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Cruising: Our Smorgasbord of Travel Delight

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Cruising: Our Smorgasbord of Travel Delight

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.

Our Five Favorite Forays on St. Simons Island

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Our Five Favorite Forays on St. Simons Island

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.

Sawnee Mountain Indian Seats Deliver Majestic View

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Sawnee Mountain Indian Seats Deliver Majestic View

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.”

Our Top Reasons to Revisit Marietta Square Market

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Our Top Reasons to Revisit Marietta Square Market

We were enthusiastic patrons at Marietta Square Market in the grand-opening spring and summer of 2019. But since the pandemic, our restaurant dining has been about as frequent as an Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl appearance. So after a recent downtown walkabout with the grandkids, we decided to mask-up, pop in, walk around and sample an assortment of midafternoon treats.

Marietta has a well-deserved reputation as a foodie favorite, with chef-centric restaurants like Spring and The Butcher The Baker, surrounded by an orbit of down-home favorites like The Local and Stockyard Burgers, seasoned with the weekly Farmer’s Market and finally sprinkled with dessert and treat locations.

In pre-Covid days, we made a series of sojourns to Marietta Square Market, sampling a broad cross-section of the fare. Each time, our visit has been better as outlets gain consistency. We returned in January 2021, and while the market is surviving, the experience sadly doesn’t look as happy or as busy as this.

In March 2019, Marietta Square Market made a grand entrance into this thick gumbo of culinary craftsmanship, offering a trendy food hall concept that has a long European history and was one of the fastest growing food trends in the US. A few months later, the Market seemed to have found its pace and place, though some locations weren’t yet open and others seemed to be struggling for operational consistency.

During those early days, we made a series of summer sojourns to the Market, sampling a broader cross-section of the food fare. Each time, our returns to previous outlets were better than before. And our first experiences at several locations delivered mouth-watering flavor fests that might even encourage Food Network’s Guy Fieri to book a train to Marietta’s new flavor town.

Because of the business disruptions and the fact that our 2020-21 restaurant visits have been about as rare as an Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl appearance, we’re not going to pick favorites from food outlets at Marietta Square Market. Instead, we’re sharing our experiences at those we’ve visited so far.

And then came the coronavirus and Covid-19, striking devastating blows that included forced business closings. Restaurants were particularly hard hit, with permanent closures unfortunately common. For Marietta Square Market — built on the concept that multiple food outlets located in close proximity would serve large dining crowds who shared crowded tables in an open hall environment — the shut down, followed by slow, restricted and careful reopenings, proved particularly challenging. Several of the original tenants didn’t survive.

But the good news is that Marietta Square Market now seems to have adapted to this “new reality” during these “unprecedented times” and “successfully reimagined” its operation. (Did we capture all the proper buzz words?) We made a return visit for a walk-through survey and some quick take-out snacks in January 2021. We found ordering easy and fast, and were able to enjoy our snacks on the outdoor tables.

Food halls are built on the concept that multiple outlets located in close proximity serve large dining crowds who share crowded tables in an open hall environment. To see how Marietta Square Market has adapted to Covid realities, we dropped in for some quick snacks and desserts for outside dining, to the delight of the grandsons.

We’re still not ready to pick favorites from the primary outlets at Marietta Square Market – yet – since we haven’t tried them all.  Instead, we’ll share our experiences at those we’ve visited so far, listed in the order in which we visited. And, we give a strong recommendation that you visit, try individual offers at multiple outlets, and determine your own favorites.  Likely, we’ll do another update on this post once vaccines combined with preventive care make us comfortable to spend extended times at dine-in locations. Then, hopefully, we can complete revisits to all outlets and will be prepared by then to pick favorites.

Before we go further, note that Marietta Square Market is NOT located actually on Marietta Square, but rather across the railroad tracks in renovated warehouses facing Marietta Parkway between Polk and Mill Streets. And neither is it the weekend Marietta Square Farmers’ Market, although combining an early morning visit to the Farmer’s Market with a later visit to the food hall is a great outing.

Enough clarification. On with the food fest!

D’Cuban Café

At D’Cuban Cafe, the coffee station was a beautiful as the coffee was thick and delicious. It provided the caffeine jolt required to restart us after a filling pressed Cuban sandwich that took us on a mental flavor foray to Tampa.

D’Cuban Café delivered an authentic hot, pressed Cuban sandwich originated at Columbia Restaurant that we had craved since relocating from Tampa years ago. Loaded with slow roasted pork, smoked ham, melted Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and mustard, this tasty toasted classic hit all the Florida flavor notes we expected. The coffee station was a beautiful as the coffee was thick and delicious, providing the caffeine jolt to restart us after that filling sandwich. Unfortunately, our side of plantains likely had been held slightly too long, with a limp and soggy consistency that distracted from the flavor. We’re guessing that the early afternoon time of our visit contributed to that small disappointment, so we’ll happily return again.

Just Loaf’N Cajun Café

We grew up in South Louisiana, thus generally have low expectations for “Cajun” restaurants elsewhere. Just Loaf’N Cajun Café served up a good shrimp po-boy on our first visit, as well as excellent fish and shrimp poboys return visits. Born from food truck roots that earned honors as “Best Cajun” by Atlanta Magazine and “Best Bread” by the AJC, Just Loaf’N’s poboys come “fully dressed” with mayo, mambo sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, all served on New Orleans’ own Leidenheimer’s French Bread. While our side of hush puppies was too onion-forward for my tastes, my wife enjoyed them greatly. The seasoned New Orleans fries packed that peppery and salty goodness that hearkens you back to The Big Easy and tempts you to douse your fiery mouth with cold Dixie beer. Hot beignets and icy cold, sugary snoballs are on our list for the next return visit!

Perfectly fried, crispy and moist fried catfish dressed with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles, and all served on fresh French bread from New Orlean’s Leidenheimer’s Bakery. Our Just Loaf’N experience made us want to form a New Orleans second line back to the counter for more.

Bullgogi

The “build your own bowl” concept has gained popularity among millennials who seek to customize virtually every experience. But for older diners who prefer a set menu, Bullgogi and  these poke bowl places can be a bit overwhelming. Falling into the second category, we put ourselves into the guiding hands of a Bullgogi server. With a few basic questions and a sampling taste or two, together we crafted a double-chicken spicy poke bowl with noodles and several toppings. The result was a flavorful blend of available starches, proteins and veggies that tasted great and digested easily on a hot summer day. We won’t hesitate to return, and we’ll probably get a bit more experimental on the next visit.

For first-time diners accustomed to a set menu, Bullgogi and simmilar poke bowl places can be overwhelming. But we put ourselves into the guiding hands of a helpful Bullgogi server and created a dish with a filling flavor festival.

Shai-Karr Eatery

With a main course from Korean-inspired Bullgogi, we sampled a shrimp tempura street sushi roll from Shai-Karr, which is operated by Marietta’s full-service Thaicoon restaurant on Mill Street. In case you haven’t noticed, adding the word “street” to your menu is one of the culinary trends that’s supposed to show you’re both cool and legit. In the case of Shai-Karr, our large sushi roll was on-target for both claims. We wished we had sampled more on this visit. That said, recognize that Shai-Karr has a limited food-court-style menu, and Thaicoon is literally less than 1,000 steps away across the parking lot. So, in all likelihood, we’ll visit Thaicoon for a more complete experience and continue visiting Shai-Karr for appetizers and snack option when we’re at the market.

Admittedly nervous about eating sushi at a food hall, we sampled the cooked rolls at Shai-Karr. Two of us ate well on the rolls, without feeling too stuffed for a dessert. And remember, the parent restaurant, Thaicoon, literally is less than 1,000 steps away across the parking lot.

Four Fat Cows

This ice cream and snack shop has some of the best ice cream we’ve ever tasted, and perhaps the worst location in Marietta Square Market. So, be sure to look for it before making a final dessert decision. Four Fat Cows is operated by a mother and son duo from a family familiar with celiac disease. The store offers traditional flavors, some exotic options, and a variety of gluten free and diary free treats – all allergen free. My double-scoop combination of caramel turtle and carrot cake was gluten free and flavor rich. Kids are sure to love the colorful Superman, birthday cake and cotton candy explosion flavors. For my next visit, I’ve already got my eyes on chocolate bourbon pecan pie, huckleberry pie, strawberry balsamic or one of the many cupcakes we have yet to sample. Our grandsons are converts, too!

Since we had three in our dessert party, I won’t say that the name reflected our post-dessert status. We sampled a few of the unusual flavors, then made our final selections. My double-scoop combination of caramel turtle and carrot cake was both gluten free and flavor rich.

In With the New

Among the original outlets we visited, three have closed, and two have been replaced, in-place, by similar entries. Henri’s Bakery and Grill has moved into a large front-corner location, and offers a range of savory breakfast sandwiches and sweeter baked treats great all-day. I’m a sucker for supersized cupcakes, and those with brilliant white toppings always shine brightly into my dessert-focused eyes. We look forward to returning here for lattes and those cupcakes — or maybe the double doozie, featuring two chocolate chip cookies surrounding a white icing middle, then partially covered in chocolate. Well, who knows what will catch our eye on the return, but we will be back!

Henri’s Bakery and Deli, Buckhead’s iconic 90-year-old bakery, tantalizes all-day-long with breakfast items, fresh pastries, a range of cupcakes and cookies, including their famous Double Doozie.

