Athens (GA) is an interesting place to visit. It's home to U. of GA, one of the battlegrounds of school desegregation in the 1960s. There is a marker on campus by the path where Charlene Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes had to walk an angry gauntlet of people opposed to desegregation on the way to their classes as UGA's first African-American students in 1961. Very moving to see the place where their bravery helped open up opportunities for future generations.

The downtown area is more a typical university town, with a mixture of eclectic and upscale shops and coffee houses. When you're hungry, you might want to consider a meal at The Grit, a well-known vegetarian diner. It looks all the world like an old-fashioned southern diner, but the food is a really creative version of traditional favorites. The desserts are especially recommended. Don't expect the food to be light though, just because it's vegetarian -- some of it can be very heavy. I haven't tried any other restaurants in Athens yet, but I've heard there are a number of good ones in town.

I agree with other remarks that the mountains in N.GA are also worth visiting. Nice hiking.