Georgia has a strong collection of attractions with no admission fee — national parks, state parks, historic churches, canal towpaths, mountain trails, and Victorian cemeteries. These 14 are organized by experience type: trails and waterways, national parks and civil rights sites, sacred places, and urban walks and gardens.
Jump to: Trails & Waterways · National Parks & Civil Rights · Sacred Georgia · Walks, Parks & Gardens · Planning Notes
Trails & Waterways
The Atlanta BeltLine Must-see
Fulton County · Atlanta
A 22-mile urban trail network built on a former railroad corridor circling Atlanta. The completed sections — Eastside (2.5 miles), Westside (2.5 miles), and Southside (2 miles) — connect neighborhoods, parks, and public art installations. The Eastside Trail runs from Piedmont Park south to Reynoldstown; trailhead access from Ponce City Market is the most popular entry point. Free to use daily; no admission or permit required.
Cloudland Canyon State Park Worth the detour
Dade County · Trenton
A 3,485-acre state park in northwest Georgia containing a deep canyon carved into the Cumberland Plateau — sandstone and shale walls dropping 1,000 feet to the canyon floor. The rim trail runs 5 miles along the canyon edge with views of Daniel Creek and two waterfalls visible below. The canyon floor hike (West Rim, 4.9 miles round trip) descends through switchbacks to the waterfall pools. No trail admission fee; a vehicle parking fee applies at the trailhead. Located at 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road in Trenton, Dade County — 120 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Currahee Mountain Worth the detour
Stephens County · Toccoa
A 1,736-foot mountain above Toccoa where the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment trained in 1942 before the Normandy invasion — the "three miles up, three miles down" runs depicted in Band of Brothers. The summit trail is 3 miles each way with 800 feet of elevation gain. On clear days the summit has views across Stephens County into South Carolina. Trailhead access from Currahee Mountain Road. Free, open year-round. The Currahee Military Museum in Downtown Toccoa covers the regiment's history (paid admission).
National Parks & Civil Rights
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park Must-see
Fulton County · Atlanta
A 35-acre national park in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta preserving Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home (501 Auburn Avenue), the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he and his father preached, the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and King's crypt on the memorial grounds. The birth home is a free guided tour (timed tickets in season); the church, King Center, and grounds are free without reservation. Free admission to all park units; no vehicle charge. Open daily. Located on Auburn Avenue, 1 mile east of Downtown Atlanta.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Worth the detour
Bibb County · Macon
A 702-acre national historical park holding the largest concentration of Native American earthworks in the southeastern United States — built by the Muscogee (Creek) people and their ancestors from around 900 CE through the 18th century. The Great Temple Mound rises 55 feet above the Ocmulgee River floodplain; a 1.5-mile loop trail visits the major mounds. A reconstructed Earth Lodge with a clay floor original from 1000 CE is open to walk through. Free admission; visitor center has exhibits on 17,000 years of human habitation at the site. Located at 1207 Emery Hwy, Macon.
Jackson Street Bridge (The Walking Dead Iconic Shot) Must-see
Fulton County · Atlanta
The Jackson Street Bridge over the Downtown Connector (I-75/85) in Atlanta — the filming location for the opening shot of The Walking Dead series, in which Rick Grimes rides a horse through an empty downtown. The bridge provides the same view of the Atlanta skyline used in the show. Free, always accessible. Located 3 blocks east of Grady Memorial Hospital; parking available on Jackson Street.
Chippewa Square (Forrest Gump Bench Location) Must-see
Chatham County · Savannah
One of Savannah's 22 historic squares — and the filming location for the bus-bench scenes in Forrest Gump (1994). Tom Hanks sat on the north end of the square for the film; the bench is now at the Savannah History Museum (Bull Street). The square itself holds a 1910 statue of General James Oglethorpe. Free, always accessible; located on Bull Street between Perry and Hull Streets, a short walk from Forsyth Park.
