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Enjoy nature, wildlife centers, botanical gardens, arboretums, lakes, local parks, nature trails, a 1670 Indian Trail, forests, recreation areas, outdoor walking-driving tours and more. |
| Nature Centers - Wildlife Center - Trails - Forests - Gardens - Arboretums |
| 1839 Lockerly Hall and Lockerly Arboretum is a fine example of plantation architecture. This 45 acre arboretum offers, in addition to nature trails showcasing shrubs and trees, an herb garden, iris, day lily beds, a rhododendron garden, a vineyard, bulb and perennial gardens, a butterfly garden and a tropical and desert greenhouse. Tours available with Milledgeville CVB. The Arboretum grounds are free to the public. Free parking. In Milledgeville, GA 31061 |
| Alcovy Conservation Center - Demonstration habitat gardens will inspire you with ecologically sound ideas for your backyard habitat. Free parking and admission. In Covington, Georgia |
| Bartram Forest has walking trails, bird-watching, educational kiosks, a pavilion and garden.Call to schedule a visit. Free parking. Located in Milledgeville, Georgia |
| Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail at Memorial Park - Park is 72 acres with a lake and zoo, which is home to over 120 species of native animals. Free parking. Located in Athens, Georgia |
| Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center - On this 6.400-acre preserve, enjoy 29 ponds and a five-acre rock outcropping, hiking, fishing, birds, hunting and camping. Free admission and parking. Located in Mansfield, Georgia |
| Dauset Trails Nature Center - Explore the ponds, creeks, wildflower fields, wooded trails and nature center. Camping for groups available. Free parking. In Jackson, GA |
| Founders Memorial Garden features a fountain, winding walkways, ornamental shrubbery and an 1857 antebellum home form this grand memorial to the founders of America’s first garden club. Free admission and parking. Located in Athens, Georgia |
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| Georgia International Horse Park - Park has already serves as the equestrian venue for the largest sporting event in the world. Whether biking on the same trails used by Olympic competitors or taking a relaxing trail ride that winds around the Park, you can experience the Legacy. Free admission and parking. Located in Conyers, Georgia |
| Horticulture Trial Gardens at UGA - Exquisite ornamentals are performance-tested in seasonally rotating gardens. Free quided tours by reservation. In Athens, GA |
| Lewis Vaughn Botanical Gardens - 1.5 garden acres is in the heart of Downtown Conyers. Has examples of native plants of Georgia's Piedmont region. The pond is fed by the City's downtown water tower built in 1900. Adjacent to the botanical gardens is the Pavilion which hosts many community events and
activities. Open: Daily 8am until dusk. Free admission and parking. Amenities: Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Phone: 770-602-2606 and toll free at 800-CONYERS - Address: Main and Commercial Streets, Conyers, Georgia 30012 |
| North Oconee Greenway and Heritage Trail - This park connects Sandy Creek Park, Sandy Creek Nature Center, North Oconee River Park, Dudley Park and UGA with 3.5 miles of trails.Free parking. Located in Athens, Georgia |
| Oconee Forest Park is a 60-acre, 100-year-old forest park has lakeshore hikes, bike trails, a picnic area and a network of trails with more than 100 kinds of native trees and shrubs. Free parking. In Athens, Georgia |
| Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge - Enjoy hiking trails, wildlife drive and fishing in the 35,000-acre wildlife refuge is a forest. Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge now serves as a model of forest ecosystem management for wildlife. Free parking. Located in Hillsboro, GA. |
| Rock Hawk Effigy and Trails - This 5000 year old monument is the centerpiece of 15 miles of education and recreation trails. It is in the shape of a hawk. Display cover 12,000 years of nature and history. Free parking. Located in Eatonton, GA |
| Sandy Creek Nature Center - Exhibits, native wildlife and 225 acres of woodland, fields and marshland.Call for tours. Naturalist walk on first and third Saturday of each month. Free admission and parking. Located in Athens, Georgia |
| Seven Islands Trail - This Indian trail, which later became a stagecoach route, dates back to 1670. Travel dirt roads and enjoy a nostalgic ride throughout Jasper County. Free parking.Located on Hwys 212, 83, 11 and 16, Monticello, Georgia |
| State Botanical Garden of Georgia - A dazzling three-story tropical conservatory dominates this 313-acre preserve, along with a visitors center and café. Free parking. Located in Athens, GA |
University of Georgia Arboretum - Thanks to its attractive biologically diverse collection of trees, shrubs and plants, the campus was designated an arboretum. Open: Daily. Free parking.
