Somewhere in or about 1997, I found myself packing up a U Haul & heading south on I 85 towards Atlanta and a new chapter in my young adult life. I hadn't given much thought to my newly chosen home state of Georgia, focusing more on the happenings in Atlanta and the many in town neighborhoods that gave this city its unique personality & perspective.
As one year rolled into the next, I found myself drawn more to Georgia's gently rolling farmland, beaches along the Atlantic ocean & the grandeur of the Appalachian mountains than the bright lights of Atlanta. When I became a Realtor in 2007, I was now able to wander Georgia along side my clients in search of their dream properties in the Peach state.
These dreams looked as different as the many clients I've had the pleasure to work with, driving from farms to suburbs to in town living, showing a wide variety of single family homes, investment properties and condo/townhomes. One thing all these people had in common was they saw Georgia as part of their life story, eager to become part of the fabric that is the Peach state.
Here's 5 things to remember when driving in Georgia for newcomers...
1. Street/highway lighting along rural roads can be scarce. Out of state home buyers, especially those from New York, New Jersey, California & Connecticut are often surprised by the lack of night illumination along busy state highways. Interstate lighting is good and you may want to stick to these as you get better acquainted with Georgia state roads.
2. Watch out for deer in the autumn. Deer season in GA begins in September & darn if those guys don't end up often running across your local roads in the fall months. Be especially careful at dusk & dawn as deer seem to appear out of nowhere.
3. Best not try to decipher the how's & why's of the city planning for many of the roads in the south. If you hail from an out of state city that established a grid system for their streets, Georgia can be a challenge. Roads will rarely run a true north-south, east-west, however Athens Highway will take you to Athens, Atlanta Highway will take you to Atlanta, etc (eventually).
4. Annual small town festivals will stop traffic for miles. Still go to the festivals anyway! From apple festivals to dogwood festivals, St Patty's Day celebrations and Christmas tree lightings, small towns in Georgia are a delight to discover on weekends. Just plan extra time & pack patience for when you sit in traffic for a bit.
5. If you do have a breakdown or flat tire don't be surprised if several people stop to help. Georgians are nice like that & want to give you a hand when they see others in need. Still dial 511 to be connected to Georgia DOT's CHAMP service... the Coordinated Highway Assistance & Maintenance Program
6. If you travel often on I 85 to & from Atlanta, consider a Peach Pass giving you the ability to travel on Georgia Express Lanes. You can pay a fee to travel alone in the HOV Lanes but if you are carpooling with 3 or more in the car, go on the Peach Pass app prior to leaving, login your travel info, number of passengers, etc & you travel in the Georgia Express Lanes for free.
Many of Georgia's small towns have welcomed thousands of new residents post pandemic as word spread of GA's affordability, warmer climate & friendly neighbors. I find more often than not, newcomers are welcomed easily, creating an even richer community for all.