In one of the largest outlets and featuring both a craft bar and full-service tables, Siete specializes in tacos, tequila and Latin fusion inspired by a trip to New York, of all places! Owned and operated by a local family which deserves credit and support for having the courage to open a sit-down restaurant during a pandemic, we’re looking forward to tasting the well-reviewed El Georgian Guac, ceviche tostados and the wide range of creative tacos. Hopefully, when winter eventually gives way to spring and summer, we’ll also be able to enjoy Siete’s patio and a margarita, tequila flight and one of those tequila craft beverages. OH, we meant OR one of those beverages, not AND all of those beverages — unless we Uber over!

Next Up!

We still have outlets to try that offer barbeque, burgers, crepes, lobster, pitas, smoothie, hot dogs Italian options.  We’ve heard good things about each, and have our menu choice prepared. Frankly, we would have tried Cousins Lobster previously, but we had a Maine trip scheduled on our final pre-Covid visit, and thus wisely left our full lobster consumption allotment open for that trip. Cousins operates food trucks in nearly 30 cities, and restaurants or food hall outlets in another 10.

More Nearby Attractions

If you need to build up an appetite, burn some calories or create other reasons to drop in at Marrieta Square Market, here are a few of our other favorite nearby activities to consider:

  • Gone With the Wind Museum. If you’re looking for Scarlett on the Square, she’s no longer there. Relocated to Brumby Hall, the Gone With the Wind Museum is a perfect spot for fans of this Southern classic movie. And don’t skip the gardens outside.
  • Kennesaw Mountain Hiking. The nation’s most-visited national battlefield, Kennesaw Mountain offers history, hiking and lots more. On weekdays, you can drive to the top, while on weekends you can walk or take the park shuttle for a small fee. Our favorite hike is around KEMO’s backside, a longer, more challenging hike that includes some rock climbs and ascents of both Little KEMO and KEMO.
  • Marietta Walking and Bike Trail. The brick and paved trail follows the railroad tracks through downtown Marietta. Continuing South for less than a mile, you can visit Brown Park, the Confederate Cemetery and Marietta City Cemetery – all good walking and history spots.
  • KSU WWII and Holocaust Museum. A small, somber and interesting local museum, the folks at KSU have done a fabulous job of documenting both the horrors of the Holocaust and the role Georgia played in World War II. Admission is free, and you’ll definitely learn something new.
The Gone with the Wind Museum at its home in Brumby Hall is a perfect pre-or-post dining excursion when you’re in Marietta. And the recreational Mountain-to-River trail is adjacent to the food hall, and leads past lots of good shopping and sightseeing.

All Our Adventures

We’ve been busy at OurTravelCafe.com. You can check out all of our (50+) adventures at OurTravelCafe.com/blog.  We’re adding new stuff all the time. And we welcome contributions by “guest chefs.”  So if you want to share a travel story, location or tip, just leave a comment on our comment form, or drop us an e-mail.

Lobster kissing on Lulu Lobster Boat Tour. OurTravelCafe.com
We’ve been busy this summer and over the past two years recounting our travels — far and near. Check out all our stories by visiting our home page: http://www.ourtravelcafe.com

How to Do the Sloppy Floyd

DeanLand
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How to Do the Sloppy Floyd

When I asked my adult daughter if she and her kids wanted to go with us to Sloppy Floyd, she replied, “Sure, what kind of food do they serve?”

For sake of clarity, our reference to Sloppy Floyd was James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park, one of our favorite Northwest Georgia hiking parks surrounded by the Chattahoochee Forest. But you knew that, right!

For the record, Sloppy Floyd is not a new restaurant. Nor is it:

  • A trendy island bar. That’s Sloppy Joe’s in Key West.
  • A saucy loose meat sandwich, legendarily invented by a cook named Joe at Floyd Angell’s café in Sioux City, Iowa. Again, Sloppy Joe.
  • A song honoring school lunch ladies. Again, Sloppy Joe, written by Adam Sandler and performed on Saturday Night Life with Chris Farley.
  • A bad haircut on The Andy Griffith Show, though Floyd the Barber was a popular character with classic scenes.

And no, grandpa, Sloppy Floyd is NOT what the kids are calling it these days!

For sake of clarity, our reference to Sloppy Floyd was James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park, one of our favorite Northwest Georgia hiking parks surrounded by the Chattahoochee Forest. The park’s most photographed and well-known feature is the small waterfall over the gaping entry to the abandoned Marble Mine. And regional anglers would prefer to keep secret that the park’s two man-made lakes are well-stocked with channel catfish, bass, and bream, with easy access from the shore, boats or the fishing docks.

Marble Mine Trail

Sloppy Floyd State Park’s most photographed and well-known feature is the small waterfall over the gaping entry to the abandoned Marble Mine.

Our starting point at Sloppy Floyd always is the Marble Mine trail, a relatively easy, slightly inclined, gravel-and-rock-covered wide trail suitable for families. It’s just 0.8 miles and approximately 300 feet of vertical climb to the wide opening of the former Marble Mine, where a low-volume waterfall drips steadily during wetter periods from a 35-foot ledge above the mine into a reflecting pool. A boardwalk at the mine entrance allows visitors to walk by the side and behind the falls, a sure delight for the youngsters on a hot day as small eddies sneak through crack in the rocks to drip on the unaware or curious. Standing on the boardwalk at its various terminating points behind the falls also provides some natural air conditioning as cool air escapes from the now-closed subterranean passages.

When crossing the lake on the boardwalk, water-loving birds can often be spotted, along with turtles, frogs and the occasional curious fish.

We usually start our Marble Mine hike near the park offices, allowing us a scenic walk across Upper Lake on a permanent boardwalk bridge. A variety of water-loving birds can often be spotted here, along with turtles, frogs and the occasional curious fish. In warmer months kayakers generally can be seen around the lake. (And a variety of boat rentals are available, too, at least they have been in non-Covid times.)

Regional anglers would prefer to keep secret that the park’s two man-made lakes are well-stocked with channel catfish, bass, and bream, with easy access from the shore, boats and fishing docks. In non-COVID years, peddle and paddle boats are available for rent.

From the lake, the trail enters the forest, crossing streams fed from above. Along the route, a variety of abandoned buildings, foundations and heavy metal items can be spotted in the forest, likely ghosts of the mining operation that began here in 1923.

Where to Now?

After exploring the boardwalk and snapping pictures, we were faced with the question, “Where to now?” When hiking with grandkids who generally have exhausted snack supplies, our answer is to take the short connector and head back down on the Jenkins Gap trail.  That route flattens out and joins the Upper Lake Loop, where we follow the lake’s edge through the woods rather than taking the road over the dam and back to the parking lot. We enjoy the lakeside route for the winding path and plentiful flora. However, be on the lookout because you can often encounter some slithering surprises along this route.

Without the grandkids in tow, the question of “Where to now?,” usually is answered with “Going up” — taking the steep route up the Taylor Ridge and the Pinhoti Trail.

But when we’re hiking alone or with mobile adults, our usual response to “What’s next?”is “Going up!” A word of warning: taking this higher route can be strenuous and may challenge those with balance or endurance issues.

Taylor Ridge and the Turkey’s Home

By continuing up on the Marble Mine trail, you’ll climb a relatively steep, narrower trail featuring many switchbacks gaining approximately 500 feet in under a half-mile. When you reach the high point of Taylor Ridge at 1,400 feet, you’ll join a section of the 335-mile Pinhoti Trail as it meanders from Alabama into Georgia. With a prominence of approximately 800 feet above some of the surrounding valleys, the views here are expansive, especially in the winter when the fallen leaves open the vast panorama. Reflecting both the elevation and the plentiful wildlife in this area, Pinhoti is a Creek work for “turkey’s home.”

With a prominence of approximately 800 feet above some of the surrounding valleys, the views here are expansive, especially when the leaves have fallen. But the route down on Jenkins Gap Trail is steep, slippery and strenuous.

As the Pinhoti Trail continued its winding journey to a northern terminus, we completed our loop down on the Jenkins Gap Trail. More words of warning: if you’ve climbed to Taylor Ridge and are uncertain of your abilities or balance, return down the Marble Mine Trail instead.

After descending the first 100-feet of the Jenkins Gap Trail, the dirt trail takes a very steep turn, dropping 300 feet quickly. Slipping often here, we reached for trailside rocks and branches to help maintain our footing. Once traversing this challenging section, the trail gradually returns to easier angles the further you descend until joining the Upper Lake Loop.  

Descending the first 100 feet from the ridge, we kept our heads up to enjoy the views. For the next 300 feet of descent, it was heads down, trying to find firm footing on the steep downward trail.

Lower Lake Loop

The easiest trail at Sloppy Floyd is the near-flat and descriptively named Lower Lake Loop. Following the shore of Lower Lake, the trail crosses the earthen dam that creates the lake, and also over the Upper Lake overflow dam where water flows in. Leaving the park office, it’s easy to follow the Lower Lake Loop until crossing the earthen dam. Once over the dam, the trail rises slightly into the woods, then intersects a campground connector. We learned – the hard way – that keeping left follows the lake trail, while taking the right fork climbs further through the campgrounds and requires a lengthy walk along Sloppy Floyd Lake Road to return to the park office.

The lower lake is created by an earthen dam, and filled from water falling over the dam at the upper lake. In the background, Taylor Ridge towers nearly 900 feet above the lake.

Getting There and Back, With Treats

Coming from the Kennesaw/Acworth area, we usually take I-75 North to Adairsville, then travel west on GA-140, passing through the scenic Conasauga District of the Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest on winding sections of US 27. It’s a beautiful drive, especially in the fall when changing leaves paint with a fall palette on Taylor Ridge.

Quaint and colorful, the City Creamery in downtown Rome is one of our favorite post-hike stops for sweet rewards, especially when we have the youngsters with us. Of course we use the littles as an excuse to stop, but it’s a crowd-pleaser for all ages..

