Tucked away in the far Northwest corner of Georgia, near the
Alabama state line, near the Tennessee state line and about as near to heaven
as possible for a lover of fall colors in the South, sits Cloudland Canyon
State Park.
There’s nothing near Cloudland, and it takes planning and time to visit. And that’s perfectly OK for nature lovers who dislike hordes of visitors posing for ridiculous selfies instead of pointing their cameras at the spectacular scenery surrounding them.
Two hours North of Atlanta, 40 minutes South of Chattanooga
and tucked between the converging routes of I-75 North and I-59 North, signs of
creeping civilization surround Cloudland, but there’s nothing near Cloudland.
And that’s perfectly OK for those who love nature, appreciate natural beauty
and dislike hordes of visitors posing for ridiculous selfies instead of
pointing their cameras at the spectacular scenery surrounding them.
The fact that it takes some forethought, planning and time
to visit makes Cloudland all-the-more-special. Unlike Stone Mountain, Kennesaw
Mountain or Red Top Mountain parks which are in easy reach of metro Atlanta and
thus always crowded with day users, Cloudland retains a remote and rural vibe.
Yes, the trails and campsites are busier on weekends – and even more so on fall
weekends – but it’s not the same as bumping into the stranger in front of you
at Stone Mountain when that person makes a sudden trail stop.
We visited on a crisp, clear fall weekday in early November, planning to spend the better portion of a day in short hikes. We were overwhelmed by the beauty and constantly stopping for the next great pictures along the almost-deserted trails.
We chose a crisp, clear fall day in early November for our
second visit to Cloudland. This was the first time we actually had enough time
to explore. Our first visit was a quick
stop on the way back home from Chattanooga when we miscalculated both our
travel times and the bathroom needs of our passengers. Instead of taking a scenic
route and enjoying a short walk along the canyon rim on the long way home, we
drove through the park, saw little, paused briefly, and jumped back in the car.
This time, we planned to spend the better portion of the day, and that wasn’t enough time either as we were overwhelmed by the beauty of the changing leaves and constantly stopping for the next great pictures. Our priority for the trip was to visit the rain-rejuvenated waterfalls set amidst changing fall leaves. After a quick pit stop in the visitor’s center, we headed down into the canyon – meaning those infamous Georgia State Park stairs would extract their revenge on my knees on our ascension to the canyon rim starting point.
Descending into and through the surrounding colorful canopy filled my eyes with glimpses of gold, yellow and red that I virtually was required to stop at red.
Often, when hiking with a goal in mind, I’m so focused on
the destination that I miss the surrounding wonder. That was impossible at
Cloudland. While the occasional imbalance caused by vertigo forced me to look
down at the steps and the muddy, rooted, rocky trail, descending into and
through the surrounding colorful canopy filled my eyes with glimpses of gold,
yellow and red that I virtually was required to stop at red. At every turn in
the trail, each platform on the stairway, or around the next boulder, nature’s
kaleidoscope presented an ever-changing array of leaf colors highlighted
against the natural white and grey walls of the canyon.
Hemlock Falls sits amidst colorful falling leaves near the canyon floor at Cloudland, requiring a longer walk than Cherokee Falls.
Nearing the canyon floor, we chose the trail’s North fork,
heading first to Hemlock Falls and then a bit further on the Sitton Gulch
Trail. Thanks to recent rains, a strong flow poured a broad stream of water
over Hemlock Falls, then flowing downstream over several smaller cascades and
falls into Sitton Gulch. Just past the falls, a high bridge provided a great
overlook into the gulch and the smaller falls.
When you visit Hemlock Falls, keep going down the Sitton Gulch Trail for more great scenery and several smaller falls.
After a few minutes and many photos at each of the falls and
overlooks, we turned back up the canyon trail, then down the shorter fork to
visit Cherokee Falls. Here, we had the deserted falls to ourselves, and we took
the opportunity to view and photograph from different vantage points while
listening to the water plunging into the pond as the falls’ base. A nosy beagle
arrived to sniff our legs, a sure sign that inconsiderate pet owners were
approaching, empty leash in hand and in violation of park regulations, perhaps
assuming everyone would love their dog or that basic rules of human behavior
didn’t apply to them.
With that nudge, we began the second half of the ascent –
already having climbed nearly 250 feet back up trails and Georgia State Park
stairs from the base of Hemlock Falls and Sitton Gulch to reach Cherokee
Falls. Another 250 feet of switchback
trails returned us to the canyon rim and the spectacular overlook viewpoint.
With a nudge from a nosy, free-range beagle, we began the second half of the ascent, taxing my aching knees. My Garmin Vivoactive HR recorded our hike at 2.54 miles and 577 feet of elevation gain.
For the record, the official park brochure lists the
waterfalls trail as a strenuous 1.8-mile roundtrip with 600 stairsteps one-way.
My Garmin Vivoactive HR recorded our hike at 2.54 miles, which included the
extra distance into Sitton Gulch, and 577 feet of elevation gain. My heartrate
averaged 91 bpm during our 90-minute hike, with two peaks at ~120 bpm and a
maximum spike to 132 bpm when climbing the main stair sections. I’ll be sure to
send a thank you note to exercise bike 59 at the Dennis Kemp YMCA in Acworth
for preparing me well for the uphill hike.
If you’re traveling with less-mobile companions or young
children, it’s possible to enjoy some of Cloudland’s natural wonder without too
much wandering. Overlook views can be
enjoyed with very little effort. From the main parking lot, it’s less than 100
yards of flat-but-bumpy walking to the canyon’s edge and an expansive view. From
there, you can follow signs and reach the main overlook, again bumpy with a
little elevation change, but less than ¼ mile away.
If you’re traveling with less-mobile companions or children, it’s possible to enjoy some of Cloudland’s natural wonder without too much wandering. From the main parking lot, it’s approximately 100 yards to the canyon rim and this expansive view.
For the more adventuresome, Cloudland offers several longer
trails. The 5-mile West Rim Trail is a
lollipop-style, moderately strenuous route, once rated as one of the Top 10
hikes in the US by Backpacker Magazine. It’s on our agenda for a winter visit.
The Backcountry Loop, Sitton’s Gulch and Bear Creek Trails are more remote and
rugged, and best done in a pair or a group. If that’s not challenging enough,
new areas along the 14-mile one-way Cloudland Connector Trail offer multi-use
options that include hiking, trail running, single-track mountain biking and
horseback riding.
Beyond Hemlock Falls, the trail descends into Sitton’s Gulch, offering more remote and rugged adventures just beyond this overlook.
My wife has taken yurt camping off our couple’s agenda, but
says I’m welcomed to take the grandsons if their mom and dad agree. We might be
tempted to rent one of the 16 spacious cottages for a long weekend with some of
the kids and grandkids, too. Or, once our youngest is college bound, we’re
thinking a 7-to-10-day, multi-location Georgia State Park cottage and hiking
trip is a must-do late-fall activity.
My wife has taken yurt camping off our couple’s agenda, but says I’m welcomed to take the grandsons if their mom and dad agree.
More Hiking Adventures
If you enjoy hiking, exploring parks and waterfalls, here are a few more of our adventures you might like:
Short Hikes to Tall Waterfalls. Some of our favorite Georgia State Park waterfalls and hiking, good for all ages and abilities. We’ve updated this post several times.
Walks in the Woods at Red Top. This state park is just far enough outside the Atlanta perimeter that it’s not as busy as those closer in. We enjoy year-round hiking here, though summer breezes off the lake make it perfect for warmer months.
Check Out KEMO’s Backside. Most visitors to Kennesaw Mountain take the paved road or front-face trail to the peak. We enjoy the longer circle trail.
Cooper’s Furnace and Allatoona Dam. Closed in the late fall and winter, this short walk in the woods features Civil War history and a great view of a hydropower dam.
Idyllic Weekend in Clayton. We enjoyed a fabulous state at the Beechwood Inn, and great hiking at Blackrock State Park.
I’m sending a thank you note to exercise bike 59 at the Dennis Kemp YMCA in Acworth for preparing me for the uphill hike and helping to maintain good heart rate readings throughout the strenuous, 577-foot ascent.
In the heat of the summer, we were ready to escape the heat with a trip to the lake. But the complicated task of loading three kids, three adults and three kayaks into a minivan was dampening our enthusiasm during a bright, sunny summer week.
So instead, we made a quick phone call, packed a cooler and beach bag, then enjoyed carefree rental of a pontoon boat to explore nearby Lake Allatoona.
What Floats Our Boat
Aside from occasional vacation outings, we had not enjoyed a real family boat outing in many years. So, we called ahead, scheduled a rental, then loaded the minivan with a cooler, fishing and swimming gear, and plenty of snacks for a day on Lake Allatoona.
Growing up in Louisiana, boating was a fun activity, especially since youngsters never have to understand the cost of owning a boat. During our Flori-days near Tampa, we shared boat ownership with a friend. We often sojourned on Sunday morning cruises for brunch and dolphin explorations through the rivers, sounds and Gulf. We loved it, but the adult realities of boat maintenance, storage, and insurance — plus $5 per gallon marina gasoline required to feed a 15-year-old thirsty engine – made that a short-lived experience. Thus, aside from the occasional vacation tour, we had not enjoyed a family boat outing in more than 10 years.
Calling ahead we arranged a rental quickly and easily with the folks at nearby Glade Marina in Acworth. The next morning, we hopped into the minivan and were happily pulling away from the dock within 30 minutes.
Pontoon boats are perfect for casual lake cruising, and you’ll see lots of them at Lake Allatoona. Passing this one, we were happy that our rental included an open deck, swimming ladder and a top to shade us from the summer sun.
Since sightseeing and swimming were on our agenda, we chose a pontoon boat. It featured an open deck, swimming ladder and a Bimini top to shade us from the summer sun. The slower cruising speed fit our needs perfectly.
Towering Peaks, Hidden Depths
We casually navigated a northerly course. We passed Allatoona Battlefield Park, skirting the southern shores of Red Top Mountain State Park, where the Iron Hill trail hides behind the tree line. Gliding under Bethany Bridge, we cut the engine to observe ospreys nesting in the steel girders.
Bethany Bridge (top) at Red Top Mountain State Park often is spotted in Georgia-filmed movies, like The Accountant, featuring Ben Affleck. Gliding under the bridge, we slowed to watch a pair of ospreys which had build a huge next among the steel girders.
To our left, Vinyard Mountain reached skyward to its 1,300-ft summit. Just beyond, Pine Mountain towered to 1,500 feet. In between, the exposed portion of the Allatoona Dam peaked out of the water. It appears smallish from this perspective while blocking the deep natural valley of the once free-flowing Etowah River. From the boat, we enjoyed the sounds of birds, knowing that the dam’s huge turbines were spinning furiously while releasing water into the Etowah beyond.
