The largest state east of the Mississippi River is 300 mi/480 km from top to bottom, and 230 mi/370 km at its greatest width. The 9 million citizens of "The Empire State" or "The Peach State" practice southern hospitality, follow the Atlanta Braves religiously, eat more pork barbecue than fried chicken, prefer Coca-Cola over morning coffee and drink iced sweet tea—lots of it—from noon to night.

Most Georgians live close to the major cities, so visitors passing through the wide open spaces between cities may wonder if the population number is a misprint. These rural areas offer a tremendous variety of outdoor activities for sports enthusiasts, nature lovers and sun worshippers.

In Georgia, the past seems to intersect with the present at every turn in the road: The profiles of Confederate leaders gaze stoically from Stone Mountain; turn-of-the-century homes still gleam on the Golden Isles; and every town between Atlanta and Savannah displays its mementos of General Sherman's 1864 invasion.

Even present-day events seem tied to tradition. We happened upon a wedding in a Savannah park where women in elaborate hats sipped champagne beneath the moss-draped trees and a horse and buggy stood waiting for the bride and groom. It was a scene that could have taken place a century earlier, except for the crowds of T-shirt-clad gawkers (like us) who stood around admiring the scene.

For travelers, Georgia's historic awareness presents an opportunity to glimpse the culture of the Old South. You can tour vintage mansions and plantations, visit forts and museums and witness battle reenactments. The state is not trapped in its past—witness the amenities of cosmopolitan Atlanta or the contemporary arts and music scene of Athens—but the state's reverence for earlier times is one of its most endearing qualities.

History

Georgia's recorded history begins with the Native Americans who inhabited the region some 10,000 years ago and left evidence of their hunting and gathering cultures. Those belonging to the Mississippian Culture (AD 900-1200) built ceremonial mounds, some good examples of which have been preserved at the Ocmulgee National Monument, near Macon. Later, the Creek and Cherokee tribes lived in the area. Their settlements of 100 to 1,000 residents were often located along rivers.

The first European to see this region was explorer Hernando de Soto, who claimed portions of it for Spain in 1540. While the Spanish established missions on some coastal islands, their presence did not deter the British from claiming the same territory. The two countries jousted over the region until the Battle of Bloody Marsh in 1742, when an English victory secured it for King George II. The colony was named Georgia in his honor. It was the 13th and final of the original U.S. colonies to be established.

Following the Revolutionary War, Georgia was the fourth state admitted to the Union. Though the Creek and Cherokee nations made efforts to coexist with white culture, conflicts with settlers eventually led to the forced removal of these tribes to areas west of the Mississippi (an ill-fated event known as the Trail of Tears).

Large slave-powered plantations flourished in Georgia, and when the Civil War erupted in the 1860s, the state sided with the Confederacy. In 1864, Georgia suffered greatly at the hands of Union General William Tecumseh Sherman: After overcoming Confederate forces in northern Georgia, Sherman's army burned Atlanta and then made its infamous March to the Sea, destroying everything in a 60-mi-/100-km-wide swath. The war ended soon after. Georgia was readmitted to the Union in 1870, but the process of rebuilding its economy and society was slow and fraught with difficulties.

Though initially reliant on cotton, Georgia now depends upon industry (both textiles and high-tech), as well as communications, agriculture and forestry (it is the nation's leading producer of paper pulp). And, inspired by local leaders, especially the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Georgians have worked together to redress injustices and set a course for social and economic progress.

Snapshot

Among Georgia's main attractions are southern culture, Savannah, Macon, Atlanta, historical sites, majestic mountains, antebellum mansions, scenic swamps, beautiful landscapes and wide, sandy beaches.

Because of the state's size and diverse geography, local culture and activities change with the surroundings. You can divide Georgia into four regions and you'll quickly notice that each area's geography, personality and trademarks are unique. North Georgia offers glorious mountain views, wild rapids, waterfalls, gold mining, bluegrass music, apples and antiques; The metro Atlanta area is a bustling, fast, work-hard-and-play-hard community with plenty of multicultural and civic pride, upscale dining and support for the decorative and performing arts; the heartland is full of antebellum heritage, movers and shakers, rock 'n' rollers, gospel music, peach orchards, pine trees, cotton fields and fresh vegetables; and the Golden Isles of the coastland offer barrier-island cottages, boiled shrimp and boiled peanuts, turtle walks by flashlight, dolphins and lighthouses.

Travelers who enjoy splitting their time between urban and rural attractions and who are interested in U.S. history will have a great time in Georgia. So will fans of shopping and southern cooking. Beach and sun worshippers will love the southern coast during the summer and early fall. Folks who like mountains will find an opportunity to explore the twists and turns of north Georgia's high-country roads, shot through with pretty rivers and waterfalls. They can hunt for antiques in the charming mountain towns and sample the homemade baked goods and crafts. Visitors who cannot tolerate a hot, humid climate will want to avoid Georgia's flatlands during summer months.

