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.
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.
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.
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 skeletonwelcomes 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 theHenry 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.
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 atJaemor 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.
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.
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!
In this summer of COVID and political unrest, our televisions are filled with depressing news and concerning images, no matter where on the political spectrum you find yourself. That said, as an avid traveler, I’m reminded that most disturbances are temporary while locations usually retain or regain their charm.
So as I watch news accounts of protests and violence in Portland, I prefer to reflect on the less-than-24 hours we enjoyed in the city on a recent visit, and to relive that too-short stay with a few pictures and memories. I hope you’ll enjoy the virtual trip, and forget for awhile the current images.
We scheduled an early-morning departure from Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station aboard the legendary Amtrak Cascades. Our business class seats provided a comfortable and care-free journey.
Arrival by Train
We traveled to Portland from Vancouver on theAmtrack Cascades, an 8-hour care-free trip. This was the mid-point of a multi-week vacation that started with an Alaska cruise and would end with an eight-day driving tour through Bend, OR; Crater Lake National Park, driving up the Oregon and Washington coast, then circling through Olympic National Park before ending in Seattle.
Always framed within the wide train window, mountains, bays, forests and the Tacoma Narrows twin-span suspension bridges were among the varied scenery enjoyed along the way.
The Cascades journey is one of America’s great train routes, with snow-capped mountains, blue bays, rain forests and other natural wonder always framed in a large train window. The beauty didn’t end on the train, as Portland’s Union Station features some outstanding examples of designs in terra cotta, molded brick and neon signs. We made it through the Portland station with ease and secured a taxi to our hotel with plans for an evening stroll through the riverfront park.
Arriving in Portland around 4 pm, we were welcomed by a vision of the splendor of rail travel in the past.
COVID Note: We’re thrilled we made this trip in 2018, as COVID and budget cuts have greatly reduced service on the route between Vancouver and Portland. If you’re thinking about taking this or any train,check with Amtrakdirectly to confirm plans.
The polished terracotta walls reflected the plentiful and colorful neon signs that adorned the Portland Union Station.
Unbeknownst to us, our Sunday evening arrival coincided with the concluding events of Portland’s PRIDE festival at the riverfront park. Traveling with a somewhat-sheltered 13-year-old boy, we audibled into a casual dinner, a stroll through the very walkable downtown, and a trip to Ruby Jewel for ice cream. (COVID Note:Ruby Jewel switched to an ice cream-sandwich-only menu in July 2020).
Unbeknownst to us, tens of thousands of people were celebrating PRIDE Day as we arrived, causing us to change some of our evening plans. Perhaps this rainbow, which appeared over out of our window upon arrival at our hotel, was a sign.
Donut Haven and Heaven
During our early evening, we flipped through some of the available tourist information about near-downtown attractions and discovered Portland’s love affair with donuts. Who knew? We considered the various options, skipping the walking and biking donut tours for lack of time. Thus, in the morning, we set our sights on Blue Star Donuts, walking to its flagship store for some high-sugar delights.
We weren’t aware in advance of Portland’s apparent love affair with donuts. On Monday morning, we walked to Blue Star for sweet treats, including the real maple and bacon donut pictured in the upper right.
We had read that line could be extremely long, but our arrival at 8:30 am on a Monday morning found a quiet lull in the donut day. Claiming a few treats, we found an outdoor table and enjoyed our bounty. I’ll say here that if we return, I’m all in on the donut bicycle tour!
Feeling temporarily stuffed but recognizing the sugar high likely was temporary, we headed to Powell’s City of Books. Our fast-reading son had devoured his vacation books during the first half of the trip nearly as fast as his chocolate donut(s) and we knew he’d be bored in the car unless we reloaded. (NO, he won’t use any electronic reader. He prefers turning pages, and we’re not discouraging him!)
Powell’s City of Books takes up a full city block, and it takes a panoramic photo to begin to capture the immensity.
When a friend had suggested pre-vacation that we “had to visit” Powell’s, we politely chuckled, thinking, who intentionally would visit a book store on vacation? But our arrival quickly dispelled our skepticism, and we chalked up our previous amusement as a lesson learned.
We didn’t have to ask for an AAA map since the helpful folks at Powell make them readily available for store navigation. Once we found the right section of the store, a knowledgeable and helpful staff member shared delightful insights about adolescent literature that met with our son’s approval.
The Portland flagship store of the largest independent bookstore in the US, occupying an entire city block and housing over one million volumes. Multiple stories awaited us and we wandered — map in hand! — through expansive sections on history, geography, biography, fiction and adolescent literature. While that last phrase may sound like an oxymoron, the very knowledgeable and helpful staff helped our son discover a few new treats by displaying a keen interest in his reading interests. Just perhaps, his interest was increased by the fact that she was a cute college-age girl taking time with a pimply teenage boy.
Pioneer Square
Frequently referred to as the city’s living room, we navigated to Portland Pioneer Square primarily because it was between Powell’s and our hotel. Plus, we had read that it was a likely location for later-morning food trucks, a must after the breakfast donut sugar rush had dissipated.
Pioneer Square is a core element of Portland’s very walkable and pedestrian-friendly downtown. Adjacent to the historic courthouse and also hosting a farmer’s market in one corner, the square was a summer base of operations for several food trucks.
A small summertime farmer’s and flea market occupied one corner, and we found food trucks on the opposite corner. Between and around us wandered an assortment of tourist, business people, shoppers, city strollers and vagrants. Everyone was polite and friendly, most keeping their distance even in the pre-COVID days.
A hearty Yolko Ono breakfast sandwich from Fried Egg I’m In Love provided needed sustenance after our donut sugar-high. Egg Zepplin, Smells Like Protein Spirit and Free-Range Against the Machine were among the music-inspired entree names.
For a more solid brunch, we chose Fried Egg I’m In Love’s mobile location at the Square. After studying the punny names of the offerings, we decided to split a Yolko Ono sandwich. While we take no position on whether Yoko Ono broke up the Beatles, we will testify that many eggs were broken up to create this fabulous Yolko Ono sandwich.
International Rose Test Garden
Checking out of our hotel shortly after noon, we jumped in the car and headed to the International Rose Test Garden. Besides making this a definite, must-visit stop in Portland, my other tip is: don’t jump in the car to go. Parking is extremely limited, so rideshare or other transportation is a good choice.
With more than 600 varieties and 10,000 rose bushes, the International Rose Test Garden is a Portland kaleidoscope of color. It was the one must-see item on our Portland agenda before arrival. Our mid-June visit coincided perfectly and coincidentally with peak bloom season.
Parking challenges aside, what’s not to love about this Portland attraction? It’s outdoors. It’s beautiful. And it’s free!
If you can’t find peace and beauty at Portland’s International Rose Test Garden, you’re either not trying or simply beyond hope. Perhaps understanding more about the spiritual benefits of stopping to smell the roses might help.