We continued north past the Allatoona Dam, wedged between Vineyard and Pine Mountains and sealing off the natural channel of the Etowah River. Approximately 30 feet of the dam extends above the lake surface (top photo.) However, some 150 feet below, the dam’s huge turbines spin furiously while releasing water into the Etowah River on the other side.
Just beyond the dam, the original riverbed and today’s lake loops right, around Red Top Mountain State Park toward the east. We stayed left, motoring past Cooper’s Branch boat launch. Passing through a few small islands, we steered to a quiet dead-end cove. Small red-clay shorelines sloped gently to the lake, with no fallen trees or visible stumps. We tossed anchor, pulled out fishing lines for the kids, and let them try their luck at lack angling. After about 15 minutes of casting, crossed lines and no bites, they were ready for the next adventure.
Fun On and In the Water
Next, it was time for some swimming, and the pontoon boat proved the perfect choice here. The ladder at the aft made it easy to climb into the boat from the water. The wide decks were ideal for jumping and diving from virtually any spot. That made cannonball bombing of other swimmers extra easy (said the grandfather who annoyed his grandchildren this way!).
Tossing anchor in a small cover where red clay sloped gently to the water’s edge, we enjoyed a swim in the lake’s cool water. The pontoon boat’s wide decks were ideal for jumping, and the aft ladder made it easy to climb back in.
Afterwards, we all climbed back aboard, sought out another shaded cove, and enjoyed a picnic-style lunch on the open deck. All around, we watched birds ride invisible air currents steered by the small valleys on the surrounding hills. A few fish jumped nearby, while turtles sunned themselves on logs protruding from the water. Thankfully, those same gentle breezes that lifted the birds also chased away the swarming and biting bugs. All in all, summer days don’t get any better than this.
Lunch and desserts completed, the littles were ready to plunge back into the water for more floating. We asked them to wait a few minutes, giving us time to head back toward our embarkation point at a higher speed than our outbound trip. Just off the banks of Allatoona Battlefield Park, we turned into another deserted cove for a final short swim.
With energy and time depleted, we cruised back into the docks by our appointed time. The helpful team at Glade assisted us in unloading passengers and gear, and made check-in and payment fast and easy. Within 10 minutes, we were all back in the minivan, heading home without any hassles.
Thoughts on Boat Rental
We rented a boat in the summer, but boating is fun in the warm spring and fall, too. A boat ride through Lake Allatoona is an ideal way to observe the changing leaves along the surrounding hills and shores.
Here are some final thoughts on boating:
Where to Rent. Several rental outlets operate in the marinas at Lake Allatoona. We found pricing to be similar, though boat selection can differ. Our top tip: select your rental location based on your own convenience and destination.
Schedule in Advance. Renting during midweek was easy for us as boats were available any day we chose. But that’s not always the case, so call and reserve ahead. When you do, be sure to check the cancellation policy, especially as it pertains to bad weather.
Choose Your Boat Thoughtfully. The pontoon boat was a great choice for our summer outing. But, as we consider a fall excursion to experience changing leaves from the lake view, we’ll likely select a different type.
Pack for Your Purpose. Although life preservers are provided with the rental, we brought our own, for fit and swimming. Regardless of season, bring lots of water, sunscreen and bug spray.
Rent, Club or Own? If you want to use a boat more frequently, several “boat clubs” operate at Lake Allatoona. With these, you pay a monthly fee for priority access to a boat at no or reduced cost versus retail rental rates. Of course, you can buy. But know from experience that a boat is a hole in the water into which you throw money.
A crumbling chimney marks the location of a former homestead at Red Top Mountain State Park. We enjoyed our winding walks in the woods and along the banks of Lake Allatoona here.
Pine Mountain towers over Lake Allatoona, with a 1,500-foot summit and panoramic views of the surrounding area. Our blog gives you all the details of what is visible from the top of Pine Mountain.
The day use area at Cooper’s Furnace is idea for walking in the woods, viewing the backside of Allatoona Dam, watching wildlife along the Etowah River, and exploring the remains of an antebellum steel mill.
Enjoy scenes from a few of our favorite international city markets — so far!
Not our first, but St. Josep La Boqueria on La Rambla in Barcelona was the defining experience in our yearning to visit European markets in our travels.
Unusual food choices are among the delights of European city markets, a reminder that there’s a use and market for almost everything for every taste.
Enjoying a local version of Catalan stew in London’s Borough Market provided a warming respite from a cool, rainy day. London’s Leadenhall Market features apparel and accessory shops among restaurants and bars. Dating back to the 14th Century, it’s located at the former center of Roman London. With more retail, Leadenhall is only open on weekdays.Mercato del Porcellino in Florence mixes local foods with a wide variety of other goods in small stalls and shops. This one is more busy and crowded than other we visited, leaving us uncomfortable at times. Still, we rubbed the snout of Il Porcellino to ensure our return to Florence.The Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, houses a plethora of jewelry and other stalls. This bridge has been standing since 1345, and was the only bridge across the Arno River not destroyed in World War II.While Torvehallerne is technically the city market, Nyhaven in Copenhagen once was the center for all things from the sea. We enjoyed dining out on the local seafood and taking in the sights on the sunny Northside of the canal.We found this day market near the city marina in Helsinki, and wandered through with the locals.Enjoying some of the local delicacies in Helsinki, we sampled a plate of salmon with whole-fried white fish.On a pre-cruise Saturday morning, we took the subway to Marche Jean-Talon in Montreal.At Marche Jean-Talon in Montreal, of course we had local poutine.
After years of passing Smith-Gilbert Gardens on my way to work, we finally turned off Pine Mountain Road in Kennesaw for a visit. And we’re glad we did because we enjoyed exploring the compact garden. Plus we picked up some great additional benefits by purchasing a family membership.
For the unfamiliar, Smith-Gilbert Gardens is a compact, 16-acre botanical garden. It features more than 3,000 plant species, award-winning rose and conifer sections, an incredible collection of bonsai trees and a seasonal butterfly exhibit that delights all ages. The gardens started as a private project of Mr. Richard Smith and Dr. Robert Gilbert. The pair purchased the 150-year-old Hiram Butler house and surrounding property in 1970 and began the diverse botanical transformation.
Tucked away on Pine Mountain Road in Kennesaw, GA, the Smith-Gilbert Gardens was established in 1970 as a private venture. Mr. Richard Smith and Dr. Robert Gilbert purchased the 150-year-old Hiram House and began the diverse botanical transformation.
Well-marked trails and plants guide visitors through the various garden sections. Favorite stops include 30 permanent sculpture exhibits beautifully set into the surrounding landscape. Unfortunately, COVID pandemic cancelled group tours, but hopefully these volunteer-led excursions will begin again in 2021.
Tiny Trees
We started our visit in the bonsai garden, admiring the locally grown and lovingly manicured exhibit of these tiny trees. From individual plantings to tiny forest replicas, the beauty and tranquility captivated our eyes and camera lens.
The nationally-recognized bonsai garden features individual plantings and forest replicas, locally grown and lovingly manicured.
Since the butterfly garden was not open yet for our late-Spring visit, we moved on to the walking trails, to the delight of our active grandkids. We started in the perennial garden, meandered through the blooming rose garden, then crossed the expansive meadow before proceeding to the woodland walk trails. Coaching them to stay on marked trails, they acted as advanced lookouts to find sculpture exhibits which dot the gardens. That little game kept them well entertained, as they located and reported their findings excitedly. Meanwhile, we took extra time to stop and figuratively smell the roses and other blooming plants.
Sculptures dot the gardens, set into the landscapes. We coached our grandsons to stay on the trails, but to go ahead and scout for these. Meanwhile, we stopped to smell the roses and other plants.
Fragrant Blooms
Since the butterfly garden was not open yet for our late-Spring visit, we wandered in the perennial garden, meandered through the blooming rose garden, then crossed the expansive meadow before proceeding to the woodland walk trails. All along the way, the late-Spring blooms surrounded us.
After 30 minutes of leisurely walking through fragrant blooms, we crossed into the camellia gardens. Shortly, the grandkids found the seating in the covered viewing area. They enjoyed a short break and earned a special treat from Gigi after all that walking! Snacks quickly devoured, they jumped into action again when we hinted that we might find a hidden waterfall and colorful koi in the nearby crevice garden.
The grandkids found the covered seating area, enjoyed Gigi’s special treats, then were off again in search of a waterfall and koi in the nearby crevice garden.
Before walking back to the car, we challenged them to put on a one-person play about their favorite animals or plants on the stage at the Little Theatre in the Woods. The boys were intrigued but unsure, so grandpa went first. Suddenly, they couldn’t wait to share their stories on stage. After two acts from each, it was time for the final curtain and a family exit, stage left.
We challenged the grandsons to stage a one-person play about their favorite animals. They were unsure, so grandpa went first. Then, they couldn’t wait to share. After two acts each, we all exited, stage left.
Summer Treat: Butterfly Garden
Since we were too early on our first visit, we’re planning a July return visit to Smith-Gilbert to experience the Butterfly Garden. This seasonal treat features pollinator plants and lots of beautiful butterflies native to or migrating through Georgia. Our grandkids love finding and trying to identify the colorful insects, while we always try to capture their spread-winged photos while they do nature’s work on the blooming plants.
Road Trip Benefits
We purchased a family membership to Smith-Gilbert to make return visits and bring along others to experience this hidden treasure. The following week, we packed our Smith-Gilbert membership card for a 4,700-mille road trip through the Rocky Mountains, the desert Southwest, Texas and the Deep South. That’s because a Smith-Gilbert membership includes reciprocal benefits through the American Horticultural Society’s admission program. Thus, we added several free garden visits at some of our stops, including:
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail, CO.
Located in Vail at 8,200 feet above sea level, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is the highest elevation botanical garden in North America. It features diverse alpine plants from around the world, uniquely adapted to grow in the harsh, cold, rocky and thin-atmosphere environment.
Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, AZ.
Virtually every US desert cactus variety grows within the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ. We were fortunate to find the cactus in bloom in early June. Then, we caught a hummingbird in mid flight — right in front of the informational sign about hummingbirds! We played the lottery that day, but didn’t get a third winner.
San Antonio Botanical Gardens, San Antonio, TX.
San Antonio’s Botanical Garden featured plants typical for its arid geography, and housed tropical plants in geometric-shaped glass greenhouses. The garden was also featuring tributes to famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, including the Botanical Frida exhibit set for a world tour soon.
