CITY SPOTLIGHT:

YOUR GUIDE TO Perry, Georgia

fighter jet taking off

Know Before You Go: About Perry

Get ready for your visit by learning more about Perry, part of Georgia's Historic Heartland.

In what's known as the Historic Heartland travel region of the Peach State, Perry has both history and heart. Called the "Crossroads of Georgia," because major national thoroughfares crisscross this small southern city, here you'll find white-columned antebellum homes, a charming downtown brimming with locally owned businesses and the state fairgrounds. Outside of town, inviting country roads beckon, running past rustic farmland and an Air Force base with an impressive aviation museum.

Weather Wise

Landlocked Perry is hot and humid in summer, like the rest of the Deep South. The old saying, "it's not the heat so much as the humidity," rings especially true here. The humidity can leave you languid with a sweaty brow and longing for a pitcher of sweet iced tea. Perhaps the humidity contributes to the slower pace of life. Winters are mild, though it dips below freezing from time to time. Spring and fall are the most hospitable times to visit, weather-wise, especially in October when the Georgia National Fair is held.

Fairgrounds and Fishing

The Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter is in Perry. This large, multi-use complex hosts the Georgia National Fair each October as well as many other events throughout the year. It might be a rodeo or a country rock concert, but whatever it is, it's impossible to come to Perry and not know what's going on at the fairgrounds. With its many resources and exhibits on Georgia's watersheds, the Go Fish Education Center is a don't-miss spot for anglers and lovers of aquatic wildlife. Bring the kids so they can learn about wildlife conservation and responsible stewardship of natural resources.

Airplanes, Lots of Airplanes

The largest employer in Perry is Robins Air Force Base outside of town. You may not be able to visit the working part of the base, but you can tour its Museum of Aviation. Housed in re-purposed giant airplane hangars, the museum features dozens of aircraft of all sizes and from different eras and finely curated exhibits spotlighting the best of American military aviation. This is a hands-on museum where you can experience life from the cockpit in a flight simulator, get up-close views of fighter jets and learn all about the history of military aviation.

The Crossroads

Before the interstate was built, U.S. Highway 41 was the major north-south thoroughfare through Georgia. When it was paved in the 1920s, people flocked to Florida and made Perry a stopping-off point. Today, I-75 runs through the west side of town, getting all that Florida-bound traffic, and provides easy access to the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. U.S. 341 also runs through town in an east-west direction; it's the main route from Perry to two of Georgia's most popular coastal destinations—St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island.

Ready to travel? Find hotels in Perry.

Things to Do in Perry

Take flight in the "Crossroads of Georgia,"where you'll find aviation history, outdoor adventure, great food and more.