There's no denying that one man really put the tiny town of Plains, Georgia, on the map. This rural community in Sumter County, about 160 or so miles south of Atlanta, is a quintessential Southern farm town with just over 700 permanent residents. Yet humble Plains birthed an American president and famously remained his home long afterward, giving it a global spotlight that's attracted thousands of annual visitors. Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, a Nobel Peace Prize winner,
and a peanut farmer, was born and raised in Plains and eventually returned to run his family farm and teach Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church. He and his wife, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, wrote prolifically about Plains, forever tying their identities to the town's community, rural rhythms, and, yes, peanuts.
Although the town is small (there's not much in the way of dining or nightlife), history buffs will appreciate its quiet significance. It's worth visiting just to pay homage to a national figure and snap a photo with the 13-foot-tall peanut statue, complete with a toothy grin that's the spitting image of the president's own signature smile. While the Carter Center and presidential library are located in Atlanta, the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, in the former Plains High School that later served as Carter's campaign headquarters, is now a local museum chronicling his life and rise to the White House.
To visit Jimmy Carter's hometown, fly into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, famously the world's busiest airport, before making the 150-mile drive to Plains. As you leave Atlanta's urban sprawl behind, you'll find yourself cruising through flat, red-dirt farmland, dotted with tiny towns and churches. The drive takes about two hours, but try to arrive for lunch, as the two local restaurants typically close before supper time.
Read more: How To Pack Just One Carry-On For A Week-Long Vacation
Trace The Steps Of Peanut Farmer Jimmy Carter And Experience The Town's Beloved Peanut Festival
Technically, Plains isn't the peanut capital of the world -- that distinction belongs to Dothan, Alabama. But it's certainly a notable stop on the peanut trail, as Georgia produces about half of the country's peanut crop. One of Jimmy Carter's early memories was selling boiled peanuts that he'd collected from his parents' 360-acre peanut farm, and today, you can visit his boyhood home, restored in 2000 to look as it did during the 1930s, when Carter was growing up. Honeybees, goats, cats, chickens, and even mules wander the property, while crops like sugarcane, cotton, corn, and — you guessed it — peanuts are grown.
As visitors stroll the farmland's red-dirt paths dotted with audio stations, they listen to recordings of Carter narrating his childhood memories. Jimmy Carter passed away at the end of 2024 and was laid to rest alongside Rosalynn in early 2025 in the Carter Gardens. This site includes multiple butterfly gardens and serves as both a peaceful, meditative space and a recreational area for families. The Carter family house remains closed to the public as of this writing, though there are plans to open it as a museum in the future.
The Plains community comes together regularly to celebrate holidays like Independence Day and Christmas, as well as local traditions centered on butterflies and BBQ. In autumn, the annual Peanut Festival takes over the Downtown Historic District, complete with a Peanut Parade, a 5K race, live music, and plenty of art, crafts, and food. Expect peanut-themed treats aplenty courtesy of the National Peanut Board and Georgia Peanut Commission, as well as local vendors serving everything from grilled PB&Js to boiled and fried peanuts.
Have Lunch Downtown, Visit The Historic Train Depot, And Shop For Antiques
Atlanta and its surrounding towns are historic havens with rich legacies, and Plains is no exception. After retracing Jimmy Carter's boyhood steps, check out the old train depot, which has been as vital to the local peanut economy as it was to Carter's later political career. The Carters were famously outspoken in their fight against racial discrimination and proved instrumental in helping move Georgia forward on civil rights and gender equality. Plains sits not far from the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, the kind of meaningful detour travel expert Rick Steves recommends -- and President Carter surely would, too.
There are just two lunch spots in town. Bonita's Carry-Out, a longtime Carter family favorite, is reportedly the only Black-owned business in Plains. With hand-drawn menus and rotating specials, their Southern comfort food feels like eating in someone's home, in all the best ways. Meatloaf, fried catfish, cheese grits, and coleslaw are must-haves if they're on the day's menu. Or, eat award-winning burgers and pimento cheese at Buffalo Café at the Old Bank on Main Street, located literally in an old bank, a historic building with the old vault door on display inside. The restaurant's only open for three hours a day, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., but it's a nonprofit run by friendly volunteers supporting the Friends of Jimmy Carter Foundation.
The Plains Historic Inn and Antique Mall was developed by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in a restored 1901 building that once housed a mercantile and funeral home. Upstairs, seven "decade-themed" suites offer a stay that blends Southern hospitality with immersive history. Downstairs, the antique mall is filled with vintage treasures and, appropriately, Carter-era memorabilia.
Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets.
Read the original article on Islands.