Other Garden Visits
If you enjoyed the photos and content from this blog, check out our features from other garden visits:
We walked under 200-year-old oak trees to enter the Henry Leu gardens. Visitors also can enjoy small lunches on the visitor center deck under the trees.
We enjoy theme parks but not marathon tests of endurance attempting to extract every penny of value out of high admission prices.
In our family, summertime always meant a visit to theme parks. And way back in the days when we only had three television networks, the family would travel to a nearby park where we tween-agers and teenagers were allowed to roam freely, binge ride roller coasters and consume mass quantities of park foods as long as we turned up at the assigned meeting points every few hours.
Many summers, adulthood, recurring vertigo and near-senior status have turned those simpler times to distant memories. Still, we enjoy occasional trips to theme parks as long as they don’t turn into marathon tests of endurance in a determined effort to extract every penny of attraction value out of high admission prices.
Riverview Carousel was rescued from a closed Chicago theme park, restored and relocated to Six Flags. A plaque near the entrance provides historical details.
These days, our park of choice is Six Flags Over Georgia, a 30-minute drive from our home and convenient when we need a sure-fire fun day for our 13-year old and his friends of choice. We’re also regular visitors at the Christmas holidays, enjoying the seasonal lights, Santa visits, and smaller crowds with our two local grandsons.
If you’re a grandparent visiting Six Flags during the Georgia summer, we’re assuming it’s because you have younger grandchildren along. Teenagers are too cool and hyped-up to be slowed by us old folks, and by that, I mean anyone over 25! Plus, parents of teenagers should know better than asking grandparents to chaperone the raging-hormone crowd.
Regardless of why you’re here, you need a strategy – one that keeps the fun and your patience level higher and your internal temperature and blood pressure lower. With those seemingly mutually-exclusive objectives in mind, we offer the following suggestions for how to enjoy Six Flags over Georgia.
Sky Buckets. We’re putting these first because you should ride them early. You can tell the family it’s to help them get a feel for the park layout. But the real reason is this attraction closes at the first sign of thunderstorms and remains closed long after. Unlike the towering, looping coasters, the Sky Bucketswon’t be confused for an aerial daredevil experience. These slow-moving gondolas cross the park, providing a good view, gentle breeze and some relief from the closeness of the summertime crowds.
Kiddie Rides. OK, so this is obvious. If you have little ones in tow, consider this your home base. Six Flags over Georgia offers two connected areas dedicated to the young crowd. Bugs Bunny Boom Town is the original kiddie land area, featuring seven rides perfect for the four-foot-and-under crowd. The newer DC Super Friends area adds four more superhero themed rides. For grandparents and parents, the only down side to the dedicated kiddie area is a lack of seating and shade. Well, that and the connector between the two is a black hole with an intense gravitational pull – the kiddie arcade area.
The cartoon-themed Boom Town features seven rides perfect for the four-foot-and-under crowd.
Riverview Carousel and Rocking Chairs. Every older adults ultimate resting ride, the Riverview Carousel is located on a shaded hilltop above the rest of the park. And it’s surrounded by classic rocking chairs, a perfect place of refuge from the hot, humid Georgia days. So you have two options: hop on and enjoy the ride, or grab a seat in the shade and watch the world and the little ones whirl by. While the Chattahoochee River flows nearby, this ride takes its name from Chicago’s Riverview Park, from whence the carousel was rescued following that park’s demise in 1967. The ride originally opened in 1908, and features intricate hand-carved horses and seats. If you want to enjoy the shade a little longer, walk over to the historical plaque while your family is in line. Then, when they’re done, regale them for a few extra minutes with grandparent-style trivial knowledge about the history of the hand-carved horses and seats. But if you do that, be certain you’re standing near one of the horses, and not the near-pornographic bench carving where a cherub looks surprised to see a half-naked woman wrapped in a tight embracing kiss with a bearded man. That just might be more that you bargained for!
The carousel is surrounded by old-fashioned rocking chairs, the perfect waiting place if this is a rendezvous point for your troops.
Hanson Cars. You passed these on the way up the hill to the carousel. Now that you’re on the downhill slope, coast into this line. One of the original park rides from 1967, these antique cars roar around on a rail track at speeds up to 7 mph. Lines are often long as you’re not the only grandparent or parent who loves this ride. When you’re done with the cars, you’ll find two other run-of-the-mill attractions that will provide some additional shade time for you and distraction for the younger ones: Rockin’ Tugs and Up, Up and Away.
Six Flags Train. The train whistle is like the siren song of the Iliad for our grandsons – once they hear the beautiful sound, they ignore all else in a hypnotic trance. But once you’ve been in the park for a while, the whistle loses its magical qualities and so you will need to remind your younger charges about it to restore the mystical appeal. The Six Flags train is a 1.3-mile round trip to grandparent heaven, and you can enjoy it for an eternity as there’s no requirement to exit at any point (except during the Holiday Season, when the train ride is one-way to Santa Town!) You’re seated. Movement creates a gentle breeze. And sound of the wheels coupled with the rocking motion are perfect for inducing naps among tired and weary riders. Admit it, you’re secretly hoping the kids fall asleep. I’m just thankful my family members woke me up instead of abandoning me there.
The train whistle is like the siren song of the Iliad for kids. During the Holiday Season, it’s a one-way trip to Santa Town.
Monster Mansion. Walt Disney launched a sea of floating theme rides when he introduced “It’s a Small World” at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. At Monster Mansion, you swap out cute singing dolls for furry monsters and lose the mind-numbing song that sticks in your head. Yes, the ride features 107 imaginative ghoulish residents creeping, crawling and flying around with the intent to entertain and spook. But I’ll state the obvious: the real attraction for grandparents is the air-conditioning.
JB’s Sports Bar and Grill. This is an adult refuge among the hustle and bustle of theme park madness, featuring appetizers, burgers, wings, lots of televisions and (YES!) cold beer. Most people line-up to place their orders at the main entrance, but we usually walk around to the side entrance, grab a picnic table and place a food and beverage order at the bar. There’s always sports on the myriad of TVs, and any channel featuring SEC football is the preferred fare in the fall.
JB’s is an adult refuge away from the hustle and bustle of Six Flags crowds — unless you visit during an SEC football Saturday.
What About Coasters?
Love ‘em but I can no longer tolerate any that include corkscrews or multiple loops. Six Flags offers a plethora of thrill ride and coaster choices, including a kiddie coaster, a log flume, and the gentle Dahlonega Mine Train suitable for your wee ones. New in 2018 is the Twisted Cyclone, a hybrid coaster that incorporates steel-track thrills into the tight quarters of a wooden coaster structure. An initial 10-story drop creates some impressive speeds, while the spinning turns generate a weightless feeling and some impressive screaming.
The looping Batman ride remains a crowd favorite. It’s one of many towering and twisting coasters at Six Flags over Georgia.
If you explain the history of the carvings, stand near a horse. You’ll want to avoid the near-pornographic bench carving where a cherub looks surprised to see a half-naked woman wrapped in a tight embracing kiss with a bearded man who resembles Jesus.
Within a long week in 2021, Americans will commemorate both Memorial Day and D-Day, the Allied invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944. With that in mind, we’ve updated our visit to the World War 2 and Holocaust Museum at Kennesaw State. Tucked away in an abandoned outlet mall along I-75, this little historic gem is easy to miss. For those who appreciate history and are open to learning its vital lessons, spending a few hours in the solemn and somber exhibits will remind you just how important and precious our freedoms are.
Remembering D-Day
On D-Day, some 156,000 American, Canadian and British forces fought their way ashore on the beaches of Northern France in the face of fierce enemy fire from fortified positions. By June 11, the largest amphibious invasion in history was completed, with more than 326,000 men, 50,000+ vehicles and more than 100,000 tons of supplies landed in France.
The war would rage on for another year. As it drew to an end, Allied soldiers found and freed hundreds of thousands of imprisoned Jewish survivors of the German concentration and extermination camps. The world was horrified to learn of these captives and their condition. But the worst was yet to come as the truth emerged about Adolph Hitler’s “Final Solution,” the scale of the evil extermination operations and the murder of more than 6 million people.
It was exactly 72 years later – June 6, 2016 – when I discovered by accident the Museum of History and Holocaust Education in an abandoned outlet mall just off I-75 in Kennesaw. Kennesaw State University owns the former mall, now home to the College of Continuing and Professional Education. And while I was attending a corporate-sponsored program on the D-Day anniversary, I found this hidden history treasure. Since then, I’ve made several return trips and discovered new exhibits and details with each return.
The Holocaust Exhibits and Georgia Journeys comprise the largest portion of the Museum of History and Holocaust Education at Kennesaw State University
The Holocaust Exhibits
The main museum is built inside a simulated concrete block vault, which from outside and in creates the feeling of a prison. Without a doubt, the most powerful sections of the museum are those dedicated to the Holocaust story. Your introduction is a butterfly display at the entrance, accompanied by creations of local schoolchildren who participated in museum programs. Along a wall sits a solitary bench, and behind it an excerpt from Pavel Friedman’s poem, The Butterfly, which he wrote in 1942 while captive in the Terezin Ghetto when he was 21. He was dead at the age of 23 at Auschwitz, and the poem was found after the end of the war in his belongings.
Immediately following is the main exhibit, named Parallel Journeys. In literal side-by-side displays, stories of individuals on both sides of the tragedy are portrayed with personal details. Anne Frank’s well-known personal story is among those included, along with other Jewish victims. Hauntingly and unexpectedly, Parallel Journeys also documents how regular people were pulled or seduced to become engaged in Hitler’s scheme. There’s Stella Goldschlag, a Jewish woman who became a “catcher” and betrayed her community to the Germans – until she herself is turned in by another like her. And Irma Grese, a young German woman indoctrinated into the beliefs of the SS who became a prison guard at Auschwitz, and at age 19 was put in charge of more than 18,000 women prisoners at Bergen-Belson concentration camp. Her reputation for cruelty earned her the name, “Bitch of Belson,” then she herself was executed following a trial after the war.
In literal side-by-side displays, stories of victim and perpetrators are portrayed with personal details.
The Museum of History and Holocaust Education both conveys the Holocaust horrors and connects visitors to real people who lived and died during this time.
I find it impossible to convey here in mere words the experience of reading these stories, or the sorrow I felt for the victims. I’ve visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, and while it’s a deeper and broader experience, the Museum of History and Holocaust Education both conveys the Holocaust horrors and connects visitors to real people who lived and died during this time.
