Middle Georgia city named one of the ’10 Coolest Small Towns in America’

Rebekah Snider will tell anyone Milledgeville is a cool town, and now a national publication is backing her up.

Snider is director of Milledgeville-Baldwin County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and is excited about a designation given to the city by Budget Travel.

The online magazine recently named the city among its 10 Coolest Small Towns in America.

“Milledgeville is the former Georgia state capital and a charming southern town that seamlessly balances historical pre-Civil War roots and the modern role of hosting the state’s only designated public liberal arts university,” the magazine states. “Under the towering oaks that line the streets, you’ll find a bustling, energetic downtown complete with hip coffee shops, made-to-order brick oven pizza, cool beers on draft, eclectic boutiques, and antique shops.”

Snider said the city has 18 restaurants in the downtown area, and a growing number of international restaurants.

“We have a lot of restaurants that people aren’t expecting when they come to a town this size,” she said. “That has definitely been an evolution that we are seeing continuing to grow.”

Budget Travel also cited the natural beauty of the city, including Lake Sinclair and the Oconee River, where the Oconee River Greenway Park allows residents easy access to the river and paved walking trails.

Tony Hicks, 61, is a lifelong Milledgeville resident and was fishing at the park Wednesday. He had not heard of the “coolest town” designation and initially scoffed when he was told about it.

But the more he talked, the more he found some positive things to say.

“There’s some beautiful people here, some laid-back people, black and white,” he said. “It’s a good place to raise a family, if you have some money.”

Michael Phillips, 28, is also a Milledgeville resident who was walking in the park Wednesday, as he does often. He had heard of the Budget Travel recognition and thought it was deserving.

“Milledgeville brings a lot of people from all over central Georgia,” he said. “Depending on what you are looking for, there’s plenty to do here.”

This story was originally published August 2, 2019 at 1:20 PM.