Cheap & Weird Things To Do In N.Georgia (US)?

November 14, 2005 5:50 PM

I'm an Aussie who is going to be spending a month in northern Georgia, in the area of Cedartown/Tallapoosa visiting his girlfriend's mother and boyfriend for Christmas. I'm looking for cheap and interesting things to see and do in the area -the weirder the better. I'm not adverse to travelling into Atlanta. Any advice you could give would be much appreciated!
posted by mikeybidness to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

Well, first, don't let your girlfriend's mother know about your boyfriend!

I might go to Knoxville or the Smokies. Some really great hiking, as well as giant wooden dinosaurs in Gatlinburg!
posted by Slothrop at 6:01 PM on November 14, 2005

The phrase "Thar's gold in them thar hills!" was coined in Dahlonega. Nearby are a lot of very pretty waterfalls and natural gorges, which can be tricky if the weather is cold, but if not, do go. In December, the trees don't obstruct the views as much. At over 600 feet, Amicolola Falls is striking, as is Tallulah Falls in Tallulah Gorge. The deepest canyon east of the Mississippi River is just over the state line in Northeast Alabama. If you don't drink, you can get a different perspective on Atlanta from the top of Stone Mountain.

In Atlanta, the new Aquarium will be open. A guy from Down Under shouldn't miss Underground Atlanta, but it isn't what it used to be. The High Museum of Art will have an exhibit of Andrew Wyeth. A lot of tourist like to get high by getting a drink in the motorized rotating bar called the Sundial Lounge at the top of the Westin hotel.
posted by paulsc at 6:32 PM on November 14, 2005

There's also great hiking right there in North Georgia. Dillard House is a great place to eat. Brasstown Bald is a fun hike. Tallulah Gorge is cool. Try here, too.

That's cool you're going. My grandmother grew up in Cedertown. I don't know a lot about it except that a very cool woman who changed my life was raised there. I grew up in Atlanta. Lots to do there, too.
posted by abbyladybug at 6:36 PM on November 14, 2005

I'd like to second the Tallulah Gorge/Dillard House recommendation. There are all sorts of wonderful cabins to rent for not too much money in the Georgia/North Carolina border area. I would also check out Cherokee, N.C., which is a short drive from Dillard/Tallulah. If you're looking to spend some time in a wonderful mountain city with a lot to offer, drive up to Asheville, NC.

You can also go shopping along the highway for some very neat handcrafted musical instruments, particularly dulcimers.
posted by kosem at 7:36 PM on November 14, 2005

If you find yourself bored some day and want to drive 1 hr+ you can visit the Talladega Superspeedway. It's pretty cheap to get into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum and you can also tour the track. I really have no NASCAR interest, but it held my attention. Definitely weird (lots of crashed up cars).

On the way home you can swing by Top O The River in Anniston for some catfish, greens, and a hot skillet of cornbread right out of the oven.
posted by jdl at 7:42 PM on November 14, 2005

Great suggestions so far, guys! I'll definitely see if I can check some of them out.

I'm also really interested in the Civil War and Roots, Folk & Blues - anything happening in the area, in the aforementioned area? Last trip I was taken to Chickamauga, a real haunting place.
posted by mikeybidness at 8:02 PM on November 14, 2005

If you want weird, there's some really good folk art out of North Georgia. Check out Meaders Family face jugs or Howard Finster's Paradise Garden.

And there's some neat stuff up in Chattanooga, including a nice aquarium , The Chickamauga battlefield, and some of the South's greatest '60s tourist traps: Ruby Falls and Rock City Gardens.
posted by thecjm at 8:12 PM on November 14, 2005

Cyclorama , Battle of Atlanta , Civil War Diorama at Grant Park in Atlanta is a great outing for those interested in that aspect of the regions history. The Atlanta Zoo is right there as well.
posted by Agamenticus at 9:27 PM on November 14, 2005

There's a Raymond Loewy exhibit at the Museum of Design Atlanta through Dec 23. Enjoy your visit!
posted by Scoo at 6:40 AM on November 15, 2005

I really enjoyed Historic Oakland Cemetry when I was on vacation there. It is beautiful.

Also loved Dahlonega, the goldmine. I took the tour and looked for gold. It was great fun, also for my 4 year old.

Ofcouse Stone Mountain is nice.

And up in Blue Ridge you can take a steam train to Tennessee.
posted by kudzu at 8:06 AM on November 15, 2005

You can come up to Asheville and Moonbird & I will take you around. Great live music, great fun, a really beautiful drive.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:21 PM on November 15, 2005

The Cedartown airport is home to a jump school, and it's good for a free show on clear (not so windy) days. They drop a LOT of people on pretty days...literally as quickly as they can get the jump plane back on the ground and filled back up again. Nothing quite like watching people hurl themselves out of a perfectly good airplane. You can actually hear them screaming from the ground (grin).
posted by richmondparker at 5:22 PM on November 15, 2005