Visiting in mid-June at the peak of the bloom season, we wandered through the 10,000 rose bushes taking pictures, sniffing blooms, drinking in the color and watching the pollinators perform their crucial magic. After about an hour and somewhat high on life from thefragrant benefits of stopping to smell the roses, we crossed the street to . . .
Portland Japanese Garden
Occupying over five acres in Washington Park, the Portland Japanese Garden features pagodas, reflecting ponds, and winding pathways through and around Japanese maples, bamboo, irises and waving grasses.
If you were overly frustrated by limited parking for the International Rose Test Garden and the Portland Japanese Garden, a few minutes on the winding pathways of the Japanese Garden will help you recenter and find your inner peace.
Due to its popularity, timed admission tickets are available, so check on line for these in advance or plan to wait around for the next opening. Fortunately, we checked on availability on arrival at the rose garden, and purchased tickets for a well-timed garden entry 75 minutes later.
We were enthralled by the landscaped beauty of the gardens. But the nature of a hungry teenage beast won out over our thirst for peace and tranquility, and we trekked much more quickly that hoped through the relaxing surroundings.
Once we entered, we were pressed to get moving by a hungry teenager, thus trekked more quickly through than one normally would in such a serene location. The nature of the whining teenage beast quickly won out over natural beauty so we did our best to snap a few pictures before making our exit.
Enjoyment Within Tight Constraints
As originally Portland was but an end-point for our train journey and a rest stop before the next leg, we didn’t invest much time in planning our visit. We’re certainly not pretending this is a “best of” or “top tips” review of the city. We did thoroughly enjoy our limited time in the city, and took with us fond memories of the visit. Most of all, it makes us sad to see the disturbing images from the city, and we pray for solutions that allow residents and visitors alike to revel in the quirky eccentricity that makes Portland special.
Our overnight HQ for our 24-hour stay was the AC Hotel, a boutique offering from Marriott located convenient to the walkable areas of the city.
More Pics from PDX
Here are a few more pictures, just because we couldn’t face the idea of not using them.
We found the luggage tag rack at Portland Union Station. While we knew the generally-accepted definition of SOB, we weren’t sure of SOB;s location. Turns out, it’s the code for South Bend, Indiana.The dining and beverage care onboard the Cascades offered in-route options. Admittedly, it wasn’t the grand dining car from the movies, but it was a functional option for quick snacks.We admit to using a filter to pull in the details on this out-of-the-train-window shot. The effect simply highlights the spooky feeling that where ever we traveled in the Portland area, we were being followed and watched by Mt. Hood. The volcano is 53 miles from the city (more than 70 driving miles) but it always seems so close.Japanese gardens are rich with symbolism and hidden messaging. While Amtrak Cascades is one of the country’s most spectacular scenic train routes, you’ll still see a fair share of urban renewal and “wrong-side-of-the-tracks” views that are inevitable as you approach and leave major population and industry centers. We end with this as a message during these disturbing times that you can choose to focus on the ugliness of Portland or any city if you wish. From our perspective, we’ll continue to seek, enjoy, contribute to and remember the diversity and beauty.
During this year of COVID-19, we’ve been looking to short walks through outdoor areas as a way of breaking up the stay-at-home monotony while getting some needed exercise. That’s proven more challenging as we reach midsummer, when the temperature and humidity meet at 85 and above and the breeze abandons us when it’s needed most.
On days like these, we love ambling along wide shaded paths that keep the bright sun away and allow us room to veer around fellow hikers to maintain proper social distance. This week, we enjoyed two of these near our NW Cobb County, GA, home: The Noses Creek Trail at Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park and Allatoona Pass Battlefield.
The wide, shaded paths at Noses Creek and Allatoona Battlefield parks are for escaping the heat and keeping social distance during these trying times.
Before describing the trails, we should warn you that the parking areas at both locations are relatively small. Thus, you may want to avoid weekends and other peak days. And also recognize that Noses Creek requires a $5 parking fee, or the use of a National Park, Federal Lands, or Kennesaw Mountain limited-use pass available for this park.
Noses Creek Trail
This walk offers a few different options depending on your fitness and curiosity. The main trail from Burnt Hickory Road to Dallas Highway is a wide, shell-covered, gradually-sloping 3.0-mile round-trip route shared by hikers and horses. If you’re not in the mood for the full walk route, the trail crosses scenic Noses Creek approximately .75 miles from the Burnt Hickory Parking lot, thus offering a scenic and relatively-easy 1.5 mile walk if your turn around at the bridge.
The bridge over Noses Creek is near the midway point of the outbound route. It offers a scenic view and is a perfect landmark for those who want a shorter walk.
Like the rest of Kennesaw Mountain park, historic markers identify key areas of the Civil War encampments and fortifications here throughout the spring and early summer of 1864. Most of the actual battle was fought to the North of Burnt Hickory Road near Pigeon Hill, and to the South of Dallas Road, so you won’t see many references to key battle points or actions on this walk.
Throughout the Kennesaw Mountain Park, historical markers show troop locations and battle information. Most of the fighting occured north and south of this trail section, thus markers reflect troop encampments.
Our favorite route is walking the main trail from the Burnt Hickory parking area to Dallas Highway, then hiking back on the narrow Hardage Mill Trail. This path through the woods adds some additional elevation change, and requires good balance and greater attention on the exposed roots and water-eroded sections. This trail parallels sections of the Civil War-era earthworks constructed by Confederate troops to defend this entry-way to Atlanta.
Before rejoining the main trail, Hardage Mill Trail drops down to the banks of Noses Creek. We often see families here, allowing the younger ones a few minutes to play in the slow-moving water. It’s easy to walk across the creek in several places, rejoining the north section of Hardage Mill Trail on the opposite bank rather than climbing up to the bridge, then following the trail down again.
The terrain at Noses Creek is great for families, without steep elevation changes. We often see families playing near the creek.This time, our grandsons joined in the creek-side adventure.
If you’re looking for beautiful vistas, overlooks or other scenery, this is not the trail for you. However, we’ve frequently encountered small herds of deer on our visits, and a coyote sprinted across our pathway on the most recent walk. And there’s always something interesting to see looking down at the forest floor, where a variety of colorful mushrooms and insects often peak from beneath leaves, brush and fallen trees.
We often see small herds of deer on the Noses Creek Trail. Accustomed to humans walking through, we’ve been able to capture good pictures, even with a couple of noisy young boys walking with us.
Allatoona Pass Battlefield
Hidden in the woods along an abandoned railroad right of way, the Allatoona Pass Battlefield parkoffers an easy walk with a forest canopy providing shade to most of the path.
