Recreation & Entertainment

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The Peach State boasts recreation and entertainment options to suit nearly everyone’s tastes, whether pursuits are outdoor or urban.

The metropolis of Atlanta, also known as the "capital of the South", features all manner of activities, and is at the forefront of cosmopolitan pursuits such as fine dining, shopping, and numerous cultural attractions. The High Museum of Art Atlanta is the leading art museum in the Southeast, and houses over 11,000 works in its collection. Additionally it is partnered with the Musee du Louvre in Paris with works of art until 2009. The Fernbank Science Center offers an educational science resource center as well as a woodland setting, and the associated Fernbank Museum of Natural History offers such scientific attractions as dinosaurs in its permanent exhibits. Another remarkable museum is the Imagine It! Children’s Museum of Atlanta, which provides hands-on activities and exhibits for children. Families will also enjoy visiting the animals at Zoo Atlanta. Music aficionados will appreciate the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The Fox Theatre-Atlanta offers a broad range of events from ballet to music performances inside its opulently refurbished halls; over 750,000 people visit the Fox Theatre every year.

Other important cultural attractions can be found throughout the Peach State. The King Center in Atlanta is an official, living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon is Georgia’s largest museum devoted to the arts and sciences, and offers both changing and permanent exhibitions. The Georgia Museum of Natural History in Athens showcases collections of archaeological, biological, geological, and paleontological materials obtained through research by University of Georgia faculty, staff, and students. The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum in Savannah chronicles the civil rights struggle of Georgia’s oldest African-American community from slavery to the present. The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum is part of the Presidential Library system and includes photographs and historical memorabilia from the Carter presidency.

A tremendously popular destination in the Peach State is the city of Savannah. The city, founded in 1733, offers a gorgeous backdrop of Southern hospitality from which to explore historical sites, gardens, arts and culture, and fantastic dining.

Georgia’s long and rich history is showcased by several sites throughout the state. Maritime Civil War history is showcased at the National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus. At Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, visitors can witness the starting point in the Civil War for the Atlanta Campaign, complete with historic earthworks, cannon emplacements and monuments. Other important sites include the Andersonville Prison Park and National Cemetery and the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.

Nature lovers will appreciate the many attractions throughout Georgia’s varied landscape. Hikers can attempt the famed Appalachian National Scenic Trail (the A. T.), which stretches 2,175 miles (3,500 kilometers) through 14 eastern states from Georgia to Maine. Other attractions include the 438,000 acre (1,772 square kilometers or 177,252 hectares) Okefenokee Swamp, one of the oldest and most well preserved freshwater areas in the nation, in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area spans four counties and offers fishing, hiking, and paddling within close proximity to downtown Atlanta.

Georgia’s beautiful coast on the Atlantic Ocean features attractions for everyone. The Cumberland Island National Seashore contains Cumberland Island, the southernmost of Georgia’s barrier islands, and offers miles of scenic beaches as well as numerous ecosystems such as maritime forests, tidelands, and marshes. The Seashore offers protection for many endangered species such as sea turtles and manatees. Elsewhere along the coast, lighthouse aficionados can visit three lighthouses at Tybee Island, Sapelo Island, and St. Simons Island. Georgia’s barrier islands provide many opportunities for recreation. The Golden Isles boast many miles of secluded beaches, swaths of forest, and abundant wildlife; the Golden Isles are especially popular with bird watchers.

Georgia offers sports fans many opportunities. Baseball fans can cheer on the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. Football aficionados can enjoy two teams: the National Football League team, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Arena Football League team, the Georgia Force. Basketball fans can watch the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association, and hockey fans can glory in the excitement of the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League. Additionally, the famed Masters Tournament for golf occurs in Augusta in April. Golfers have nearly 130 public golf courses in Georgia in which to practice their game.

With so many varied opportunities for recreation and entertainment gracing Georgia, the Peach State has something to offer for everyone.

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