Georgia Journeys
In displays and multimedia, Georgia Journeys tracks the lives and stories of a dozen people with ties to Georgia whose experiences reached throughout the world
This exhibit was developed through an oral history project of the Museum. It tracks the lives and stories of a dozen people with ties to Georgia whose experiences reached throughout the world. The stories of soldiers, a Tuskegee airman, a “Rosie-the-Riveter” Savannah factory worker, a Hebrew teacher, a code breaker and others are told in multimedia form, bringing to life the stories of how ordinary people contributed to the war effort in extraordinary ways. Beyond the physical display in Kennesaw, the museum has archived and made available online some of the original interviews.
Other Exhibits
The exhibits on propaganda and democracy offer teaching moments and discussion ideas meaningful in today’s battles about “fake news.”
Outside the main museum, several other exhibits highlight Georgia’s role in World War II, local heroes, the Tuskegee Airmen and more. The exhibit on the Power of Propaganda is a stark reminder of how demagoguery, nationalism, government power and misinformation can be combined to mislead nations with disastrous consequences. It has particular relevance in today’s highly-charged political world where opposing viewpoints and investigative reporting are often discarded as “fake news,” and individuals look only at the information or sources that conform to or reinforce their own views.
In addition to Georgia Journeys, another section entitled “V for Victory” provides details about the state’s contributions and roles in World War 2.
For native Georgians or those curious about the impact of war on the region, a section entitled “V for Victory” includes great information on Georgia factories, facilities and other contributions. The Marietta Bell plant, which produced the B-29 bomber, several Georgia training bases and POW locations, plus the Savannah and Brunswick shipyards all get detailed attention for their roles before, during and after the war.
Programs and Events
The museum and its extended supporter community offer a variety of programs at the site. Traveling suitcases are loaned to schools for education programs, home-schooling programs are hosted onsite, and a variety of education and lecture series are conducted periodically. A recent program featured a Jimmy Doi, a Japanese-American included in the Georgia Journey’s section. Doi recounted his personal story of captivity in America’s internment camps, then joining the US military and serving his country in Europe. You can “Like” and follow the museum on Facebook to get these regular updates.
When and How to Visit
The museum is open Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm. As part of Kennesaw State University, it observes the University’s holiday schedule, so you may want to check before you visit. Admission is free, and donations are always greatly appreciated to support the museum’s mission. Individual visits are self-guided. The museum offersdocent-led tours for groups of 20 or more, and for schools.
The museum is located in an abandoned outlet mall, now the home of KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Education
The museum is located near the intersection of I-75 and Chastain Road, behind the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. The address for your GPS:
Museum of History and Holocaust Education, 3333 Busbee Dr NW. Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
(470) 578-2083
Local Day-Trip Pairings
You likely won’t spend an entire day at the museum. If you’re interested in other nearby historical locations, here are a few we’ve visited and recommend:
Gone With the Wind Museum. Located in nearby Marietta, this museum is dedicated to the story and history of the epic film depicting Civil War times.
Pickett’s Mill State Historical Site. Part of the Georgia State Park System, this battle was the last Southern victory of the Georgia campaign. Interestingly, General William T. Sherman omitted mention of it from his memoirs. Ultimately, the families of many Union soldiers were involved in preserving this battlefield.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.We like this as a hiking spot for a great view of Atlanta, the northern Blue Ridge Mountains and more. There’s also a good historical display at the visitor center.
After five years of procrastination, we finally did our waterfall hike at Lula Falls!
Since moving to Georgia and pursuing waterfall hiking as a hobby, we’ve been taunted and tantalized by wonderful pictures from this Georgia geological gem. Located in the Northwest corner of the state, wedged between Cloudland Canyon’s twin falls to the South and Chattanooga’s natural, commercial and Civil War attractions to the North, Lula Falls remained on our “to-do” list, but never seemed to get checked off.
Taunted by wonderful pictures, Lula Lake and Falls remained on our “to-do” list for more than five years. We remember the many reasons we skipped the trek, and now already are eager for a return visit.
Looking back, we remember the many reasons we skipped the trek. Located on private property managed by a land trust, the core preserve is open only on limited weekends. And since advanced reservations are required for the limited admission, we didn’t want to make arrangements far in advance, only to find ourselves with a scheduled visit on a weekend when Georgia’s weather gods were throwing thunderbolts from the sky. Then, we visited other waterfalls throughout North Georgia and Southern Tennessee. And, of course, don’t forget that COVID thing.
When the visit was finally scheduled, it wasn’t our doing. Our daughter and her family also love waterfall hiking, and it was she (encouraged by her husband, boys and dogs!) who finally made the arrangements, got the reservations and put the trip on our schedule. Thus, with arrangements completed, we piled our seven family members and two dogs into the Honda Odyssey for our own waterfall odyssey to this long-awaited destination for our waterfall hike.
Welcome to Lula Falls
Arriving for our 10 am admittance, we were welcomed and assisted by the friendly Lula Falls staff greeting us at the small, uncrowded parking lot. Given the hordes of visitors who have overwhelmed Georgia’s state parks on weekends during this year of COVID, we immediately appreciated the reservation and capacity control system in place at Lula Falls that helps preserve the park’s natural wonder and creates an uncrowded experience in nature.
Our biggest decision of the day now faced us: what route should we follow to the falls? Our hosts and the printed trail map provided to us recommended following the access road trail down for 1.5 miles to Lula Lake, then continuing down another 1/10th mile to the Lula Falls Trail, where we would begin a short descent to the base of the falls.
Our biggest decision: what route to follow on the waterfall hike. We had a solid plan, until we spotted a stream and saw a footbridge leading into the woods.
And that WAS our plan — until we had walked approximately 8/10ths of a mile, spotted a stream to our right and saw a footbridge leading off into the woods. Like dogs distracted by a squirrel, we immediately veered off our planned route for a different adventure.
Unplanned High Adventure
We followed the Ford Trail over the bridge, then intersected with and followed the Middle Trail through the wooded mountainside. Along this route, spring wildflowers bloomed all around. To the great annoyance of my family, I paused for pictures everywhere, collecting a beautiful photographic bouquet.
Ascending the Middle Trail approximately 200 feet in elevation gain, the force was with us. So at the intersection of the Jedi Trail, we had to pause for the obligatory little-boy Star Wars fighting posed.
We gradually ascended approximately 200 feet, pausing briefly for the grandkids to strike a warrior pose at the intersection of the Jedi Trail. From there, we finished the ascent, snapped a few pictures at the bluff overlook and continued along Bluff Trail to the appropriately-named High Adventure Trail. Using helpful ropes on the steepest grade, we dropped back down into the rocky canyon finally reaching the Lula Falls Trail.
Beware that the High Adventure Trail is appropriately named. We gratefully used the helpful ropes to descend the steepest grade.
To the Base of the Falls
Scampering down over more rocks and boulders, we descended approximately 100 feet, emerging near the base of the 160-foot promontory where Rock Creek plunges as Lula Falls into the canyon. Directly in front of us, a small group of 20-somethings spread out on a large rock, enjoying the scenery just beyond the reach of the mist created by the falls. To our left was the falls, and more people taking cautious steps on wet, slippery rocks while attempting the compose the perfect photo. We chose the middle ground, and our son-in-law carefully guided the younger ones out onto larger rocks, while mom and grandmother aided the effort with nervous, instructional yelling.
We joined groups to our left and right, clambering over large rocks to seek a better view of the falls. Thankfully, our son-in-law had the nervous, instructional yelling of mom and grandmother to keep him focused on child safety. 🙂
The Return Journey
After the exploration and yelling were done, we started the steep, stair-aided climb back up 150 feet, then joining the North Creek Trail and gravel road back toward our starting point. We paused at the falls overlook, at Lula Lake, on a bridge and elsewhere – or more specifically, everyone paused while I continued to take photos.
We paused for several scenic photo stops on the return journey. We reached the parking lot after 4.84 miles and recorded elevation gains of 728 feet, according to my trusty Garmin Fenix activity watch.
By the time we returned to the parking lot, we had been gone for 2 hours and 41 minutes, walked 4.84 miles, and recorded 728 feet of elevation gain along the way, according to my trusty Garmin Fenix activity watch.
Our Next-Time Plan
We departed the waterfall hike tired and recognizing that we had left much to be explored on a return trip. Literally high on the list for our return is following the South Creek, Ovenbird and Turkey Trails to hike the length of the Bluff Trail, following the ridgeline along the 1700-foot crest. Hopefully, we won’t wait another five years for that.
Hiking the full length of the Bluff Trail to enjoy the overlook views is high (literally) on our list of trails for our return visit.
Know Before You Go
The Lula Lake Land Trust visit website has all the details you’ll need for a convenient, safe and fun visit. Be sure to go through all the information there to plan your visit.
As mentioned, Lula Falls generally is open to the public on the first and last weekends of each month. Advance reservations can be made online only, with payment due at reservation time. A reservation is good for a parking space for a family vehicle, but NOT for passenger vans, busses or extra-large vehicles. No one is allowed without a reservation — believe this, as we saw the friendly volunteers cheerfully guide several reservationless visitors back to the exit!
Cancellations with refunds are allowed up to 48-hours in advance (which we didn’t know before!). There’s a waiting list available when all reservations are claimed.
Descending to the canyon floor to the falls base requires navigating an uneven and rocky path. Be aware of endurance limits for those with different physical abilities.
The descent into the canyon at the falls base is rocky and can be slippery, so be mindful of your footwear. If you descend to the base (and at 65-years-old, we did it!), a 150-foot stair-aided climb back up is required, so beware of endurance limits for those with different physical abilities. The natural, rock and wood stairs don’t have rails, so those with balance issues may find walking sticks or hiking poles helpful here and elsewhere in the preserve.
To the great annoyance of my family, I stopped to take pictures of many of the native wildflowers. The identification is thanks to friends on some of my favorite waterfall hiking groups.
There are limited picnic areas and primitive restroom facilities available. Aside from those “amenities,” you’ll need to carry anything else you might need, including water, snacks, bug spray and a first aid kit.
After Your Visit
The nearby towns of Fort Oglethorpe and Dalton offer a plethora of fast food, casual dining, lodging and other amenities. We stopped for a well-deserved post-hike treat at Cook-Out, ordering fresh and tasty milkshakes for all. And, you’re minutes away from Chattanooga, so combining Lula Falls into a Chattanooga-based weekend is simple and easy.
Tucked into the far Northwest corner of Georgia, it’s easy to combine a visit to Lula Falls with a weekend in Chattanooga, TN, where you can visit Rock City. Nearby Fort Oglethorpe and Dalton, GA, also provide traveler amenities close by.
