Atlanta Day Trips

Get there on a tank of gas!

Want to get away? Atlanta is close to charming, quaint small towns that have plenty to offer for a day trip or a weekend getaway. Athens, Ga., is more than just a college town, with vibrant nightlife, an amazing musical legacy and a walkable downtown. Plains, Ga., the home of President Jimmy Carter, still bears his imprint, from the smiling, oversize peanut landmark to his former campaign headquarters. Who wouldn't love a trip to Chattanooga, Tenn.? The home of Rock City and Ruby Falls is also now the site of the Tennessee Aquarium. With so much excitement within driving distance of Atlanta, you might find the perfect day-long getaway.

• Birmingham, Ala.

• Fort Payne, Ala., offers natural beauty

• Vintage motorcycles in Leeds, Ala.

• Tuscaloosa, Ala.: More than football

• Athens, Ga.: a classic college town

• A James Brown fest in Augusta, Ga.

• Chateau Elan (Braselton, Ga.)

• Chattooga River rafting

• Dahlonega, Ga. | Forrest Hills Resort

• Howard Finster Vision House (Pennville, Ga.)

• LaGrange, Ga.: Southern heritage, French twist

• 19th-century architecture in Madison, Ga.

• Presidential history in Plains, Ga.

• Better than Rome, Italy? Rome, Ga.

• Vienna, Ga., has cute cotton museum and the Big Pig Jig

• Popular Atlanta getaway: Highlands, N.C.

• Chattanooga, Tenn.: train is a treat | Chattanooga riverfront