As we travel back and forth to work or to our favorite shops on the weekend, we may be noticing that traffic is getting a little heavier. Instead of having your five-minute trip to your ritual weekend restaurant or twenty-five-minute drive to work you should be prepared for the travelers and tourists coming to your area. Since many areas are still practicing COVID safety precautions, many Black Southern Belles and their families are feeling more comfortable traveling. States like South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida have been receiving a plethora of tourists in the area and since Albany, GA is a southern state that is filled with African American heritage and black-owned businesses we can support, it is only right that we add this city to our heritage travel for the Spring or Summer.Â
Albany, GA Historic Heritage to Explore
Albany Civil Rights Institute
If you are interested in historic travel and historical artificats, the Albany Civil Rights Institute is where you should be! Every second Saturday each month, the Albany Civil Rights Institute provides the community or travelers with sounds from the Freedom Singers who narrates the Albany Movement stories with emotionally-charged performances. Many will hear the legacy of African Americans who have played an important role in the African American community of Albany, GA. The trip through the institute comes to a close in the Old Mount Zion Baptist Church Sanctuary where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to a crowd of thousands and also served as the location for the first mass meeting of the Albany Movement.Â
Ray Charles Plaza
Albany, Georgia is home to legendary singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer, Ray Charles and even though he is no longer with us, he left behind a legacy that can be rememeber at the Ray Charles Plaza. The plaza sits alongside the Flint River in downtown Albany. Black Southern Belles and their families can enjoy the life-size bronze sculpture of this musician playing the baby grand piano while appreciate the Southern city life.
Albany, GA Black-Owned Restaurants to Enjoy
Once you and your family have seen a few historical artifacts of this city, it will be ideal to enjoy a down south meal from Black-Owned resturants that many locals enjoy and tourists add to their list to try.
The Flint
One restaurant that is known for the freshest seafood and richest southern cuisine in southwest Georgia, is The Flint. As a restaurant that remains true to local roots while exploring the flavors of the world and offering a fine dining experince, The Flint is one of few resturants that we suggest for you to try whenever exploring the ins and outs of Albany, GA. Enjoy herb-crusted lamb chops or stuff flounder or oxtails and fried fish. Anything you may be yearning for in Southern cuisine, The Flint will defintely have you cover.
Dunbar’s Grill
If seafood isnt your favorite protein cuisine or if you appreciate the buffet style of eating, Dunbar Gril; which is also referred to Dunbar’s BBQ & Soul Food, may have dishes that you are looking to enjoy on an excursion in Albany, GA. Known for their barbeque and delicious side dishes, tourists can expect to enjoy more than just one thing on the menu. Locals would refer to this place as a humble and friendly eatery with great food.
Each of these known Albany, GA whereabouts are places that I believe will ensure your travel to this city is simply amazing. As a city that can offer big city amenities while providing the comforts and Southern hospitality of a small town, Albany, GA is definitely recommended for Black Southern Belles and their familes. So, if you are ready to start back traveling, maybe Albany, GA should be added to your travel list.