Tracing the shores of today’s Allatoona Lake, the wide main path is an easy 1.8 mile, out-and-back walk, with only the gradual elevation change of the Civil War-era Western & Atlantic Railroad right-of-way. For the adventurous and those who can handle elevation changes, side trails offer the opportunity to climb the high points and explore former Union gun battery and stronghold locations which contributed to a Federal victory in an attack by Confederates with heavy artillery and superior numbers.
For the curious, adventurous and fit, side trails lead to the Union Star Fort on one side of the deep cut, and a gunnery placement on the other.
The first half of the main trail passes beneath the elevated positions occupied by the Federals on both sides of the railroad. A star-shaped earthworks fort occupies the hill on the left as you walk outbound, while the hills on the right are home to an elevated artillery battery position. On the hills on both sides, numerous signs explain troop placements and battle conditions. However, the only marker on the main trail is near the entrance, so you may want to stop there to acquaint yourself if you’re interested in the battle history and not just the walk.
Also near the entrance, a small memorial stands to the troops from each state which fought in the battle. While it’s surprising, there is no Georgia memorial as no troops from Georgia were present on the site during the battle.
Past the Deep Cut, the trail follows the shoreline of today’s Allatoona Lake. A side trail leads down to the lake shore and offers panoramic views.
Just past the hills and about half-way on the outbound walk, a small trail branches off to the right, dropping downward on a penisula into the lake. We usually save this side-trip for the return journey, walking out on the shaded path to the lake’s edge and taking in the panoramic view. Unfortunately, we often find this area littered by uncaring park users. We often pick it up and pack it out, but the potential for COVID transmission by touch has discouraged us from this lately.
Beside the panoramic view, just off the end of the peninsula is 40-foot-tall platform, home to an osprey nest. During late spring and early summer, you’ll often see the mature birds flying over the lake and bringing food to the new hatchlings. In June and July, the baby birds are easy to see as they stretch the heads above the nests calling out for food.
Just off the shoreline, a 40-foot-tall platform provides a nesting spot for ospreys. A joint project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia Power, these platforms have been essential to returning osprey to the area. In the Spring, you can watch the adult birds hunt and return food to the nest for their hatchlings.
More on the Battle at Allatoona Pass
Many who visit are surprised to learn that unlike nearby battles at Pickett’s Mill and Kennesaw Mountain, this battle did NOT occur as General Sherman steadily marched his army from Chattanooga and through northwest Georgia toward Atlanta from March to July 1864. Rather the Battle of Allatoona Pass occurred three months later, in October 1864, as the Confederates attempted to take the railroad lines and prevent supplies from reaching Sherman’s garrison in Atlanta and his Army marching toward the sea. Historian Brad Butkovich details the battle in his book, “The Battle of Allatoona Pass, part of a Civil War series that also features another of his books on the June 1864 battle at nearby Pickett’s Mill. While I’ve included a link to purchase the book on Amazon, it’s also available in several book stores and historical sites in Acworth and Kennesaw.
Today, the former path the the Western and Atlantic railroad is shaded by surrounding forest and an overhead canopy. That wasn’t how it looked during the battle in October 1864.
We’ve explored and chronicled our walks at several other nearby locations. If you’re looking for walks that range from easy to challenging, check out these:
Red Top Mountain State Park. Red Top offers several trails featuring clear paths, consistent footing, mild elevation changes and some short inclines that will increase your heart rate.
Red Top Mountain State Park features several trail choices along the lake shore and through the woods. Look closely and you can find the remains of abandoned homesteads along the trails, or spot the bridge from the closing scene of Ben Afleck’s movie, The Accountant.
Pickett’s Mill Historic Battlefield Park. Enjoy good hiking and perhaps even learn why Union soldiers and their families were determined to keep the memory of this battle alive even though it was one of the last Union defeats of the war.
Cooper’s Furnace. At Cooper’s Furnace and Allatoona Dam, we explored the Civil War-era ruins, enjoyed an easy hike, and took in the scenery, getting out in nature without the fuss of major planning or a long drive.
KeMo’s Backside. A shapely, well-rounded, and beautiful natural attraction often unseen by those drawn to Kennesaw Mountain’s more recognizable and oft-visited full frontal approach.
For a difference experience, try a pre-dawn walk up the paved road to the peak of Kennesaw Mountain. On a clear day, you can experience a magical sunrise, then take the wooded patch back down.
Experience Sunrise on Kennesaw Mountain. It’s magical to watch the twinkling transition of the surrounding metropolitan area’s awakening from street and building lights to the early hues of morning sunlight.
Short Drives to Waterfalls
If you have more time and are attracted to the beauty, fury and sound of falling waters, try these:
Short Walks to Tall Waterfalls.After a bit of a drive, you can visit these without over-taxing walks. We highlight the easy trails, but others can up the challenge if you wish.
Cloudland Canyon. There’s nothing near Cloudland, and it takes planning and time to visit. And that’s perfectly OK for nature lovers who dislike hordes of visitors posing for ridiculous selfies instead of pointing their cameras at the spectacular scenery surrounding them.
In today’s new reality, Americans are more interested than ever in driving trips. Driving renews that sense of freedom and personal control, while enabling exploration and discovery not possible on packaged trips or other modes of transportation.
Among our all-time most-memorable driving trips: the Pacific Coast Highway in Oregon. While we’re neither saying we saw all or the best of the coast on our two day drive, it’s easy to say that we enjoyed every mile and minute of the drive and our stops along the way.
Following are some of our favorite highlights of a one-day drive which started one early morning in Eugene, and finished at sunset at Cape Kiwanda.
After an early-morning departure from Eugene, we started our coastal day on the banks of the Siuslaw River in Florence at River Roasters Coffee. Our family selections of lattes and hot chocolates warmed our hands before the coastal drive warmed our hearts. The patio at River Roasters offered a good view of the historic 1936 drawbridge, one of many ornate arched bridges along the PCH built by the WPA.
