[wheelingman]

I think Georgia is very beautiful naturally because it has mountains, lakes, the ocean, the Piedmont hills, and lots of trees and other greenery.

Georgia also has some nice cities like Atlanta and Savannah. (I don't know about the others.) Those two cities are pretty progressive too, from what many people say.
The state is also growing very fast and there are lots of jobs, especially around the Atlanta area. It also has good roads and a nice climate. You are also near many other major southern cities like Charlotte, Birmingham, Nashville etc.

What do you think?

 

[Snickers52]

I have lived here now for 32 years. During that 32 years I was temporarily transferred to New York City for 2 1/2 years and L.A. for 3 years, but I always maintained my home in Atlanta. I have also spent an enormous amount of time in the Chicago and Dallas areas over the years. I also went to college in Seattle for 4 years.

That said, I can truly say that there is no place else in America I have enjoyed being or living more than Atlanta and Georgia. I love all those other cities I mentioned and they are all indeed great, wonderful places to live and visit, but for my money Atlanta and Georgia have provided me with everything I need. If I want to go to the mountains I can do so within an hour from my house. If I want the ocean it's an easy drive by car. If I get tired of the city attitudes and want to get out in the country I can do that in short drive. If I want to experience the ambiance of another metropolitan area, it's only a short drive to Nashville, Charlotte, Birmingham, and other nice cities in between.

I learned a long time ago that all cities are what you make of them. Atlanta, just like any other city can be the best place on earth and it can be the worst place on earth.

 

[teshadoh]

I give Georgia a lot of shit, just as I do Atlanta - but it's not that bad here. Not that much different from other southeast states - NC, SC, AL or TN. Of course GA's best natural features would be the naturally preserved sea islands - Cumberland in particular. Not often can you be in a remote location in the 'wilderness' & be on the beach. The mountains are of course nice, they are better on the fringe parts of the state - either south of Chattanooga or on the northeast corner of the state. Weather sucks, some people love the heat & humidity - I still don't (though I'm a native of SC). Even with Atlanta - I think the pride of Georgia is still Savannah, beautiful city - or at least the historic part of the city.

 

[thedude26]

It's ok as long as you stay away from the Atlanta suburbs, not much there worth exploring or looking at.

 

[Snickers52]

It's ok as long as you stay away from the Atlanta suburbs, not much there worth exploring or looking at.

Exactly what type of things are you talking about "exploring" or "looking at"? The Atlanta suburbs are vast and daunting and I suspect you have seen a very small area of them. There's plenty to do and see out in the burbs.

 

[CusK]

The Masters are in Augusta.

 

[yakirz]

The Masters are in Augusta.

Yes, my neighborhood is across the street from the course. The one week its open to the public is interesting, but the rest of the year it might as well be the Kremlin in 1950, for all the welcome it offers.

Despite the fact I was born in GA, in Augusta, I don't have much use for the state. I can deal with Augusta because it's my hometown, but I prefer the SC side of town, I just couldn't find a decent house at a price I could afford when the time came.

I think Georgia's beaches (the ones I've seen, Tybee and Jekyll) are a joke, the quality of the sand and the surrounding town. Nothing in GA comes ANYWHERE close to Hilton Head, SC or Gulf Shores, AL. GA just seems incapable of having a nice, clean, built-up beach town, it's either wilderness park areas (like Cumberland Island) or souvenir tacky (Tybee).

Savannah's River Street is okay for awhile, and the squares downtown are nice. The rest of the city reminds me of south Augusta, the least attractive part of the city.

Atlanta is fun for a few days, but I didn't like living there. I've not spent time in Macon, Columbus or any other smaller Georgia city to comment, but compared to Alabama and South Carolina, I would attach Augusta to SC and the rest of Georgia can fall into the Atlantic.

