Tallulah Gorge State Park

Yesterday we hiked about three miles through Tallulah Gorge State Park, which is located about a 90-minute drive northeast of Atlanta. This park (billed as "one of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern U.S.") offers breathtaking views of several waterfalls and a gorge that's two miles long and 1,000 feet deep. It's possible to hike several different trails or take them all in one loop. At one point you'll cross a suspension bridge that sways 80 feet above the bottom.

It was a very hot day so I got red-faced and tired. There are over 1,042 steps in this park, and the route I took meant climbing about 1,600 of them--along the way I met several nice people who encouraged me to keep going. I recommend hiking at some time other than mid-day in summer and bringing a lot of water along.

This would be a gorgeous place to visit in autumn.

For more information visit here or call 706-754-7970.

Amicalola Falls State Park

Yesterday we hiked about three miles in Amicalola Falls State Park, which is located approximately a 90-minute drive northwest of Atlanta. One reason Atlanta residents like to bring their out-of-state visitors to this park is because it's got a very photogenic waterfall:

There's a staircase next to the falls; within the gift shop you can buy a T-shirt that proclaims you survived the 604 step climb up to the top. On a hot summer day, "survive" is the right word. A spectacular view rewards those who make the climb.

For more information visit here or call 706-265-4703.

Park 75

This post has been moved:
http://getawaysforgrownups.com/hotel-restaurants/

Sun Dial Restaurant Bar & View

This post has been moved:
http://getawaysforgrownups.com/hotel-restaurants/

Stone Mountain Laser Show

We've lived in Atlanta for 11 years and have heard about the laser light show at Stone Mountain Park, but went for the first time last night. (A visiting 13-year-old proved to be the perfect excuse/motivator.)

Stone Mountain Park is home to the world's largest piece of exposed granite. The granite is carved with a scene memorializing Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee and Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The carved surface measures three acres, so it's larger than a football field. The carving towers 400 feet above the ground, measures 90 by 190 feet, and is recessed 42 feet into the mountain. During the laser show, the carving is the canvas upon which the lights dance.

Haven't been? Here's the gist: You sit on the ground in the dark surrounded by a bunch of people that you don't know (the majority of whom are young children, happy to be up late) and face the big piece of granite. Music plays, lights dance around and sometimes fireworks go off. When a whole bunch of fireworks go off at once, that's the show's big finish.

The show lasts about 40 minutes. Here's what you may want to bring along with you: blanket to sit on, bug spray, flashlight, water. Quite frankly, I'm not sure if they'll allow you to bring bourbon into the park, so you may want to plan ahead and have a few cocktails before attending this thing to maximize your enjoyment of it. (And then let a teetotaler or a 16- to 20-year-old drive.)

During last night's show a little girl a few yards in front of me was inspired to leap up and dance during several songs. That was cute.

Personally, I would have enjoyed the laser lights themselves a bit more if they were abstract. Too often they were rudimentary cartoon depictions of some designer's idea of the theme of the song being played. Most often the songs and images were patriotic. It made me wonder if I'd stepped into some Fourth of July timewarp.

Shannon's take: "I wasn't expecting the 'Southern pride' part of it."

It's either your thing or it's not. But for novelty sake alone it's worth seeing at least once.

For more information visit here.

Photo courtesy of Stone Mountain Park.

Historic Banning Mills

Historic Banning Mills in Whitesburg, Georgia is home to the longest and highest zip-line canopy tour in the northern hemisphere.

The first time I went zip-lining, I was only willing to try it because I'd seen people--who were older, fatter and less coordinated than me--do it on The Amazing Race. I wasn't 100% sure that I would like it, but as it turned out I loved it and couldn't wait to do it again. (Read the article that I wrote about that first experience for Sunday Paper here.)


Months later, I was able to zip-line on a new course in Barbados (it's always a good idea to vacation in Barbados, folks!). It was fun and I did see a green monkey during that treetop tour, but to be brutally frank that course was oh-so-boring compared to what I'd experienced in Georgia. The Barbados course would be perfect for beginners or first-timers; it was comprised of relatively short zip-line runs and the guides did most everything for you. But I was no beginner: I'd already experienced one of the biggest/highest courses in the world!

Historic Banning Mills' treetop canopy tour is made up of a network of 8 zip-lines, 20 platforms and 19 wood and cable suspension bridges. Some points are as high as 30 feet above the ground--that's where stepping off is “like jumping out of a skyscraper,” says Mike Holder, who co-founded and operates Historic Banning Mills with his wife Donna. A new zip-line dubbed "Screaming Eagle" is 2,400 feet long and you can reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour while zipping hundreds of feet above the ground. It's heart-pounding fun!

The first zip-line is the scariest, but remember: it's safety certified--quite frankly, some elevators in old buildings are probably more dangerous.

The most challenging part of the course is crossing a wobbly cable bridge over the Snake River Gorge. The bridges aren't as much fun as the zip-lines, but they give you something to do in between zips and offer more of a physical and mental challenge.

The first time I completed the course, I'd gone to Historic Banning Mills on my own. Yesterday for my second visit I brought along my husband and 13-year-old "niece" Shannon. They both loved it. I'll be writing about our experience for Columbia County Magazine and Where Georgia magazine. As a travel writer, I'm thrilled to have this treetop canopy tour in my home state--it's great fun to write about and even more fun to do! How great that it's just an hour outside of Atlanta!

The main attraction in my opinion is the zip-line course, but there is much to see and do at Historic Banning Mills, including hiking, watching a 'birds of prey' show, touring a museum, and horseback riding. You can even stay overnight in the Country Inn and dine at the on-site restaurant (which is for overnight guests only).

For more information visit Historic Banning Mills or call 866-447-8688.