River Roasters is located in a former automobile repair and outboard motor shop. The exterior retains signage from the past, and the interior retains the nautical and outdoor theme. Tucked away in the restroom, we found this antique Evinrude outboard motor and gas tank set, along with what appeared to be a propeller from an airplane or airboat. We headed South from Florence to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. We hiked through the coastal forest, down to the dunes, and out to the shore. After walking along the beach, we took the return route over the dunes, fighting to keep our feet while laughing and sliding in the loose sand. Warning: walking in loose sand is very tiring, especially when climbing, so the dune route is not recommended for those with limitations or different abilities.Through the forest, down the dunes, and past the sea grass, we finally found the Pacific Ocean and some of its inhabitants. The spray from the roaring waves coupled with the cool June day limited our beach time here.After enjoying nature, it was time for some man-made, motor-powered fun. We let our 14-year-old sun choose the tour vehicle, thus piled into this sand rail dune buggy for an escorted tour with a professional driver. I landed the front seat — not by choice but by default after our son took the back and insisted his mom join him. Occasionally, I could hear him laughing over the sounds of the motor and his mom’s screams as we literally flew off the top of some dunes at speeds of 70 mph.We stopped at the Mo’s location on the docks of the Siuslaw River to warm ourselves again, this time with some of their famous chowder. While we came for the chowder, we also enjoyed some of their lunchtime seafood specials, all while watching the river flow by on its way to the Pacific.Next stop was the Haceta Head Lighthouse, approximately 20 minutes north of Florence. With lots of scenic overlooks, we just stopped the car to gaze at the natural splendor of the ocean, rocks, coastline and forest. With limited time, we chose not to visit the small lighthouse and keeper’s house, which are open to the public an operated by a non-profit organization. Nor did we stop at the Sea Lion Caves, a popular tourist attraction for families located on the drive from Florence.A few miles north of Haceta Head Lighthouse, don’t miss the natural wonders in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. Short walking trails lead to incredible views. A small parking lot at the Visitor’s Center is the best place to start.Unfortunately for us, the tidal gods weren’t cooperating with our vacation timetable. We missed the most spectacular near-high-tide views at Thor’s Well, where crashing waves are forced through a seaside cavern before exploding upward through the collapsed ceiling and shooting high above the surrounding volcanic rock. We still enjoyed scampering over the rocks in search of pictures, while listening to the awesome beat of the waves crashing into the rocks. Word of warning from experience: those rocks are slippery!Continuing with natural scenery and crashing waves, we stopped near Seal Rock for more photography. Frankly, there are enough seals on the Oregon coast that almost any rock could be so named. This was near the small town of Seal Rock, at Seal Rock State Park. Having lost track of time in our meandering, we stopped in Newport for some dock-side dining. First, we walked the open areas of the docks, watched seals swim near the boats, and watched a few fisherman preparing for the next day’s work. Another of the WPA arched bridges provided a dramatic backdrop. We dined at Local Oceans Seafood, noted for purchasing all its seafood directly from local fishermen and transforming them into haute cuisine. We enjoyed watching the preparation in the open kitchen as well as the incredible flavors of the dishes.Around 8 pm, we finally reached our only planned stop of the day: The Inn at Cape Kiwanda. After stashing our stuff in our comfortably-appointed room, we headed out for a walk on the beach. There, we watched local Pacific City doreymen run their historic boats up on the beach to deposit tourist who had paid for the experience. Like beaches everywhere, you will encounter the usual and unusual. A gentle wind helped this guy create giant bubbles that gently lifted off his wands and loated for short distances on the ocean breeze, before popping to the squealing delight of kids from the nearby resort.Evening winds pushed up waves large enough to attract local surfers to try their skills.Oregon’s coast is littered with these haystack rocks, giant lava formations eroded and shaped by the currents and waves. This one is just off the coast at Cape Kiwanda. One of the most famous is just up the highway near Ocean City, which visited on Day Two of our drive.For a closer view, the Inn at Cape Kiwanda has tripod-mounted binoculars for checking out the nearby haystack rock.After a good night’s rest, we decided to start the next day with a mid-morning horseback ride on the beach. Nearby Green Acres Beach and Trail Rides offered a reasonably-priced, one-hour ride that included sand dunes and the beach.
Man Without a Plan
Frankly, we did this drive without a specific plan, other than a start and end point. We did a small bit of research in advance, just enough to jot down a few notes about Thor’s Well, Haceta Head and our planned stopping point at Cape Kiwanda. Virtually everything else was left to exploration, discovery and spontaneous decisions. Did we see and enjoy all the best site? Who knows. But we thoroughly enjoyed this free-form drive.
For nearly 20 years, we drove Interstate 75 through Cincinnati, OH, and Covington, KY, often commenting on the numerous church steeples in this historically German and Catholic area. But we needed the Roadtrippers travel app to discover St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption. We made a special half-day stop to explore this religious and architectural wonder.
Individual construction projects were completed on the massive church, the it remains unfinished based on original plans. The two, 52-foot towers which would resemble Notre Dame of Paris have never been added.
Oddly, while living in Ohio, we made regular driving trips up and down I-75 to visit family. We often found ourselves time-pressed and family-stressed on those trips. Thus, making a stop just one hour after leaving home or when only one hour away from a return seemed senseless.
But after we moved to Florida, then Georgia, we had more time to explore stops along this road-now-less-traveled. Ending a leisurely combination business and vacation trip, we asked Roadtrippers for interesting stops on our route to Georgia. St. Mary’s popped up, just off the interstate in Covington, KY, and perfect for a late-morning visit.
Based on Two Famous European Cathedrals
St. Mary’s features classic Gothic architecture, with an interior based on St. Denis Basilica of Paris and a façade modeled after Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Planning for St. Mary’s began as early as 1855. Actual construction began in 1894 after construction plans and fundraising were sufficient for work to commence. Completion of the first phase occurred in 1901 and dedication of the church proceeded without the façade. Construction began again in 1908 on the exterior, featuring a 26-foot diameter rose stained glass window. Work ended on the exterior in 1910, but without the two 52-foot towers originally envisioned.
One of the largest handmade stained glass windows in the world, the 67 foot by 24 foot fixture is located in the North Transept. It depicts the Coronation of Mary after her Assumption.
Today, the Basilica features one of the largest handmade stained glass windows in the world, according to the Cathedral Legacy Society. The 67 foot by 24 foot fixture occupies the North Transept. It depicts the Coronation of Mary after her Assumption. Created in Munich, Germany, craftsmen installed the window in 1911. A full restoration was completed 2001, according to published church history.
Inside the Soaring Church
Entering the Basilica from the west below the rose window, one of the church’s three pipe organs towers above. Walking forward, The Baptistry is laid into the floor, with an upper carved from one piece of Chiampa Pearla marble.
Three organs fill the church with music. The Wicks pipe organ, located in the south transept (ca. 1930) was expanded in 1982 and 2001.
On our visit, one of the organists rehearsed overhead, filling the massive church with a mournful dirge, then lifting the pace and our spirits with a soaring hymn.
We walked up the main aisle, pausing to admire the stained glass windows and the massive arches above the huge columns that formed the nave. At the far side, the marble-tiled sanctuary rises from the main floor, featuring a carved wood pulpit and baldachin, plus a variety of marble. Above, the transept soars to 85 feet. Ahead, the marble altar sits before the rounded east apse, adorned by more stained glass. The wood-carved cathedra, or bishop’s chair, symbolizes the role of teacher and pastor of the church.
Walking up the main aisle, the classic components of Gothic architecture are everywhere.
Other notable religious and architectural features include:
Mosaic stations. Formed of tiny porcelain ceramic tiles and mother of pearl, the 14 stations portray Christ’s passion and death.
Stained glass windows. In addition to the large stained glass window in the North Transept, the church features 82 stained glass windows portraying the life of Christ and honoring apostles, saints and church figures.
