The Ultimate Georgia Bucket List - The Best Things to Do in Georgia
by Rebecca Hollman
updated Sep 21, 2020
Planning a trip to Georgia? Already live in Georgia and looking for something new to do? Check out the 58 best things to do in Georgia below!
Northern Georgia
1. Marble Mine Trail | 2.5 mile trail to an abandoned mine and a nearby lake, which offers great sunset views.
2. Cloudland Canyon State Park | Cool state park by the Tennessee border featuring some epic waterfalls and rim trails.
3. Lula Falls and Lula Lake | Stunning waterfall and lake right next to each other accessed by a steep hike. Only open on the first Saturday of every month.
4. Ochs Gateway Trail | Beautiful hike by Lookout Mountain.
5. Cohutta Wilderness | Massive 37,000 acre wilderness and national forest. Great place for overnight backpacking trips with over 90 miles of trails.
6. Fort Mountain State Park | State park with waterfalls, a lake with a beach, an old fort, and lots of hiking trails.
7. Amicalola Falls | The most famous waterfall in Georgia. Hiking trails to the waterfall and also the beginning access point of the Appalachian Trail.
8. Bartram Trail | Trail that follows the route of 18th-century naturalist William Bartram’s southern journey. Bartram explored much of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. 34 mile trail great for overnight backpacking trips.
9. Unicoi State Park | State park known for its lake - Unicoi Lake. Great for fishing and swimming.
10. Helen | Helen is a small Bavarian town in north Georgia. It's known for its German inspired buildings and cuisine and also for its Oktoberfest every October.
11. Anna Ruby Falls | Two waterfalls falling feet away from each other. Short trail leads up to viewing platforms. View This Post!
12. Raven Cliff Falls | A unique waterfall that falls through two giant boulders. A decently long trail that winds along the river reaches this waterfall. View This Post!
13. Tallulah Gorge | Famous state park known for its gorge and high suspension bridge. Trails around the gorge and a trail into the gorge itself by permit only during the summer.
14. Hike the AT to Springer Mountain | Springer Mountain is technically the starting point for the Appalachian Trail. The hike from Amicalola Falls State Park to Spring Mountain along the AT is a great day hike or one night overnight trip.
15. The Hike Inn | The Hike Inn is a hotel on Springer Mountain. See above. Reservations should be made months in advance, especially in the summer.
16. Mount Yonah | Small mountain peak next to Helen with great views.
17. Brasstown Bald | Georgia's highest peak at 4,784 ft. You can either hike to the top via a steep trail or take a shuttle. Great panoramic views, especially during fall. View This Post!
18. Bell Mountain | Mountain top with views of Hiawassee and the lake. Known for it's graffitied rocks.mView This Post!
19. Lake Burton | Beautiful lake in northeast Georgia. Many high-end lake houses surround the lake, as well as the start of the Appalachian mountains. Great place to rent a house and a boat for the weekend.
20. Minnehaha and Angel Falls | Two small waterfalls next to each other that are easily accessible.
21. Toccoa Falls | Big cascading waterfall that goes into a small pool great for swimming.
22. Black Rock Mountain State Park | State park with some waterfalls, hiking, camping and fishing with mountain views.
23. Rabun Bald | A large peak along the Tennessee border with a 6 mile trail and a viewing platform.
24. DeSoto Falls | A small cascading waterfall in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, close to Helen. View This Post!
25. Blood Mountain | Hike along the AT to the top of Blood Mountain. Scenic panoramic views that are especially great in the fall. View This Post!
26. High Shoals and Blue Hole Falls | Two waterfalls located along the same trail. One has a large pool for swimming and a rope swing. View This Post!
27. Dahlonega | A small town known for its gold mining. Visit the gold mining museum, pan for gold, walk around downtown, and eat at many quaint restaurants.
28. Ellijay | Ellijay is a small town and a popular spot for mountain homes. Most homes sit along the riverside. A beautiful place to rent a river front cabin for the weekend and enjoy the peace and quiet.
29. Ruby Falls | An iconic underground waterfall that is miles deep into a cave system. Enjoy the uniqueness of the cave as you walk to reach the waterfall.
30. Rock City | The signs along 75 may just have a point. Rock City is an adorable area on Lookout Mountain with a waterfall, interesting rock formations to walk through, and best of all: a miniature fairytale display. You have to just see it.