 

[MABCLE]

I have only spent time in the Atlanta area. I have only gone is Spring and find that it is pretty city. What surprised me was how quickly the urbanity ends and how quickly it becomes semi-rural even when inside Atlanta city proper. The suburbs are crazily spread also. I had family that moved into a new development called Walden Park in Southeast Fulton Couty between Fulton Industrial and Butner(off Camp Creek) and was amazed that the nearest stores were a 10 minute drive through the woods. I should mention they were at that time building a new strip center at Camp creek and I-285 that was much closer. Anyway the part of Georgia I have seen is nice, but I probobly wouldn't live there.

 

[Trae]

Georgia is an Alabama, with an Atlanta. Without Atlanta, Georgia would feel like Alabama. It already does outside of the Atlanta sprwal mess.

 

[Tom Ace]

I like Atlanta, but the whole state stinks. How can you guys say it's beautiful when it smells like sulfer. I'm dead serious too, I've been maybe 7 times and almost always noticed a majority of the drive through smells.

 

[Amd1588]

Georgia is an Alabama, with an Atlanta. Without Atlanta, Georgia would feel like Alabama. It already does outside of the Atlanta sprwal mess.

It make other cities feel GOOD that they can make statements like this about atlanta. But believe it, most REAL Atlantans love that about atlanta, which only make us bette when it comes to who is the real capital of the south. As far as the sprawl outside the city, really isnt an issue to those of us that live IN atlanta. Thats mostly the white flight generation decendants, or the new yuppies that moved to the city. Who really dont blend in with the native borns anyway. So notice sprawl is only the problem with people on this forum, or suburbanites, that want a peice of Atlanta.

 

[Trae]

^I didn't mean that in a bad way. Sprawl is in every American city. In fact, I am living in the sprawl of one right now.

 

[thedude26]

Actually, I lived in the Atlanta area for 15 years. If you are in the city itself, you are ok. Places like Decatur are alright as well, but the rest of the suburbs leave a lot to be desired. And yes, I have been through most all of the metro area many times Snickers. Now I live right next to the Masters course in Augusta. Much perfer it to metro Atl.

 

[jmancuso]

I said just an old sweet song,
Keeps Georgia on my mind

the state has, by far, the best official state song.

 

[fezzador]

But the song was originally written about a woman, not the state.

 

[Snickers52]

Actually, I lived in the Atlanta area for 15 years. If you are in the city itself, you are ok. Places like Decatur are alright as well, but the rest of the suburbs leave a lot to be desired. And yes, I have been through most all of the metro area many times Snickers. Now I live right next to the Masters course in Augusta. Much perfer it to metro Atl.

Well good! We're glad you like it there too. Of course, anyone who would consider Decatur "alright" would most likely consider Detroit "fabulous".

 

[Xusein]

^^ True, but now it's the state song.

Georgia is a great state, hopefully I will experience it when I go there in July.

 

[yakirz]

Georgia is an Alabama, with an Atlanta. Without Atlanta, Georgia would feel like Alabama. It already does outside of the Atlanta sprwal mess.

As we've discussed on another thread, Alabama has four or five nice cities, all but Birmingham have similar size populations. Birmingham is the largest city, but only has twice the population of the other cities.

I'll take Alabama's fifth largest city, Tuscaloosa, over any of Georgia's.

 

[yakirz]

I have only spent time in the Atlanta area. I have only gone is Spring and find that it is pretty city. What surprised me was how quickly the urbanity ends and how quickly it becomes semi-rural even when inside Atlanta city proper. The suburbs are crazily spread also. I had family that moved into a new development called Walden Park in Southeast Fulton Couty between Fulton Industrial and Butner(off Camp Creek) and was amazed that the nearest stores were a 10 minute drive through the woods. I should mention they were at that time building a new strip center at Camp creek and I-285 that was much closer. Anyway the part of Georgia I have seen is nice, but I probobly wouldn't live there.

My wife and I went to visit a friend in Henry County, on the fringe of Atlanta. It's included in Metro Atlanta, but it was very country. However, a few miles away was the freeway, and you could be in the city pretty quickly. Nice, just not my part of town.

 

[NaptownBoy]

It's alright.