Georgia Named To 'Best Trips of 2017' List By National Geographic

From Otis Redding to the Allman Brothers to R.E.M., Georgia has been the home to a multitude of great musicians.

It's that musical legacy that landed Georgia on National Geographic's list of places to visit in the coming year.

National Geographic Traveler named Georgia one of the 21 destinations on its "Best Trips of 2017" list.

"The Peach State’s current homegrown performers — including Young Jeezy and Luke Bryan — are building on the lyrical legacy of legends such as James Brown and Ray Charles," the magazine says in its entry on Georgia.

Among the Peach State musical attractions mentioned in the piece:

• Live music at the Historic Holly Theater in Dahlonega or Atlanta's Apache Cafe
• Rock Candy Tours and the Rock 'n' Roll Stroll in Macon
• Georgia's 75 music festivals, including AthFest, held in Athens every June

The list will appear in the December 2016/January 2017 issue of the magazine.

The destinations were chosen by National Geographic Traveler editors and fall into one of three categories – Cities, Nature or Culture.

"It is an honor that National Geographic Traveler has selected Georgia as one of 21 of the world’s best destinations," Gov. Nathan Deal said in a news release. "From our mountains to our coasts, Georgia is home to talented musicians, world-class artists and others who help make our state a top tourist destination and a wonderful place to call home. We are proud that Georgia is on the mind of so many, both here and around the world."

Georgia Tourism proclaimed 2016 the “Year of Georgia Music” and focused its marketing on the state’s music heritage, world-class venues and unique festivals.

Georgia is home to more than a thousand live music venues, seating anywhere from 100 to 20,000 people per performance.

National Geographic Traveler is the world’s most widely read travel magazine with 8.5 million readers.

Photo by Roberto De Martino, via Wikimedia Commons.