Why You Should Visit Moultrie, Georgia, This Year

There are many Southern small towns that are worth a visit, and one I keep revisiting lately is Moultrie, Georgia. (Not only because it's my hometown, but also because it's so inviting.) Located in southwest Georgia, Moultrie is a neighbor of Albany, Tifton, Thomasville, and Valdosta, and its calling cards are its neighborliness and hospitality. Moultrie also has a thriving community of locally owned businesses, many of which are located on the Square, the downtown area surrounding the Colquitt County Courthouse. The courthouse itself is a Corinthian-columned landmark that was built in 1902 and still serves as a hub for community events, including the town's famed holiday lights display.

Moultrie's locally owned small businesses include Dustmade Studio, a boutique that stocks a thoughtfully curated selection of gifts, as well as a selection jewelry, ceramics, and watercolor paintings crafted in-house. Neighboring Dustmade's location on the Square is The Flossy Peach Boutique, a clothing shop, and Cranford Jewelry, a retailer of fine jewelry, flatware, and china. A block away is Sid's Antiques and Gifts, Moultrie's go-to destination for antiques including furniture, china, and crystal. Across the street from Sid's is clothier Lazarus of Moultrie. Just down 1st Avenue is Tallokas Road, a gift shop filled with beautiful home and garden goods.

Moultrie is also known for its locally owned restaurants. Three Crazy Bakers (one of this writer's absolute favorites) is a corner spot with walls of sunny windows and a big menu of soups, salads, and roll-ups. The dinner offerings also include steaks and shrimp and grits. Nearby Blue Sky Grill, which makes its home in a reimagined downtown department store, serves up a long menu of local favorites and has a shiny wood-topped bar for pre-dinner drinks. Next door, The Square has a changing menu of seasonal dishes and a cozy bar hidden in the back.

Each October, Moultrie—a town with a long agricultural history—hosts the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition. Known locally as "The Expo," the three-day farm show invites 1200 exhibitors from across the country and around the world to Spence Field to explore the latest developments in agribusiness, technology, and education. Spence Field is also home to the twice-yearly Calico Arts & Crafts Show, which brings together hundreds of booths of vendors selling handcrafted wares.

Other things to do in Moultrie? The Colquitt County Arts Center hosts exhibitions, classes, and workshops, as well as concerts and community theater productions. Nearby Reed Bingham State Park, which is located between Moultrie and Adel, has miles of trails and a 375-acre lake where visitors can cast a line or launch a kayak. There's no shortage of great spots for shopping, dining, and exploring in Moultrie. Don't you want to plan a visit soon and experience it for yourself?

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Have you ever visited Moultrie? What are your favorite small towns in the South?