Often tired and craving a reward for our exertion, we often follow US 27 south on the journey home, frequently stopping in downtown Rome for a cold treat or warm meal. The City Creamery beckons whenever we have the grandkids with us, or when we just need a cooling reward. If we haven’t packed a picnic with the kids, Harvest Moon Café is a favorite comfort-food stop. And if we’re craving something a bit different, we head to the always-amazing choices of Mediterranean food at The Jerusalem Grill.

When we need something heartier and filling — perhaps accompanied by an adult beverage or two — Harvest Moon Cafe in downtown Rome is just what the adults ordered.
For a more adventurous post-hike dining adventure, Rome’s Jerusalem Grill offers up a variety of Mediterranean fare. And their bakery serves up great dessert options, too.

Just the Facts — and Stats

With various trails, there’s a hike for all at Sloppy Floyd State Park. For our trek starting at the park office, heading up to Marble Mine, ascending to Taylor Ridge, then returning down the Jenkins Gap and Upper Lake Trails, we recorded 4.81 miles in just over 2.25 hours. With the various ups and downs along the way, we climbed more than 1,000 vertical feet over that trek.

We track our outings with Garmin watches, which keep our stats and provide a number of cool visualizations of our day. We track time, distance, calories, maps, rate, elevations and more. We’ve recently upgraded to the Garmin Fenix, and love it!

Before you decide to make the ascent from Marble Mine up to Taylor’s Ridge, keep in mind (again) that this top area is very steep, strenuous and has treacherous footing on the way down. And our best tip for Sloppy Floyd is this: Do NOT hike up Jenkins Gap trail to Taylor Ridge unless you’re a serious and in-shape hiker.

The basic elevation plot was produced by our Garmin watch. I added the white labels and red markers for this version. The key take-away: the upper sections leading to Taylor Ridge are steep, no matter which way you go. Our suggest route flows left to right, starting at the park office, climbing to the Marble Mine, then continuing up the switchback trail to Taylor Ridge. The descent on Jenkins Gap Trail is steep and treacherous. Of course, you CAN do this in reverse, but that long, steep slope on Jenkins Gap Trail should warn you about the effort required to climb.

Who Was Sloppy Floyd?

We were curious about James H. “Sloppy” Floyd, and why a state park was named after him. Detailed biographical information about the man is sparse, but we did find this, which we share without further comment or commendation:

Atlanta Magazine, Who the Hell Is Sloppy Floyd?

New York Times, Obituary

Wikipedia Entry

Where to Light Up the Holidays

DeanLand
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Where to Light Up the Holidays

(We’ve updated information for 2021, with the most important reminder being to call ahead, recheck details and purchase tickets in advance. Due to Covid-19, many of these locations are limiting admissions and changing their visitation options. Where possible, we’ve added links to most current information — but check again before heading out!)

Once Thanksgiving leftovers are a memory, a new season starts at our house.  No, not Black Friday or shopping season.  Rather, it’s immediately the beginning of Christmas Light season for us, and that means putting up our own decorations, enjoying Griswold-inspired efforts in nearby neighborhoods and a few annual treks to some of our favorite Holiday Light displays.

We’re blessed here to have a wide variety of good options for Christmas and Holiday Light displays. Our annual explorations generally include multiple evenings of piling the extended family into the minivan, immediately breaking out sugary snacks for the drive, and doubling down with hot, chocolaty drinks when we arrive at any faux-North Pole, leaving parents to deal later with the sugar-high grandkids while we relax back at home.

Our explorations include sugary snacks for the drive, then doubling-down on hot chocolaty drinks at any faux-North Pole, leaving parents to deal later with sugar-high grand kids while we relax back at home as the best grandparents in the whole, wide world!

Christmas market at Callaway Gardens
We’re blessed with many regional, municipal and private Holiday light displays around the area. Some feature Christmas markets for your decorating and novelty needs.

With a reminder that we don’t accept sponsorships, advertising or freebies for anything we post, here are a few of our favorite festive destinations for Christmas displays, holiday lights and an evening of good fun – plus some tips on how the best enjoy them:

Callaway Gardens, Fantasy in Lights

We put Fantasy in Lights first on our list because it is our most frequent and most favorite of our annual Holiday Lights outings. If you plan just to visit for an evening, the downside is the drive South through Atlanta rush hour traffic. So instead, leave early and spend the day enjoying the shops, restaurants and decorated downtown of neighboring Pine Mountain. Another option is to explore Callaway Gardens, as a free admission is included with each Fantasy in Lights ticket. Allow at least two hours on-site at the Festival of Lights, not including your local travel or parking time.

Callaway’s brand new field of lights spans two football fields, and features a 10-story lighted tree.

When purchasing your ticket, you can choose to ride through the display on their “Jolly Trolley,” an open-air wagon with recorded narratives pulled through the displays at a leisurely pace. Don’t forget your winter wear, including hats and gloves if you plan to take the trolley. Otherwise, you can drive your own vehicle through the displays. The trade-off is enjoying your heater in exchange for waiting in what can be a long vehicle queue. Afterwards, enjoy the animated lake-front displays of the Night Before Christmas and The Nativity Story while sipping hot chocolate or one of the more spirited adult beverages also available. There’s also an indoor Christmas Market which offers some unique regional decorations and gifts, plus features a nice children’s play area.

Santa's workshop at Callaway Gardens Fantasy of LIghts
On previous visits, we took the one-horse open sleigh — or the Jolly Trolley wagon pulled by a pick-up — to see the lights. On our recent visit, we chose the drive-thru option, and enjoyed the heat in our van.

Six Flags Holiday in the Park

Beyond the lights, many of the park’s favorite coasters are decorated for the season, making Six Flags a perfect option for kids one to 92.

Following Halloween Fright Fest, Six Flags rids the park of monsters, mutants and zombies to transform it into a festive wonderland with lights, foods and shows celebrating the Holiday season. Of course, many of your favorite coaster rides are open and operating normally, while others are themed and decorated for the season – making Six Flags Holiday in the Park a great option for families with kids from one to 92, including those in the tween and teen years. One admission gets you into all the attractions, and Holiday in the Park is included for no extra charge for season pass holders. If you’re a season pass holder, check your e-mail and you’ll likely find some special discounts for friends and family. Otherwise, just bring a Coke can and you qualify for discounted admission. Once we’re in the park, we enjoy the decorations and lights on the walk over to the train station, then hop on for a ride to the North Pole.  On the way out, we usually enjoy making s’mores on the open pit fires, always a smokin’ hot way to end a cold evening.

Snow globe at Six Flags Holiday in the Park
Children’s rides, the carousel, roller coasters, and the train all operate during Holiday in the Park. Plus, the snow globe offers cool photo opportunities.

Petit Creek Farms Christmas Light Show

Located in nearby Cartersville, Petit Creek Farms is a year-round best bet for affordable family fun. The Christmas Season is no exception, with approximately one mile of Holiday lights, a petting zoo, Georgia reindeer and Santa visits. Plus, the carload pricing scheme is family friendly, and we often find additional discounts using Groupon. It’s no wonder this local attraction consistently is rated in the Top 20 for family Christmas lighting by AtlantaParent.Com.

Rockin’ Christmas, at Whitewater in Marietta

This is billed as the world’s largest drive-thru animated light show. We won’t challenge that in court, but the claim seems dubious (or maybe, just legally-nuanced!) compared to, say, Callaway Gardens.

Cars are in continuous motion through the serpentine traffic pattern at World of Illumination, winding through a computer controlled, music-synchronized LED light field in the parking lot at White Water theme park. Rockin’ Christmas replaces the 2020 show, Candy Rush.

The 2021 show, Rockin’ Christmas, is one of three shows offered by World of Illumination, and they seem to travel annually to different locations.

The drive-through-only display is located in the parking lot of Six Flag’s White Water theme park off Barrett Parkway in Marietta. Cars are in continuous motion through the serpentine traffic pattern, winding through a computer controlled, music-synchronized LED light field featuring seasonal and whimsical characters and shapes. Using short-range FM broadcast, music plays through your vehicle speakers as you drive. While there is a smattering of seasonal Christmas and holiday music from Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and Trans Siberian Orchestra, the lights also dance to a rocking Queen medley, “Happy” by Pharrel Williams, and other non-seasonal tunes.

The whimsical characters and seasonal shapes dance to a smattering of Christmas music, but also to a medley soundtrack of rock and pop tunes.

Rock City Enchanted Garden of Lights

If you’re counting steps, Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights is the perfect choice, using much of the 4,100-ft walking trail at the year-round attraction to create four different Holiday-themed realms. And as an outdoor attraction, Rock City welcomes pets, but beware that your pets may not like the large crowds, other pets and the light displays. Our grandkids were as fascinated with the traditional nursery rhyme area as they were with the bright and blinking Holiday displays.  One planning note: there’s only one mountain road up to Rock City and thousands of people who want to visit. Part of the location opens at 4 pm, and it’s best to get there early – which means before the 6 pm full opening time. If you do, you can tour the displays, then enjoy the view seated with hot chocolate on one of the overlooks as hundreds of headlights form a twisting line up the mountain.

Rock City Enchanted Garden of Lights
As an outdoor and walk-thru attraction, Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights allows pets. But beware, large crowds and blinking lights may not be enchanting for your pets.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride

Note that I’ve used the TM to reflect the trademark with the Polar Express on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad in Bryson City. That’s because while there are many holiday train rides that feature lights, treats, Santa and songs, only those that pay the proper licensing fee can officially use the Polar Express story, songs and characters from the movie. And that, in a nut shell, is why we drove all the way to Bryson City rather than opting for a more convenient Holiday train ride. We’re glad we did it, but we definitely wouldn’t make the 300-mile round trip drive again in one day for the 75-minute experience. Instead we’d make a weekend of it, spend some extra time in Bryson City and maybe even plan a visit to The Biltmore while “in the neighborhood.”

