Blair Howard - Georgia Travel Adventures

Blair Howard

HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.

Web site: www.hunterpublishing.com

E-mail: comments@ hunterpublishing.com

IN CANADA:

Ulysses Travel Publications

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fax 514-843-9448

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Windsor Books International

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Hunter Publishing, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is correct, but the publisher and authors do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or any potential problem caused by information in this guide, even if these are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause. All opinions expressed in this book stem from the authors' personal experience only or from those of their contributors; consequently, neither they nor the contributors can be held accountable for a reader's personal experience while traveling.

Contents

About the Author

Blair Howard was bitten by the travel bug more than 30 years ago when, during a stint in the Royal Air Force, he spent a year in paradise on a tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. From there, his travels have taken him to the Far East, North Africa, across most of Europe, to the islands of the West Indies, the Bahamas, Bermuda and to almost every state in the Union.

With camera in hand, he wandered from one location to another, finally settling in a small rural town in Tennessee. But there's no cure for wanderlust. So, taking advantage of his new-found home, he set out once again, this time to write about the lands that surrounded him closer to home.

Today, after many miles on the road and some 260 magazine articles and nine books he's still at it, visiting and revisiting his favorite spots.

Other titles by Blair Howard for Hunter Publishing:

Adventure Guide to the GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

(1-55650-720-8/$13.95/340pp)

Adventure Guide to the BAHAMAS

(1-55650-705-4/$12.95/176pp)

Adventure Guide to BERMUDA

(1-55650-706-2/$12.95/176pp)

Adventure Guide to the GEORGIA & CAROLINA COASTS

(1-55650-747-x/$13.95/280pp)

Adventure Guide to TENNESSEE

(1-55650-743-7/$13.95/320pp)

BATTLEFIELDS OF THE CIVIL WAR Volume I

(1-55650-603-1/$11.95/310pp)

BATTLEFIELDS OF THE CIVIL WAR Volume II

(1-55650-685-6/$12.95/288pp)

We'd Love to Hear from You!

Hunter Publishing makes every effort to ensure that its travel guides are the most current sources of information available to travelers. If you have information that you feel should be included in the next edition of this guide, please write Blair Howard, c/o Hunter Publishing, Inc., 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818. Feel free to include price updates, your personal experiences while traveling, and ways in which you feel this book could be improved.

Adventure, for most people, means an excursion into the great outdoors: hiking, fishing and boating. And certainly the major portion of this book is devoted to that type of experience. But here in Georgia, adventure can mean much more than outdoor recreation. This is an area rich in history and culture, and the location of some of the most delightful, intriguing and exciting towns and cities in the nation. With many interesting places to see and historic sites to visit, adventure can also mean sightseeing; Atlanta is an adventure all its own.

But adventure means different things to different people. While to some it means hiking over snow-covered trails in Alaska, mountain climbing in Nepal, or a safari through the far-off jungles of the Amazon, to many it means a spin of the roulette wheel, shopping in a suburban mall, or a gourmet dinner in a fine restaurant. Most of the above, and more, can be enjoyed within the bounds of Georgia. The peaks are not as high as they are in the Himalayas, the snows not as deep as they are in Nome, but the jungles of the Chattahoochee National Forest, the swamps of the Okefenokee, and the great wildlife refuges can be just as dense and mysterious as those in Central America.

Here in Georgia adventure can mean driving the backcountry roads in search of some exciting new experience. It can mean shopping: antique stores, gift shops and craft fairs abound throughout the state, not to mention some of the finest shopping malls. And, for the gourmet adventurer, it can also mean great new experiences in fine dining and opulent hotels. And gambling? Yes, you can do that, too.

So, while this book is a guide to the outdoor adventures, it's also a guide for those of you who would rather spend your time in relative comfort, within the bounds of civilization, close to the shops, stores, restaurants and fun-time attractions that have made places like Atlanta, Savannah and Augusta famous.

With so many adventures to choose from, and so many attractions to see and experience, deciding which will be the most enjoyable for you and yours might be a problem. You could settle down and read the whole book from cover to cover and mark the most appealing spots; you could use it to plan your trip; or you could carry it along with you.

Georgia's rural areas can be a bit mundane, but much of its countryside, especially in the north and east, is very beautiful, often wild and dramatic. Some of the adventures listed in the index as "scenic drives" are designed for the pure pleasure of driving, with just enough attractions and stops along the way to keep things lively; maybe you'd like to take time out for a picnic. So, let the top down, the wind blow through your hair, leave all the anxieties of the busy world far behind and enjoy!

To make things as simple as possible, we have taken the following approach to the order of this book. First, each type of adventure is briefly covered in the section called The Adventures . There, you will find out what's available and where. Second, each geographical region is described in some depth. This is followed by practical information under the headings that follow.

The driving directions for each trip assume that you're approaching a given destination via an interstate or major highway.

Route maps scattered throughout the book show you approximately where the sites are, and which main roads provide the most direct route to them. In many cases, however, you'll still need a good, up-to-date road map. The Official Georgia Road Map is available at any in-bound welcome center. It is quite good and will provide adequate main road information, along with the locations of some of the more popular sites, parks and attractions. If you want to really get off the beaten path, you'll need something more detailed.

The majority of destinations in this book are best reached by car; with a few notable exceptions, they do not lend themselves to public transportation. If you've arrived at your base destination without wheels, you can rent a car at the airport or at any of the downtown rental company offices; if not, you'll have to limit yourself to those trips that can be done easily by metrobus, cab, or on foot. There are plenty of excursions organized by local companies, and, in some cases, you can get where you want to go via Amtrak or Greyhound. Schedules are often inconvenient, though.