Be warned: you’ll need breath mints when visiting this underrated town. Although Georgia is known for its peaches, Vidalia’s fame lies in its namesake vegetable, a sweet onion with a mild flavor and a far less pungent aroma than its stinkier cousins. Situated about 1.5 hours from the nearest major commercial airport in Savannah, Vidalia attracts visitors every April for the multi-day Vidalia Onion Festival, one of the world’s truly bizarre festivals. Check the festival out for concerts, vendors, rodeo shows, an onion-eating contest, an onion recipe showdown, a carnival, and an onion fun run.
Vidalia’s sweet onion history dates back to the Great Depression, when a local farmer mistakenly planted sweet onions and discovered a market for the unexpected bulbs. The mild, sweet taste is partially due to the low sulfur content in the area’s soil. In fact, regionality plays such a huge part in the vegetable’s identity that sweet onions are only grown in Vidalia’s Toombs County, and just 19 nearby counties can bear the label “Vidalia sweet onions.” They’re the “champagne of onions,” if you will.
Nowadays, sweet onion cultivation has grown into a huge business, contributing $150 million to the state’s economy. Visitors can learn more about the town’s onion industry at the Vidalia Onion Museum, which has its own tiny registered Vidalia sweet onion field. Stop by the Market on Church for local onions and artisanal groceries, or head to a farm stand in the nearby countryside, like Pittman’s Country Market, for the freshest produce and onion-themed gift baskets.
Where to sleep and eat in Vidalia
Even if you miss the blooming onions and golden-brown onion rings at the Vidalia Onion Festival, the town’s food and beverage scene will still delight. From heartwarming Southern comfort food to classics from the grill and decadent sandwiches, Vidalia’s restaurants create a surprisingly diverse food scene that puts it right up there with the most underrated foodie destinations in America.
Satisfy your adventurous inner child at Treehouse Grill, a locally-owned restaurant getaway tucked into a dense canopy. Menu highlights include the skillet steaks, the prime rib, and perfectly crispy fried shrimp. “If you want good food in a unique, social setting, you won’t be disappointed,” shared one reviewer on Tripadvisor. Alternatively, grab a table at Kountry Kafe for generous portions of breakfast and southern comfort staples, like chicken and waffles smothered in the signature bacon bourbon syrup and crab cakes Benedict (pictured above). Or, head to Tappas for heaping sandwiches made with freshly baked Portuguese rolls.
Vidalia’s accommodation offerings aren’t quite as exciting as the restaurants, but there are plenty of hotels you can book for a good night’s sleep. Expect standard road trip hotels like the Hampton Inn Vidalia, the Econo Lodge, and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites. In 2023, WTOC reported that approximately 15,000 people attended the Vidalia Onion Festival, so make sure you book your hotel rooms in advance if you plan to attend the festival.
Explore the historic downtown and other things to do in and around Vidalia