Holiday train ride with elves at SIx Flags
You’ll find Holiday train rides all around Atlanta and Georgia, including at Six Flags and Stone Mountain. But if you want the characters and songs from Polar Express, you’ll have to find the officially licensed attraction.

Atlanta Botanical Gardens

It’s impressive and beautiful. But it’s also ItP (Inside the Perimeter), which means a painful trek through Atlanta traffic, then more potential hassles to get to convenient parking. City crowds and manners also may be overwhelming compared to more laid-back locations. Prices tend to be higher, too, though value and regular nights do offer some relief compared to premium night pricing. How do you know what’s a premium night at Atlanta Botanical Gardens? Simple, if you want to go on a convenient weekend or holiday, you’ll pay more for that premium convenience. Beware, too, that tickets are good only for a specific date unless you upgrade to a “flex” ticket.

Atlanta Botanical Gardens is impressive and beautiful at the Holidays, but it’s ItP (Inside the Perimeter) location can mean traffic and parking problems.

Neighborhood Lights

Laser lights and Christmas Joy yard sign
Age and technology have conspired to convince me that three laser projectors, two colored fluorescent bulbs and a hand-made yard sign can suffice for neighborhood decorations. But  I haven’t given in to movie-themed blow ups.

We do enjoy riding through nearby neighborhoods and enjoying the Holiday creativity. Sometimes we stop and gawk. Other times we point and laugh. And if we don’t have the grandkids with us, I might occasionally mutter, “WTF?”

Let me get something off my chest about neighborhood decorations and displays. I’m not a modernist. And while age and technology have convinced me that three laser projectors can pass for a whole-house lighting display, I’m just not a fan of blow-ups, especially those based on recent movies. At the theatre, I’ll tolerate yellow mumbling minions for 90 minutes because my grandkids enjoy them. But what they have to do with Christmas or the Holidays is beyond me.  The same goes for Disney mice, and random dinosaurs. Bah. Humbug.  Ok, I better stop on this deviation before I get my full Grinch on.

What Are Your Favorites?

We don’t have an exclusive on Holiday light rankings. We’d love to know about your favorites, especially since our extended family will be visiting around Christmas time and the idea of getting out of the house for a few hours will sound great.  That is, until we pack everyone into even tighter quarters of minivans and child seats and venture into the December darkness.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Winding Walks in The Woods at Red Top Mountain

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Winding Walks in The Woods at Red Top Mountain

Recently, we’ve headed out to Georgia’s Red Top Mountain State Park to explore the various trails, enjoying the canopy and lake breezes while escaping the withering heat of the last days of summer and enjoying the changing colors of fall. We’re describing these outings as walks rather than hikes since we’re not quite sure where to draw the line between the two and we certainly don’t want to offend serious hikers – like those who trek the 2,200+ miles of the Appalachian Trail from the Georgia gateway at Amicalola State Park.

Colorful scenery on Red Top Mountain trails
We enjoyed lots of natural scenery on our walks through the piney woods along Lake Allatoona, while also escaping the withering heat of the final days of summer.

Regardless of the characterization, Red Top offers several trails featuring clear paths, consistent footing, mild elevation changes and some short inclines that will increase your heart rate if you’re an average American over age 40. The trails are well-traveled even on weekdays, and you generally maintain cell phone coverage, so even novice hikers can feel comfortable when heading out on an outing.

Whether escaping the withering heat of summer or wandering the wide trails to enjoy the colors of fall, Red Top Mountain offers trails to fit every fitness level.

Choosing Your Route

Selecting your trail is easy, thanks to a trail map from the Georgia State Parks. Available online in advance or as a pamphlet at the park, the maps provide solid information about each trail, including an elevation guide. While these aren’t detailed hiking maps like you might need on technical trails, they provide enough information for the average walker out for a casual stroll.

Visitor center at Red Top Mountain State Park; OurTravelCafe.com
Multiple trails start and end at the visitor center. Helpful rangers provide trail maps and advice, and restrooms are a welcome site.

For those who like shorter walks, three trails feature walks under one mile. The Visitor Center trail starts at the park visitor center, and circles for 0.75 miles through nearby woods and small hillsides.  The Lakeside Trail also measures 0.75 miles and offers a fully ADA-accessible loop along the shores of Lake Allatoona. The White Tail trail is 0.5 miles one-way ending at a scenic point along the lake, which means your walk will total one mile when you return.

We like covering longer distances, thus prefer the 3.5-mile Iron Hill trail and the 5.5-mile Homestead Trail.

Iron Hill Trail: Share With Bikes

If shaded walks on flatter terrain with lots of water views sounds great, the Iron Hill Trail is a great bet. You’ll enjoy wide open or tree-framed views of Lake Allatoona over approximately half of the trail, with several opportunities to walk down to the shoreline if you wish. These sweeping, panoramic views are great year-round, whether you prefer blue water filled with boat and bathers or fall colors reflecting in smooth lake waters. The gravel-covered trail offers relatively easy footing, generally without ankle-challenging roots and ruts.

Lake views from Red Top Mountain hiking trails; OurTravelCafe.com
The Iron Hill and Homestead Trails are among those providing wide open and tree-framed views of Lake Allatoona. A marina also offers boat rentals.

Both walkers and bicycles are permitted on the Iron Hill trail, which can present challenges and frustrations for both types of users. The number of bikers on the path swells on the weekends, so weekday walking is more bike-free than weekends.

Since I’m both an avid bicycle rider and walker, I’m not taking sides here. But I will say both types of users should be aware of, communicative with and courteous to the other. If you’re walking, keep to the right, and consider walking single file if you’re in a group. And if you hear someone yell out, “On your left,” just keep moving ahead and stay to the far right of the trail.

Check Out The Video on Hiking Iron Hill Trail

If you’re on a bike, be sure to call out clear warnings well in advance. Be prepared for that “deer-in-the-headlights” reaction that freezes many walkers smack in the middle of the path, or worse yet, the backward glance over the left shoulder accompanied by a few leftward meandering steps putting them precisely in the middle of your handlebars.

The shore-hugging Iron Hill trail provides lots of panoramic views of Lake Allatoona, plus some intimate glimpses into colorful small coves.

We particularly enjoy the Iron Hill trail in the fall, as the shore-hugging trail offers spectacular views of colorful hidden coves.

Homestead Trail: A Walk in the Woods

For a bike-free walk over more challenging terrain, the Homestead Trail is your best choice. Technically, this trail would qualify as a hike as it features elevation changes, a natural trail bed, requires adjustment of your stride to accommodate obstacles, and is best undertaken wearing ankle-protecting hiking boots or shoes.

Homestead Trail at Red Top Mountain; OurTravelCafe.com
Homestead Trail is a pleasant walk in the woods on a natural, compacted path. Ruts, roots and other ankle-twisting surprises make hiking boots a good choice.

Homestead Trail takes its name from several abandoned homesteader locations in the area, with some traces still visible along the loop portion of the trail near Lake Allatoona.  Starting at the Visitor’s Center, you’ll walk about a mile through the native forest, often following a small stream that feeds the lake. Crossing Lodge Road, you’ll begin the loop portion on an undulating path which features several uphill sections gaining 75 to 150 feet of elevation over relatively short distances.

Chimney at abandoned homestead; OurTravelCafe.com
Several abandoned home site give Homestead Trail its name. Keep an eye out and you can find some of the remaining signs of former sites.

While the path generally is well traveled over tightly compacted soil, footing can be treacherous in spots. Natural drainage can create a few slippery wet sections even during dry season.  Roots protrude at unpredictable spots, and also contribute to deep ruts cut by water running downhill during heavy rains. And limbs, trees and even leaves that hide uneven ground create unexpected trip hazards.  Plus, while looking down, you’re likely to find some interesting ground creatures and plants that make for interesting – and literally overlooked – photo opportunities

Natural sites at forest floor level, OurTravelCafe.com
With uneven ground and trip hazards, it’s a good idea to keep your eyes focused on the forest floor while walking. Doing so will also help you find some overlooked sites.
 
Spider web at Red Top Mountain, OurTravelCafe.com
But don’t look down constantly, or you’re likely to encounter some surprises. We found this just off the main trail, but walked through lots of smaller strands on the trail.

Other Favorite Walks

All this writing about walking got us to thinking about others who write, sing or remind us about different types of walks.  Here are some of our favorites:

A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson. One of my all-time favorite writers, and not just as a travel writer. This inspired and inspiring book recreates his hilarious path to and trek on the Appalachian Trail with a very interesting friend. Skip the movie – it’s horrible.

The Walk, Richard Paul Evans. Actually, a series of books which tell the ultimately-uplifting story of a man finding faith and friendship after overcoming death, depression and evil as he walks from the Pacific Northwest to South Florida.

A Good Walk Spoiled, John Feinstein. Back to the light side, one of my favorite sportswriters tells stories from the PGA tour. Published in 1995, it’s a bit dated now, but still great fun for us boomer types who remember golf before Tiger Woods.

Dead Man Walking. Growing up Catholic in Louisiana, we have special connections to this true story of a Roman Catholic nun who becomes the spiritual adviser to a convicted killer in the Louisiana State Prison. Susan Sarandon won an Oscar for her 1995 portrayal of Sister Prejean – but she’ll always be Annie Savoy in Bull Durham to me since I have her autograph on an original movie script.

