Georgia is a state of surprising size and diversity, the largest east of the Mississippi River. It’s land stretches from the lower Appalachian Mountains southward through the hilly Piedmont surrounding Atlanta, across rolling agricultural plains to the sunny coastal beaches and barrier islands.

This vast area will take you from the sophistication of Atlanta to antebellum towns such as Madison or Covington. Enjoy golf and beach resorts, historic towns, mountain hideaways and the one-of-a-kind places like Georgia's Stone Mountain Park with the worlds largest solid piece of exposed granite, the Okefenokee Swamp and Georgia's own little grand canyon located in Providence Canyon State Park.

Georgia was one of the 13 Original Colonies and was established by the English in 1733 at Savannah. Before the English, Georgia's inhabitants were the Creek and Cherokee Indians. Due to land-grabbing caused by the discovery of gold in 1828 in the city of Dahlonega, they were, in 1832, forced to leave their land and go to Oklahoma on what is now called the "Trail of Tears".

Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, in the beginning was the transportation crossroads and was originally called Terminus because it was the end of the southern railway line. During the Civil War Atlanta was burned by Union General William T. Sherman's troops and was later immortalized by Atlanta author Margaret Mitchell when she wrote the classic novel Gone With The Wind. As the war ended, Atlanta, like the Phoenix, rose from the ashes to become the centre of transportation, trade and commerce for the entire Southeastern United States. Atlanta is located in the Atlanta Metro Travel Region and is surrounded by four counties which are full of adventure. Among the sites to see are Six Flags Over Georgia; White Water Park; Historic Marietta Square, located in Cobb County; Your DeKalb Farmers Market, which offers tasteful treats from around the world; Spivey Hall at Clayton State College in Morrow, a 400-seat world-class instrumental performance venue; Bulloch Hall and the Teaching Museum in Roswell, former home of President Theodore Roosevelt's mother; Old Town Lilburn, a cluster of unusual shops housed in buildings from 1916 to 1931 and the Southeast Railway Museum, both located in Gwinnett County.

Travel southwest from Atlanta to the Presidential Pathways Travel Region, home to two former Presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Jimmy Carter. Also in the Pathways Region are beautiful Callaway Gardens with 7 « miles of paved trails reserved just for cyclists and the Cecil B. which traces three great Native civilisations. Visit the Adairsville Depot which marks the spot where the Civil War's "Great Locomotive Chase" went into reverse. In Rome be sure to see the home of Martha Berry, who dedicated her life to education of the mountain children. Her educational desire for the mountain children began with simple Bible stores and grew into Berry Academy and Berry College.

The famed Augusta National is found in the Classic South Travel Region. Augusta is not only the Augusta National, she bountiful in history. Be sure to visit their Visitors Center which is located in the historic Cotton Exchange Building (c. 1886) once the hub of Augusta's cotton market, and the Sacred Heart Cultural Center (c. 1898) a prime example of late Romanesque Revival architecture. Before traveling further into the region be sure to take a lazy walk along Augusta's Riverwalk. From Augusta head to Harlem, home of Oliver Hardy and the Oliver Hardy Festival held in October or to Thomson for the Belle Meade Fox Hunt. Once caught, the foxes are immunized and returned to the wild. You can also enjoy water sports, historic sites, state parks and special events on your adventure into the Classic South Travel Region.

Georgia is a state rich in agribusiness as a world class producer of peanuts, peaches and pecans. She is home to the Sweet Vidalia Onion, Mayhaw Jelly (made from the Mayhaw berry) and Claxton Fruit Cakes!

Georgia is the place to find it! Call 1-800-VISIT-GA for a free copy of our 200 page Georgia On My Mind travel guide or visit our web-site at http://www.gomm.com.

Author: Chandler Carter Haydon, Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism

This article first appeared in Studying Abroad Latin American Edition