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the USA🇺🇸 | regionsGeorgiaSavannah squares, Okefenokee blackwater, Appalachian trailhead, barrier-island horses | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Georgia
👍 Recommendedregion ranked #25
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 20, 2026

Savannah’s 22 historic squares trace back to a grid James Oglethorpe laid out in 1733, and you can walk several in ten minutes. Georgia sits in the southeastern United States, from Appalachian ridges to Atlantic marsh. I landed in Atlanta’s airport and promptly rode an underground train between concourses, a fine omen for a state that loves moving people around. Transit thins out fast beyond the cities, so experienced travelers rent a car for the rest.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 the USA Travel Guide.


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✨ Why go?
Ranked #25 region in the USAWhy Georgia should be on your travel list

Georgia packs mountains, swamp, barrier islands and two very different cities into one state, so you can change landscapes without changing countries or plans. The slow-travel payoff is a loop: gorge hikes near Tallulah Gorge, walkable squares in Savannah, then paddling the black water of the Okefenokee Swamp. Distances are manageable by car, and each stop feels distinct, from Civil Rights history to alligator-watching, so a week rarely repeats itself.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. Savannah Historic District: oak-shaded squares, Forsyth Park and cobbled River Street, all walkable.
  2. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park: Atlanta’s free site includes his birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church.
  3. Okefenokee Swamp: paddle tea-colored water past alligators and floating peat islands.
  4. Tallulah Gorge State Park: a suspension bridge hangs high over a deep canyon, with permits for the floor.
  5. Stone Mountain Park: a bare granite dome with a steep summit trail and a huge Confederate carving.
  6. Cumberland Island National Seashore: wild horses roam ferry-access beaches and ruins.
  7. Providence Canyon State Park: pink and orange gullies, a small “Little Grand Canyon” few outsiders visit.
  8. Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island: bleached fallen oaks sprawled across the sand, best photographed at low
… read more 👉
  1. Savannah Historic District: oak-shaded squares, Forsyth Park and cobbled River Street, all walkable.
  2. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park: Atlanta’s free site includes his birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church.
  3. Okefenokee Swamp: paddle tea-colored water past alligators and floating peat islands.
  4. Tallulah Gorge State Park: a suspension bridge hangs high over a deep canyon, with permits for the floor.
  5. Stone Mountain Park: a bare granite dome with a steep summit trail and a huge Confederate carving.
  6. Cumberland Island National Seashore: wild horses roam ferry-access beaches and ruins.
  7. Providence Canyon State Park: pink and orange gullies, a small “Little Grand Canyon” few outsiders visit.
  8. Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island: bleached fallen oaks sprawled across the sand, best photographed at low tide.
  9. Springer Mountain: the Appalachian Trail’s southern end, reached by a modest forest walk.
  10. Andersonville National Historic Site: a sobering Civil War prison camp and national POW museum in rural southwest Georgia.
Georgia first-timers should start with the Savannah Historic District, since it delivers atmosphere on foot with no planning.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do near Georgia

1.5 Hour Southern Essentials: Biscuits and Pimiento Cheese Class

1.5 Hour Southern Essentials: Biscuits and Pimiento Cheese Class

5.0(82) 1h 30m
From €41
per personViator
Y'allywood 3 Hour Private Movie and TV Film Locations Tour

Y'allywood 3 Hour Private Movie and TV Film Locations Tour

5.0(57) 3h
From €141
per personViator
Atlanta Street Art and BeltLine Tour with Happy Hour and Activity

Atlanta Street Art and BeltLine Tour with Happy Hour and Activity

5.0(38) 2h 30m
From €41
per personViator
Senoia The Walking Dead Film locations 2 hours Walking Tour

Senoia The Walking Dead Film locations 2 hours Walking Tour

5.0(33) 2h
From €35
per personViator
Atlanta Then and Now Private History Tour

Atlanta Then and Now Private History Tour

5.0(25) 3h
From €141
per personViator
Atlanta Highlights Private Tour

Atlanta Highlights Private Tour

5.0(19) 3h
From €159
per personViator
Atlanta Private Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours

Atlanta Private Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours

5.0(16) 3h
From €336
per personViator
Must See Sites of Atlanta Private City Tour

Must See Sites of Atlanta Private City Tour

5.0(16) 3h
From €141
per personViator
Private 3-Hour Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind Tour

Private 3-Hour Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind Tour

5.0(14) 3h
From €159
per personViator
1.5-Hour Atlanta Spice Laboratory Spice Blending Experience

1.5-Hour Atlanta Spice Laboratory Spice Blending Experience

5.0(14) 1h 30m
From €41
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

⌛️ 5 daysA smart one-week plan

Day 1-2: Atlanta: Start with the King historical park, then spend day two at Stone Mountain. Atlanta has rail and buses, so you can skip the car here and pick one up only when leaving, avoiding parking fees.
Day 3-4: Savannah: Roads link the two cities, so drive and settle in. Savannah is walkable, so park the car and wander the squares. For a detour, take a quick drive to Jekyll Island’s Driftwood Beach.
Day 5: Okefenokee Swamp: Go south by road, since no public transport reaches the swamp. Book a guided paddle early. If one day justifies the trip, I pick this one: silence, black water and gators beat any city.