Walking Tall.  The original 1973 movie version and sequels, and not the 2004 remake.  Yes, The Rock brought big-time wrestling cache to the remade story of Sheriff Buford Pusser, a professional wrestler-turned-lawman. But Joe Don Baker and his baseball bat are forever ingrained in my memory.

Walk This Way. This Aerosmith song is an all-time favorite and launched the band and lead singer Steven Tyler to prominence. Oddly, it also brought rap to the mainstream when Run-DMC covered it with the help of Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry. My special connection: Perry says the famous guitar riff was inspired by New Orleans funk group, The Meters – who played at my high school prom.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side. I’m still shocked that Lou Reed’s exquisite story telling about cross-dressers traveling to New York and becoming prostitutes was ever played on radio in the mid 1970s. Well, it was almost exclusively on FM – which is totally beyond the understanding of any post Baby Boomers.

Christopher Walken. Wonderful, weird and wacky, Walken’s myriad characters are found in legendary movies. And who doesn’t like a good Christopher Walken impression. Even with 100 movie credits, one of my favorite Walken film bits is a Saturday Night Live skit with Will Farrell and a cowbell.

Never done it, never will:

Walking Dead, the series.  Nope.  Ever since I saw the original “Night of the Living Dead,” zombies – along with clowns – are among my fears.

Moonwalking. Bad knees, no rhythm and profound clumsiness haunt me like zombies. And I prefer Thriller.

Walk a Straight Line.  What, with my situational positional vertigo?  Not a chance.

Iron Hill Trail route at Red Top Mountain, OurTravelCafe.com
The 3.5-mile Iron Hill Trail follows along the banks of Lake Allatoona. The gravel-covered trail offers relatively easy footing, generally without ankle-challenging roots and ruts.
Homestead Trail at Red Top Mountain; OurTravelCafe.com
For a bike-free walk over more challenging terrain, the Homestead Trail is your best choice. It features elevation changes, a natural trail bed, requires adjustment of your stride to accommodate obstacles, and is best undertaken wearing ankle-protecting hiking boots or shoes.

Updated: November 2020

Originally Published: October 2018

A positive spin on the summer of 2020

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A positive spin on the summer of 2020

By Gary Meehan

At the end of March, like many folks, as the pandemic was beginning to take hold and ravish the food service industry in which I work, I was placed on indefinite furlough. 

I wasn’t surprised. In fact, I welcomed the news.

‘Out back’ at ‘The Cottage’ with Molly the Cat (18 years young!)

As a self-employed entrepreneur for the past 30 years, a real vacation was a luxury I rarely took. Even those times when I did, I would still ‘check-in’ with the office each day. So, while I would enjoy the change of scenery, I never really received the full benefit.

For years the seasons came and went — this summer I took time to notice (and capture) what nature provides

That’s why when I received the news, I took it as a sign that I should use this opportunity for some long overdue down time.

I live in south-western Ontario in Norfolk County. Ontario’s south-coast (I know, thinking of Canada having a south coast makes me smile too). Norfolk is a mostly agricultural area where everything from corn to ginseng, soy, wheat, tobacco, potatoes and other crops are grown.

Many years ago the government offered incentives to farmers to grow ginseng in an effort to help wean them off of tobacco crops. The spaces in-between make for a great walk close to home.

I love this area, especially after this summer. Along with all of the land dedicated to agriculture, we’re fortunate enough to have great swaths of Carolinian forests, beautiful beaches, lakes, miles of trails – many of which are reclaimed rail lines, even a budding wine region. Oh yes, and given the recent change in marijuana laws, a budding ‘bud’ region too 😉 Not to mention the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve, and some of the prettiest little ports you’ll see anywhere. 

The Shadow Lake Trail in beautiful Waterford, features woodland pathways and rail lines that have been converted to walking and cycling trails. Locals know this area as the ‘Waterford Ponds’

The county is 1600 square kilometres (620 square miles) and yet has a relatively small population of only 65,000 people. Simcoe, where I live, is the largest ‘centre’ with a whopping 14,000 residents. 

Port Dover is one of my favourite places to ‘hang out’. A commercial fishery (perch, pickerel) still operates here. I spend my time on the quieter commercial side and leave the more crowded side to the ‘tourists’.

Norfolk county is one of Ontario’s best kept secrets. About an hour and a half SW of Toronto, residents there have traditionally vacationed in the other direction in the  Kawartha lakes region, NE of the city. When we first moved here almost 20 years ago, we would do the same.

Even in winter, the Lake Erie shoreline is a great place to unwind

The idea of vacationing in our own backyard came when we noted how many trailers, boats and campers were heading to our area as we were leaving. So, about 15 years ago I decided we should save the 3 hour drive north and do the same. I’ve never looked back.

Port Rowan sits on Long Point Bay across from ‘The Point’ itself.  Long Point is technically a 40 km (25 mi) long sand spit that features beautiful beaches, bird sanctuaries, cottages and a conservation and camping area.

During the lockdown, of course, I had no choice. My summer off would be spent re-claiming my property, planting a vegetable garden, long walks along the trails (and through the ginseng fields), morning drives along the ‘waterfront trail’ and trips out on the boat fishing and sightseeing.

Businesses like Burning Kiln wineries, with its eco-adventure ‘park’, trail system, and ‘glamping’ — is a great place to enjoy the natural beauty of the county.

It took a few weeks for my mind, body and soul to catch on. It took some convincing that ‘we’ were really going to just relax and forget about work for a while. And while it was strange at first, I was able to settle in to a great routine. As well as discover some truths about myself that will serve me now that I am working again.

The Hahn Marsh is part of the Big Creek National Wildlife Area and a big draw for duck hunters each fall.

I learned that taking time for myself is a good thing. That I don’t need as much money to ’live’ as I thought I did. That my policy to take on every opportunity that presented itself as if it could be my last only led to always working.  

Sunflowers at sunset.

I learned that the trees that need dropping and chopping aren’t an inconvenience but an enjoyable way to get some well-needed exercise and a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. And the flames and crackle of a backyard ‘campfire’ create a beautiful atmosphere to meditate and gain some inner peace. That planting and maintaining a vegetable garden is hard work (that for a time hurt my back), but made supper way more enjoyable than store-bought produce.

There’s something very calming when surrounded by farmland for as far as the eye can see.

I rekindled my love of cooking. With my kids now grown and in their own homes, it was too easy to ’skip the dishes’ and let someone else do the cooking. Now, I understand that cooking for myself, just like I would do for them, can be a healthy form of self care that is good for my soul — from the quality of the food and ingredients to the preparation and presentation of the plate.

I like to take and collect photos of the interesting ways folks use old vehicles as garden ‘art’. Bottom right is the Attawandaron, docked in Port Dover—a steel boat I watched one man build over the course of 2 to 3 years. Take me, take me!

Most of all I learned to love where I live. The small bungalow that is my house (which I affectionately call the cottage). The property, which compared to the neighbours is ‘rough around the edges’ (which I affectionately call ‘homestead-esque).  The fields and dunes, lakefront and beaches, marshlands, forests and winding roads with a picture worthy view around almost every corner.

Signs, signs, everywhere the signs…

I realize the pandemic has in so many ways been tragic for too many people. Even we lost a dear uncle overseas. But I can’t deny that in some sense, I have benefitted immensely from it. 

With a county-wide commitment to clean energy, wind turbines generate enough to power over 30,000 homes 

I’m fortunate enough to be working again. But instead of treating every opportunity like it might be my last, the summer of 2020 has taught me the importance of taking time to breathe, enjoy my surroundings and put health – which naturally leads to joy and happiness – first.

The ‘south-coast’ can be beautiful (and windy) in summer!

About the Author: Gary Meehan is an executive marketing consultant and serial entrepreneur based near Toronto, Canada. With knowledge, skills and networks developed over 30 years in this industry, Gary works with the world’s leading brands and provide services across the entire marketing spectrum – from product development and design to business development and product launches. He has worked and traveled extensively in North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific. Before discovering fully his entrepreneurial spirit, Gary sailed the world as a merchant seaman.

Where to Find Free Fall Fun and Friendly Frights

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Where to Find Free Fall Fun and Friendly Frights

With the continuation of COVID-19, many friends and neighbors are debating their trick or treat plans. But whatever your decision, there’s still plenty of opportunity for free Halloween fun and some friendly frights by visiting local scarecrow displays in Acworth and Woodstock.

On two consecutive Wandering Wednesdays, we loaded our grandsons into the monster truck and went in search of Halloween scarecrows in Acworth and Woodstock.

Sponsored by local civic and business organizations, both towns engage creative and fright-loving friends to build scarecrow displays that line their main streets and business places during the weeks leading up to and days just past Halloween.  Sponsoring organizations in both cities conduct contests and award prizes to the winners.  In Acworth, judges award five prizes for Best Overall, Most Creative, Most Traditional, Best School Entry and Mayor’s Choice. In Woodstock, visitors pay $1 to vote for their favorite scarecrow, with proceeds supporting ongoing beautification efforts in the downtown area.

Sponsored by local civic and business organizations, scarecrows line the main streets and business places during the weeks leading up to Halloween.

We Visit Woodstock

In the pedestrian-friendly downtown where most of the walkways are set away from traffic, it generally was easy to keep the boys nearby and safe, even with the many distractions drawing their attention.

On one of our Wandering Wednesdays in October, we packed up the grandsons for a half-day outing to visit the Scarecrow Invasion. We’re always surprised by the amount of activity in and growth near downtown Woodstock. As usual, many downtown parking spots on Main Street were full by our 10 am arrival, but we found parking in the city lot at the corner of (Nightmare on) Elm Street and Market Street.