For those who’ve seen my online profile, you may know I like long distance bike rides. But when my wife and I go riding together, we take more leisurely and slow-paced journeys, focused on safety, scenery, frequent stops and even some coffee shops, with no need for speed nor any regard for fitness records.
My best biking advice: if you have any doubt, take the easiest and shortest route.
If the second type of leisure, recreation ride is of interest, keep reading. Or if you’re more into challenges and distance, we’ll be adding new posts soon on these topics.
Marietta Leisure Ride
Riding the Mountain to River Trail in Marietta between Brown Park and Tower Road is perfect for the pleasure rider looking for limited physical activity blended with local history and some off-bike time.
Since you reached this sentence, let’s start with our most
leisurely ride, shall we? For this short
ride in Marietta, we’ll focus on a section of the Mountain to River Trail in
Marietta between Brown Park and Tower Road. The ride stays exclusively on a
mostly-flat, dedicated bike and pedestrian trail with overpasses bridging above
busy roads and signal-controlled crossings at other intersections. This is perfect for the pleasure rider
looking for limited physical activity blended with local history and some
off-bike time. People of all ages can make the four-mile round-trip ride on
virtually any type of bike, with no special packing, supplies or gear required.
And, if you prefer a shorter ride, you can make this one shorter by turning
around sooner since it’s out-and-back on a single path.
When open, the small parking lot at Brown Park offers a good starting point, and a scenic view of nearby Kennesaw Mountain. After riding, you can also walk through adjacent Confederate Cemetery. However, both have been closed and locked in 2021.
To get the most exercise and fun, I usually start at Brown Park, where there’s a small parking lot. (NOTE: The parking lot at Brown Park has been closed periodically in 2020. Another option is to park at Lewis Park, then pedal into Marietta from the opposite direction. See this map: ) You’ll join the trail at the new overpass across South Marietta Parkway and then pedal through downtown Marietta on a rail-side brick path. Follow the path through downtown, observing all crossing signs for your own safety. On busy weekends, it may be best to walk your bike through Marietta Station area. Once you cross the overpass bridging North Marietta Parkway, you’ll definitely want to dismount and walk your bike down a narrow connector sidewalk near Brumby Loft apartments. Once down, remount and rejoin the trail as it turns left away from Marietta Parkway and eventually follows Brumby, Sessions and Rosedale Streets to Tower Road. At Tower, turn around and retrace your route back to Brown Park. (If you prefer a longer ride, you can continue. But beware, the trail gets hillier and more difficult as it continues toward Kennesaw Mountain.)
The ride through Marietta crosses railroad tracks twice at controlled crossings. Riders of all skills should use caution over tracks, and beginners might consider dismounting to avoid accidents.The Mountain to River trail traversing Marietta between Brown Park and Tower Road is relatively flat. There’s a slight climb coming up from Brown Park, but it’s short and gradual.
Downtown Marietta Stops
Depending on your motivation for the ride, you may want to pedal past downtown on your outbound journey and save the downtown stop for your return. That way, you’ll have most of the work behind you, and a mostly downhill journey to return to your car at Brown Park. You’ll find convenient bike racks near the Marietta Welcome Center to safely lock your bikes during your downtown visit, as bikes are not allowed on in the square or on city sidewalks.
If you’re hungry or thirsty, a plethora of restaurants offer quick carry-out and limited outdoor seating, which is perfect if you want to rest. And there’s always the option of carrying your takeout into Glover Park at the center of the square.
Among our favorite downtown treat choices on the return trip
are Cool
Bean Coffee Roasters, Sugar Cakes Patisserie and Bistro
and Sarah
Jean’s Ice Cream. All offer
quick carry-out and limited outdoor seating, which is perfect if you want to
rest without bothering others with any potential unpleasant exercise
after-smell. There are many other options if you want something more
substantial, many with outdoor seating, and there’s always the option of
carrying your takeout into Glover Park at the center of the square. Snow on
the Square is a seasonal option for cool and refreshing snow cones.
Session’s Stand offers a rest stop and snack opportunity outside of the downtown Marietta area. It features sandwiches, baked goods and a variety of beverages all of which can be enjoyed on the patio.
Another good choice is Session’s
Stand. Assuming you make the full round-trip, you’ll find Sessions
Stand after you pass downtown on your out-bound journey. It’s an amazing little
neighborhood café with outstanding coffees, baked goods and more. And yes, there is outdoor seating!
I’ll also mention that we’re eager for the opening the
Marietta Food Market, a new food hall under construction across the railroad
tracks from downtown. It wasn’t open yet
as of mid-January 2019, but we’ll do a full update on it when it finally opens!
Kennesaw’s Wooded Noonday Creek Trail
Starting at Bells Ferry, you can ride 1.8 trail miles with only one road crossing, since the trail passes under several highways.
We promised to keep it short and fun for these rides, and
there are two other options in Kennesaw, both on the Noonday Creek Trail. The
full trail is approximately 7-miles one-way, extending from a trailhead on
Bell’s Ferry Road to Kennesaw Mountain, where it intersects with and continues
as Mountain to River Trail into Marietta. But it’s easy to create shorter rides with
convenient and easy access points.
Riding the Noonday Creek trail west and south, you follow the creek, pass under I-575, then cross the creek near Town Center Mall. The trail enters a more wooded area as it crosses under I-75.
The easiest, shortest, and flattest option measures 3.8
miles roundtrip, and traverses only one street intersection. For this ride, park
at the Bell’s Ferry Trailhead, where you’ll also find restroom facilities for
your pre-and-post-ride convenience. Ride
the trail west and south, following along Noonday Creek, passing under I-575,
then crossing the creek near Town Center Mall. The trail proceeds across George
Busbee Parkway at a controlled crosswalk, then enters more wooded area as it
passes under I-75. Continue here until reaching Barrett Lakes Road, then turn
around for the return. If you want a bit more of a challenge, you can continue
on the trail up Barrett Lakes Road, climbing about 70 feet over the next 0.3
miles, then pedaling a flat section for another 0.6 mile to reach Aviation
Park. After the climb, you can use the facilities, watch a few planes land or
take off at McCallum Airport, then turn around to coast downhill and complete a
5.6 mile version. You can also do this in the opposite order, starting and
ending at Aviation Park. But as you
coast down the hill on Barrett Lakes Road, remember that you’ll be climbing the
equivalent of seven stories on final leg of your return.
The Commercial Noonday Creek Trail
You can park at Aviation Park in Kennesaw, where bike rentals are available. RIding west treks through some commercial areas, all on the trail. But there are more road crossings here.
A second option on this trail is to park at Aviation Park, which has a large parking lot, nice restroom facilities and a credit-card bike rental location. From Cobb Place Boulevard, follow the trail for 1.9 miles as it passes by offices, commercial and distribution facilities. The trail turns away from the roads and back into the Noonday Creek flood plain before it reaches But this extension has lots of busy road crossings, some significant hills along Barrett Parkway, and we’ve found the trail often littered with broken glass – a bike tire’s worst enemy!
Cobb Parkway is a good turn-around point if you’re coming from Bells Ferry or Aviation Park. While we don’t recommend it for leisure riders, the trail continues across Cobb Parkway, follows along to the south, then turns right to parallel Barrett Parkway and eventually reaches Kennesaw Mountain.
Final Thoughts
My best biking advice: if you have any doubt, take the
easiest and shortest route. It’s better to start slow, ride easy and enjoy some
fun than to find yourself tired and stressed with a long return ahead. And if
you want to learn about more challenging rides, click here to read about other
nearby rides for the experienced rider.
Somedays, no matter how much you might want or need to, it’s just impossible to get out to the mountains, forest or even a park for a hike through nature. On those days, we try walking our neighborhood or enjoying one our favorite urban trails to put in a few miles.
Such was the case recently when regular maintenance meant taking our Honda minivan to our preferred servicer in Woodstock. After the Monday morning drop off, we engaged in a bit of early morning retail therapy at the nearby outlet mall to upgrade some aging outwear with newer, lighter thermal reflective gear. Then, with a deadline to pick up our grandkids in early afternoon, we headed into Woodstock for a 3.6-mile out-and-back walk on the Noonday Creek trail and a loop around the downtown area.
When it’s not possible or practical to get to the mountains for a hike through nature, we often turn to urban trails like the Noonday Creek trail in Woodstock to reach our mileage goals.
Which Noonday Creek Trail?
For the unfamiliar, the Noonday Creek trail currently exists in two unconnected sections. The 1.5-mile northern-most and shorter section connects downtown Woodstock to busy Highway 92 near I-575, passing through downtown residential complexes and wooded areas on its way to following the namesake creek. This is the portion we walked.
The northern-most and shortest of two unconnected Noonday Creek Trails, the trail runs through preserved green space wedged between growing residential and commercial areas. Along the way you’ll find wastebaskets, benches and mileage markers, but no restrooms except near this start/finish and at the Woodstock Woof Park spur trail.
The southern portion of the trail originates at a trailhead on Bells Ferry Road, continuing approximately nine miles near Town Center Mall, around office and commercial buildings, then alongside Barrett Parkway and Stilesboro Road until ending at its intersection with Mountain to River Trail at Kennesaw Mountain. We’ve done that portion as a bike outing, and you can find that post here.
Walking from Woodstock
Our weekday journey began at the public parking area at the intersection of Elm and Market Streets, convenient to the trail and to the restaurants and shops of downtown Woodstock. Parking here is free, but the main attraction for us was the promise of a post-walk refreshment under the shady oak outside of Reformation Brewery. When the grandkids are in tow, the primary benefit is the Woodstock Downtown Playground and the large event green along Market Street. If you plan to visit on a Saturday between April and December, beware that this also is the location of the Woodstock Farmer’s Market, so parking here may not be an option.
Public parking is available at the corner of Elm and Market Streets, just off the main thoroughfare. The parking is free, and having a cold beverage under the oak trees outside Reformation Brewery may be another attractive post-hike benefit.
Leaving downtown, the wide, paved, mixed-use trail passes by many of Woodstock’s newer high-density housing developments, all within easy walking distance to downtown and helping to fuel the growth of this historic community. Crossing a small stream that flows into Noonday Creek, the trail skirts a few single-residence homes before entering the wooded area leading to the creek-side route.
Leaving downtown, the trail passes through and near many of Woodstock’s newer high-density housing developments before twisting down toward its namesake creek. We found many pet-friendly stops along the residential section, offering water and pet treats.
The trail represents a preserved green space wedged between growing residential and commercial areas, running parallel to I-575 to the west and continuing residential development to the east. Along the way you’ll find wastebaskets, benches and mileage markers. But the only restrooms are at the trailhead near downtown, or at commercial establishments where the trail meets Highway 92. Dog lovers will be happy to know that dogs are allowed on the trail, and a 1/10th mile spur route leads to Woodstock’s Woofstock Dog Park. Restrooms also are available at the dog park.
