Georgia & The Carolinas

Best time to visit Georgia & The Carolinas

The best time to visit Georgia & The Carolinas is generally considered to be spring (March-May) or autumn (September-November).

Spring has warm, sunny days with comfortable temperatures and stunning floral displays throughout the region. There are smaller crowds compared to summer and many cultural and culinary events take place during this time.

Autumn has slightly cooler weather especially in the evenings. You can experience vibrant autumn colours in the mountains and forests. Plus there is likely to be lower prices with some hotels and attractions offering discounted rates.

It is also important to note that hurricanes can occur from June to November. Be aware of the risk and plan accordingly.

Discover Georgia & The Carolinas

Georgia & The Carolinas are peppered with important historic sites, the area has a heritage rich in different cultures which embraces the diverse communities that have settled here over the centuries. Learn about the Gullah language - a Creole blend of Elizabethan English and African languages which is an important aspect of African American culture in the coastal South. Visit the fascinating and sobering sites of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Embrace the region’s deep affinity with music and literature. From the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina to the beaches of South Carolina and the movie and civil rights history of Georgia, there is so much to be discovered in these southern states.

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Georgia

Georgia is home to the metropolis of Atlanta, the economic centre of the southeast states, as well as Savannah, labelled as one of the most beautiful cities in America. But despite its city credentials, the state of Georgia is home to beautiful countryside, from the necklace of islands hugging the coastline between South Carolina and Florida, to the plains and rolling interior land right up to the Georgian Alps – the Blue Ridge Mountains and the foothills of the Appalachians.

South Carolina

South Carolina borders Georgia on its western side, and the state is perhaps best known for the lure of its miles of beaches. Stretching from Georgetown to beyond Savannah in Georgia, the remote islands of the Lowcountry are semi-tropical in climate and certainly exotic in culture. Sand dunes, live oak draped with Spanish moss and glittering lagoons make up the natural beauty, while the beauty of this area’s culture lies in its rich history. 

Perched on the coast, South Carolina’s first capital, Charleston is home to beautifully preserved architecture. Colonial and Georgian buildings stand side by side with Greek, Gothic Revival, and Italianate architecture in a heady jumble. A horse-and-carriage ride down the tree-lined avenues is one of the best ways to take in the glamourous piazzas.

North Carolina

Diverse North Carolina has natural beauty in buckets in its Blue Ridge Mountains and along its sunny coast, as well as history, art, culture, and adventure. North Carolina’s Atlantic coastline is made up of a long chain of barrier islands, known as the Outer Banks. Partly protected in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, this wonderland is home to free-roaming wild ponies, sea turtles and water birds.

Up in the mountainous north of the state, Asheville is an Art Deco boomtown home to the well-known Biltmore Estate, a 250-room, art-studded, French-Renaissance style mansion. As well as holding an astounding collection of art, the Biltmore also has the distinction of being the largest private residence in America.

Things to do on holiday in Georgia & The Carolinas

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is bigger, faster, and glitzier than its neighbouring southern cities and is packed full of culture, history, restaurants, bars and interesting attractions. This burgeoning commercial centre is the home of Coca Cola, Atlanta’s take on Central Park, beautiful Piedmont Park and the Georgia Aquarium, one of the world’s largest indoor aquariums. ,. Highlights include the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park, the National Center of Civil and Human Rights and the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum which takes a look at the lady behind ‘Gone with the Wind’.

Savannah, Georgia

This sophisticated city is known for its lushly landscaped parks, elegant homes and 22 pretty squares which all have their own unique history and beauty. Sitting on the Savannah River, the city is steeped in tradition with historic mansions, cotton warehouses and beautiful antebellum mansions. Highlights include the riverfront and popular River Street which is home to an array of shops and restaurants and the artsand entertainment of City Market. Visit majestic Forsyth Park and its iconic fountain and the historic homes of Davenport House and Owens-Thomas House.

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Things to do on holiday in Georgia & The Carolinas

Charleston, South Carolina

Lovely, sophisticated, timeless Charleston is the quintessential Southern city. Hazy with the heady scent of azaleas and magnolia, Charleston is the place to head for tours of elegant antebellum houses. Despite its somewhat chequered and often tragic past, the city where the first shot of the Civil War was fired is today not only a historical mecca but is also a bubbling, dynamic cultural centre existing firmly in the present. Find shopping districts, acclaimed dining, and celebrated galleries alongside the beauty of grand plantation houses.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

One of America’s most popular drives, the Blue Ridge Parkway traverses from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Memorable whenever you visit, the wildflowers in spring and the fall foliage in autumn are even more spectacular. Whether you drive the whole parkway or just a few miles you will be rewarded with spruce and fir trees, waterfalls, and countless pretty vistas of the mountains. Popular attractions on the parkway include Linn Cove Viaduct – an engineering marvel seemingly suspended in mid-air, Grandfather Mountain, and Linville Falls.