, and the Black Sheep Restaurant share the same stretch. Cabins dot the ridges above town. Orion's Heart Cabin on White Pine Acres Lane offers a quieter base.
Americus
Americus founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976. The charity bases its global headquarters here. The Global Village & Discovery Center displays house designs used worldwide. Koinonia Farm has operated as a Christian community since 1942. Its store sells pecans and farm goods.
Downtown leans Victorian. The Windsor Hotel has commanded its block since 1892. Queen Anne details survive, down to the wraparound porch and three-story atrium. The Rylander Theatre stages music inside a restored 1921 vaudeville house. Rosemary & Thyme serves seasonal Southern plates nearby.
Dahlonega
Dahlonega started America's first major gold rush in 1828. That beat California by two decades. The Dahlonega Gold Museum tells the story inside the old Lumpkin County Courthouse. Its exhibits cover the claims, the stamp mills, and the federal mint that struck coins here before the Civil War.
Today the town pours more wine than gold. A dozen-plus tasting rooms operate within 30 miles, including Wolf Mountain, Three Sisters, and Dahlonega Resort & Vineyard. Lake Zwerner and the Chestatee River lie minutes away for swimming and paddling. The Chestatee Wildlife Preserve shelters tigers, lemurs, and other rescues near downtown.
Tallulah Falls
Tallulah Gorge drops nearly 1,000 feet through the middle of Tallulah Falls. The town straddles Habersham and Rabun counties. The state park strings a suspension bridge 80 feet above the gorge floor. Five waterfalls line the rim trails. Gorge-floor permits cap at 100 a day and book ahead.
The Tallulah Point Overlook delivers the canyon view without the stairs. Panther Creek Recreation Area adds a waterfall hike to a swimming hole, just south of town. The Lake Rabun Hotel and Restaurant occupies a 1922 mountain lodge on Old Highway 441.
Senoia
Senoia played Woodbury on AMC's "The Walking Dead" for most of the 2010s. The Coweta County studios still turn out productions. Walking Dead tours thread through the downtown blocks from the show. Nic & Norman's plates burgers and craft cocktails on the main strip. Greg Nicotero and Norman Reedus co-own it.
Senoia Raceway draws a different crowd on Friday nights, spring through fall. The Veranda Historic Inn occupies a 1906 hotel that once hosted William Jennings Bryan and Margaret Mitchell. Hogan House at Rose Hill leans residential.
St. Mary's
St. Mary's launches the only ferry to Cumberland Island National Seashore. The 45-minute ride reaches a barrier island where wild horses roam the beaches. The Carnegie family's Dungeness estate stands in ruins near the south end. The town occupies Georgia's southeastern corner, just north of Florida.
The St. Mary's Submarine Museum traces US Navy history with periscopes, models, and exhibits. The King's Bay base operates next door. Crooked River State Park adds three short trails and a fishing pier north of town. Spencer House Inn and Riverview Inn handle the overnight on Osborne Street.
Ellijay
Ellijay carries the title Apple Capital of Georgia. Orchards like B.J. Reece, Aaron Family, and Panorama open pick-your-own rows in late August. The harvest carries into October. The Georgia Apple Festival takes over two October weekends with crafts, food, and a downtown parade.
Wineries moved in beside the orchards. Cartecay Vineyards, Chateau Meichtry, and Grapes and Ladders all pour near downtown. The Cartecay River cuts through for kayakers and rafters. Outfitters book half-day trips. Coosawattee River Resort and Ellijay River House cover the two ends of the lodging range.
Covington
Covington played Mystic Falls for eight seasons of "The Vampire Diaries". Filming started on the Newton County courthouse square in 2009. The screen credits go back further. "In the Heat of the Night" and "The Dukes of Hazzard" used the same square. Covington Historic Tours walks the locations on a guided route.
The Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast appeared on the show. The Greek Revival house takes guests just off the square. Turner Lake Park opens 76 acres of walking paths southwest of downtown. Town House Café serves a Southern lunch. Bradley's Real Pit Barbeque smokes pork shoulders on Church Street.
Chickamauga
Chickamauga borders the first national military park in the United States. The government dedicated it in 1895 to preserve the September 1863 battlefield. That battle ranks as the second-bloodiest of the Civil War, with about 34,000 casualties. Park roads pass more than 1,400 markers and the 85-foot Wilder Brigade Monument.
The Gordon-Lee Mansion served as General Rosecrans's Union headquarters before the fighting. It became a field hospital during the battle. The 1847 Greek Revival house now operates as an inn on Cove Road. Greg's Restaurant and Vittles BBQ & Country Fixin's serve meals a short walk away.
Where Georgia Spends Its Weekends
Stack the weekends together and almost nothing repeats. One trip is a thousand-foot gorge. The next is a ferry to wild horses. Another is a courthouse square that still answers to Mystic Falls. Civil War history marks one corner of the state. Apple orchards crowd another. A Scottish-founded coast lines a third. No two towns lie more than a few hours apart. One weekend stretches across a pair without ever feeling rushed.