Sacred Georgia
Bonaventure Cemetery Must-see
Chatham County · Savannah
A 100-acre Victorian cemetery on a bluff above the Wilmington River, with live oaks hundreds of years old draped in Spanish moss. Live oaks draped in Spanish moss form a dense canopy over the grave lanes; elaborate carved statuary marks the family plots of Savannah's historic families. The cemetery holds the graves of Johnny Mercer (songwriter), Conrad Aiken (poet), and multiple Savannah founding families. Featured prominently in John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Free; open daily 8 AM–5 PM. Located at 330 Bonaventure Road, 5 miles east of Downtown Savannah.
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Must-see
Chatham County · Savannah
The mother church of the Diocese of Savannah — a French Gothic cathedral at 222 East Harris Street completed in 1876, rebuilt after a 1898 fire. The interior holds 19 stained glass windows from Austria and France, hand-painted Stations of the Cross, and an 1878 pipe organ. Open for visitors daily (not during Mass); no admission charge. Located one block from Lafayette Square in the Historic District.
Sacred Heart Cultural Center Must-see
Richmond County · Augusta
A converted 1900 Gothic Revival church at 1301 Greene Street in Augusta — the former Sacred Heart Catholic Church, now operated as an arts and events venue. The original stained glass, vaulted ceiling, and carved wood interior are intact. The building is open for self-guided visits during regular hours at no charge. The Gothic Revival exterior and original interior stained glass are largely overlooked by visitors focused on the canal or Augusta National. Free.
Walks, Parks & Gardens
Forsyth Park Must-see
Chatham County · Savannah
A 30-acre public park at the southern end of the Savannah Historic District — the green anchor of the city, with an 1858 cast-iron fountain at its center that is the most photographed object in Savannah. The park has a fragrant garden, a Civil War memorial, two tennis courts, and a farmers market on Saturdays. The perimeter path is 1 mile. Located on Bull Street between Gaston and Park Avenue. Free, open daily.
Augusta Canal National Heritage Area Must-see
Richmond County · Augusta
A 7-mile towpath along the Augusta Canal — dug in 1845 to power Augusta's textile mills and still operational today as the only antebellum canal in continuous use in the United States. The towpath is a flat multi-use trail with views of the canal headgates, mill buildings, and Savannah River. The Enterprise Mill at the eastern end houses a visitor center with exhibits on the canal's history and industrial heritage. The towpath itself is free; boat tours available for a fee. Located along the Savannah River north of Downtown Augusta.
Thomasville Rose Garden Must-see
Thomas County · Thomasville
A 3.5-acre public rose garden with more than 3,000 rose plants and 200+ varieties, planted in 1951 and managed by the city of Thomasville — the "City of Roses." Located at Cherokee Lake Park, a few blocks from Downtown Thomasville. Peak bloom runs late April through June; the garden is also maintained through fall. The annual Thomasville Rose Festival (since 1922) is held the last weekend of April. Free, open daily. Located 230 miles south of Atlanta — a destination in itself or a stop en route to Tallahassee.
Planning Notes
Atlanta free half-day: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park + the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail (Ponce City Market as midpoint) can be done back to back — they're 2 miles apart. Add Piedmont Park at the BeltLine's north end for a free afternoon.
Savannah free full day: Forsyth Park → Chippewa Square → Cathedral of St. John the Baptist → Bonaventure Cemetery covers the best free sites. All are within 5 miles of each other; Forsyth to Bonaventure requires a car.
Augusta free circuit: Augusta Canal towpath + Sacred Heart Cultural Center + Riverwalk Augusta + Augusta National Golf Club exterior (free to photograph, gate-only access unless ticketed for the Masters) covers a half-day of free Augusta without entering a paid attraction.
State park note: Most Georgia State Parks charge a vehicle parking fee but no trail admission. Cloudland Canyon, Amicalola Falls, and Providence Canyon are examples — the trails themselves are free once you park.
Plan your visit: Explore city guides for every destination in this article: Clarkesville, Atlanta, Toccoa, Savannah, Augusta, Thomasville.