Gargoyles and chimera. Along the ornate upper colonnade, 32 gargolyes help to divert rainwater away from the cathedral. Another 26 chimeras help to guard the church and community from evil spirits.
After roaming through the interior, we headed back outside to the courtyard, admiring the plantings, fountains, statuary and — of course — those gargoyles peeking at us from high above.
Our weekday visit lasted over two hours as we paused to reflect on the exquisite features. We easily could have spent more time exploring the vast interior and exterior surroundings. The church generally is open for visitation Monday-Friday, from 9 am to 3 pm, but may be closed without notice due to special liturgies.
After touring the interior, we walked through the courtyard and surrounding plaza, enjoying the fountains, statues and the playful gargoyles high above.
When most people think of travel in the Caribbean, the first images that pop into mind are rolling waves of turquoise water washing on to white sandy beaches, where palm trees sway in a gentle breeze — generally high above reddened humans consuming mass quantities of alcoholic beverages.
Or maybe it’s a cruise ship quietly sailing past a nearby island where small boats zip into and out of a small harbor surrounded by a colorful and quaint town.
Yes, the Caribbean vision perfected by Jimmy Buffet and expanded on by many others features Boats, Beaches, Bars and Ballads, and maybe even locating that lost shaker of salt. Regardless of your preference in island activities, there are plenty of salt water or just plain salty options available.
But sometimes, you just want to rinse off the sand and that salt crust and feel the rejuvenating power of cold fresh water. That’s a perfect time to leave the beaches and head inland, where the crowds are smaller, the water fresh, and we enjoyed three of our favorite fresh water adventures in the islands, including the grand-daddy of them all, Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios.
Waterfalls of Damajagua, Dominican Republic
Located on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic near the city of Puerto Plata and the new-ish cruise port at Amber Cove, the Damajagua River wind its way out of the mountains. Hidden among the trees are 27 waterfalls, splashing into limestone pools perfect for jumping and swimming. Known locally as 27 Charcos, the area opened for tourists in the late 1990s and still retains lots tropical mountain charm.
Carving caverns and canyons into the surrounding limestone, the 27 Charcos are a newer attraction near Puerto Playa. Most tours only visit seven waterfalls, but you can book a visit to all of them if you have enough time.
Webooked an excursion from Amber Cover that included round-trip transportation, guided access to 7 of the waterfalls and an additional zip line adventure following. Arriving early, we were among the first guests of the day to start the 30-minute, 1-mile uphill hike. Beware that this is no easy walk in the woods, so be mindful of your limitations. And if you need a break, inform your guide.
Guides offer a few rest breaks on the one-mile, uphill hike to the entry point for the seventh waterfall. Wearing athletic shoes is advised, as the trail is rocky and water shoes aren’t the best choice for walking.
Two other tips: bring bug spray and wear athletic shoes. The stones on the trail are loose, lumpy and sharp, and water shoes or flip flops may not provide adequate protection or comfort.
After reaching the top, you literally jump or slide your way back down following the river as it carves deep pools below the series of small falls. After brief instructions, we crept to the edge of a large rock. Our 15-year-old decided he wasn’t going first, so I was the first to plunge approximately 16 feet into a narrow canyon where the river emerges from a cavern. Some falls offer the option of either jumping or sliding down rock chutes into the pools below. For the timid, some of the larger falls also feature stairs for descending rather than the watery options.
Some of the falls offer an option of jumping, sliding, or both if you want to climb back up the stairs for a second try.
If you have more time and an adventurous spirit, opt for a 12-falls adventure or all 27 falls. The upper falls are far less-visited and less-crowded, and the tour guides tend to travel at a more relaxed pace. You can learn more about those options at the 27 Carco website.
Our 15-year old didn’t want to go first at the entry point, so I took the initial plunge. We maintained that order throughout the morning. Life jackets and helmets are provided as part of the tour.
White River Tubing, Jamaica
Growing up in Louisiana and now living in Georgia, we’re no strangers to river tubing. And honestly, on our Jamaica trip, we weren’t looking for a tubing adventure, but one found us anyway.
Floating the cool waters of the gently-moving White River is a no-frills way to escape the tourist crowds for a few hours. There’s an option to stop midway for drinks and diving, but our group chose river time.
That’s how we ended up on the banks of the gently-moving White River, a winding and bouncing journey of a few miles away from Ocho Rios. Reflecting the character of the area, this is a no-frills but good-chill way to spend a few hours away from the tourist crowds.
Upon arrival, we said goodbye to our driver, who promised with a huge smile to meet us downstream. Then, we grabbed a tube and life preserver and headed to the river with another independent group that had arrived from a Carnival cruise. As it turns out, they were fellow Georgians, and also no strangers to river tubing.
There are only two rules to successful tubing: push away if you get too close to the bank or a river snag, and hold on to any beverage which may be in your possession.
There really are only two things that require your attention on a smooth-water tubing trip: pushing away if you get too close to the bank and holding on to any beverage that may be in your possession. Otherwise, fellow Parrotheads, channel your inner fruitcake: put on some Bob Marley, and practice what you preach. Get Ja lost in the reggae mon, and forget about the beach.
Around the midway point on this trip, the willing can choose a stop, where rum drinks are available and you can jump off a 20-foot cliff into the water below. We chose to float on by, as climbing to that jumping perch sounded like work.
Dunn’s River Falls, Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Crowds at Dunn’s River Falls peak between 11 am and 2 pm, especially when cruise ships are in port. But no matter, you’ll still experience lines of happy people climbing the falls in a beautiful setting.
If you’ve ever seen a Caribbean travel brochure with pictures beyond the beach, chances are it features at least one shot from Dunn’s River Falls. You know the one — lines of happy people, holding hands, climbing through falling waters all in a perfectly-beautiful setting. You might also recognize it from the Sean Connery-era James Bond movie, “Dr. No,” or from “Cocktail” featuring Tom Cruise.
While crowds peak between 11 am and 2 pm — especially when cruise ships are in port — everyone seems to be in a jolly, cooperative and fun mood as they line up with guide groups to start the walk down to the waterfall base.
The pricey photo package is provided on a DVD, which makes playback clumsy. But unless you have a waterproof camera or a commercially-available waterproof camera carrier, it’s your best option. We carried my phone in a waterproof carrier as a back-up.
Reaching the beach area where the crystal-clear cool water from the falls meets the warm turquoise waters of the Caribbean, guides provide instructions for climbing, holding hands in a human chain and having fun on the way up the 180-foot vertical journey. While much of Dunn’s River Falls maintains its natural shape, a few man-made alterations like concrete steps and hand rails make sections of the climb more manageable.