🌤️ When to go?Seasonal considerations and timing

  • Spring (March to May): Highs of 20 to 29°C (68 to 84°F), blooming dogwoods and azaleas, and moderate prices.
  • Summer (June to August): Hot, humid and stormy, 29 to 35°C (84 to 95°F), with long daylight and cheap rooms.
  • Fall (September to November): Dry, golden and 16 to 27°C (61 to 81°F). College football weekends fill beds.
  • Winter (December to February): Mild, 3 to 14°C (37 to 57°F), quiet, and short days.
Book early for home-game Saturdays in Athens.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: highly recommended for travelingAPRApril: excellent for travelingMAYMay: highly recommended for travelingJUNJune: fair for travelingJULJuly: below average for travelingAUGAugust: below average for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
united-states-region-georgia
© Google | Randolfo Santos

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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Atlanta is the easiest base, with hostels and cheap rooms near Midtown and Little Five Points, where nightlife and MARTA stations sit close together. Savannah’s Historic District is walkable, social and safe after dark, and travelers swap tips in its squares and bars. Athens gives you a college-town energy with live music venues and cheap pubs, and it is easy to meet people there. Asheville-style mountain bases do not exist here, but Helen and Blue Ridge suit hikers who want cabins and campgrounds. Expect dorms at US$30 to 55 in the big cities.
Best hostels in the USA


Best quality hotels in the USA

🚌 Getting aroundMoving around without the hassle

Georgia’s city buses cost about US$1 to 2 a ride, and in Atlanta you tap a Breeze card (about US$2 for the card plus fare) at MARTA gates. Beyond Atlanta, public transit thins out fast, because the state was built around the car and distances are long. Experienced travelers stitch together trains, buses and the occasional shared ride instead of waiting for a bus that may not exist.
  • MARTA rail and bus: US$2.50 a ride, trains every 10 to 20 minutes, and it reaches the airport. It stops at the city edge, so use it for Atlanta only.
  • Intercity buses: Greyhound and FlixBus link Atlanta with Savannah (4 to 5 hours, US$20 to 45) and Macon (1.5 hours, US$10 to 25). Stations sit in odd spots, so check the address before you book.
  • Amtrak: Savannah has a train line to the northeast, but little connects inside
… read more 👉
Georgia’s city buses cost about US$1 to 2 a ride, and in Atlanta you tap a Breeze card (about US$2 for the card plus fare) at MARTA gates. Beyond Atlanta, public transit thins out fast, because the state was built around the car and distances are long. Experienced travelers stitch together trains, buses and the occasional shared ride instead of waiting for a bus that may not exist.
  • MARTA rail and bus: US$2.50 a ride, trains every 10 to 20 minutes, and it reaches the airport. It stops at the city edge, so use it for Atlanta only.
  • Intercity buses: Greyhound and FlixBus link Atlanta with Savannah (4 to 5 hours, US$20 to 45) and Macon (1.5 hours, US$10 to 25). Stations sit in odd spots, so check the address before you book.
  • Amtrak: Savannah has a train line to the northeast, but little connects inside the state. Skip it for local hops.
  • Rideshare: Uber and Lyft cost US$10 to 30 for most city trips. Surge pricing after stadium events makes walking a few blocks the smarter move.
  • Car rental: US$40 to 70 a day, and the only way to reach state parks and the mountains. Split it with other travelers.
Book intercity buses a week ahead for the cheapest fares.

🍲 FoodWhat to Eat & Drink

Start with shrimp and grits on the coast, peach cobbler in summer, and boiled peanuts from roadside stands, salty and soft. In Atlanta, fried chicken and Brunswick stew arrive with smoky barbecue, sauce on the side. Meat-and-three diners serve a plate for US$10 to 15, and farmers’ markets sell cheap produce. Order sweet tea, which is truly sweet, or ask for unsweet. Servers expect a 18 to 20 percent tip, and “y’all” is a friendly greeting.

FAQFrequently asked questions about Georgia

Three to five days covers the highlights of Georgia. Spend two days in Atlanta for the museums and Beltline, then add Savannah (about 4 hours by road) for another two days. Add a day in Athens or the north Georgia mountains if you want music or hiking.
Getting around Georgia without a car means mixing MARTA (US$2.50 a ride) in Atlanta with Greyhound or FlixBus between cities. Atlanta to Savannah takes 4 to 5 hours and costs roughly US$20 to 45. Inside Savannah and Athens, walking and free city shuttles cover most sights, and rideshare fills gaps.
Georgia is known for peaches, Atlanta’s civil rights history, Southern food, and Savannah’s oak-shaded squares. Coca-Cola started here, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta is free to enter. The Appalachian Trail begins at Springer Mountain, and the Golden Isles offer beaches on the coast.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other American regions near Georgia

Explore more nearby:

  • Alabama—Gulf coast, Civil Rights sites, pine forests| 316 km away
  • South Carolina—Charleston pastels, Congaree boardwalk, Sea Island beaches, Upstate granite| 329 km away
  • Tennessee—Honky-tonk Broadway, Elvis Memphis, Smokies bears, whiskey country| 445 km away

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We 💚 feedbackIs it worth it?

Georgia trips go wrong when people treat the state as just Atlanta and a beach. I would pair one city with one wild place, the swamp or the gorge, and rent a car rather than rely on buses.

✈️ When did I visit the USA?
In January 2023 I visited New York. Many years before, before digital cameras existed, I discovered most of the national parks in the West.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in the USA, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

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