Atlanta to Great Smoky Mtns drive: 24 ranked stops worth the detour

A 1,000-ft gorge with a swinging suspension bridge

a chain of falls in a dramatic gorge with rim-trail overlooks

staircases into a dramatic 1,000-ft gorge; permit for the floor

a tall, delicate fall on the Cherokee reservation near the Smokies

a wide fall and big pool, the reward of a beloved gorge hike

One of the last of the Parkway's 26 tunnels before the road ends at the Smokies, named for a 19th-century Cherokee leader -- a five-second reminder that this whole drive terminates inside the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' homeland.

Eighteen of Jack's favorite holes from around the world, recreated outside Atlanta. A greatest-hits round you can actually book.

taller than Niagara, tucked on a college campus

a wide, gentle cascade near Lake Rabun, lovely in any season

a Belgian-inspired Decatur brewery with a strong sour program

The marquee layout at a 45-hole winery resort, no overnight stay required to play. A parkland design winding past vineyards 45 minutes from downtown Atlanta.

the tallest fall in the Smokies, in old-growth forest

a rare double fall a few steps off the highway near Cherokee

A scenic 36-hole public club beside the granite dome of Stone Mountain Park, with lake and mountain views east of Atlanta. A handy metro round.

a series of falls with mountain views near Highlands