Discover Some of Georgia's Unbelievable Hidden Gems
Head to these surprising destinations for immersive experiences off the beaten path.
Sometimes you take a trip to experience a place where everyone else has been. And sometimes, you take a trip to discover something new, someplace a little hard to get to or somewhere full of unexpected surprises. That's what these places in Georgia promise travelers: the thrill of discovery that's more than worth the trip.
From an artist's playful and mystical compound down a backroad in a small Southern town, to an enchanting bamboo forest in Atlanta mere minutes from the highway, these hidden gems never fail to leave visitors in awe.
Pasaquan in Buena Vista, Georgia
Pasaquan
In 1957, visionary folk artist Eddie Owens Martin (known as St. EOM) began a 30-year transformation of his late mother’s house in Buena Vista into a seven-acre art installation. Today, visitors are wowed by the Technicolor mash-up of Native American and African–influenced sculptures, murals, totems, and painted structures, surrounded by more than 900 feet of brilliantly decorated masonry walls. Thoughtfully restored and maintained by Columbus State University, the site, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, welcomes guests on weekends and hosts Pasafest in April, an annual celebration of outsider art in the Southeast.
Providence Canyon State Park in Lumpkin, Georgia. Photo by @capturecalliope
Providence Canyon State Park
Known as Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon,” this geological wonder in southwest Georgia about an hour south of Columbus formed as a result of poor farming practices in the 1800s. Over the years, water runoff created chasms, ravines, and cliffs with stunning multicolored sediment. Streams flow along the canyon floors, and 10 miles of scenic hiking trails are adorned with magnolias, trumpet creepers, and wildflowers. Pause and take in the views from the overlooks; there’s no shortage of breathtaking photo ops.
East Palisades Trail in Atlanta. Photo by @lifeofbrittanyadele
East Palisades Trail Bamboo Forest
Follow the East Palisades Trail through a peaceful oasis just a few miles northwest of Atlanta's core in Sandy Springs. The Chattahoochee River vistas along the approximately five-mile loop are beautiful, but the most surprising feature is the enchanting bamboo grove. Listen as the towering, 30-foot stalks knock together in the breeze, creating a natural, soothing melody to accompany your exploration of this unexpected dreamscape. Part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, the park lands are open year-round from dawn until dusk.
Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. Photo by @benjamingalland
Renowned Museums in Cartersville
This small North Georgia town lays claim to two Smithsonian affiliates - The Booth Museum and Tellus Science Museum - and the Savoy Automobile Museum. The architecturally impressive Booth Museum contains the world’s largest exhibit space for Western art, while Tellus is a playground for science buffs of all ages, displaying everything from dinosaur fossils to glittering gemstones. As the newest addition to the area, Savoy’s extensive automobile collection will convert anyone into a car enthusiast.
Dungeness Ruins on Cumberland Island, Georgia. Photo by @wandernorthga
Cumberland Island
It doesn’t get much more remote than this barrier island celebrated for its wild horses, undeveloped beaches, and Dungeness Ruins (the remains of a once-stately mansion built by Thomas Carnegie, brother of steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie). Travel the island’s unpaved roads via bicycle or guided walking tour, and spend hours combing the beaches on this National Seashore for shells. For an overnight stay, book a room at the luxe Greyfield Inn, or camp out beneath the moss-draped branches of Southern live oaks.
Zaxby's locations with milkshakes
For a limited time, Macon-area Zaxby's locations are the only place in America where milkshake connoisseurs can get their fill of the Georgia-based restaurant's hand-spun shakes. Available in classic chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla flavors as well as the "party in a cup" birthday cake flavor with festive rainbow sprinkles, the milkshakes are just one of Macon's many sweet secrets.
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