Enjoy springtime in Georgia with Vidalia Onion Festival

By Roger Petterson | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

March 18, 2007

Travel and food go well together, and this is a good time to demonstrate that with a little road trip to the farm country of Georgia, midway between Macon and Savannah

When it's spring in Georgia, it's time for the Vidalia Onion Festival - www.vidaliaonionfestival.com - in the last week of April, a celebration of the unexpectedly sweet vegetable and an occasion for a little down-home fun.

Watch the Junior Miss and Little Miss Vidalia Onion Pageant, take a ride at the carnival, cheer the invitational softball tournament, or just wander around and relax.

There's even a rodeo, April 27-28. But the real reason for being there is the onion, with a cooking school, and the April 26 Vidalia Onion Cook-Off and Tasting. If you already have a favorite Vidalia recipe, the entry fee in the cook-off is $10 per dish. Check the "Schedule of Events" for more details, including the air show.

Get acquainted with the rest of the town through the local Convention and Visitors Bureau - www.vidaliaarea.com - especially places to stay. Onions aren't the only reason to visit. Click on "Area Attractions" for details on the 27-mile Yamassee Bicycle Trail, golf courses, driving tours, and hunting at the region's quail preserves. And if you can't be there for the festival, look for the "Recipes" link to get instructions on Absolute Best Fried Vidalia Onion Rings, and the Vidalia Onion Pie (think of it as an onion quiche).
Natural attractions

After the festival and the town, it's time to see some more of this region of Georgia.

A short drive south of Vidalia, you can get back to nature along the Altamaha River - www.altamahariver .net - which roams through south-central Georgia on its way to the sea near Brunswick. According to this Web site for Altamaha River Odyssey, the river is a magnet for thousands of species of birds. And if bird-watching isn't what draws you, it's a great place for fishing, boating, hiking and camping.

Look for the Web links at the bottom of the page to pick up more details, such as the Altamaha River Partnership for its canoe trail map, and the Altamaha Riverkeeper. The riverkeeper's "Links" page (look up at the top of the page) is chock full of connections for recreational information, and for environmental groups including the Atlanta Audubon Society and Georgia Wildlife Federation.

Vidalia is located in a tourism promotion region called Magnolia Midlands - www.magnoliamidlands.org - covering the Altamaha River region and then some.

The "Attractions" section is sparse and the events calendar is blank, but "Links" can get you to some interesting places, including Georgia's Heritage Highway 441, which slices through the heart of the state, the Wiregrass Trail and Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails.

Learn more about Magnolia Midlands, in a more helpful format, from its section at the state's official Welcome to Georgia - www.georgia.org/Travel/ Discover/Magnolia+Midlands.htm - including Jay Bird Springs, a century-old mineral water spa, and Little Ocmulgee State Park.

Then you can pick up tips on things to see and do on your way home by going to the top of the page and clicking on "Home" to get to other helpful sections of Welcome to Georgia.