A local camera person accompanies each group, staging photos and videos for those who purchased the (pricey!) package at the start. Despite the cost, this is a better option for recording your climb than carrying your own camera. If you do take your camera, it’s best to use a commercially-available waterproof carrier with a strap, one that permits picture-taking without removing the camera from the bag. And then, it’s best to use this as a second camera to supplement pictures from the local package.
While most visitors climb the falls and depart, admission allows for an all-day stay. That gives you an option of climbing again, walking the beautiful grounds, or visiting the small, secluded and quiet beach at the base of the falls.
Know, too, that your admission to Dunn’s River Falls allows for an all-day stay. While visitors book excursionsand visit for about two hours, there’s a quaint, clean, and uncrowded sandy beach available for your enjoyment, too. Plus the remainder of the grounds is a tropical garden paradise.
Our least-favorite part of Dunn’s River Falls was the forced-march exit path through local vendors. Generally, we enjoy browsing Caribbean markets, but we found vendors here to be aggressive — with several refusing to accept a polite “no thank you” and continuing to push into personal space.
After successfully climbing the falls, we enjoyed some picture-taking before departure. Our least-favorite part of the day was the forced-march exit path through aggressive local vendors.
Know Before You Go
Sun screen is a necessity for any of these adventures.
Bring some bug spray. You’ll be glad you did.
Wear hard sole shoes that grip surfaces, not flip flops. Dunn’s River Falls has shoes for rent, but they are the soft-soled water shoes .
Excursions offer convenient options, but all these attractions can be visited independently. Going on your own will allow you more time, and may permit you to go at less-crowded periods.
You Might Also Enjoy
Keeping with our water theme of this post, you might also like:
If you enjoyed this blog, you might also enjoy meeting Louise the toothless gator. She’s a regular on the Louisiana Swamp tour with Captain Craig.
Louisiana Swamp and Gator Tour. Authentic Cajun Captain Craig Matherne takes us on an air boat adventure in search of alligators near New Orleans, LA.
Lobsterin’ on the Lulu. While visiting Bar Harbor, ME, we enjoyed this three-hour site seeing and educational tour on working lobster boat.
Short Hikes to Tall Waterfalls. The North Georgia mountains near Atlanta feature spectacular waterfalls, and these require only a short walk for viewing.
Salmon Fishing Lessons from Alaska. On a cruise stop in Ketchikan, we booked a half-day guided fishing trip in search of salmon. Captain Dan didn’t disappoint.
See All Our Blogs. Just follow the link and scroll through a few years of adventures. Or, select by topic from the top navigation bar.
The willing and silly were encouraged to try a Maine tradition of lobster kissing. But I’m not convinced that it’s a tradition — except to entertain tour guides!On our salmon fishing adventure in Ketchikan, we landed this beauty — the fish, not the mermaid holding it.
With the unpredictability of TSA lines and more time on my hands in retirement, I am arriving at ATL earlier for departing flights. And the last thing I want to do is sit around a crowded gate area with other bored passengers waiting to be squeezed in, motionless, even longer on the upcoming flight.
Once my antidote for a long wait or connection was a SkyClub Bloody Mary, served with bottles of Worcestershire and Tabasco on the side for my final customization. Now, my preferred cure for preflight waits is the longest walk at ATL: two miles, one-way, all beyond security, and perfect for getting your blood moving and daily steps in before or between flights. Best of all, depending on the time available, you can easily do all or part of the longest walk, complete it round trip by foot for a four-mile excursion, or combine it with a plane train return if you get behind schedule.
Accounting for Plane Train congestion and some pauses for attractions or distractions, the longest walk from Main Terminal to Gate F1 takes approximately 40 minutes, one-way at a brisk pace.
My version of the longest walk follows the connector tunnels
and generally keeps off the crowded concourses, where walking speed and time
requirements are unpredictable. As you’ll
see, some concourse traversing is required but it’s limited to the
least-crowded sections of Concourse E and the extra-wide aisles of the new
International Concourse.
Here’s the basic, one-way route guide for ATL’s longest walk,
starting at the Main Terminal:
Descend the escalators from Main Terminal security
to the connector tunnels.
Walk the connector tunnels from Main Terminal to
Concourse E. Train traffic at the escalator area will be busiest.
Ascend the escalators to Concourse E, then walk
straight across, beyond the food court, around the children’s art exhibit at
gate E14, then past gates E15 to E18.
Descend into the connector tunnel toward the
International Terminal.
Ascend to the International Terminal, and turn
right to Gate F1, the end of the one-way walk.
Turn around and repeat, or walk and descend to
the train plane station for a quick ride to your concourse.
Descend the escalators from Main Terminal security, then walk the tunnel system. You’ll ascend and traverse Concourse E before continuing into the final tunnel to the International Terminal.
In my experience, the one-way trek requires about 40 to 45 minutes
when walking at a brisk pace and pulling a single roll-aboard. Your travel time
will vary based on your walking speed and the airport attractions or distractions
which may delay you along with way.
Between T-Concourse and Concourse A
Here, ATL’s oldest and most elaborate display of airport art
features African artifacts. Large stone carvings and bright photographs adorn
this tunnel. Attentive walkers will notice that half of the carvings face
toward Concourse T, while half face toward Concourse A. This way, African art
welcomes you whether you’re arriving or departing ATL.
Between Concourses A and B
With dimmed lighting and surrounded by the sights and sounds of a Georgia wetland, artist Steve Waldeck’s 450-foot long “Flight Paths” truly is an immersive experience. As you reach the midway point and hear thunder, watch as first-timers actually try to avoid the projected images of water dripping into a pond on the floor. Along the way, colorful leaves and a small patch of bird-filled sky line the ceiling.
Between Concourses B and C
Take a walk on the historical side, tracing Atlanta’s evolution from prehistoric times through the Terminus, Civil War and Civil Rights periods and to the 1996 Olympic Games. Blending written, pictorial and video displays, the history walk is both educational and entertaining. The staring and solemn faces of oppressed black citizens and Civil Rights champions are juxtaposed with Atlanta’s business and economic symbols, includindg former Mayor and airport namesake William Hartsfield waving overhead from an airplane. Like Atlanta’s story, the exhibit is complex, confusing and – eventually – triumphant.
Between Concourses C and E
Move along, nothing to see here. Literally! Nothing. Nada. Carpet. Ceiling tile, and the occasional scraping sound of a misaligned conveyor wheel below the moving sidewalk. It’s also the least crowded area, so picking up the pace is a good option.
Traversing Concourse E
Immediately after exiting the escalator, the city remembers Dr. Martin Luther King with a dedicated display. One of his suits in the display would indicate a man of average stature, but his impact on our nation truly was larger than life. Fittingly, the display is located directly in front of the airport chapel.
As you walk straight across the concourse and past the center
food court, you may be entertained by one of Atlanta’s musical artists at a
grand piano. When not played live, the player-piano mode entertains the bar
patrons nearby. Atlanta’s airport musician program pays local performers $75
per hour to entertain and calm travelers.
