Stay and Play in Georgia: Out-of-the-Box Adventures
Georgia State Railroad Museum
Georgia is full of out-of-the-box family adventures, from exploring natural wonders and sleeping in treehouses to one-of-a-kind attractions and thrilling amusement parks. Hit the road this summer and discover unique experiences across the state!
Experiences
Goats on the Roof. Tiger. The goats really do live on the roof at this spot in northeast Georgia! Feed the goats, then stop at the food truck, mine for gems and visit the sweet shop. goats-on-the-roof.com
BabyLand General Hospital. Cleveland. Tour the birthplace of the Cabbage Patch Kids, witness a “birth,” and find the perfect Original Kid or Cabbage Patch Kid to adopt.
Expedition Bigfoot. Blue Ridge. Reality or myth? See the evidence at this display of bigfoot artifacts, exhibits, photos, sighting maps and “Sasquatch Theater.”
Pasaquan. Buena Vista. This seven-acre complex, created by artist Eddie Owens Martin, features structures, sculptures and walls elaborately painted in African, Mexican and Native American symbols. pasaquan.columbusstate.edu
Old Car City
Old Car City USA. White. Stroll through the 34-acre junkyard and see thousands of classic cars, folk art and memorabilia. It’s a popular destination for amateur and professional photographers alike.
Tunnel Hill Heritage Center and Museum. Dalton. Explore Civil War history at the site of the Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel and see where the Civil War’s “Great Locomotive Chase” came through in 1862.
The Rock Garden. Calhoun. Children love exploring this beautiful garden, home to 50 miniature stone castles, buildings and bridges crafted from tiny stones, pebbles and shells.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. Lilburn. This beautifully ornate Hindu temple was constructed with more than 34,000 hand-carved pieces. Visitors can take an audio tour or participate in the Abhishek prayer ritual.
Tree Spirits. St. Simons Island. Go on a one-of-a-kind treasure hunt to find the weathered faces carved into the island’s oak trees, or download a map that shows the location of each face. goldenisles.com
Paradise Garden. Summerville. This fascinating display features the works of self-taught artist Howard Finster, along with his collections of tools, antiques and curios. paradisegardenfoundation.org
Nature
Okefenokee Swamp Park and Okefenokee Adventures
Flint RiverQuarium. Albany. View fish, turtles, alligators and other creatures at the Blue Hole Spring, and explore the hatchery, aviary and Spring Run Creek.
Little Grand Canyon, Providence Canyon State Park. Lumpkin. Walk or hike the rim trail to view the scenic canyons with their distinctive pink, orange, red and purple hues. The rare Plumleaf Azalea grows only in this region and blooms in July and August.
Rock City. Lookout Mountain. Amazing “7 states” views, natural rock formations, lush gardens and art installations have made Rock City a favorite destination since the early 1900s. In summer, celebrate America 250 with a gnome quest, live music, Freedom Soars birds of prey shows and Tom Thumb’s Play Farm.
Toccoa River Swinging Bridge. Blue Ridge. At 270 feet long, it’s the longest swinging bridge east of the Mississippi. View the beautiful Toccoa River as you hike the Benton MacKaye Trail.
Anna Ruby Falls. Helen. Located in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, this is a rare double waterfall. An easy 0.8-mile round-trip paved trail leads to viewing areas at the base of the falls.
Okefenokee Swamp Park & Okefenokee Adventures. Waycross and Folkston. This incredible swamp provides habitats for threatened and endangered species, and you can explore the area with boat tours, wilderness boardwalks, animal ambassadors and a walk back through time on Pioneer Island.
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Tubing and Rafting
Appalachian Outfitters. Dahlonega. Meet at the Dahlonega outpost for a tube ride on the Chestatee River. A shuttle will take you to the start site for a 30-45 minute float. If you want to do the trip again, pay a $3 shuttle fee for each additional ride.
Cool River Tubing and Adventures. Helen. This tubing company sits right in the German-inspired town of Helen. Along with tubing, their aerial park offers zip lines, an adventure course and a climbing wall.
Toccoa River Tubing. McCaysville. Take a relaxing 1.5-mile trip on the Toccoa River that is nestled in the scenic Blue Ridge area of the beautiful North Georgia Mountains.
Euharlee Creek Outfitters. Euharlee. Float along in a tube up the Etowah River to end up near the historic Euharlee Bridge, or go for a longer trip from Euharlee Creek to Etowah River.
Helen Tubing. Helen. This family attraction offers a 2.5-hour tube ride from Highway 75 North to Brucken Strasse.
Nantahala Outdoor Center. Atlanta, Clayton and Roswell. Plan an outdoor adventure with whitewater rafting, tubing, zip lining and more. Head to Clayton for a 5-6 hour rafting trip, or float down the Chattahoochee River in a tube.
Southeastern Expeditions. Clayton. The beginner rafting trip includes incredible scenery and stretches of whitewater for an overall relaxing trip along the Chattooga River.
Museums
The Road to Tara Museum
Georgia State Railroad Museum. Savannah. Take a train ride, operate a handcar and learn about Georgia’s railroading history. While you’re in Savannah, stop at Old Fort Jackson and the Children’s Museum.
Ty Cobb Museum. Royston. Learn the story of one of baseball’s greatest players through artifacts, rare photos, art and video footage.
