Georgia (USA)

Introduction

Geography

Cities

• Athens
• Atlanta is the state's capital and largest city.
• Augusta
• Columbus
• Savannah

Sights and Activities

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the gateway to Georgia and is located about 7 miles (11 kilometres) from downtown Atlanta. Since more than a decade it has been the busiest airport in the world regarding the number of flights and number of passengers, with currently around 88 million passengers a year! Regarding international passengers, it's way lower though.

To/from the airport:

• Rail: Hartsfield–Jackson has its own train station on the city's rapid transit system, MARTA. The above-ground station is inside in the main building, between the north and south terminals on the west end. The Airport train station is currently the southernmost station in the MARTA system.
• A four-lane roadway across Interstate 85 connects the Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center to the existing airport road network.

By Train

Two trains travel to and from Georgia, passing cities like Atlanta (Crescent) and Savannah (Silver Service/Palmetto). The trains include:

• The Crescent between New York and New Orleans, stopping in Atlanta.
• The Silver Service/Palmetto between New York and Tampa/Miami, stopping in Savannah.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

Georgia has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Hotel and Motel Chains

There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include:

• Motel 6
• Super 8
• Days Inn
• Quality Inn
• Red Roof Inn
• Howard Johnson
• Best Western
• La Quinta Inns and Suites
• Holiday Inn
• Econo Lodge
• Travelodge
• Hilton
• Choice Hotels
• Ramada
• Radisson
• Starwood Hotels
• Marriott Hotels