Guest post by Imani Francies
Driving from California to Georgia or Georgia to California is something I have a lot of experience with.
I was one of those kids in school who had not grown up next door to my classmates because my parents decided to move our family across the country.
At the time, I hated the process of it because what kid likes being the new kid? Especially when nearly everyone else used regional slang words that I was not familiar with.
I was born in California in a small city called Bakersfield but moved to Atlanta, Georgia around the age of seven. The culture between the two places is extremely different, and a fair amount of people in Georgia speak with a deep accent.
As I got older, I grew to love the city of Atlanta, and I now consider it my home. Now that I am an adult, Atlanta is what I claim in terms of my place of residence, but I still have family in Bakersfield, so I visit there frequently and in some ways, I consider it home too.
Over the years of commuting to and from Atlanta and Bakersfield by plane, bus, and car, I have visited a good number of cities throughout the journey.
Now, if you are flying between the two states, it can take only four or five hours to arrive, but if you are driving, it can take up to 32 hours. Just make sure you take your time to arrive safely, and practice defensive driving. If someone else causes a wreck somewhere along the way and you need help recovering damages, you can contact a car crash attorney.
Spending a day and a half inside of a car sounds extremely daunting, but if you pace yourself and make pit-stops along the way, the journey can turn into an amazing road trip. It can even be cost-efficient if you can find cheap insurance in Fresno, California.
From my experience, here are five of the best places to visit while driving from California to Georgia.
Driving From California to Georgia
Pier 39 in San Francisco, California
Pier 39 is a shopping center and frequently visited tourist attraction in San Francisco. It is built on a pier on the coast of the city. Since it is built on a pier, the views are absolutely breathtaking.
While shopping, playing in the arcade, or enjoying various kinds of food at cheap prices, you will be looking out at blue waters and mountain ridges.
What makes Pier 39 one of the most exhilarating places for me is the fact that it has a great view of the infamous Alcatraz prison.
If you are standing in the right spot on a clear day, you can look out and see the historical prison. Alcatraz is a prison located on the secluded island of the same name. This prison was a maximum-security prison that housed some of the most dangerous individuals.
It is rumored that the prison closed because of the disappearance of Frank Morris and the Anglin Brothers. You may have seen the movie “The Great Escape” which is based on the attempt of these men to break out of Alcatraz.
If you are feeling adventurous during your travels, visiting the prison on a tour can be a thrilling experience, especially if you do the haunted night tour.
The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas
If you are taking this trip solo and happen to be doing so while riding a motorcycle, you can ride down Route 66 and see some hot spots that are popular on this highway.
Route 66 stretched from California to Chicago, crossing over eight states total. One of those states is Texas, where the Alamo is located.
The Alamo is considered to be at the heart of San Antonio and is a historic landmark because it was an important battle for Texans fighting for Independence from Mexico. The architect of the monument is also worth seeing face to face.
Aside from this historical monument, you can also visit the riverwalk. The riverwalk is also a tourist hotspot because its style embodies the essence of Venice, Italy which can be seen most clearly in the riverboat rides in between elongated buildings.
Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee
While San Antonio’s riverwalk is reminiscent of Venice, Italy, Beale Street in Memphis embodies the essence of black culture and entrepreneurship.
Beale Street was the district for black citizens in Memphis where clubs, restaurants, and shops were opened and run by African Americans.
Many people visit Beale Street for the food and the music, as it is known as being one of the best places for blues music in America.
While visiting Beale Street, you can also visit the Civil Rights Museum, Memphis Rock ‘N’ Soul Museum, Hard Rock Cafe, Memphis Music Record Shop, and other attractions that are steps away.
Cajun Swamp Tour in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana is most famous for its yearly Mardi Gras festival. The festival lasts for about a weekend and consists of parades, parties, live music, bands, dancing in the streets, and other events that locals throw during the festival.
Unless you are making your New Orleans pit stop during Mardi Gras, you can visit the French quarter just for the sake of experiencing the culture.
The city is best known for its jazz and cajun style cuisine. In addition to those attractions, they have various swamp tours that you can take. The city of New Orleans is a lively city, so there is always a fun place to go to enjoy music and great food.
World of Coke in Atlanta, Georgia
Before you reach the downtown of the city of Atlanta, you can make a pit stop to the Blue Ridge Mountains, find a nice campground, and enjoy mountain views.
The Blue Ridge mountains are not considered one of the best places to camp, but it is a great place to unwind and enjoy nature.
As you come down the mountain and make your way into the city of Atlanta, you will find there are various attractions within the downtown area.
Within the same few blocks, you can visit the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta History Center, MLK Center and museum, and the World of Coke.
Atlanta is known for its Southern hospitality, Southern cooking, and diverse musical heritage, so it will not be hard for you to find a good bar with some good wings. It’s the perfect ending to a three day tour driving from California to Georgia.
Imani Francies writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsuranceEZ.com. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media and specializes in various forms of media marketing.