31. Lookout Mountain | This unique area of North Georgia boasts amazing views and some really nice houses. Rent a house for the weekend and enjoy the little town on top of the world. Make sure to stop by Sunset Rock (for sunset obviously), Rock City and Ruby Falls.
Metro Atlanta and Around
32. Atlanta | The capital and mecca of Georgia. There is so much to do in Atlanta it has its own ultimate bucket list. Check it out on the blog.
33. Athens | The college town home to the University of Georgia. Head to Athens for the weekend for a football game, live music, bar hopping and a quaint downtown area with tons of shops and restaurants.
34. Lake Lanier | This popular lake is only a 20-30 minute drive from Atlanta. A great weekend getaway on the lake during the summer.
35. Etowah Indian Mounds | A native American burial site full of historic importance.
36. Alpharetta and Avalon | Alpharetta is an upscale suburb north of Atlanta. Its main draw is Avalon, an outdoor high-end mall experience with endless restaurants, shops, live music in the lawn, a movie theatre and a Tesla store.
37. Marietta, Kennesaw and around | There are endless "suburbs" of Atlanta that could also be classified as their own city. All have their own appeal with many restaurants, shops and usually some Civil War attractions.
38. East Palisades Trail | A trail that leads along a river and has a unique bamboo forest.
39. Sawnee Mountain | A trail a few minutes north of Atlanta that gives panoramic views of the city skyline.
40. The Roswell Mill | Unique trail through an old sugar mill in Roswell with a waterfall and a few miles of trails.
41. Sweetwater Creek State Park | Miles of trails just west of Atlanta that pass by a river and abandoned mill ruins.
42. Chattahoochee River | The iconic river that flows through most of Atlanta. In the summer, kayak or float down the river. There are also infinite trails along the river at many points.
43. Arabia Mountain | South of Atlanta, this unique granite rock face gives a very different vibe than most other trails in Atlanta.
44. Stone Mountain | A short but steep hike up the famous granite rock called Stone Mountain. The park also has a lake you can kayak on, a beach, many miles of trails, and a village with unique shops and restaurants. During the summer, watch fireworks over the mountain and in the winter visit the Village as it's decorated up for Christmas and go sledding on the artificial snow.
45. Madison and Social Circle | These two small Georgia towns are quintessential old-school well to do southern towns. The historic downtown areas are filled with beautiful old plantation homes and mossy oaks line the streets.
46. Lake Oconee | Another great lake that is only 45 minutes-1 hour from Atlanta. This sprawling lake has totally different vibes as you venture to different sections. The Ritz Carlton has a location on Lake Oconee that is very famous.
Southern Georgia
47. Okefenokee Swamp | Unique wetlands and swamps along the Florida border. Take a tour via boat or canoe and go wildlife spotting.
48. Providence Canyon State Park | A "mini Grand Canyon" located in southeast Georgia. Super unique landscape for Georgia. A great place for camping and hiking among the canyons.View This Post!
49. Radium Springs | A natural hot spring with bright blue water in the middle of gardens.
50. Cumberland Island | An island along the Atlantic coast with 17 miles of beaches and a population of wild horses that live on the beach.
51. Jekyll Island | A popular beach destination in Georgia, Jekyll Island has the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and many beaches.
52. St. Simons | A more high-end and busy beach town in Georgia with many resorts on the beach.
53. Sea Island | Connected to St. Simons on the same island, the town of Sea Island is much less visited.
54. Tybee Island | Island off the coast, right along the border of South Carolina and Georgia. Has lots of historic forts and lighthouses.
55. Skidaway Island | Another island along the coast with marshlands and huge mossy oak trees. Close to the city of Savannah.
56. Savannah | Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia and was an important port city during the American Revolution and the Civil War. It's famous for its antebellum architecture, cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and ghost tours. Definitely worth a weekend visit.
57. Sapelo Island/Little St. Simon’s Island/Little Raccoon Key | These Golden Isles islands aren’t accessible by car making them much more quiet and remote. Most of these islands require specific reservations in advance and can only be accessed by boat.
58. George L. Smith State Park | One of the most underrated state parks in Georgia, George L. Smith offers a unique experience kayaking among swamp flora and fauna. Make sure to go at sunrise or sunset and see the light changing over the water.