Traveling is one thing that I enjoy doing, but I don't do it often enough. I don't like tourist areas because I live in one and live the fast pace life that one would expect in a tourist area. Traveling to a smaller town or a lesser known area gives one a who new perspective on life and it can be a culture shock. There were things that I wasn't used to growing up and going to places that have opposing cultures is something to behold. This is why I always recommend going to lesser known places.
You can never go wrong with local food. Always read the reviews or talk to the locals about different restaurants in the area. My husband and I went to go visit his best friend in West Point, Georgia and its a town that is definitely not popular. My husband had never had a Krystal Burger until his best friend wanted to go get some for Brunch that Sunday. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of food options during the weekend because most of West Point closes down for Church on Sundays.
West Point is a great place to stay if you have a while or if you are up for adventures. My husband's best friend goes and hikes through the hills that are like tiny mountains. Its a beautiful walk, if you know where you are going. The downtown area is less than 5 minutes away from the Alabama border. You could say that we went through 3 states over the weekend. My husband and I did 3 states in 7 hours because we got lost the first night.
Coming from Florida and talking to people in Georgia is an enlightening experience. I normally dress like a hobo and are pretty quirky with my accessories. In the backwoods of Georgia, our little group got a lot of stares. I normally wear my coin necklace with my Egyptian necklace and no one cares in Florida. I guess in Georgia, they don't like quirky especially in the back country. We can't judge them because its their culture, but its sad if a local wants to be quirky in the sea of plaid and Levi jeans.
The thing about West Point is that there next to no places to stay in town because of the town's history. My husband's best friend shares a house with 2 other people that was built in the 1830's. The house is magical and beautiful especially when you explore it. If you know someone in that area, STAY WITH THEM. You will not regret it because most likely they live in the one of the old mill houses and they are beautiful!
I know that not all small towns are like this because I also traveled to a small town near Seattle, Washington called Redmond and it was the opposite. It's always interesting the difference between the north and south especially. Its always good to go places that provide a different perspective because it teaches you empathy. Don't travel to places that you feel threatened because of safety. Always travel in a pack because sometimes you don't know what you are getting yourself into.
