That’s often the gold standard for measuring the attraction an area holds for its residents. In Georgia, the challenge comes in choosing from the unlimited supply of recreational, educational and cultural opportunities within this 59,441-square-mile, indoor-outdoor playground. Add nearly year-round golfing weather, picturesque panoramas and an affordable cost of living to the mix and you have a true destination state.

As the economic engine of Georgia, Atlanta, offers the world’s largest aquarium, world-class artistic venues and museums, the legacy of the Civil Rights movement, top-notch shopping, a bustling nightlife and professional sports. Cities outside Atlanta – Savannah, Albany, Macon and Augusta, to name a few – hold their own economic and cultural appeal, including the world-famous Masters® Golf Tournament.

If a state’s history is your measure of its richness, Georgia doesn’t disappoint. Since 1733, the state has been advanced by victorious visionaries. British General James Oglethorpe founded the state at Savannah while trying to guard British holdings against the Spaniards. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired our nation and the world by preaching for racial justice. Still today, former U.S. President and Georgia native Jimmy Carter presses for international peace and harmony amidst conflict.

If you’re a Civil War buff, you can harken back to a momentous era of American history by traveling within the state. Some 11,000 Georgians gave their lives in service to the Confederacy at locations with names like Chickamauga, Pulaski and Sumter, all marked today with historic trails, forts, battlefields or cemeteries.

From the mountains to the coast, from ballet to baseball, Georgia offers you a livability and quality of life to help you achieve your dreams.

Explore recreational, cultural, and travel resources at Explore Georgia, Georgia's official tourism website.