
Highest-rated free things to do in Georgia by visitors
Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.
Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.
That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Georgia.
From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Georgia using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

#30. Bell Mountain
- Rating: 4.5/5 (269 reviews)
- City: Hiawassee
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Museum of Aviation
- Rating: 4.8/5 (745 reviews)
- City: Warner Robins
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Buckhead
- Rating: 4.3/5 (508 reviews)
- City: Atlanta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Marietta Square
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,048 reviews)
- City: Marietta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#26. Fort Frederica National Monument
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,194 reviews)
- City: Saint Simons Island Golden Isles of
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Your Dekalb Farmers Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (710 reviews)
- City: Decatur
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (662 reviews)
- City: Macon
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. BabyLand General Hospital
- Rating: 4.4/5 (622 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (582 reviews)
- City: Fort Oglethorpe
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Toccoa River Swinging Bridge
- Rating: 4.6/5 (453 reviews)
- City: Blue Ridge
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Oakland Cemetery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,166 reviews)
- City: Atlanta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. SCADstory
- Rating: 4.9/5 (651 reviews)
- City: Savannah
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Lenox Square
- Rating: 4.2/5 (666 reviews)
- City: Atlanta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Columbus Riverwalk
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,094 reviews)
- City: Columbus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. St. Simons Island
- Rating: 4.7/5 (692 reviews)
- City: Saint Simons Island Golden Isles of
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Jekyll Island Historic District
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,318 reviews)
- City: Jekyll Island Golden Isles of
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Ponce City Market
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,019 reviews)
- City: Atlanta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. City Market
- Rating: 4.1/5 (2,327 reviews)
- City: Savannah
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center
- Rating: 4.9/5 (2,303 reviews)
- City: Columbus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Piedmont Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,393 reviews)
- City: Atlanta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Tybee Island Beach
- Rating: 4.2/5 (3,737 reviews)
- City: Tybee Island
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Mercier Orchards
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,541 reviews)
- City: Blue Ridge
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Centennial Olympic Park
- Rating: 4.2/5 (4,400 reviews)
- City: Atlanta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
- Rating: 4.6/5 (3,547 reviews)
- City: Atlanta
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. Driftwood Beach
- Rating: 4.7/5 (3,126 reviews)
- City: Jekyll Island Golden Isles of
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Historic River Street
- Rating: 4.3/5 (8,251 reviews)
- City: Savannah
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Bonaventure Cemetery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (6,822 reviews)
- City: Savannah
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Forsyth Park
- Rating: 4.7/5 (9,096 reviews)
- City: Savannah
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
- Rating: 4.8/5 (9,863 reviews)
- City: Savannah
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Savannah Historic District
- Rating: 4.8/5 (14,422 reviews)
- City: Savannah
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.