Georgia is a US state in the South and was named after Great Britain's King George II and was the last of the 13 original U.S. colonies. The state is often associated with the iconic images and character of American Civil War films such as blockbuster 'Gone with the Wind'. Columned mansions, pretty girls and handsome soldiers mixed in with a devastating Civil War is what most associate with Georgia.

The state certainly did take a heavy punch during the American Civil War, particularly the capital, Atlanta, which was largely laid to waste. However, Georgia has had a phoenix rise from those ashes, and today Georgia's vibrant towns and the lively cosmopolitan city of Atlanta are amongst the biggest and best across the whole country. The coastal area, from lovely historic Savannah in the South, is a delight for nature lovers and is still largely undiscovered and unspoilt by tourism. Georgia serves up beaches, offshore barrier islands filled with indigenous flora and fauna, wetlands, walking and biking trails and quaint fishing villages amongst much much more.

Apart from some beaches and towns on the highly indented coastline, this overwhelmingly rural state is composed of slow, easygoing settlements. In stark contrast, the bustling Atlanta stands as the unofficial capital of the South. The city where Dr Martin Luther King Jr was born, preached and is buried has a forward-looking energy and is upheld as a role model for other cities with large black populations - though it does still suffer high levels of urban poverty and violent crime. Atlanta's main rival as a tourist destination is the Georgia coast , stretching south from beautiful old Savannah via the sea islands to the semitropical Okefenokee Swamp , inland near Florida. In the NE , the Appalachian foothills are particularly fetching in the fall, while Athens has a reputation for producing offbeat rock groups such as REM and the B-52's. Further south , the agricultural heartlands are rich in musical history, but only Macon and ancient Ocmulgee provide reasons to stop.