There are many places to visit in Georgia that provide a good time. However, my love for the South has always been the simple things: a slow-paced life, friendly people, and warm weather. It’s a stark contrast coming from someone who’s from a fast-paced life on Long Island.
This wasn’t my first trip to Georgia – it was my second – but it was an adventurous one. We’ll get more into that later in the article. Hopefully, it provides you some insight should you (hopefully not) find yourself in my situation.
Using Delta as Your Carrier of Choice
I’m a fan of using Delta for flights to Georiga since they’re one of the main Delta hubs. One reason for choosing Delta is due to its partnership with T-Mobile offering customers free in-flight WiFi for an hour. It’s safe to say that this is key to preventing boredom, especially for long flights. For me, it works out perfectly as a flight from JFK to ATL is only 2 and a half hours. However, while Delta is advantageous when flying to Georgia, I don’t recommend staying loyal to one airline.
This time around I found the best perk while flying Delta to be two-fold. First, I saved money by not having to check in a bag. In addition, I received complimentary Sky Priority boarding. This group boards after those who need additional boarding time and first class. It was great getting to board early.
Taking Advantage of Offers At The Gate
I can’t recommend volunteering for the various announcements the gate agent may present to you. I’ve seen times when they offer vouchers in increasing amounts (depending on how desperate they are to create space). Airlines use this strategy to encourage you to push back your flight departure time. While this may not be suitable for everyone, if you can afford to do so, it’s not a bad perk. The offer this time around was an upgraded check-in experience and it didn’t require me to push back my flight. You can’t beat that, right?
You should pay attention to the announcements because more often than not, they won’t receive the number of volunteers desired. I don’t recall many others on my flight checking their bag at the gate. Passengers carrying on their bags want to hold onto their belongings for one reason or another. Additionally, having to stop at baggage claim if your plan was to avoid it can be a hindrance. Since it didn’t stop me from anything I had planned, it was a great opportunity to take advantage of it. Do you think you would take advantage of the opportunity if offered to you?
Delta’s In-Flight Amenities
As travelers, we’ve all grown accustomed to in-flight entertainment to help pass the time. I’ve always felt Delta is top-notch in this department. Yes, we’re all used to movies, TV shows and music being available in-flight. However, I think probably the best option is live TV. Considering I’m a huge sports fan, having that option available on a flight is a huge bonus. It very nicely wraps up the home away from home feeling all brought right to you in-flight.
What else can you want? Oh, cell phone charging you ask? Well, yes, JFK to ATL offered that as well. However, I have been on Delta flights where this wasn’t the case. The deciding factor can be due to the length of the flight. The length of the flight affects the size of the aircraft used. Additionally, not every aircraft has built-in charging ports, but I can see this becoming the norm at some point. I believe Delta to be ahead of the curve when it comes to offering in-flight amenities.
What Is Delta Lacking?
So what are the negatives you may be wondering? Well, not a lot to be honest. However, nothing is perfect, so there are two things I can be picky about. One is the space for your feet in the main cabin. The other is the window position relative to your main cabin seat. I have always found that Delta’s weakest feature is its main cabin due to the limited legroom. From a business standpoint, this is understandable. They want you to upgrade your seat to Delta Comfort or First Class. However, I still think an additional inch and a half or two wouldn’t be asking too much. Not to mention, if you’re a tall person (I’m not at 5’8), it can feel cramped.
I have always felt confident in Delta and its ability to innovate.
Finally, my last point regarding the flight was the window position relative to the window seat. This design element on the aircraft struck me as odd. I always prefer a window seat when I fly as most people do. I found that the window positioning was not level with the seat. It was a good few inches forward of the seat. You would have to lean forward to look out the window which I found particularly uncomfortable. It could have been the aisle I was in, but I’m curious if this occurs next time I fly Delta.
One of the First Places To Visit In Georgia: My Good Friend’s New House
I’m a big proponent of traveling to visit friends and family in other states. It provides the potential to travel more. There’s a two-step approach. The first is that you get to visit a potential new place you’ve never visited. Secondly, there are people you know there. The second is a possible invitation to crash at their place.
If invited to visit friends or family, your relationship with them is solid. I know if friends of mine came to visit me, I’d be more than happy to host. One important note on this: don’t invite yourself. If invited, show your appreciation. Whether that be taking them out to dinner or buying them a thank-you gift like a bottle of wine. It’s a nice way to show your hospitality (or in this case, your southern hospitality), but you already knew that!
Having the opportunity to stay at my friend’s house and hang out with him and his wife was excellent. Not only are they great people, but two of the most caring individuals I know. They not only saved me a ton of money, but they even put me up in their guest room. They were more than generous. I would have been just fine on the couch.