Vidalia Onion Museum. Vidalia. Explore the cultural, economic and culinary history of the sweet onion. This museum is also home to the smallest registered Vidalia onion field.
The Road to Tara Museum. Jonesboro. See items from the 1939 movie premiere of “Gone with the Wind,” along with original costumes, a poster gallery and the Hattie McDaniel Legacy Experience.
Laurel & Hardy Museum. Harlem. Learn about the life of Harlem-born Oliver Hardy and how he and Stan Laurel became one of the most successful comedy teams of the 20th century.
Savoy Automobile Museum
Savoy Automobile Museum. Cartersville. A must-see destination for auto enthusiasts, the Savoy explores the history and beauty of the automobile, from Ford’s Model A to the Rolls Royce 20/25.
Lunchbox Museum. Columbus. Take a trip back in time and see more than 1,000 metal lunch boxes, including pop culture favorites, rare original Western motifs and related items.
Dahlonega Gold Museum. Dahlonega. Visit the site of America’s first major gold rush, where more than $6 million in gold was coined, and see rare coins and artifacts. Try panning for gold at one of the nearby gold mines.
Elvis Museum. Cornelia. Fans of “The King” will love this museum tucked inside the historic Loudermilk Boarding House. With more than 30,000 pieces of memorabilia, it claims to be the world’s largest collection.
St. Marys Submarine Museum. St. Marys. Explore a fascinating display of war patrol reports, artifacts, uniforms and exhibits, all dedicated to preserving the history of the “silent service.”
Go Back in Time
Historic Westville
Historic Westville. Columbus. The living history museum explores 19th century life in the South. Visit historic buildings, hear from costumed interpreters, and see demonstrations in traditional crafts.
Jarrell Plantation. Juliette. Tour the buildings, furnishings and equipment of this 1847 farm, representing the change from an agricultural to an industrial-based economy.
Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village. Tifton. Live interpreters and interactive exhibits explore agricultural innovations and cultural traditions of the 19th century South.
Lake Winnepesaukah
Amusement and Water Parks
Splash in the Boro. Statesboro. This water park features a wave pool, a lazy river, slides for toddlers, a leisure pool and more.
Wild Adventures. Valdosta. With more than 100 rides and attractions, there’s something for every level of thrill seeker at this theme park, water park and animal park all-in-one.
Summer Waves Water Park. Jekyll Island. Go on relaxing laps around Turtle Creek, ride the waves of the Frantic Atlantic, take in high-speed thrills down the Man o’ War slide, play in the Splash Zone and more.
Lake Winnepesaukah. Rossville. This delightful amusement park includes more than 30 family and kiddie rides to please the entire family, and SOAKYa Water Park features a Crazy River, slides, a Mat Racer and more.
Rigby’s Water World. Warner Robins. Explore the water playground Paradise Island with 10 waterslides, water sprays and a pineapple bucket that drops gallons of water. This attraction also has thrilling waterslides, a lazy river, a leisure pool and a kid’s area.
Chehaw Park & Zoo. Albany. Home to more than 70 species, see cheetahs, black rhinos, bears, alligators and more. Cool off at the Play & Splash Park after viewing the animals.
White Oak Pastures
Overnight Adventures
Wild Mustang Ranch. Lyons. The three-bedroom lodge at this wild mustang sanctuary offers a chance to relax and recharge in a beautiful setting, and you can book experiences with the horses.
Georgia Safari Conservation Park. Madison. Enjoy a true safari experience and see animals roaming the savanna when you stay in a luxury safari tent or the giraffe suite.
The Inn at Serenbe. Chattahoochee Hills. This inn offers luxurious accommodations, including a bed and breakfast experience, cottages and a lake house. The acreage includes preserved forestland, wildflower meadows, trails, two waterfalls and more.
Seminole State Park. Donalsonville. Located on beautiful Lake Seminole, this park features cottages that sit near the water’s edge for excellent views and quick access to the lake for skiing, tubing and swimming.
Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge. Dawsonville. The Len Foote Hike Inn is reached only by hiking a scenic five-mile trail through national forest. Meals are provided, so guests only carry their personal items.
Nacoochee Adventures. Helen. Relax in the serenity of the forest in a treehouse, cabin, red or green gypsy wagon or a pioneer covered wagon.
Stay Dahlonega. Dahlonega. Enjoy a treehouse escape with these luxury, high-design experiences.
Little Raccoon Key. Jekyll Island. Glamp on your own private island with this retreat, where you’ll likely see dolphins, bird species and a variety of plant life.
6 Ponds Farm. Morganton. Featuring 33 acres of gorgeous property, this farm has available overnight stays in the guesthouse, treehouse and Skoolie, a renovated school bus.
White Oak Pastures. Bluffton. The cabins at White Oak Pastures offer on-farm accommodations, so you can learn where your food comes from, and you may wake up to cattle, sheep, goats and hogs.
Emma’s Driftwood Farm
Emma’s Driftwood Farm. Darien. Located on 81 acres of marshland, enjoy picturesque views, fly-fishing, birding and more at one of the accommodations.
The Isetta Inn. Savannah. This beautifully preserved historic Victorian mansion features different themed and designed rooms for a special stay.
-Emily Webb and Mary Williams
