Treetop Escape

Take the Kids on an Adventure at Historic Banning Mills

We took our 13-year-old twin daughters, Grace and Allison, to Historic Banning Mills. The resort, a little over an hour’s drive southwest of Atlanta in Carroll County, claims to have the world’s longest zip line, and you’ll find plenty more to keep the family entertained.

Our tree house, accessed by a suspended walkway, was a short drive away from the main lodge. I had envisioned a rickety structure with a “No Girls Allowed” sign, but this tree house is for grownups. It’s fully furnished, heated and air-conditioned with a king-size bed, a Jacuzzi, a separate bathroom with shower and an upstairs bunkroom. Add the Keurig coffee maker for the parents and a TV/DVD player for the kids and everyone was happy.

“The house is shaking! Is it supposed to do this?” my daughter, Allison asked as she climbed the spiral staircase leading to the bunk beds on the second floor. Yes, the octagon-shaped house did sway a bit, but the sway quickly became barely noticeable. We settled in with a movie borrowed from the front desk and soon fell asleep.

As dawn broke, sunlight streamed through the multiple windows offering breathtaking views of the Snake Creek Gorge. Standing on the balcony, we could hear the rushing waters from the currents below us. I then noticed the 30-foot-high tree house was built on only one solid wood beam, tethered to the ground by strong cables.

The girls couldn’t wait to cross the gorge via the 560-foot-long suspension bridge. It swayed over 100 feet above the water as we walked to breakfast, served buffet-style in the main lodge. We could choose scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, granola, yogurt, fresh fruit, muffins and more. Even my “non-Southern” husband gobbled up the biscuits and gravy as we sat overlooking the wooded landscape.

My husband is the zip-liner in our family. He chose the Level 2, Pattern Zip Line Tour. After a 25-minute training session, the guides outfitted the group of 14 with helmets, insulated gloves and harnesses. Over the next two hours, they completed multiple zip lines and sky bridges. The highlight was zip lining 1,000 feet across the gorge!

The girls and I hiked on the nature trails. Water cascaded nearby and we could hear the occasional “zip” of adventure seekers above as we approached the ruins of the paper mill. Back at the main lodge, we explored an exhibit to learn more about the mills that once dominated the area. After a game of pool in the billiards room, it was time to leave.

Our kids loved the food (and they are picky eaters), the suspension bridge and having their own bedroom in the tree house. My husband and I enjoyed the scenery, variety of activities and close proximity to Atlanta. Historic Banning Mills was perfect for an overnight, adventure-packed getaway. I’m ready to return!
– Rebecca Ruffin Leffler