The usual assortment of Halloween frights mingle with characters from movies and story books to create an odd witch’s stew of fall fun.

With over 175 scarecrows, Woodstock’s displays lined both sides of Main Street with spill-overs on Towne Lake Parkway and the shopping and restaurant district of Chambers Street. Portrayals included the usual assortment of Halloween frights, plus cartoon and movie characters, lots of pirates, and many local themes. While some displays included one scarecrow, many featured elaborate sets with multiple figures, sound and even motion. Our littles (five and seven-year boys) loved the interactive displays, which mostly included the opportunity to sit and take a picture with the friendly frights.

Our five and seven-year-old grandsons loved the interactive displays, like this one where they were photobombed by a yellow butterfly.

In the pedestrian-friendly downtown where most of the walkways are set away from traffic, it generally was easy to keep the boys nearby and safe, even with the many distractions drawing their attention. However, in a few locations where there is no dividing space between the sidewalk and traffic, we kept them closer to avoid any potential mishaps. And though we passed on it, a Scarecrow Invasion Scavenger Hunt starts in the downtown Visitor’s Center, challenging participants to locate scarecrows and answer questions for a prize.

From timely current events like blasting the coronavirus through the creative uses for floral skills to timeless stories, the scarecrow display the talents of area groups.

We needed just over 75 leisurely-paced minutes to see all the scarecrows, including extra time for photos and discussions with excited little boys. Then we selected from the wide array of restaurants for a take-out lunch and picnic in the park.

Scarecrows Around Acworth

The 2020 version of the Acworth Scarecrow Parade marks the 10th annual event, which ends Nov. 6. Until then Acworth’s scarecrows line both sides of Main Street between Lemon and Mill Streets, with a few spilling over to Center Street and Southside Drive.

For the 10th Annual Scarecrow Parade, Acworth chose the theme, “Totally ’80s.” While these guys busted a move, we simply enjoyed the show.

With a theme of “Totally 80s,” the Acworth Scarecrows feature typical Halloween characters often dressed in spandex exercise wear, posed in funky dance moves, and reflecting historic 1980s cultural moments. You’ll also find some local color and characters, like the Chef Henry scarecrow outside the landmark downtown Cajun restaurant.

Local flavors and celebrities were featured too, like this scarecrow Chef Henry outside his Louisiana restaurant of the same name.

We combined our Acworth visit with an afternoon walk, so we parked at Logan’s Farm by choice to get a few extra steps and allow the littles to climb up the pedestrian bridge and watch trains pass below. And with a good assortment of shops and restaurants to choose from, we stopped in for a sugary special treat of shaved ice at Flavors of Hawaii. Our full exploration of the Acworth scarecrows required less than an hour, plus some extra time spent in the extended walk and bridge stop.

From Kiss to astronauts, the Totally 80s theme showcased some of the iconic figures of that long-past decade — back when I still had hair!

Other Halloween Excursions

One of the victims of this year of COVID was one of our favorite Halloween events: the balloon glow at Kennesaw State’s Owl-O-Ween.

Because of the pandemic, many traditional Halloween events have been curtailed or cancelled.  Owl-O-Ween at Kennesaw State University featuring hot air balloon displays is one of the cancellation victims, but we hope it will be back next year.  Over at Six Flags, where we are season ticket holders, Fright Fest is underway, though it’s taken on a different vibe in 2020 due to distancing and pandemic concerns.

But that doesn’t really bother us because our family doesn’t enjoy real Halloween frights. Thus, we’ve enjoyed simply driving around Brookstone and the surrounding neighborhoods checking out the creative displays, which seem to be more prevalent and elaborate this year than in the past.

Arrgh, matey. That’s it for this post. But keep yere eyes open and yere spirits high for others. Or, just click one of the links in the main menu.

Tell Us Why You Love the Tellus Museum

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Tell Us Why You Love the Tellus Museum

We discovered the wonders of the Tellus Science Museum on our very first house hunting trip to the area. And we’ve been going back ever since, maintaining our Grandparents-Plus annual membership for free admission for our most-frequent visitors, free show tickets, discounted admission for others and endless fun — especially on rainy or cold winter days.

Walking on the moon — or moonwalking on the moon, if you have those skills — is just one of the spacey things to do at the Tellus Museum. We’ve enjoyed our Grandparents-plus membership for multiple years, with these among the multiple reasons.

Located just north of Cartersville directly off I-75, the Tellus Science Museum often may be overlooked by families considering their indoor outing options. That’s understandable with Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium, the Fernbank Museum, College Football Hall of Fame, World of Coca-Cola and others as more-popular and well-known destinations. While we enjoy those places, we much prefer bypassing the big crowds and higher prices for the friendly confines and peaceful exhibits at Tellus.

Beyond price and peace, here are the top five reasons we love visiting the Tellus Science Museum rather than other area attractions:

Stan the T-Rex is a fan favorite in the Fossil Gallery. Had humans occupied the earth with dinosaurs, we might have been Stan favorites, too.

Dinosaurs. What kid or adult doesn’t love dinosaurs, especially those fully reconstructed to life-size? The Tellus Fossil Gallery features nearly 20 full replicas of dinosaurs, including a collection of fossilized fish native to the Georgia area. Even before you reach the fossil gallery, a massive apatosaurus skeleton welcomes you in the main hall. Inside the gallery, Stan the T-Rex towers over the other creatures, demonstrating top-of-the-food-chain dominance of the pre-historic world. Beyond the looking, the fossil gallery features multiple interactive stations where kids of all ages can learn more about the lives, habits and extinction of the ancient mammoth beasts. And speaking of mammoths, Tellus has a replica skeleton of a mammoth, too.

Long after the dinosaurs were extinct, but still long, long ago, Columbian mammoths were present in Georgia. They’ve been gone from the state for more than 21,000 years — just slightly longer than the most recent UGA national championship in football — but you can see their size from this fossil at Tellus.

Gemstones. Many of us know about Georgia’s gold rush, marble and granite deposits, and the plentiful quartz forms that yield crystals, gold dust and even the rock formations at Stone Mountain. The Weinman Mineral Gallery at Tellus displays these and lots of other minerals, in their native rock form and also in all their polished glory. Tellus helps to recreate the spirit of gem discovery with a downloadable gemstone treasure map that turns the gallery into an interactive game. Our family usually spends several cycles in the darkened fluorescent mineral tunnel, fascinated as different light types create a brilliant, ever-changing color display.

Call us rock geeks if you must, but our family always stays in the darkened mineral tunnel, watching the changing colors and fluorescence of rocks and gems as they are subjected to UV and other lights.

Spaceships. Inside the Millar Science in Motion gallery, you’ll find lots of space devoted to space, filled with rocket engines, replicas of spaceships from Sputnik to Apollo, and even a real moon rock. Displays of early motorcycles, automobiles, outboard boat motors and aircraft also are arranged throughout this gallery, offering lots of curiosity-creating corners for accidentally learning history. One of our favorites — and a Tellus treasure — is a full-scale replica of the Ford Quadricycle, Henry Ford’s first motorized vehicle. Ford built only one of these, now on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. The Tellus replica is one of two known replicas.

Mercury (black) and Apollo (white) capsules are part of the expansive space display within the Millar Science in Motion Gallery. Rocket engines, a space shuttle tire, a real moon rock and more dazzle young and old alike.

Mega-Machines. Arranged outdoors adjacent to the parking area and free for exploration without admission charges, this collection of huge mining equipment always draws the immediate attention of our traveling group. Plus, each October, Tellus brings in other mega-machines for their annual Heavy Metal in Motion Saturday. This fun, family event requires admission, and also includes bounce-houses, children’s activities and lots of big, loud engines. (COVID-19 Note: Check with the museum for information about the 2020 event.)

Our boys love the mega-mining machines on permanent display in the parking lot. Each October, Tellus also hosts its Heavy Metal In Motion Saturday, an additional-charge event that features even more machines, many operating to the sound of roaring engines.

Cool Science Shows. An ever-changing schedule of science shows fills the planetarium theater at Tellus. Whether you explore volcanoes and experience the beauty and fright of liquid lava flows, or prefer a more tame and quiet experience for a younger crowd, the Tellus schedule has something to accommodate all. Most days, there are five or six different features on the schedule. And I’ll admit that this grandfather had to be nudged by one of his grandkids more than once after reclining in the cool, dark theater.

Throughout the day, a variety of cool science shows are featured in the planetarium theater. Our favorites include the space and nature films with lots of sound and action. Otherwise, with dim lights and reclining chairs, the Grandparents-plus membership permits a quick nap.

While we maintain a Grandparents-Plus membership to entertain our local and visiting family, we’re still hoping to participate in special events at the Tellus observatory, too. Evening events — like International Observe the Moon Night on Sept. 26, 2020, and regular SCIence FRIday Nights — excite our inner science geek, but our schedules and priorities have (so far!) prevented us from attending.

Covid-19 Precautions

Because of contamination risks, the interactive, touch-everything, kid-designed Big Back Yard area currently is closed. The fossil dig also is closed. The gem-panning activity is open, with social-distancing, handwashing and other precautions required. Pre-purchased, timed-admission tickets are required, and can be purchased on the website. And while not required, face masks are strongly suggested and always appreciated by those who breathe the same air as you indoors.

The interactive Kids Back Yard and fossil digs have been closed in 2020 because of Covid-19. However, panning for gems remains open, socially-distanced and fun.

Plan Your Visit

Want a quick peak at the exhibits before making a decision? Of course, the website is helpful, with information on all the admission prices and more. You can also take this video tour for an overview.

Our Post-Museum Special Treat

This picture from a family visit in 2016. While our grandkids and out-of-state visitors have grown since this summer photo, the whole gang still loves a visit to Tellus.

