Weekend Getaways from Atlanta: 48-Hour Trips

At a glance

Scan the table to match a trip to your weekend. Traffic and schedules change, so check before you go.

Trips with bus or train service

Savannah, GA

A historic coastal city with its own bus from Atlanta.

• Getting there. FlixBus runs between Atlanta and Savannah, with trips from 3 hours 10 minutes. In Atlanta it boards at the Atlanta Bus Station, Atlanta Downtown (Civic Center) and the airport, and it arrives at the Savannah Bus Station on West Oglethorpe Avenue. Check the stop and the weekend return before you book.
• Day one. Start at Forsyth Park, 30 acres in the Historic District that date back to the 1840s, with a fountain at the center and a Fragrant Garden that is at its best in spring. Have a coffee at the Collins Quarter in the park. Then visit the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, the home of the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA, and Congregation Mickve Israel.
• Day two. Shop the storefronts on Broughton Street and Bull Street, then head outside the Historic District to the Starland District for its eclectic shops, and to Moon River.
• Worth knowing. Visit Savannah calls it one of the most historic cities in the South, with almost three centuries of history.

Birmingham, AL

Civil-rights history, museums and gardens, with Amtrak's Crescent stopping in both cities.

• Getting there. The Crescent runs daily and serves both Atlanta and Birmingham. A Groome shared shuttle also runs daily between Birmingham and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport. By car, I-20 is one of Birmingham's main approaches.
• Day one. Visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the McWane Science Center. In the evening, see a performance at the historic Alabama Theatre.
• Day two. Walk the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, explore Red Mountain Park by bike, or spend the day at the Birmingham Zoo.
• Worth knowing. Check the train times and the return before you book.

Trips worth the drive

Chattanooga, TN

A river city with a pedestrian bridge, a mountaintop garden and a walkable Northshore.

• Getting there. Visit Chattanooga calls it a less-than-two-hour drive from Atlanta. If you are starting from Atlanta's airport, Groome runs a shared shuttle to its Chattanooga-area office in East Ridge. Reservations are encouraged, at least 24 hours ahead.
• Day one. Stroll the Riverwalk near Ross's Landing and cross the Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge to the Northshore, where shops and galleries line the streets. Have tacos at Taco Mamacita and a scoop from Clumpies Ice Cream Co. Rent a paddleboard or kayak from L2 Outside beside Coolidge Park. For dinner, try Bridgeman's Chop House.
• Day two. Start with breakfast at Rembrandt's Coffee House in the Bluff View Art District, then visit the Hunter Museum of American Art. Head up Lookout Mountain to Rock City, with over 400 native plants and species and the Lover's Leap overlook.
• Worth knowing. The Southern Belle Riverboat runs cruises on the Tennessee River, with views of the riverfront and Lookout Mountain.

Blue Ridge, GA

A mountain town built around a rail depot more than a century old.

• Getting there. The Fannin County Chamber of Commerce puts Blue Ridge about 90 miles north of Atlanta. Take I-75 North to I-575, which becomes Highway 515, and continue 55 miles to Blue Ridge.
• Day one. Start at the Rail Depot, where the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway offers excursions by train and by rail bike. Then spend time in downtown Blue Ridge City Park.
• Day two. Stop by the Blue Ridge Visitor Center on West Main Street for ideas on local attractions and activities, then spend the day in the surrounding mountains.
• Worth knowing. Reserve the scenic railway in advance and check its operating days.

Helen, GA

An Alpine-style village in the North Georgia mountains, with waterfalls close by.

• Getting there. Helen's tourism bureau puts it under two hours from Atlanta.
• Day one. Stroll the village's Bavarian-style streets and eat like you would in Bavaria, with pretzels, bratwurst and schnitzel. For a mid-afternoon stop, try The Corner Creperie and Cocktails, or taste wine and craft beer at Sylvan Valley Lodge and Cellars.
• Day two. Hike the trails at Unicoi State Park or the Mt. Yonah Trail, or head to a waterfall: Anna Ruby Falls is 0.8 miles round trip on paved trails, with Dukes Creek Falls and Raven Cliff Falls for longer hikes. In warmer months, go tubing on the Chattahoochee River with Helen Tubing or Cool River Tubing.
• Worth knowing. Oktoberfest in the fall and Christmas celebrations at year's end draw large crowds.

Dahlonega, GA

Gold-rush history and wine country in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

• Getting there. Discover Dahlonega says the town is one hour north of Atlanta, at the end of GA-400, and lists Atlanta at 71 miles. From the end of GA-400, turn left onto GA-60 North and continue about 5.5 miles to the Historic Square.
• Day one. Walk the downtown, which is listed on the Historic Register, with its galleries and boutiques around the Historic Square. Wade into the river and pan for gold.
• Day two. Visit the wineries in the heart of Georgia Wine Country, or head into the Chattahoochee National Forest for mountain views, waterfalls and streams.
• Worth knowing. Southern Living named Dahlonega Georgia's Best Small Town in 2023.

Callaway Resort & Gardens, GA

Woodland gardens, a lake and miles of trails in Pine Mountain.

• Getting there. Callaway Resort & Gardens says it is just an hour's drive from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
• Day one. Check in at the lakeside Lodge, which has 150 guestrooms and suites with balconies, or at a Cottage in the pines with a fireplace. Then stroll the 2,500 acres of woodland gardens.
• Day two. Bike the trails, splash in Robin Lake, or meet a Bird of Prey.
• Worth knowing. The resort is cashless, so guests pay electronically for all purchases. Check seasonal activities and availability before you go.

How to choose

• Want to leave the car at home? Savannah by bus, or Birmingham by train.
• Want mountains and waterfalls? Helen, Blue Ridge or Dahlonega.
• Want wine and history? Dahlonega for gold-rush history and Georgia wine.
• Want a city with museums? Savannah, Birmingham or Chattanooga.
• Want gardens and a lake? Callaway Resort & Gardens.