Shae Connor's Top 5 Favorite Georgia Sites

Hi, Dreamreaders! I’m a Georgia native, so it’s not surprising that most of my books are set here. Write what you know, right? So I’m here to highlight my home state with my Top 5 Places to Visit in Georgia. What are your favorite places to visit near you?

1. River Street, Savannah: Running right along the Savannah River on the edge of the city’s downtown, River Street’s pedestrians-only cobblestone pathway leads past buildings that were cotton warehouses a century ago but now house restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, and gift shops. Best is Savannah’s Candy Kitchen, where just the smell is enough to send you into sugar shock. 

2. Jekyll/St. Simons Island: I spent a lot of time on Georgia’s Golden Isles in my younger days, between trips for family, church, and band. The two main islands have very different atmospheres; Jekyll is more tourist-focused and features the incredible Millionaire’s Village, originally home to the richest families in America. St. Simons offers a different kind of history, with its lighthouse and the historic Christ Church, and its downtown includes a used book shop with a resident cat.

3. Midtown Atlanta: My home for the past few years, Midtown is a vibrant and widely varied section of the city, home to much of its arts community—the High Museum of Art, Atlanta Symphony Hall, and the historic Fox Theatre—as well as the “gayborhood” and dozens of amazing restaurants. It’s also bounded on one side by Piedmont Park, which hosts Pride in October.

4. Helen: A kitschy, Alpine-themed tourist town in the north Georgia mountains, with all the kitschy gift shops you’d imagine, some pretty darn good restaurants, and a candy shop that makes hand-dipped chocolates to die for. The Chattahoochee River runs right through town, and tube rides are popular. Just don’t visit from late September through early November unless you’re prepared to sit in traffic for hours, because Oktoberfest is a THING.

5. Plains: Former President and First Lady Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter still live in their hometown, which I first visited as a Brownie while he was first running for president. The main visitor attraction is the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site, which includes his childhood home, his old high school, and the 1976 campaign headquarters. But it’s not out of the question to see the Carters visiting downtown or eating lunch in one of the restaurants after church on Sunday.