Looping Around Downtown
While it was Five O’Clock Somewhere when we returned, we passed on a noontime beverage at Reformation Brewery and continued into downtown in search of food. The challenge for us with Woodstock restaurants is narrowing the choices from the plethora of appetizing options, ranging from burgers and fries to a variety of ethnic foods, pub grub, seafood, coffee house fare, dessert shops and more. Pure Taqueria rates among our favorites, where it’s easy to grab hand-held fare or a filling bowl for outside dining under the trees. (We welcome your list of favorites in our comment section!)
We always stop in at the Woodstock Visitors Center, located in the historic Dean’s Store, to get news of the latest happenings in and around downtown. You can also pick up a map a brochure of the historic downtown walking tour, right here at stop 16.
For history lovers and those who enjoy the preservation of these historic downtowns, Preservation Woodstock Inc. and the Cherokee County Historical Society have mapped out a 1.7-mile, 24-stop historic downtown walking tour. You can pick up a brochure with the route and descriptions at the Woodstock Visitors Center, itself located at stop 16, the historic Dean’s Store. Our big tip: we ALWAYS stop here to get the latest about the many local goings-on, and because the visitors center itself is best described as “a visitors center, a museum, a library, an art gallery, a concert hall, a literary lounge, a gathering place, a time capsule.” We’re also partial to the original name! 😊
Other Seasonal Fun in Woodstock
If not obvious by now, we love the history, careful blending of past and future, downtown attractions, dining options and seasonal in Woodstock. One of our favorite summer visits featured a picnic lunch and noontime concert by a friend’s band on the stage at The Park at City Center. In the fall, we make at least one annual trek to the pre-Halloween Scarecrow Invasion, a favorite for our grandsons. And we always drop in at the local clothing shops, plus the Wright Stuff Records and Collectibles. And don’t miss wonderfully wacky and sometimes weird Blue Frog Imports and hippie shop, where the art is fabulous, and the vibe may hearken you back to the more famous Woodstock of music history lore.
The local proprietors at Blue Frog Imports describe their goods as “hand crafted furniture, pottery, folk art, yard art and architectural funk, and all your hippie needs.” They are also prop artists, providing set materials for retail stores, television and more.Our grandkids look forward to visiting Woodstock with us each year for the annual Scarecrow Invasion, featuring creative Halloween displays in September and October.During the summer, Woodstock features a robust concert offering, from local groups performing at lunch in the Park at City Center to nationally-known acts and tribute performances at Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater.
Ever go to a new restaurant, can’t decide on an entrée and order a sampler platter featuring small portions of their famous favorites?
That’s our idea for cruising: a personal smorgasbord of regional travel delight, allowing us to sample a bit of everything so we can enjoy our favorites more fully on future visits. Cruises also help us to travel in comfort and simplicity, avoiding the troublesome packing, relocation and resettling that inject extra stress and lost time at great destinations.
Our idea for cruising: a personal smorgasbord of travel delight
When We Got It All Wrong!
We weren’t always cruisers. In fact, as our kids went through middle and high schools, we often questioned the sanity and frugality of friends who routinely cruised during school breaks and summers. For us, piling everyone into a car, driving for hours and having our own transportation to wander more at our destination sounded like a better approach. Looking back, we admit that our cruising friends were on to something that we missed — totally.
Looking back, our cruising friends were on to somethings we totally missed, including convenience, ease and spectacular sail-out views like this one leaving Seattle.
We took our first cruise as 20-somethings in 1982, and it managed to dissuade us from trying again for nearly 30 years. I was working for LSU’s alumni office, and assigned to escort a seven-day Caribbean cruise on the high-end Cunard Line. Those were the days when cruise dinner meant assigned tables, tuxedos and formal dresses, and a midnight buffet that awaited the gluttonous late-night crowd. On our first full day, we hit rough weather which confined my wife to our cabin for nearly four days. And we hadn’t done our homework to determine how we wanted to spend our time on or off the ship. Playing it by ear, we missed much, and it caused us to miscalculate for too long.
Our Cruise Conversion
Fast forward to 2008. Seeking escape from the omnipresent work cell phone while celebrating our 30th anniversary, we booked a seven-day Alaska cruise round-trip from Seattle on Holland America. That experience – relaxing travel, great food, and adventures like helicoptering to a glacier and kayaking through pristine covers — was to addict us to cruising in the future.
We returned to cruising after a 25-year break, seeking escape on an Alaska adventure from the omnipresence work cell phone and to celebrate a 30th wedding anniversary. That experience got us hooked on cruising as a preferred vacation option.
Since then, we’ve enjoyed nearly 100 days of cruising in the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea and Scandinavia, Norway and Scotland, Canada and New England, several Caribbean voyages and a return to Alaska. We’ve visited 25 countries in the process, including a fabulous 3-night, 2-day extended visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, the absolute highlight of our touring stops for me – a kid growing up in the 1960s who never imagined it would be possible to travel to places like Russia and China.
For our age and tastes, Holland America is our cruise line of choice, with mid-sized ships, a personal attention to service details and a focus on fine dining options. We’ve also cruised recently on Royal Caribbean and Carnival, and don’t plan to return to either line. While our experiences and the perks earned from participating in the Holland America Mariner Program bring us back to HAL, we’re thinking of trying a Celebrity X or Princess cruise for our next ocean-going trip.
These days, Holland America is our cruise line of choice, though we’ve also done Carnival, Cunard and Royal Carribean. We may sample Celebrity X on a future cruise, seen here sailing past the Portland Head Lighthouse outside of Portland, ME.
Aboard Holland America’s Eurodam, we enjoyed a sea day lecture by Captain John Scott, who with his wife Susan authored a book called “Driving the Hotel.” He described the intricate planning and flawless execution required behind the scenes to make our perfect cruising seem easy. By this time in my cruising experience, I was thrilled to leave the driving, planning and headaches to him and his crew while I sipped another refreshing adult beverage.
Cruise Line Tours
Early in our cruising days, we took the easy route to destination planning and booked port excursions through the cruise line. We enjoyed the simplicity and certainty, and never having to worry about being left behind if we ran late.
We rely on cruise line tours for extended excursions with complex itineraries or long travel days. That way, we can focus on enjoying our day rather than worrying about a missed return and watching our ship leave us on the dock — which we’ve watched before with amusement from our cabin verandah.
We still use cruise line excursions for some extended tours, especially where we’re venturing far from port on a long touring day with a tight schedule and lots to see. Two perfect examples: a 14-hour stop in Civitavecchia for a full day of touring the heart of Rome, and a similar 200 kilometer roundtrip from Livorno to Florence and Pisa, and back to Livorno. For us, those distances mean more complexity and higher risks. Thus, we stick with cruise line tours for those and focus on enjoying our day rather than worrying about a missed return.
We also book cruise line tours when they offer a special attraction or itinerary not generally available through other sources. In St. Petersburg, Russia, we were among a limited number of cruise passengers permitted to tour the Hermitage Museum during a special evening opening, avoiding the day-time madhouse that develops when passengers from a plethora of ships descend on an overwhelmed location.
Often, cruise lines can arrange special private event tours, which can greatly reduce the number of visitors at popular locations. That’s how we managed this shot of the empty throne room at the Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace of the Russian Tsars in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Guided Adventures
These days, where we are familiar with cultures, languages and safety, we often book directly through local tour companies, who meet us at the ship and take us in smaller groups to locations not always reached by the large ship-run tours. We research these through travel sites like TripAdvisor.Com and various blogs and other travel accounts produced by frequent travelers.
Docking in Warnemunde, Germany, we skipped a grueling train ride and whirlwind tours in Berlin and booked with a friendly local group. We enjoyed a day of local touring, including this castle in Schwerin. Comparing notes with our exhausted tablemates the next day reinforced our choice.
One of our favorites was in Warnemunde, Germany, where we passed the cruise-sponsored long rail trip inland for a short day in Berlin. Instead, we booked with a friendly local group called “Friends of Dave” and, with 10 others, spent a wonderful casual day in the port city, then hopping a local train to tour castles and landmarks in nearby Schwerin. Comparing next-day stories with those who made the grueling day trip to Berlin, we were glad that we stayed local and saved Berlin for a multi-day stop on a future trip.
We were the center of attention at the port when our local driver arrived then whisked us away on our three-wheel chariot for a private tour of the Scottish Highlands. We rely on our research and recommendations to find these kind of adventures.
Another example was a four-hour tour of the Scottish Highlands, distilleries and Loc Ness riding on the back of a custom three-wheeler touring motorcycle driven by a wonderful local host, Steve. We chose in advance one of several basic options Steve had mapped out, then asked for a few “tweaks” which he was happy to make. Steve also brought along “a wee dram” of local Scotch and fresh biscuits, which we enjoyed along the way. Departing and returning to the ship on our private chariot, we were the center of attention for the cruise cattle being herded onto the large buses.
We also tried this in the Caribbean, booking a 6-hour excursion of waterfall jumping and zip lining in the Dominican Republic through a reputable tour company found through Costco Travel. As Costco members, we’ve discovered that often the prices, perks and excursion options available through their aligned travel company are excellent. But beware, self-service may mean some troubles when things go wrong — as when our helicopter trip was grounded in Alaska due to fog and we had to deal with the cancellation long distance through voice mail and follow-up e-mails.
We’ve booked waterfall, river floating, and zip line adventures with small groups in the Caribbean through Costco Travel, enjoying the uncrowded trips.
Costco Travel also has worked out well for us to book affordable trips that may not be available in the same manner from a cruise line or port agency. In Ketchikan, Alaska, we were able to reserve a half-day salmon fishing trip which promised no more than six guests on a boat. Our tour ended up being only four people — our three-person family and one other person, and we were able to fish the entire time rather than take turns among a larger group.
Booked through Costco Travel, we enjoyed a small-craft semi-private fishing excursion in Ketchikan, Alaska. There was a limit of six guest on the trip, but we ended up with four — and a spectacular day of salmon fishing plus unplanned whale and eagle watching.
On Our Own
In some European and most North American ports, we set out unaccompanied and on our own, maybe using tour guide products from Rick Steves, Lonely Planet and local sources we’ve researched ahead of time. Among our favorite stops on our self-guided days are local open air food and merchandise markets found frequently in European cities.
Our first trips in many ports comes from atop a double-decker Hop On / Hop Off Bus. We enjoy these narrated tours, which allow us to get a feel for a city, then decide where we want to return for further exploration.
