Elberton

Elberton is known as the "Granite Capital of the World," with more than 45 quarries producing more granite monuments than any other area in the world. Just 40 minutes northeast of Athens, visitors can learn more about the granite industry at the Elberton Granite Museum & Exhibit through historical exhibits, artifacts and educational displays. In downtown, pop into the Jim-Ree African American Museum, located in the former Elbert County Jail, to understand the history of African Americans in northeast Georgia. Snap photos of the historical Elbert County Courthouse — a red-brick wonder with a bright-white cupola — and the art-deco Elbert Theatre.

Get fresh air on the Granite City Walking Trail — a set of routes around town to places like the Granite Bowl (a historical football stadium made out of 100,000 tons of blue granite with a former University of Georgia scoreboard) and McWilliams Memorial Park. Visit the Nancy Hart Cabin, where the patriot helped capture British Tories as a colonial spy.

Rent a cottage at Richard B. Russell State Park, just 15 minutes east of town, for easy access to fishing, boating, hiking and golfing. Or book a room at The Samuel Elbert Hotel, a 1925 Tudor-style building that was renovated in 2016 to its original glory.