Another big fan of Publix here. They have awesome baked goods and I am picky about my bread.
I don't think you can describe the "south." It is so different depending on the state and area of the state that you are looking at. I live in a northern suburb of Atlanta and I can assure you there are no trailers next to mini mansions. If anything, it is gated community after gated community. However, when you go outside the metropolitan Atlanta area you do see a lot of that.
Metro Atlanta has a lot of diversity and I would say overall a more progressive mind set (not liberal by any means . . . but not "redneck" either). I would say that the education level plays a big part of that. There are lots of different kinds of dining options and and you can go to the symphony or a ballet. We also have major league sports teams. The downside would be the traffic.
My husband grew up right outside of the Okefenokee swamp in south Georgia. I hate to go visit his relatives because there is absolutely nothing to do where they live. I used to volunteer to go to the local grocery store (Piggly Wiggy) several times a day just for something to do. LOL
Oh, and did I mention the gnats? When you go below the gnat line (south of Macon), you are constantly swatting them away from you face. I hate it.
I have never been to Savannah but my easy child just got back from there and loved it. I forgot to ask her if there were gnats there.
Outside of Georgia, I have spent time in Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Birmingham, Greenville, and I lived in Florida for two years. I went to Charleston with easy child's 7th grade class as a chaperone so I don't have great memories but I can't blame Charleston for that. Myrtle Beach was fun but too crowded to want to live there. Birmingham seemed like any other big city but husband was there a lot on business and said there were some really nice areas to live in. I thought Greenville was a cute little city but easy child went to school there and said that it was extremely conservative which I guess would be good or bad depending on your point of view.
That leaves Florida. I lived in Tarpon Springs and Tampa and taught in New Port Richey for two years. I was only 23 at the time and it seemed like every man was 65 or older and had a heart condition. It didn't help that I was living in my parent's retirement community at the time. Let's say that I didn't have a lot of dating options. LOL
I also didn't like the weather. I really like having all four seasons like we have in Atlanta. I moved to Atlanta when I was 25 and have been here ever since.
Recently, we spent time in the Boca Raton/West Palm Beach area. I could see myself living there except for the weather.
Flutterby, have your parents been back to Dahlonega lately? It has really boomed in the last ten years. It is not the quiet little mountain town it used to be but it is still pretty. husband and I thought about moving there a while ago but someone warned us that as we got older we would probably want to stay closer to the awesome medical facilities in the metro Atlanta area.
~Kathy