Considerations That You Should Make
How does this all apply to you? My hope is this gives you a starting point when thinking of places you’d like to visit. First, narrow down the list of places where someone you know lives. Be mindful that I don’t mean acquaintances. I mean long-time, true friends. People that count on you and you count on them. They should feel like family.
Once you have that list, think about which of those places on your list is closest to you. As I’ve mentioned, Georgia is only two and a half hours by plane from me. At the 4-hour flight mark or cross-country, the flight prices are going to increase significantly. In our case, we’re trying to save money, but still enable ourselves the ability to travel more. We need to be thoughtful in our pursuits.
Respecting Your Friendships
As you plan your visit, understand that communication is key. Just like any relationship, talking about your travel plans with your friends and family ahead of time is vital. You want to make scheduling as easy as possible for your host.
One of the things I always do is forward my flight itinerary to whomever I may be visiting. Not only do they know when I’m arriving, but it allows them to plan for your arrival. It’s an even better idea to do this ahead of time. Putting them first is essential as they’re making your life easier. They’re allowing you to stay with them and saving you money. It’s just nice to return the favor by helping others who are helping you. It’s the foundation of a good relationship.
Fun Places To Visit In Georgia
One of the fun places to visit in Georgia is the College Football Hall of Fame. It all starts the minute you walk in the door. You’ll see every college football team in the nation represented on this huge wall. Each team’s football helmet is on display for all arriving guests to see. It was wild! Even if you think your college team wouldn’t be on the wall, it is.
One of my favorite aspects of these museums is the plethora of multimedia within the building. From interactive touch screens and interviews to full media rooms to watch televisions reliving key moments in college football history. Additionally, entry isn’t expensive. It’s $21.99 for adults, and $17.99 for kids with discounts for military, students, and seniors.
In terms of food, there were three places we went to that stuck out to me. The first one you may find a little comical, but I don’t have one near me. One of my favorite places to visit is Panda Express. For some reason, I just absolutely love their orange chicken. I know it’s not “real” Chinese food and it’s fast food, but I was so excited to go there. If you’re traveling on a budget, it’s affordable and quick. Being able to go to places that you don’t have access to in your hometown is always fun when traveling.
Places To Visit In Georiga For Tasty Food
One of the places to visit in Georgia I recommend for food is the restaurant Antico Pizza Battery Park. It’s right near SunTrust Park where the Atlanta Braves play. We planned to go to a Braves game, but rain foiled those plans. We didn’t let that stop us, though.
Antico has some really tasty brick oven pizza and we had a cool atmosphere that allowed us to eat outside. The atrium encompasses SunTrust Park where the restaurants are making for a nice atmosphere. Additionally, it was very aesthetically pleasing even though it was raining that particular day. Antico is also an affordable option costing about $21 for a pizza. Considering it’s located right near a baseball stadium – that’s an exceptional value.
Finally, I recommend visiting a deli called East 48th Street Market. I was able to meet the owner, Charlie Augello, who’s originally from New York. He was a very nice man with a great Italian spot in Dunwoody, Georgia. This is one of the places to visit in Georgia I always keep on my list of “to-dos”. While I was there, I ordered a meatball hero for lunch. I must say… it was the most delicious meatball hero I’ve ever had. I just can’t recommend it enough. It truly made me feel at home. It’s hard to find New York quality food in another state that may claim to have a New York-style dish. Charlie, being from New York, knows how to bring that Italian and New York heritage to the good ole South.
Places You Should Not Visit
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I had an unexpected event occur while I was on vacation. As a patient with Crohn’s Disease, the unexpected flare-ups that can occur with my stomach are unknown. I developed some severe stomach pains that shortened the duration of my trip and ended with me in the hospital. This is not one of the places to visit in Georgia that I had in mind for this vacation. Thankfully they were able to help. Even more wonderful, my friends and their parents stayed with me at the hospital to make sure I was okay.
I bring this up because unexpected events can sometimes occur while on vacation. Hopefully, you don’t run into anything like this. However, it’s important to note that when the unexpected occurs, it can interfere with your flight arrangements. I had spoken to Delta and told them about the situation. They were able to push back my flight home, but it cost me $57 for the transfer fee.
No Medical Exceptions For Transfer Fees
I wasn’t happy about having to pay a transfer fee price. Furthermore, I had thought that perhaps since this was due to a medical emergency they would waive the fee. I would think it would behoove Delta and other airlines to have exceptions for medical emergencies. It’s not like I was just looking to extend my vacation on their dime.
Overall, the trip to Georgia was a fun one. Great food, great friends, and the awesome coincidence to visit during my friend’s 30th birthday. It’s always a time to remember when I visit the South. It holds a special place in my heart and I hope it will be for you too when you visit. If you’ve been there before, please share with me some places in Georgia that I should visit.