Potpourri

How many times have you asked yourself: "Why isn't there a national tick collection?" Well there is, and you can see it at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.

Georgia has nurtured many famous musicians and music groups, including Little Richard, Otis Redding, the Allman Brothers Band, James Brown, Johnny Mercer, Jerry Reed, R.E.M., the B-52s, the Indigo Girls and Ray Charles. Other celebrities who have called Georgia home include Jimmy Carter, Hank Aaron, Jim Bowie, Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson, Erskine Caldwell, Martin Luther King Jr., Julia Roberts, Evander Holyfield, Elton John and Herschel Walker.

The state song is "Georgia on My Mind" (written by Hoagy Carmichael, who was not a Georgian).

Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin near Savannah in 1793.

Just east of Atlanta, in Conyers, is the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit. The friendly monks there grow and harvest their own food, and they sell their jellies and baked goods, including some of the best bread you're likely ever to taste. You can visit the church, grounds and gift shop, and even make arrangements to stay overnight and partake of a monastery breakfast. You'll bunk down for a nominal cost in one of the simple and peaceful public boarding rooms. Phone 770-483-8705 for information on accommodations. http://www.trappist.net.

If you eat chicken in Gainesville, the Chicken Capital of the World, you'd better use your hands: Eating it with a fork is illegal.

Georgia was the first state to allow 18-year-olds to vote (in 1943).

Ripe peaches are sold at roadside stands during the summer. From mid- to late March, every peach tree along the Peach Blossom Trail (Highway 341 from Jonesboro to Perry) is in bloom.

Georgia had its own gold rush in 1828 in Dahlonega, 40 mi/65 km northeast of Atlanta. The discovery of gold in the Blue Ridge Mountains sent a stampede of miners into what was then Cherokee country. The Dahlonega Courthouse Gold Museum traces the area's gold-dusted history with exhibits and a documentary film. Consolidated Mines also offers tours of the largest gold mine east of the Mississippi River.

Georgia's official state vegetable, the Vidalia onion, is the sweetest onion in the world. It is only grown in Vidalia and Glennville.

During the years it was part of the Soviet Union, Georgia was the top destination in Caucasia, offering magnificent monasteries, historic sites and scenic mountains. Wedged between Russia and Turkey, with a long shoreline on the Black Sea, it was known for its balmy climate and its fabulous food and drink.

Georgia is one of the most fascinating countries in the region, and overall a safe place to visit, though travelers should avoid the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Evidence of the Georgians' determination to build a tourism business, particularly through infrastructure development, is widely evident. Much has been accomplished in recent years, but plenty remains to be addressed in order to reach international standards.

Geography

Georgia is bordered by Russia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Turkey and Armenia to the south, and the Black Sea to the west. Much of the country is dominated by mountains. The Caucasus Mountains form a natural border with Russia in the north, with the Lesser Caucasus along the border with Turkey to the southwest.

The Likhi Range links them running north-south through the center of the country. West of these mountains, particularly along the Black Sea coast, the climate is moderate, even balmy at times. The area east of the Likhis is colder and drier.

Snapshot

The chief attractions of Georgia are monasteries, fine wines, great food, mountainous terrain, historical and mythological sites, a beautiful coast, cave settlements, art and outgoing people.

Though parts of the country are too dangerous to visit, the rest of Georgia is an appropriate destination for adventurous people who are looking for someplace truly different.

Potpourri

Some of the oldest people in the world live in Georgia. Some villages near the Black Sea claim elders of 130 years and more. Supposedly, yogurt has something to do with the long lifespans.

Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece isn't the only mythological story set in the Caucasus Mountains. As punishment for giving the gift of fire to humanity, Prometheus was said to have been chained to Mount Elbrus. The Amazons, a legendary race of women warriors, were supposed to have lived on the banks of the Terek River. And Kutaisi is said to be the city of King Aetes and Medea, possessors of the Golden Fleece.

Hominid remains 1.7 million years old, the oldest in Europe, have been found at Dmanisi, near the border with Armenia.

Georgians have probably been making wine since the Bronze Age. They claim the word comes from the Georgian ghvino.

"Georgian Snickers" is an apt nickname for churchkhela, a chewy bar made by threading nuts and raisins on a string, dipping them in simmering grape juice and hanging them up to dry.

Most Georgian fortresses had a secret tunnel leading to a river escape route. Ask the caretaker of any castle you visit about the particulars of his place.

The square watchtowers of the Svan people, scattered around the town of Mestia, are more than 1,000 years old. Some 20 watchtowers are concentrated in Ushguli, which at 7,220 ft/2,200 m claims to be the highest permanently inhabited village in Europe.

The nation's name came from the Persian word for the inhabitants of the country: Gorj. The "Gorj," however, call themselves the Kartveli and their country Sakartvelo. It's pure coincidence that the country's patron is St. George.