International Terminal
If you have trouble with vacation planning, amble over to Gate F-8. There, leave your planning to fate (F-8) and decide your next vacation location based on the destination displayed.
Or, if you prefer, stand in the center atrium, examine the two glittering pieces of art suspended from the ceiling, and join the local debate about their place, worth, and general effect on the universe.
Other Interesting Art and Artifacts
OK, I know this was a walk, and your primary interest may be exercise. If not, to paraphrase Ferris Bueller, “Airport life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
As you approach the top of the escalators at Concourse E, look back over your shoulder to the inspiring work of long-time Atlanta artist Radcliffe Bailey. The work, entitled “Saints” reflects African-American culture and themes. But for this New Orleans-area native, I’m also amused that the title also is the name of the arch-rivals of the Atlanta Falcons – the New Orleans Saints – and that a careful examination will find a “Who Dat” or two hidden in the artwork.
Also on Concourse E, check out the various whimsical artwork suspended from the ceilings at Gates E-16 Charles Hubbard’s four works evoke humor and curiosity, and pay homage to the various ideas about building flying machines.
One more amusing artifact: service animal restrooms. Hey, those dogs gotta go somewhere, and these
plush pee points feature artificial grass and a fire hydrant.
Other ATL Airport Options
I’ve spent lots of time in ATL as a connecting traveler
throughout my career, and now as an area resident. Here are some other options
for enjoying
an extended layover in ATL, as well as my recommendations on the best
dining at ATL.
Gone: Atlanta’s smoking lounges faded into history Jan. 1, 2020. Thus, no more stopping to peer into the smoker’s aquarium.
More on This Topic
If you want to find or avoid the longest airport walks, here’s a link you might like. I’ve done many of these over my professional career.
Our Other Airport Guides
While I’ve traveled to 48 US states and 32 countries, I didn’t start writing this blog until near my retirement. But here area a few airports where I had both time and enough interest to write up some observations:
The aluminum air boat moved as slowly as the thick August air as we navigated the no-wake zone and our captain described his plan for the rest of the morning. Reaching the end of the canal, the engine roared and we shot across the open pond past great herons, snow-white egrets, jumping fish, small islands and narrow canals. We slowed, then slid roughly, climbing to the top of a small levee. We paused at the apex, then with another quick roar the air boat dipped into the water and glided smoothly at the edge of a cypress swamp.
Our deeply-tanned guide stepped down from his elevated pilot’s chair and walked to the front of the boat, standing nearest two visitors from Hawaii who had cameras at the ready.
“Manger poulet. Manger poulet,” the guide yelled in Cajun French. (Pronounced, mon-zjay poo-lay, translated as, eat chicken). One hand waved and the other displayed a small piece of raw chicken.
The long, dark, scaled snout of an alligator slowly emerged – then the head, then the body, and more body, and the tail and more tail and more tail. We came face-to-snout with several gators during our air boat tour through the Louisiana swamp.
Tall grass began moving near the boat. The long, dark,
scaled snout of an alligator slowly emerged – then the head, then the body, and
more body, and the tail and more tail and more tail.
Like a Cajun Santa calling a cute cartoon gator in the Cajun Night Before Christmas, Captain Craig Matherne greeted the prehistoric apex predator by name as the flipped his powerful scaled tail and launched himself onto the boat’s bow for his own swamp bow. And that’s how we met Lucky Pierre, the first of many gators and other swamp creatures we encountered roaming the multi-colored marsh and cypress swamps southwest of New Orleans with Captain Craig.
With a fast flip of its powerful scaled tail, the prehistoric apex predator launched itself up onto the boat, the first of many gators and other swamp creatures we encountered roaming the multi-colored marsh and cypress swamps.
Why Tour Here?
The river parishes, bayou towns and swamps surrounding New Orleans are home to abundant wildlife and legendary characters. Following US Highway 90 from New Orleans to Lafayette takes you right through the heart of this Louisiana swamp country. Located approximately 30 miles southwest of New Orleans, the fishing village of Des Allemands is a great place to experience an airboat ride that combines swamp sightseeing, local tales, and close-up encounters with alligators. That’s where we signed on for a 90-minute airboat tour through Airboat Tours by Arthur.
Des Allemands is my home town. The French name translates as “the Germans” and the area is a unique part of Louisiana’s German Coast. Here, shiploads of German immigrants began settling in the 1720s, followed in the 1760s by French families who migrated from Nova Scotia after a dispute with the English rulers of Canada. Establishing footholds on the soil and swamps of the Mississippi flood plain, they traded with Caribbean islanders, Native Americans of the Houmas and Choctaw tribes, and even Jean Lafitte’s pirate band that used the local waterways and a shell mound called The Templefor smuggling. Eventually, the diverse cultures fused into a community as rich in tradition as the local swamp is in nutrients supporting broad biodiversity.
Establishing footholds on the soil and swamps of the Mississippi flood plain, Germans, French Acadians, Caribbean islanders, Native Americans, and even Jean Lafitte’s pirate band fused into a community as rich in tradition as the local swamp is in nutrients supporting broad biodiversity.
Before oil refineries and chemical plants sprouted on the banks of the Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s, families either farmed the dark soil nearest the river or depended on the bounty of the swamps and marshes for their livelihoods. Growing up here, our family owned a pleasure boat and we frequently spent weekends at fishing camps near Lake Des Allemands, the fresh water source for the surrounding swamps and marshes, and Lake Salvador, the brackish barrier to the South. We set fishing lines and crab traps, feasting on the fresh catch while resting from water skiing and swimming.
Thus, while I was familiar with the area, I had lived
out-of-state for more than 30 years, so my summer-time visit back home provided
a great opportunity to reconnect with the area and some old friends. I chose Airboat Tours by Arthur because it’s
locally owned, has access to privately-owned marsh lands, canals and cypress
swamps, and works with locals like Captain Craig who intimately know the
territory. (While his tours are great, Arthur ain’t exactly web-savvy, so the
best way to book is to call:
985-758-5531)
Captain Craig: Naturalist and Storyteller
Captain Craig is an entrepreneurial naturalist, knowledgeable about Cajun history and a master of swamp lore. When he’s not calling gators from the marsh, Craig’s likely deep into some story about the swinging dating lives of alligators, real-life Cajun characters or regional folk lore.
Captain Craig might best be described as an entrepreneurial naturalist, combining love for his native South Louisiana environment with responsible business ventures. His roots run deep, as his dad was born on a houseboat on Bayou Des Allemands, and an artificial reef in Lake Pontchartrainis named in honor of Vincent Matherne’s conservation contributions. Craig managed his family’s boat and marine business, operated fishing charters in Grand Isle, is a licensed waterway pilot and frequently serves as a technical consultant on university, government and private environmental and conservation research projects.
