Georgia Travel Highlights
This year has been all about trying new things. Last week, I flew to Georgia for the first time. Georgia was BEAUTIFUL. No joke. I never thought I could fall in love with a southern state so quickly. California is hard to beat, but I definitely think Georgia is pretty high up there on my list. For starters, I’m obsessed with the farmhouse chic vibes. The houses were so charming. The city was diverse and lively. And the food was amazing. There were so many unique things that you could do. It was a fun place to explore. More importantly, I loved the company. I came to Georgia to visit my cousin and childhood friend. It was really nice to get some much-needed bonding time with people that I love. Here are my Georgia travel highlights:
1. Helen
Helen is a Bavarian-inspired city in Georgia set against the backdrop of lush green mountains. It feels like you are transported to Europe! There were a lot of fun outdoor activities that we could have done in the city of Helen (ex. hiking or rafting). But since I was traveling with my grandma, we spent most of our time sightseeing. Helen was a very charming little village, and the people were very friendly. My cousin and I tried “deep-fried cheese” which was a delicacy in the area. It was tasty, but really unhealthy lol. But hey, when you’re in the South, you gotta try the unhealthy food!
2. Emory University
I loved the Emory campus. It was incredibly beautiful. My cousin graduated from the Rollins School of Public Health. Though the commencement ceremony was held in a run-down gym, the other parts of campus were really nice. My time on campus was brief, but I enjoyed walking around and looking at all of the buildings. I plan on going back to graduate school once I finish my contract with the University of Michigan. I’ll be honest. Emory wasn’t even on my radar when I was considering which schools I wanted to apply to. But after spending a few days in Georgia, Emory is now one of my top choices. I can definitely envision myself living and thriving here. We’ll just have to wait and see if God has plans for me to move to Georgia!
3. Lake Lanier
On the way to Helen, we made a quick stop to Lake Lanier. The weather was just perfect, much like California. It was hot and sunny with a nice cool breeze. Lake Lanier was definitely a pretty sight to see. I liked walking around the lake with my grandma and taking in the view. According to my cousin, there are some horror stories about people drowning in Lake Lanier. It didn’t seem all that spooky to me, but I was also hanging out on the shoreline. Just all smiles here 🙂
4. Atlanta Beltline
My dear friend Suhani took me to the Atlanta Beltline to walk and explore the city. There was an entire walkway of commissioned murals. I loved how incredibly fun and vibrant this part of Atlanta was. The city has so much color! Some of these commissioned murals were absolutely breathtaking. I’d recommend walking along the beltline to take a look at all of the art. This is the type of modern art that I can get behind! In addition to the endless wall of murals, there were a lot of street performers to watch. We spent a good hour watching these guys breakdance and do all sorts of cool tricks. It was really fun! Atlanta truly is full of life
5. Ponce City Market
We can’t forget food! In Georgia, there is no shortage of good food. You can find just about anything. Suhani and I went to Ponce City Market to get a refreshing little treat at King of Pops. My popsicle was peaches and cream, and it was very tasty. We also got a boozy slushy to pair with our popsicles. It was surprisingly strong because I started feeling a little tipsy after a couple of sips (lol). Atlanta has a really good food scene, so I would highly suggest visiting the markets and trying out all of the different shops.
While I wish I could have stayed longer, I know that Georgia and I will meet again. Perhaps I will move there and purchase the home of my dreams with all of the farmhouse chic vibes. This trip was very special to me because I got to bond with my grandma on this weekend. I enjoyed walking by her side as we explored all of the incredible views that Georgia had to offer. Overall, Georgia surprised me in a good way. I hope to come back soon! My next trip will be a week in Northern California. Stay tuned for more travel updates! I’ll be sharing some more adventures soon. Make sure to subscribe to my mailing list for more of my travel posts! You can find more life-related posts here.
Emily
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