Discover Georgia's Summer Hotspots

ATLANTA, May 21, 2009 – Turn nearby Georgia locations into your favorite summer hotspots this Memorial Day weekend and discover the memorable vacations that are in your own backyard.  A three-day jaunt to the north Georgia mountains, a fun-filled family weekend in Atlanta, a relaxing visit to the Golden Coast or an outdoor exploration of middle Georgia all offer spectacular experiences for a traveler on a quick getaway. (See a list of links below this release.) The north Georgia mountains offer a weekend excursion that is fewer than 2 hours from Atlanta by car.  Start off by staying in historic downtown Dahlonega's Smith House Inn that was built in 1895 on top of a gold deposit.  Although the site was never mined because of its proximity to downtown, the Inn's renovated guest rooms and Southern-style restaurant have attracted visitors for years.  Walk off a classic Southern dinner of fried chicken, okra and sweet potatoes along the vibrant Dahlonega square and catch some live music at the Crimson Moon Café, a coffee shop and concert venue that is housed in the second oldest commercial building on the Dahlonega square.  After that, get to bed early to prepare for a half-day hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT).  The Dahlonega area is a prime venue for accessing the southernmost parts of this epic trail that stretches more than 2,000 miles from Georgia to Maine.    After getting off of the trail, swing by one of the region's 10 local vineyards that are reminiscent of the vine-lined hills of Europe and California, or spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the Georgia mountains' rich artistic heritage.  The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia in Sautee Nacoochee details the region's 200-year tradition of pottery-making that includes forming faces onto clay jugs, which is unique to Georgia.  The museum also encourages visitors to travel along the Folk Potters Trail of Northeast Georgia to learn from practicing potters first hand.  Finally, Dahlonega's Appalachian Jam, a weekly gathering of mountain music singers and pickers, offers visitors another glimpse into mountain traditions that continue to shape local art.  It takes place every Saturday until November at the Dahlonega Gold Museum. For travelers who want to explore the big city, Atlanta has a host of activities for a weekend of family fun.  Experience the magic of major league baseball at Turner Field on Friday night, May 22, when the  Atlanta Braves  take on the Toronto Blue Jays, and a fireworks show lights up the night's sky.  During the day, take the family out for some of educational fun.  Learn how one of the world's largest fish- the whale shark –swims alongside manta rays and hammerhead sharks or have a staring match with a giant grouper as you sit on what seems like the ocean floor at the Georgia Aquarium.  Be sure to check out the aquarium's newest resident, an emerald tree boa  that stretches 5-feet 3-inches long.  Next, travel back in time at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History's dinosaur exhibit, Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries. This summer exhibit employs computer technology to simulate dinosaur speed and movement, a diorama of a prehistoric forest to illustrate their habitat and recreated footprints to explain dinosaurs' behavior  with one another.  After a morning of science education, get to the Wren's Nest by 1 p.m. and experience a story telling hour in the former home of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the famed Br'er Rabbit and Uncle Remus stories, which are based on the African-American oral storytelling tradition. Harris lived in the home, which is named for a family of wrens that nested in his mailbox, after publishing the stories in 1876. Finally, out-of-towners can't visit Atlanta without spicing up the trip with a little adventure.  Six Flags over Georgia screams excitement for the whole family, and its newly opened water ride, 'Monster Mansion,' also offers calm entertainment for the little ones.  Stone Mountain Park's new "Sky Hike" attraction provides heart-pounding fun with a secured tree-top adventure course at 12 ft., 24 ft. or 40 ft., depending on your comfort level.  After all of that adventure, you might find some rest and relaxation at the city's 32nd Annual Jazz Festival.  This two-day free music festival will be held in Grant Park and will feature more than eight live performances from artists of all ages and cultural backgrounds. If jazz is a theme for your Memorial Day weekend, but you'd prefer to be listening to it on breezy island shore, head to St. Simon's Island and enjoy the first night of 'Jazz in the Park,' a summer series of live performances held on the lawn of the island's lighthouse that kicks off Sunday, May 24.  While in the area, take time to explore Georgia's other Golden Isles.  Treat yourself to a night's stay at the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel that translates yesteryear luxuries into modern-day escapes.  Originally designed as a getaway for early 20th century business icons like the Morgans, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, this Queen Anne-style clubhouse serves as a hotel today, offering up its fifteen-foot high ceilings, extensive verandas, and 93 fireplaces as a glimpse into America's wealthy past.  While on the island, venture outdoors and take a walk through the live oak forest, ride horseback on the beach, or canoe or kayak along the island's coast. Don't leave without visiting the Georgia Sea Turtle Center that teaches visitors about its marine turtle research and rehabilitation programs, as well as the struggle for survival newly hatched sea turtles undertake every year along the island's shore. Spend the weekend commemorating fallen soldiers.  Southwest Georgia's Westville Village, a replica of an 1800s Georgia town is reenacting the 1836 Creek Indian War that pitted Georgia militia against Creek Indians.  It will include period clothing, hand-to-hand combat and gun fights. Keep the rustic spirit alive and stay the night at the High Pine Preserve and Lodge in Buena Vista, about an hour north of Lumpkin.  The lodge offers guided hunting and fishing trips or simply a night's stay in a relaxed rural setting. Drive east from Buena Vista to the Andersonville National Historic Site to commemorate those who served in the Civil War.  The site was the largest Confederate military prison, and today it houses a National Cemetery where prisoners-of-war are buried.  If you'd rather travel north from Buena Vista, be sure to check out President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Little White House in Warm Springs where the president swam in the area's naturally warm waters to treat his polio affliction. About 40 miles west is Pine Mountain's recreational resort, Callaway Gardens.  Cycling, fishing, golfing and relaxing are favorite pastimes at Callaway, but Memorial Day weekend travelers can also watch the Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament, which is in its 50th year, as well as the 17th annual junior competition.  Callaway is also offering special summer deals for visitors that include lodging and recreation discounts. With summer on the horizon and a three-day weekend to kick it off, take a look at Georgia's coastal, urban and outdoor adventures that are within a day's drive from anywhere in the state.  By using this weekend to explore, you might find an exciting activity that becomes a family tradition for summers to come. Visit www.exploregeorgia.org to learn more. Smith House Inn  Crimson Moon Café   Appalachian Trail Access from Dahlonega Wine Growers Association of Georgia Folk Pottery Museum Folk Potters Trail of Northeast Georgia Appalachian Jam  Atlanta Braves Georgia Aquarium Fernbank Museum of Natural History Wren's Nest Six Flags over Georgia, Monster Mansion  Stone Mountain Park Georgia Sea Turtle Center  Atlanta Jazz Festival St. Simon's 'Jazz in the Park' Westville, Georgia Jekyll Island Club High Pine Preserve and Lodge  Andersonville National Historic Site Roosevelt's Little White House Callaway Gardens