For the adults, visiting Tellus — inside, air-conditioned, seating available, and lots of kids activities to occupy the littles — is a treat in and of itself. But sometimes, those kids just need to have some extra sugar added before we return them to their parents. That’s when we head to our favorite Cartersville treat stop, Coconuts Ice Cream, to end a special day. Whether hand-scooped cones, shakes and malts, sno-cones or other treats, the car ride home is unusually quiet while mouths are full, at least until all that sugar kicks in.

This is one of only two known full-size replicas of the Ford Quadricyle, Henry Ford’s first “automobile.” Notice the mirrors under the vehicles, which provide a cool undercarriage view not often seen, and intriguing in these early vehicles.
Everyone has a favorite dinosaur. One of mine happens to be the elasmosaurus, a long-neck sea monster. These predators had long necks and four flippers. Some believe one or more survived in the cold, deep waters of Loch Ness in Scotland, fueling the legend of the Loch Ness monster. None have been spotted in Lake Allatoona.

U-Pick: Fun Days on the Farm

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U-Pick: Fun Days on the Farm

Growing up in a family which owned farms or made large gardens, I never considered the seasonal harvest as a source of amazement and fun. But as we’ve evolved into a more suburban, supply-chain dependent society, our family has rediscovered the simple joys of spending a few hours at a farm and learning more about how our food is produced.

Our favorite farm days are the seasonal U-Pick events, when we get the freshest seasonal offerings and an experience with the kids and grand kids.

Since moving to Georgia, we’ve loaded the family into the minivan for a few hours or a full day at some of Georgia’s agritourism destinations. We always enjoy great selections of fresh produce, but our favorite days are the various U-Pick options offered during seasonal harvests.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many locations have changed procedures to include protective requirements and distancing. We recommend calling ahead to learn more.

Before we get knee-deep in strawberries or over our heads in a peach orchard, let’s say that a farm visit might just be a pandemic-perfect outing. While COVID-19 has changed procedures at many farms, it’s still possible to enjoy the U-Pick days and farm visits while maintaining social distance. Many location have changed their procedures to accommodate social distancing, including limiting admittance. We’d recommend that you contact a farm before visiting to learn about specifics. (And our visit to Jaemor was in pre-COVID days, thus the closer quarters and unmasked participants.)

Heading South to Southern Belle

Southern Belle Farms, located near McDonough, GA, features a large farm store, expanded weekend farm experiences and seasonal U-Pick options.

After months of sheltering in close quarters, we sought a safe family outing that would get us out of the house for a day. So while it’s not necessary for us to drive this far to enjoy a farm visit, the wide open spaces and social-distancing-friendly procedures at Southern Belle Farm provided a perfect solution. Plus, we were attracted to the wide variety of U-Pick options available in mid-June, including blackberries, blueberries, peaches and strawberries. We checked the website for information, then made an additional call to confirm details before deciding to visit.

The colorful and delightful blackberry plants are extensive and easy to reach. This sure beats hunting blackberries in the wild along fence rows.
The blueberry patch was reaching peak readiness when we visited in mid-June. We elected the option to pick a mixed basket of berries, including blueberries, blackberries and strawberries.

Upon arrival, we headed to the check-in gates and faced our first decision: what would we pick and how much. We made the easy decision, and selected the option for a large basket of mixed berries plus a small quantity of peaches. Baskets in hands, we headed to the blueberry and blackberry patches first. We walked through several rows, then found a sweet spot where ripe berries were in easiest reach for our grandsons. With quick instruction and a little encouragement, the youngsters reached in without delay.

For most of the visit, we were far enough from other pickers to leave our masks off. But when others came close, we could slip them on and off quickly.

We repeated this process for the peaches, seeking an isolated spot in the center of a long row where few others ventured. We were fortunate that many peaches were within easy reach of the 5-and-7-year olds, though some lifting and shoulder time was enjoyed. We then ventured to the strawberry field, where the low-growing plants made it easiest to find an unoccupied area. Filling our remaining berry basket space quickly, we finished our field time and headed to the country market for some refreshing treats.

Family Days at Jaemor

In contrast to the mid-week, mid-day, early summer visit to Southern Belle, we headed to Jaemor Farms early on an August weekend (in 2019) to enjoy one of their U-Pick days for peaches. Our early arrival helped us avoid the longer lines and more crowded spaces that we saw as we left later in the day.

In the pre-COVID days at Jaemor Farms, we joined other visitors on a wagon ride out to the peach tree orchard. Our grandsons were thrilled with their tractor and wagon time.

This was our first peach-picking experience, and the friendly Jaemor workers offered their tips on finding and picking the best fruit. On this visit, our plan was to stock-up on peaches for snacking, baking for the upcoming holidays and making refreshing daiquiris during the end of summer. With seven pickers using 14 hands, we snagged two large boxes in less than 40 minutes — even after trying to slow our little helpers in order to stretch out our visit time.

We met several of these harmless residents as we picked peaches. The first view always sent the little ones away squealing, but we were able to bring them back for some teachable moments about the benefits of insects.

Finished with our fresh harvest, we boarded the wagon for the return trip, then stopped in at the farm market for more selections. We grabbed ripe tomatoes, a variety of peas and beans, plus some bright-green okra from the well-stocked shelves before returning to the minivan to stash the bounty.

Before, after or without the picking experience, most of these farms also offer extensive market selections of regionally-grown goods. The Georgia Grown program is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and promotes farms throughout the state.

But we weren’t done — of course there was still time for the other treats, but more on that later.

Falling for Burt’s

Near Dawsonville, GA, Burt’s Farm is one of our favorite fall stops. We’ve visited on the busy weekend to enjoy the full range of adventures including hayrides, petting zoo, country crafts, homemade treats and Halloween pumpkin selection, though we prefer the quiet weekdays when we often combine it with a hike at nearby Amicalola Falls.

Fall weekends are the busiest times at Burt’s Farm, when families come to find the perfect pumpkin for Halloween. It’s also the time when the farm offers a full range of family adventures, including wagon rides, a petting zoo, and fresh farm treats.

While it’s not a U-Pick farm, you’ll enjoy Burt’s wide selection of virtually every size and type of pumpkin you can imagine during the fall season. Wheelbarrows are provided to help you move your large, heavy and multiple selections.

While we enjoy the weekend fun with the whole family, we often stop by Burt’s during those fall weekdays when we visit nearby Amicalola Falls. You can always find Burt’s offerings online throughout the year.

Since pumpkins are one of the main attractions, you’ll be 100% correct if you guessed that the most crowded times are the October weekends preceding Halloween. If you use pumpkins for cooking and not just decorations, the best time to visit Burt’s may be those weekdays following Oct. 31 when the crowds are gone and the selection remains plentiful. That’s when we return to grab those small, sweet pumpkins that are perfect for pie-making, and also make an authentic and healthy base for real pumpkin smoothies.

During previous fall visits, we enjoyed time in the petting zoo. But before you plan a family visit beginning Sept. 1, 2020, we recommend you contact the farm directly to see what’s available.

How Ya Like Them Apples?

Fall is apple picking time in North Georgia, and we’ve been up to Ellijay several times for both sweet and tart varieties. The Red Apple Barn has been among our favorite stops, where you can also enjoy wagon rides. And in October, they also offer pick-your-own-pumpkins.

Rather than fight huge weekend crowds, we visited BJ Reece orchards with our grandkids on one of our “wandering Wednesdays” when things are quiet and distancing is easy.

For our first 2020 trip, we visited another favorite, BJ Reece Orchards, and snagged a peck of September Wonder and Golden Delicious varieties. Weekends are mad houses here, with large crowds and lots of family-friendly farm fun like the petting zoo. Rather than fight those crowds, we visited BJ Reece on one of our Wandering Wednesdays when things are quiet and distancing is easy.

We headed down to the far end of the rows, where only the most intrepid and adventurous pickers had picked before. Even after two weekends of big crowds, our kiddos were able to reach and pick the ripe fruits from ground level.

Even after two weekends of big crowds, we found apples in easy reach from ground level for the grandkids, making it an easy-on-the-back-if-not-the-wallet outing.

After the short one made short work of filling our bag, we dropped our fresh apples at the car and ventured into the farm store to be tempted by more apple varieties and the always-tempting array of farm-baked goodies.

We couldn’t decide among apple donuts, an apple stick, apple fritters, apple cider and a pumpkin cream-cheese roll, so we did what good grandparents do and purchased all of them!

Decisions, decisions . . . are not necessary. Life’s short. Buy one of everything.

While we’ve mentioned Red Apple Barn and BJ Reece here, you’ll find a plethora of other choices in the Apple Capital of North Georgia. One thing you won’t find in 2020 is the Apple Festival. It’s been cancelled due to Covid-19.

Fresh Farm Treats!

It’s not all about the vegetables on our farm visits! Virtually every agritourism farm offers a tempting array of fresh-made goodies to satisfy the sweet tooth. And since we’re 100% into the full-flavored farm fun, it would be down-right irresponsible to ignore these converted culinary creations.

There’s much more to farm fresh than produce. When visiting with our without grandkids, we always explore the bakery and specialty items. Strawberry donuts and soft-serve peach ice cream are among our favorites at Jaemor.

In fact, if I was honest with myself and my family when they suggest such visits, I might just admit that the cakes, candies, cobblers, donuts, ice cream and pies are my primary reasons for these trips. But instead of incriminating myself when my doctor might also be reading, I’ll suffice it to say that we always allow our teenage son and grand kids to pick these treats as rewards for their patience and good behavior.