We often rely on one of two favorite touring options on these self-guided days. In many ports, we look for the Hop On / Hop Off bus company. These operators generally run standard, narrated bus routes stopping at major areas of interest in larger cities. As the name implies, you can hop off at will to explore, then hop back on another bus later. We’ve done these in Barcelona, Glasgow, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Montreal, Vienna, Paris and elsewhere, often booking a two-day pass during our pre and post-cruise days.
In Oslo, Norway, we circled the city on the Hop On / Hop Off bus, then explored wonderful Vigeland Park and the Viking Ship Museum on our own, also wandering around for some local food and other touring on foot.
Guided bike tours are another favorite for our “on-your-own” touring, usually booking these ahead at our cruise stops. Bikes allow us to cover more ground than walking, and they don’t get slowed by novice operators or frequent mishaps like those popular Segway tours. In cities with great bike trails and friendly biking streets, we’ll often just rent a bike for a full day and head out with our preplanned stops for touring and great exercise. We’re always ready to enjoy dinner after these!
In bike friendly European and Canadian cities, we often arrange guided bike tours, then arrange to rent the bikes at favorable rates for the remainder of the day. Biking allows us to cover more territory than we can on foot — and we’re always ready for a fabulous cruise dinner after we return.Did we mention fabulous cruise dinners? One of the reasons Holland America remains our favorite sea-going cruise line is their culinary offerings. Their standard main dining room food selections are outstanding. Dinners at their specialty restaurants, like this one in the Asian-themed Tamarind, rival any you’ll find in a high-end, fine-dining favorite.
A Few More Days, Please
In Barcelona, Copenhagen, Venice, Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle and Boston, we’ve tacked on extra days before and after cruises, both to expand our adventures and take advantage of the investment in time and money to reach some of these locations. We’ve made a conscious effort to avoid repeating ports of call, but when it occurs, we simply seek a different adventure or return for a longer visit at a favorite one.
In Bar Harbor, we boarded the Lulu Lobster Boat for a tour of the local waters and lessons in lobster fishing. We enjoyed the 2-hour tour and enjoyed a leisurely day in Bar Harbor as well. Booking the cruise directly saved approximately 35% over the exact cruise booked through the cruise line — more than enough to cover one of the fabulous lobster meals we had overlooking the harbor.
We look forward to the days when we can return to cruising in a post-COVID world. Until then, rather than writing more about our smorgasbord, I’ll leave you here with a few more pictures from our 100-course, 25-country cruise buffet.
Mercat St. Josep along Las Ramblas in Barcelona.Pike Market in Seattle.Visiting Marche Jean-Talon on a Saturday morning before a late-afternoon embarkation and sail-out of Montreal.We often visit local food markets during cruise stops. It’s a great way to get a sense of a community, plus there’s always fresh local specialties to try. In the three pictures above, we’re visiting markets along Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Pike Market in Seattle, and a complex of food stands in St. Petersburg, Russia.Even on escorted tours, we always checkto confirm whether it’s permitted, safe, and advisable to wander on our own. Rather than plunging into touristy stores and attractions, we oven seek out different perspectives, like this on near the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg, Russia.A lovely and lonely view of Highland Cliffs, Shetland Islands in the North Atlantic.Our Norway / Scotland cruise made a stop in the Shetland Islands, where we had no real sightseeing or visit agenda. Booking with a small company owned and run by knowledgeable locals, we escaped the few, overrun locations accessible by tour busses. Instead, we found ourselves on narrow, winding local roads leading to wonderful, deserted locations.Not all our tour decisions are wise. We rented a four-wheeler to tour scenic Santorini, and sought out secluded beaches. We enjoyed a great day, but learned later that several tourists had been seriously injured on similar outings when they crashed their unfamiliar vehicles. Chalk one luck day up to experience.
Walking under sprawling oaks. Kayaking through tidal marsh. Visiting uncrowded beaches. Watching pelicans silhouetted against the sunset on the downtown fishing pier. Exploring the lighthouse and World War II Homefront museums. Enjoying the relaxed pace of island living.
Located in the deep Southeast corner of Georgia, under the sprawling oaks where the low country meets the Atlantic Ocean, St. Simons offers a slower pace and true community feel compared to other busy golf and tourist islands
Those are among the reasons we love visiting Georgia’s island community of St. Simons. Located in the deep southeast corner of the state where the low country meets the Atlantic, we consider St. Simons one of Georgia’s underappreciated treasures. It’s amazing that many who trek to the self-contained enclaves of Sea Island or drive south on I-95 seeking Florida beaches simply bypass this authentic island gem. And though national attention focused on St. Simons in September 2019 when a car-carrying freighter, Golden Ray, overturned in the sound between St. Simons and Jekyll Islands, the media attention created only short-term blips of abnormal and distracted visitor traffic to the island. (Subsequently, the salvage operation — with the phenomenal machinery and photos of smashed cars — has brought another temporary uptick by the curious.)
That’s perfectly OK with us, though, because we love the slower pace and true community feel of St. Simons compared to the hustle and bustle of other East Coast condo, golf and tourist islands like Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head.
We enjoyed a week of peaceful relaxation on St. Simons thanks to a housesitting gig for a traveling friend. When we weren’t enjoying relaxation, beaches and bike trails, our five favorite forays around the island included these:
Lighthouse and Downtown Pier
The second St. Simons Lighthouse, celebrating 150 years in 2022, is an iconic beacon near the center of the island’s downtown area. Thanks to the visionary Coastal Historical Society, you can tour the lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling, climbing high for panoramic views and enjoy the air conditioned exhibits on steamy summer afternoons.
Usually, you won’t find a more postcard-perfect or iconic setting than the island’s small-town heart, anchored by the fishing pier and historic lighthouse. Until the wreck of the Golden Ray is cleared, visitors unfortunately won’t enjoy all of the pier’s charm, though sunrises continue attracting families and fishermen alike. Visiting the 104-foot-tall lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling offers panoramic views of the surrounding area and deep insights to the island’s military and community history. The first St. Simons lighthouse was commissioned in 1807, and the current-and-second lighthouse will celebrate 150 years in 2022. The lighthouse is operated by the visionary Coastal Georgia Historical Society, founded by local residents in 1965 to preserve the island’s history. For a great afternoon, find a village parking spot and visit the lighthouse first. Then stroll the downtown area, dropping in at local art stores and the funky JC Strother Hardware Store for some local crafts and color. Finally, catch the late-afternoon sites at the pier before enjoying an early dinner at one of nearly 20 restaurants within easy and pleasant walking distance.
Sunsets at the pier are great for people and pelican watching, plus fishing and good photographic opportunities. However, until the shipwreck of the car-carrying freighter Golden Ray is cleared completely, some of these scenic views are obstructed.
WWII Home Front Museum
Another project of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, the vintage 1950 Coast Guard station houses an outstanding museum that documents all the community activities undertaken in support of the World War II effort. Filled with immersive galleries and interactive exhibits, visitors of all ages can pilot a blimp, spot airplanes and learn about the 99 “Liberty Ships” built at the shipyards in neighboring Brunswick. We were fascinated by the Coast Guard station’s role in the crew rescue of two ships sunk offshore by a German submarine, including one which originated its journey in our home state of Louisiana and was crewed by sailors with lots of my own hometown-familiar French-Cajun surnames.
St. Simons and nearby Brunswick had important home-front roles during World War II, commemorated by the Home Front Museum located in the repurposed 1950s-vintage Coast Guard station. From blimp fleets to Liberty Ships and haunting stories of submarine attacks off the coast, this is another effort of local residents committed to preserving history through the Coastal Georgia Historical Society.
Cannon’s Point Preserve
Home to pristine maritime forest, salt marsh and tidal creeks, Cannon’s Point features well-marked walking trails, a canopy viewing platform and historic discovery. Ancient oaks hide authentic tabby-concrete buildings constructed of local oyster shells. Well-marked hiking trails and available maps reveal the location’s secrets but check the operating hours since the preserve is open only three days each week. For any visit, we recommend long pants, long sleeves, closed-toe shoes, lots of bug spray and bottled water so you can enjoy the natural splendor in relative comfort and safety. Another example of local resident engagement, Cannon’s Point is owned by the St. Simons Land Trust, a community and corporate partnership which has helped to preserve more than 1,000 acres on the island and holds conservation easements on 300 additional acres.
We stumbled on Cannon’s Point Preserve by accident during our visit, then made a planned return visit for hiking under the oaks and exploring the boardwalk in the tidal marsh. Our best tips: wear long-sleeves, long pants and closed-toed shoes and bring lots of water and bug spray. We didn’t allow time for the extended hike down the peninsula, so it’s on our return visit list for an early-morning hike at park opening time.
Southern Soul Barbeque
Best. Ribs. EVER! We could stop there, but even those superlatives don’t fully describe how much we enjoyed this local joint, operating out of a former gas station. During our pre-COVID visit, we ate lunch at Southern Soul twice (arriving early to beat the crowds!) and ordered extra ribs to-go plus purchased take-home seasonings. We were skeptical when Southern Living magazine listed this as the best barbeque restaurant in the South in 2018, but we are now believers. True to their slow-cooking rib smoking process and quality control, they offer reserved time slots for rib take-out orders. Ribs are great, but don’t miss the pulled pork and baked beans, all of which can be enjoyed on outdoor picnic tables.
We were skeptical of Southern Living’s rating of Southern Soul as the best barbeque in the South. But now we’re true believers: Best. Ribs. EVER! And don’t be afraid the the wait, as you can engage in friendly games of corn hole on the outdoor patio.
Barbara Jean’s
If we convened a local group to debate authentic island eateries, Barbara Jean’s might not get the top nod, but it would undoubtedly be recognized in the top two for real Southern specialties. This family-owned downtown fixture offers a full range of traditional comfort foods, and is best known for their legendary crab cakes, she-crab soup, and daily-baked pumpkin bread, sweet rolls and jalapeno corn bread. Adults can also enjoy a refreshing and relaxing Barbara Jean’s Sweet Tea, made with Firefly Tea Vodka, Peach Schnapps, and other ingredients. If you want other reassurances before visiting, this is a consensus choice by Southern Living, Georgia Trends and Coastal Living and other publications.
If in doubt, go with the crab. And adults can enjoy a refreshing and relaxing glass of Barbara Jean’s Sweet Tea, sweetened with Firefly Vodka, Peach Schnapps and other goodies.
