There’s a whole lot more to Georgia than peaches, peanuts, and Southern belles. If you are looking for places to enjoy the outdoors with family, you’ll find these Georgia weekend getaway spots hard to beat. The state’s natural landmarks include beautiful beaches, sparkling waterfalls, colorful gardens, winding trails, and majestic mountains that are well worth seeing first-hand.
- Lake Allatoona, Red Top Mountain State Park. Located just 45 minutes north of Atlanta, Lake Allatoona covers 12,000 acres and provides plenty of opportunities for fishing, water skiing, and swimming. Red Top Mountain State Park is best known because of Lake Allatoona, but it’s a popular spot with the hiking crowd as well due to the fact that it has 15 miles of trails.
- Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain. Whether you want to visit the butterfly habitat, explore a hillside azalea garden, go on a treetop zip lining adventure, or enjoy a day of water sports on Mountain Creek Lake, there are plenty of outdoor weekend activities to keep you busy at Callaway Gardens. Located just 30 minutes north of Columbus, and spanning 6,500 acres, Callaway Gardens was originally founded in 1952 by Cason J. and Virginia Hand Callaway to promote and protect native azalea species.
- Little St. Simons Island, Simons Island. Known for its natural beauty, Little St. Simons Island consists of 7 miles of pristine beaches and 11,000 acres of undeveloped wilderness. Since the island is privately owned and accessible only by boat, it’s one of the best Georgia weekend getaway spots to experience the unhurried pace of coastal living.
- Lookout Mountain, Lookout Mountain. While Look Mountain isn’t entirely located within the state of Georgia alone (it’s located at the northwest corner of Georgia, the northeast corner of Alabama, and along the Tennessee state line in Chattanooga), it is one of the top weekend spots to visit because of the incredible views of both the Chattanooga Valley and Lookout Valley. In addition, Lookout Mountain has historical significance since it’s the site of the “Battle of Lookout Mountain” that took place during the American Civil War and “Last Battle of the Cherokees” during the Nickajack Expedition in the 18th Century.
- Panther Creek Falls, Clarkesville. Just an hour and a half northwest of Atlanta, you can spend a weekend hiking or fishing among a cluster of multi-tiered waterfalls that drop into a pool of clear water below. Panther Creek Falls is located within the Panther Creek Recreation Area at the end of a 3.5-mile moderate walk along Panther Creek. While the trail is primarily noted for its beautiful variety of wildflowers and ferns, the creeks also offer excellent opportunities to catch trout amidst the stunning scenery.
- Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin. This state park spans over 1,000 acres and contains the impressive Providence Canyon, which is known as “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon” because the massive gullies resemble the real thing so closely. Hikers and nature photographers can take in views of the canyons from the rim trail, while taking care to stay behind fences and off the canyon edge. To get to Providence Canyon State Park just drive 7 miles west of Lumpkin on Highway 39C.
Now that you know about some of the outdoor weekend experiences that await you, start planning your next road trip. Have you been to any of these Georgia weekend getaway destinations? If so, visit our Easy Escapes Facebook page to tell us which is your favorite!