In addition to his expertise in the local natural
environments, Captain Craig is knowledgeable about Cajun history and a master
of swamp lore, as evidenced by his non-stop, Cajun-accented narration at every
tour stop. So when he’s not calling gators from the marsh, tempting them onto
the boat, or petting them on their snouts, Craig’s likely deep into some story
about natural habitat, the swinging dating lives of alligators, real-life Cajun
characters or regional folk lore.
Deep in the cypress swamp, Captain Craig whispered that we should keep watch for the Rougarou, a half Big Foot, half werewolf swamp-dwelling creature.
Just over half-way through our tour, Captain Craig navigated the boat deep into a huge stand of ancient cypress trees. High above in the canopy, he pointed out an active bald eagle’s nest. As he completed a botanically-accurate rendition of how the cypress stand was created, the swamp rustled as a slight breeze stirred the heavy air. An air-borne mullet splashed into the channel behind us. Craig looked, then stared deeply into the surrounding brush, concern etched on his face. Whispering, he asked our Hawaiian visitors to keep watch for the Rougarou, a half Big Foot, half werewolf swamp-dwelling creatureknown well to the locals.
A good laugh and half-minute later, Craig was relating the full story of the Rougarou, and sharing its origin stories from the European werewolf and tracing it through the Caribbean Islands legend of an old woman in league with the devil, the Loupgarou. Believe me, if you’ve ever been on a tour where a guide read from a script or simply went through memorized motions, you’ll truly appreciate the down-home authenticity of Captain Craig.
While Captain Craig coaxed gators near and up onto the boat, this definitely falls into the “don’t try this at home” category. These cold-blooded behemoths pack a 2,500-pounds-per-square-inch snapping power.
Gators Galore
But let’s face it, for anyone who’s ever watched an episode of Swamp People on History Channel, the alligators are the main attraction of this tour. Ironically, they were nearly wiped out here by the side effects of DDT, once the area’s go-to insecticide that also destroyed the egg shells of native gators and the Louisiana state bird, the pelican. After a DDT ban and time on the endangered and protected species lists, both gators and pelicans have returned in large numbers here. Gators are nocturnal, so on an evening tour after eggs are hatched in late summer, it’s not unusual to spot hundreds of gator eyes reflecting their eerie red glow from the water’s surface. On this hot August day while most of the cold-blooded behemoths were chilling in deep holes, we spotted approximately 10 large gators, including Lucky Pierre. Later, we met Louise, a 9-footer estimated to be 30 to 35 years old, with teeth rubbed down to small nubs from years of biting and fighting. Unfortunately for us, Big Al and Big Bubba, two of the largest gators measuring over 12 feet, remained hidden from our boat.
Don’t let that smiling face fool you. Louise is a 30+ year-old, 9-foot-long gator, a seasoned fighter, and a swamp survivor. Her teeth are worn down to nubs from years of swamp fighting and lots of biting.
While Captain Craig coaxed three gators to come closer with his calls and the promise of chicken, luring gators definitely falls into “don’t-try-this-at-home” category. They are lightning fast over short distance, and adults pack a bone-crunching 2,500-pound-per-square-inch snapping force. And while alligators have two sets of eye lenses adapted for optimum viewing in the murky swamp water, their prehistoric brains don’t allow them to process subtle differences between chicken thrown to them and the hands throwing it. And despite the small amount of chicken they get from the tours, huge hungers require them to continue wild hunting to survive. I’ll also note that feeding gators in the wild is illegal, and that the gators on our tour only could be fed because they are on private lands.
Know Before You Go
The Real Deal. If you need a bit more convincing, Captain Craig has posted some pictures and videos of his tours and gator encounters. You can preview them before you go – or visit after your tour if you just can’t get enough gator time — on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Also, we learned at the end of our tour from landowner Ray Matherne that part of his property would be hunted for gators during the upcoming season. You won’t see this location on Swamp People and the area we toured shouldn’t be affected by the hunting.
While you may not see it on History Channel’s Swamp People, these local land owners will be allowing some of this swamp to be hunted during the upcoming gator season.
Local restaurants. Once you’re outside of New Orleans, local restaurants come down in price and up in authenticity. The original location of Spahr’s Seafood in Des Allemandsis located in a converted Exxon station and serves some of the best local catfish from the Catfish Capital of the Universe. Also, if it’s available, check out the turtle soup. And though after 25-pluse years in the restaurant business I still find this hard to say, a regional convenience store called Birdies Fuel and Food has some of the best fish and shrimp poboys I’ve ever eaten, and at a bargain price. Another nearby favorite in Boutte is Cajun Kitchen, again with prices not inflated by New Orleans overhead.
Combining the best of local seafood, Cajun cooking and close-up swamp views, Sphar’s original location in a former Exxon station near Des Allemands is a great dining choice.
Buying local seafood. Where once you could drive along the bayou road and find fresh-caught catfish, shrimp and crabs sold directly off the boat, food safety and licensing requirements make that difficult – if not impossible – for out-of-town visitors. A local might give you a recommendation on where to find some. Otherwise, Hebert’s Seafood in Boutteoffers a good variety of fresh, in-season local favorites.
Destrehan Plantation. If you want a break from New Orleans but only have a day, plan to visit Destrehan Plantation in the morning, then take an airboat tour in the afternoon. Destrehan is the oldest plantation on the Mississippi and is well-restored. For ghost and pirate hunters, Destrehan Plantation has the best of both worlds – alleged ghost sightings of Pirate Jean Lafitte under the broad oaks where slave auctions once were conducted.
Jean Lafitte National Park. For more Cajun culture and experiences, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is a multi-location treasure featuring different aspects of Louisiana life. In nearby Thibodaux, the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center often features a wide range of south Louisiana’s music: zydeco, gospel, blues, jazz, Cajun, and more. Historic walking tours and boat rides also are available. Further into Cajun Country in Lafayette, the park’s Acadian Cultural Center tells stories of the origins, migration, and culture of the Acadians who became known as Cajuns.
Other Adventures You Might Like
If you enjoyed this post, here are a few of our others with
similar tour and activity themes you may also enjoy:
Love’n Lobster’n on the Lulu. After growing up in Louisiana, we had to check out lobster fishing while on a cruise stop in Bar Harbor, Maine. We chronicle the outing, and our adventures in lobster eating.
Salmon Fishing Lessons in Alaska.We heard from friends and neighbors that salmon fishing was a “must-try” while in Alaska. While in Ketchikan, we booked a half-day excursion that turned out to be much more than expected.
We Rented and RV! Now What?On a whim, we packed our family of three plus adult children and grandkids into a rented RV for a weekend get away. Here’s what we learned.
Proving that air boat tours and swamp stories aren’t just for visitors, my boyhood neighbor, Tommy McCulley (left) and me (right) pose with Captain Craig.