A Little “Lagniappe”
For those not familiar with Cajun French or our Louisiana upbringing, lagniappe is a little something extra, like a baker’s dozen. Beyond our five favorite forays, we also enjoyed these stops and activities while on St. Simons:
Kayaking. The tidal marshes and backwaters offer fantastic kayaking opportunities for novices and experts. But friends, we always recommend the use of single kayaks rather than doubles, which we believe may be a major cause of divorce among vacationers.
Beaches. There’s plenty of public beach access on the island. Massengale Park and East Beach offer easy parking, restrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off the salt. You’ll also find beach access along the side streets off Ocean Road but be careful not to park on private property. Nearer downtown and the pier, low-tide beaches also appear until the incoming tide hides them away again.
We found lots of uncrowded beaches at Massengale Park and East Beach, especially when we visited during the cooler times of early morning. Even when we visited on the traditionally-busy Fourth of July Weekend, we were still able to find space to stretch out without feeling crowded by holiday throngs.
Bike Trails. Bring your bicycles or easily rent for hours, a day or a week at low rates. The 10.3-mile, paved Hampton Spur Trail keeps bikes and pedestrians off the major thoroughfares for safe riding along the length of the island. Historical markers along the way point out interesting island features, including a side-route to Fort Frederica National Monument. While we recommend avoiding the heavily-trafficked and no-shoulder-available Sea Island Road raceway between the causeway and the cloistered resort’s entrance, safe biking can be practiced on the side-streets around downtown and on Ocean Boulevard.
Biking was safe and pleasurable along the Hampton Spur Trail, separated from busy thoroughfares by wide medians. Historical markers and clear directional signs add to the enjoyment, and help riders learn more about the island’s history. We also enjoyed casual riding around downtown and on Ocean Boulevard.
King and Prince Hotel and Resort. This St. Simons landmark began its history as a seaside dinner club, and still offers the only sea-side dining on the island. We’ve ended many busy days sharing relaxing beverages with good friends here.
More Planning Resources
In addition to the links we’ve included throughout, you may find these general resources helpful for planning an extended visit:
StSimonsIsland.Com.Your prototypical visitor center resource, this page features the usual listing of island accommodations, dining and activities, with additional links to useful information like tidal charts and beach guides.
GoldenIsles.com. If you feel the need or desire to broaden your activity horizon beyond the island itself – though we rarely do — this site provides more detailed links to Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons, Sea Island and the port city of Brunswick.
VisitSavannah.com. If you won’t be back in this region anytime soon, we’d recommend Savannah as two-day (minimum) stop while on the Georgia coast. Its full of antebellum treasures, historic squares, walkable sites, haunted graveyards, excellent dining, and that famous Forest Gump bench.
Georgia World War II Heritage Trail. For those interested in more about Georgia’s role in World War II, the World War II Museum is now part of a Georgia World War II Heritage Trail (one of five such heritage trails in the country) with 10 museums across the state.
Some of the small resorts between downtown and Massengale Park set out chair rentals for their patrons. However, when you continue walking along the beach up to East Beach and beyond, rentals become sparse, crowds smaller and space more plentiful.
Your Favorite St. Simons Spots
We’d love to hear about your favorite forays and wonderful experiences at St. Simons or other nearby locations. Leave a comment for us and others to learn about more great ideas.
Who visits a hardware store during an island vacation? We wandered in to J.C. Strother in downtown to find a wide assortment of fishing gear, recreational supplies, local crafts and, yes, hardware, too. This hardware store visit resulted in our sole take-home souvenir purchase.The Coast Guard Station nee museum is another well-preserved historical landmark, located near the parking lot for East Beach. We were transported back to our own childhood, and visits to a similar station at Grand Isle, La. We also discovered that a Louisiana-based ship crewed by many Cajun-French sailors was sunk just off St. Simons after leaving a Baton Rouge oil refinery.
Motivated by pictures and descriptions on our favorite Georgia hiking groups, we headed to Sawnee Mountain Preserve for a weekday hike of the 3.7-mile Indian Seats loop trail. Unlike the usual large weekend crowds and busy trails, we found the park nearly deserted and enjoyed a 2-hour winter stroll.
Leaving the parking lot off Bettis-Tribble Gap Road, we chose a counter-clockwise route on the loop trail, the shortest route to the views at the summit.
Unfortunately, we hadn’t done our usual pre-trip research or we might have allowed more time in our day. And we definitely would have planned departure so we could grab biscuits from nearby Guy’s Biscuit Barn as pre-hiking fuel.
Those oversights aside, Indian Seats delivered on the wonderful Blue Ridge Mountain views and easy hiking we desperately needed after cold, rainy winter weather kept us indoors too long.
Views for Miles and Miles
The view from the 1663-foot promontory at Indian Seats delivers an impressive panorama. Thanks to a 2017 Eagle Scout project, a sturdy, safe wooden viewpoint structure with descriptive graphics identifies the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains projecting skyward to the north.
This sturdy, safe viewing platform provides excellent views of the rising Blue Ridge Mountains, some 25 to 40 miles to the north. The railing makes it a safe vantage point for young ones. We chose not to venture to the cliff-side seats to dangle our feet over the precipice.
Amicalola, Hawk, Greasy and Springer Mountains are grouped in the center of the view, approximately 25 to 30 miles away, reaching 3,382 to 3,782 feet. To the right and 39 miles distant as the crow flies, Georgia’s tallest peaks of Blood Mountain and Brasstown Bald tower to nearly 4,800 feet. (Can see back to Sawnee Mountain from Brasstown Bald? Maybe. To determine this, you can visit an hike up, or perhaps just check out the live webcams.)
Closer in, verdant farmlands divided by tree-lined streams and highways flow outward until the wavy mountains rise in the distance.
Georgia’s tallest peaks at Blood Mountain and Brasstown Bald reach to nearly 4,800 feet and are easy to spot, even 40 miles away as the crow flies.
Walk through the Woods
While leisure hikers and day visitors are drawn by the views, 11 miles of forest and mountain trails at Sewanee Mountain offer diverse terrain. We intentionally chose the less-busy parking area off Bettis-Tribble Gap Road as our starting point, rather than the more popular entry and visitor center on Spot Road. Walking past the picnic shelters, we turned right and began winding our way up the well-worn path. The trail is marked every 1/10 mile by blue trail guides, numbered to help in emergencies. We gained approximately 300 vertical feet in under one mile of walking to reach the summit and enjoy the expansive views.
This switchback is approximately 350 feet directly below the seats at the summit, on the route toward the Laurel Creek Spur and main entrance. But the upwards view is obscured by trees year-round. Just below here, a wet-weather spring spills across the trail, making for slippery footing.
Continuing the loop after that stop, we turned and twisted down and around while viewing the true 1,970-foot peak of Sawnee Mountain, just across Bettis-Tribble Road and within the 821 acres of the Sawnee Preserve. We plan to do the loop, ridge and peak trails over on that side of the preserve when we return.
Approximately 350 feet below the Indian Seats, the trail makes a hard left switchback over a wet weather spring. But the view to the top is obscured by trees even during winter. From here, it’s a short walk down to the Laurel Trail Spur leading to the visitor center and main entrance. We followed the spur a few hundred yards to visit the Treehouse observation site.
Local Girl Scouts decorate The Fairy Trail with fanciful creatures and scenes. Even without the grandkids, we detoured to see the birds, fairies, unicorns and trolls staged in the landscape.
That’s also where we found the Fairy Trail, a project of local Girl Scouts to build fanciful fairy homes placed in the hillscape. By February, the fairy houses had endured a rough winter, with some damaged or toppled. Even without the grandkids, we enjoyed viewing the collection of fairies, trolls, and unicorns occupying the enchanted trail.
Now near the lowest point of the preserve, we returned to the slowly-rising loop trail, gaining 200 feet of elevation as we walked to our starting and end point.
Just the Stats
We tracked our hike on a Garmin Fenix activity tracking watch, which reported 3.45 miles in 1:32:53, including 15 minutes of stops for viewing, photos and navigation. Over the route, we recorded 581 feet of total elevation gain while traveling at an average moving speed of 2.7 mph.
We track our activities with a Garmin Fenix 5 watch, and sync the results to the Garmin Connect App. It helps us recall our trips and monitor our fitness with nice reporting and graphics. With 527 feet of total elevation gain and finishing at a moving pace of 2.7 mph, we rate the loop trail as easy, though other sites rank it as moderate.
Other sites list Indian Seats as a moderate trail. For us, it was an easy trek, with no long or steep climbs and only a few rocky or muddy surfaces. Among others we saw were a mother and two preschoolers enjoying the rocky areas near the viewing location, and they reported no problems (or tantrums!) while ascending.
History and Legends
According to onsite and online information, Woodland people may have occupied Sawnee Mountain for ceremonial purposes as early as 500 BCE. The Cherokee reportedly used indentations in the rocks at the summit to survey their lands, as lookouts and for meditation. There’s considerable debate and no firm conclusion whether three ridge-top “seats” were chiseled from the protruding granite, though some suggest that their symmetry can’t be natural. Others claim the formation may have some resemblance to eagles, which historically were present in the area. We passed the opportunity to sit in the seats with feet dangling over the cliff due to wind, cold, aches and the healthy fears (or wisdom?) which come with age.
Along the trail, two entrances to abandoned gold minds that date back to the late 1800s are now sealed with iron bars, preventing curious explorers and modern foods from venturing into the dangerous shafts.
After the first Georgia gold rush of the 1820s faded and prospectors moved from Dahlonega to the West Coast, a pair of Atlanta men obtained land rights for gold mining at Sawnee Mountain. A crew of 15 hopeful men dug shafts into the mountainside. But the tunneling was tough and the gold produced scant, so when questions arose about land ownership, the intrepid miners abandoned the area. Mining resource “The Diggings” described both the mine and the production as “small.” Along the trail, you’ll find two entrances to the former mines, both now thankfully sealed with iron bars to explorers (and modern fools!).
Closing Notes
We visited on a quiet weekday. Beware that Sawnee Park an activity hub for Forsyth County Parks and Recreations. Camps, adventure activities, nature classes, tree climbing, zip lining, and more often add large groups to the usual weekend walkers, runners and hikers. Also, signs state that dogs are not allowed on these trails, so leave your furry friends at home.
Finally, we’d be remiss to forget the fried pickles at Rooster’s Café in nearby Cumming, where we grabbed takeout for the return trip. Along with other good and convenient dishes, those fried pickles hit the right fiery notes for our Louisiana Cajun palate.
Apparently, Papa John’s delivers directly to the parking lot. But we passed on that pizza option and headed into nearby Cumming for some lunch and a fabulous dish of spicy fried pickles.Recently reminded by tragedy of the dangers of slippery mountain rocks, we chose not to venture over and sit in the “seats.”
