Georgia

Known for peaches and pecans, this state has elegant antebellum estates and a booming modern metropolis.

Georgia offers outdoor adventure and city attractions, all graced with Southern charm. The state is the home of several major corporations, an Olympic park and frequent TV and movie filming. Enjoy the outdoors from the Atlantic Coast to the Appalachian Mountains.

In sprawling Atlanta, the state capital, learn about important U.S. history at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum and the Margaret Mitchell House, where the author wrote Gone with the Wind. For sports, see Atlanta Braves baseball or Falcons football, run or walk in the July 4 Peachtree 10K Road Race along the city’s main street or walk through Centennial Olympic Park, with fountains and sculptures from the 1996 Olympics.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, tour the World of Coke, the soft drink known in nearly every part of the globe, or visit the Inside CNN Atlanta Studio Tour, the news medium known around the world. Visit Zoo Atlanta and the very large Georgia Aquarium. Find shopping and dining along Peachtree Road and dotted throughout the city.

Coastal Savannah is laid out in squares, offering more than 20 spots to enjoy gardens, see statues or have a picnic in the shade. Walk through the city, take a horse-drawn carriage or reserve a spot on a Savannah Riverboat Cruise. In the River Street District, find shopping, dining and art. SCAD Museum of Art features up-and-coming artists. Sample delectable pecan pralines and peach marmalade in boutique shops.

Reserve a ferry trip to Cumberland Island, a large barrier island once owned by the Carnegie family. Rent a bike to ride to the Dungeness Ruins to explore the remains of buildings erected in 1884. Enjoy the sandy beaches and look for the wild horses that roam the shore.

At the western end of the state, explore the Appalachian Mountains, perfect for hiking and camping. Visit Springer Mountain, the southern beginning of the 2,160-mile (3,476-kilometer) Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Investigate Providence Canyon State Park, Georgia’s version of the Grand Canyon.