The heapin’ helpin’ of blackberry cobbler at Southern Belle Farm was the perfect way to end a mid-day June visit.
Who loves their visits to Georgia farms?

More on Georgia Agri-Tourism

Farm fresh in Georgia means close inspection, hand selection and a much wider variety of choices than your local grocery. When we visit the farm, we often get sufficient quantities to pickle, can or freeze our goodies for year-round enjoyment.

Moving to Georgia more than five years ago, we knew nothing about the state’s commitment to promoting its farms and farmers. We discovered the Georgia Grown agri-tourism promotion program by accident, driving the backroads of rural Georgia on the way to Amicalola Falls when we saw a state-sponsored road sign for Gibbs Gardens. Without internet connection in the car, we looked it up back at home, and we were introduced to the rich offerings throughout the state. Since then, we’ve become regular users of the Georgia Grown website to locate fun and filling stops for our in-state adventures.

We also were delighted to learn about the Georgia Farm Bureau’s certified farm market program, including the farm passport program. Because of COVID-19, we haven’t been able to explore the farms necessary to collect prize-winning passport stamps, but we have used the online and printed resources as great planning tools for upcoming trips.

Also Mentioned Here

Here are a few of our other blogs about places and adventures we’ve mentioned in this post:

  • Amicalola Falls. Near to Burt’s Farm in Dawsonville, it’s the tallest waterfall in the Southeast, cascading more than 600 feet.
  • Gibbs Gardens. This 220-acre botanical wonderland is one of the nation’s largest residential estate gardens.
  • Driving Georgia Back Roads. We’ve found some interesting and intriguing locations on our drives from here to there.
  • Our Favorite Fall Spots. Yes, fall is our favorite Georgia season, and here are some of our favorite spots to visit for fall color.

Georgia Back Roads Reveal Hidden Waterfalls

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Georgia Back Roads Reveal Hidden Waterfalls
Along the way to the main attractions, hiking trails allow great views and often provide a natural, relaxing soundtrack from smaller falls and cascades.

Before the onset of fall, our family decided to take a quick jaunt to the North Georgia Mountains, enjoying the waning days of summer by chasing waterfalls and dipping our toes into the cool mountain streams that feed and flow from them. With two grandkids (Five and seven years-old) and our teenager, we loaded the minivan with some basic supplies and headed up to Vogel State Park, our waterfalls-central headquarters for this trip.

Georgia’s Vogel State Park served as our cabin-camping headquarters. Nestled in the mountains, there’s easy access to lots of falls, Georgia’s highest mountain at Brasstown Bald, and the convenience of food and supplies in nearby Blairsville.

Planning Our Route

Usually, I’m a meticulous trip planner, mapping specific routes, estimating times and failing miserably at trying to cram way too much activity into even long summer days. But this time, I decided to leave time and routes to destiny, simply reserving a two-night stay in a two-bedroom cabin at Vogel State Park and determining the rest along the way based largely on the enroute choices given to elementary and high school kids. Our only restrictions were we had to leave after 9 am on a Tuesday, once the little ones were in our care, and we needed to return by 7 pm on Thursday.

Before exploring Georgia’s waterfalls, we stopped for an underground adventure at Consolidated Gold Mine in Dahlonega.

Once we were on our way and headed up I-575, we made our first collective routing decision: we would bypass Amicalola Falls, one of our all-time favorites and a frequent destination for us, and instead visit the Consolidated Gold Mine in Dahlonega. Following that stop (which we cover in another blog post!) and another for ice cream, we set course for our first falls stop.

Dick’s Creek Falls

After driving approximately 30 minutes on beautiful, curvy mountainous Georgia Hwy 19, we turned onto Dick’s Creek Road for the three-mile drive on a gravel forest road to reach the small parking lot. Not realizing another lot was located just 500-feet around the next turn, I forced my minivan into the only remaining small, unlevel, deeply-rutted parking spot. We jumped out of the vehicle and headed down the short, wooded path to the falls.

Just below Dick’s Creek falls, a sandy beach lines the outflow creek, offering easy access to the cold water and some family relaxation.

Reaching the creek below the falls, we climbed out onto a large rock in the creek to get a full view, snap a few pictures and watch a larger group play in the falls outflow stream. Then we headed up the side path and climbed above the falls to watch more intrepid visitors make running leaps into the deep pool. We climbed a bit further, where the creek enters a small rapids area before plunging over the larger cliff below.

Between the small upper cascades and the larger lower falls at Dick’s Creek, an intrepid fly fisherman flicked his rod in hopes of a catch.

A trout-fisherman flicked his fly rod, while a family of five soaked in the creek and slid through one rocky rapid with a smooth surface. After shoes were removed and bare feet waded into the cold water, our littles decided a full-body dip likely was beyond their temperature and adventure comfort zone. We waded for a few minutes, then reversed course before heading on to Vogel State Park for the evening.

Trahlyata Falls

Found just below the outflow dam of the man-made lake, Trahlyata Falls is a short hike down a dirt trail. The observation platform is built over part of the falls, so a detour off the main trail yields the best photographs.

In the morning, we walked from our forest-view cabin along the man-made, stocked Lake Trahlyta at the entry to Vogel State Park. Crossing the dam, we descended the spur trail to a natural soundtrack of singing birds and falling water. When we reached the wooden observation deck built directly over a portion of the falls, our littles decided they were feeling more adventurous than the previous day and wanted to play in the stream.

We had packed watershoes for this excursion, so we slipped those on, a great decision given the slippery rocks lining the stream bottom. While footing was occasionally treacherous for the elders, the youngsters enjoyed intentional and unintentional splashing into the stream. Feeling even braver, we ventured to the side of the falls, where we boosted them onto a ledge and allowed them to sit in a small, cold stream of falling water.

Priceless reaction to learning that nature provides natural cooling to moving and falling waters.

Once the novelty of the falls wore off on the youngsters, we headed back to the beach and lake for playtime and relaxation before our afternoon excursion.

Helton Creek Falls

Despite mixed reviews about the condition of the winding forest road to Helton Falls, our minivan made the trip without incident.

While we entertained a return to Dick’s Creek in the late afternoon, we chose instead to visit the double-falls of Helton Creek instead. Just down Highway 19 from Vogel, we turned into a mountain residential neighborhood on Helton Creek Falls road before joining the gravel downhill route down into the canyon. Despite the mixed reviews about the road from our Georgia hiking and waterfall Facebook groups, our minivan had no trouble on the downhill or uphill segments.

The panorama view from the top may suggest that sliding down Helton Creek falls is a tempting option. Don’t be fooled, as the jagged and jutting rocks further down make sliding impossible.

A full parking area and high-trafficked path led to a relatively crowded viewing area, surprising to us on a Thursday during this summer of COVID. While we brought masks for safety and wore them because of crowd size, we decided to maximize our photo opportunities in a minimum amount of visit time. In retrospect, that turned out to be a great decision as our little ones wore out on the hike back up and remained grumpy until we made S’mores on the campfire back at the cabin.

At the end of a long day, S’mores made over a campfire provided a happy ending to a fun adventure.

Duke’s Creek Falls

Checking out of our cabin at Vogel on the second morning, we headed toward Helen, bypassing a potential stop at DeSoto Falls, instead visiting Duke’s Creek Falls. While it’s possible to catch a glimpse of the main falls from a viewing platform near the parking area, we chose to walk the wide, winding path on it’s 1.1 mile descent to the main falls.

From the parking lot, the walkway changes from paved, to board walk, to a wide dirt trail with switch-backs descending to the falls.

Along the way to the main attraction, the switch-back trail allows great views and sounds from smaller falls and cascades along the creek. At trail’s end, three viewing platforms snuggled into the narrow canyon enable naturally air-conditioned and close-up views of the two main falls – a multi-tiered smaller falls formed from Duke’s Creek and the 150-foot tall cascading falls of Davis Creek. In the summer, much of the taller Davis Creek drop is hidden by trees, so we’re already planning a fall and winter return. (And we did it in November, with a second video below!)

The falls cascading from Davis Creek plunge 150-feet down to the out flow creek. During summer, leaves obscure the view so we immediately made plans to head back in the fall to enjoy the full seasonal experience.
We returned Nov. 23, when most leaves had fallen (or been blown off by the remnants of Hurricane Zeta!) The unobstructed view added to the majesty of the dramatic falls.

Anna Ruby Falls

We grabbed a fast-food lunch in Helen, sitting in the riverside park to eat while watching tube groups finish their down-river float. Then we headed up toward Unicoi State Park and Anna Ruby Falls.

Waterfalls, Georgia, Hiking
Two creeks create the twin falls at Anna Ruby Falls. The tallest measures 150-feet; the shorter 50-feet.

Each time I visit Anna Ruby Falls, the sites evoke Mick Jagger singing the opening lines of Jumpin’ Jack Flash:  I was born in a cross-fire hurricane.  While this time was no different, the virtual song was accompanied by the whining of tired boys totally over their grandparents fascination with waterfalls. So again, quick pics, then a stop-and-go hike back to the parking lot with a nearby thunderstorm providing extra bass to the Stone’s ditty playing in continuous loop.

And, for Our Return Trip . . .

We’re already planning a return, likely in the fall and definitely without the grandkids. While they had a great time and we enjoyed them, too, we left much undone and unseen. So learn from us.  If you make this trip, pace yourself better than we did, allowing more time for exploration and fewer activities.

Our newly-renovated, two-bedroom cabin at Vogel State Park was a perfect headquarters for our family’s Georgia waterfalls adventure.
During the 2020 Summer of COVID-19, many visitors wore masks on the trails and near the visitor center at Anna Ruby Falls.
Please, leave nothing behind but your footprints!
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