Athens, Georgia

A fun, easy-going college town, Athens has an excellent collection of pubs, restaurants and a lively club scene. The town loves its live music and the supportive, educated music audience has helped many bands become worldwide sensations. The B-52s, Widespread Panic and REM all launched to super-stardom, playing at venues like the 40 Watt Club. Mostly spared by the wreckage of the Civil War, Athens has some beautiful antebellum homes and lovely gardens. But, mostly, it's all about the University of Georgia and its beloved Bulldogs. When the Bulldogs have a home football game, the town goes absolutely crazy. The UGA campus is a designated ...

A fun, easy-going college town, Athens has an excellent collection of pubs, restaurants and a lively club scene. The town loves its live music and the supportive, educated music audience has helped many bands become worldwide sensations. The B-52s, Widespread Panic and REM all launched to super-stardom, playing at venues like the 40 Watt Club. Mostly spared by the wreckage of the Civil War, Athens has some beautiful antebellum homes and lovely gardens. But, mostly, it's all about the University of Georgia and its beloved Bulldogs. When the Bulldogs have a home football game, the town goes absolutely crazy. The UGA campus is a designated arboretum, thanks to a stupendous collection of trees, plants and shrubs. Nearby Sandy Creek Nature Center has more than 200 acres of protected woodland. The North Oconee River Greenway connects the campus to Sandy Creek via paved and dirt bike trails.

About the Expert

Debra Landau has written eight Lonely Planet guidebooks, including books on the USA, Caribbean, and the South.