Phone: 706-542-2471 – Address: UGA Campus, Athens, Georgia 30602 |
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| Lakes |
| Jackson Lake is great for swimming, boating and fishing. Open Daily. Free parking. Located on GA Hwys 16 & 212, In Monticello, Georgia |
| Lake Juliette - With 3,600 acres strictly for fishing, the lake prohibits boats with engines greater than 25 horsepower, as well as personal watercrafts. Open March - October. Free parking. Located in Juliette, Georgia |
| Lake Oconee - Enjoy boating, fishing, and golfing along lovely Lake Oconee. Open: Daily from Dawn-dusk. Free parking. Located in Eaton, Georgia |
| Lake Sinclair in Eatonton is 417 miles of scenic shoreline with public boat ramps, tailrace fishing and various other activities for your enjoyment. Daily. Free parking. Amenities: Parking and Public Restrooms. Phone: 706-485-7701 – Located in Eatonton, Georgia 31024 |
| Lake Sinclair in Milledgeville is an idyllic setting for boating, fishing and lakeside leisure. Daily. Free parking. Located in Milledgeville, Georgia |
| Turner Lake is a great place for fishing, hiking and walking. Amenities: Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Open Mon-Thurs at 8 am - 8 pm, and Fri-Sat at 8 am - 5 pm. Free parking. Phone: 706-786-4373 Address: 6185 Turner Lake Rd, Covington, GA 30014 |
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| Outdoor Walking & Driving Tours - Many are Historic Sites |
| Alice Walker Driving Tour is a self-guided driving trail takes you to points of interest of Alice Walker. Brochure available at the Chamber of Commerce. Phone: 770-358-3132 – Address: 105 S. Washington St., Eatonton, Georgia 31024 |
| Andalusia Farm - Tour the home of beloved American author Flannery O'Connor. See Flannery O'Connor Memorial. Amenities: Parking and Public Restrooms. Open Tues-Sat 10 am - 4 pm or by appointment. Phone: 478-454-4029 - Address: US Hwy 441 N, Milledgeville, Georgia |
| Barnesville Walking Tour is where you will enjoy the charm of small-town Barnesville with its many Victorian homes, quaint shops and picturesque neighborhoods. Phone: 770-358-2732 – Address: : Downtown Barnesville, Barnesville, Georgia 30204 |
1870 Bryon Railroad Depot features a pictorial history, town memorabilia and historical facts about trains. Open: Call for hours and tours. Free admission. Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms and Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Phone: 478-956-3600 or 478-956-2409
Address: 101 E Heritage Blvd, Bryon, Georgia 31008 |
| Dickey Farms is the oldest operating packing house in Georgia. Enjoy the open-air market. Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired, and party facilities. Open Mon-Fri 8 am - 7 pm and Sat-Sun 8 am - 6 pm. Call for guided tours. Phone: 478-836-4362 or toll free 800-PEACH-GA. Address: 3440 Old Hwy 341 N, Musella, Georgia |
| Double-Barreled Cannon - This weapon, still pointing north, may be one of the most unusual from the Civil War. It was built at the foundry in 1862 when the community feared attack. Only one of its kind in the world. Failed to fulfill its mission of simultaneously firing two balls connected by a chain. Open: Daily. Free. Located at College and Hancock Sts., Athens, Georgia 30601 |
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| Elder's Mill Covered Bridge in Watkinsville, was built in 1897 and is 100 feet long, and one of the last such bridges in use on a public road. Phone: 706-769-5197. Directions: From Athens, take Hwy. 441 for 9 miles south to downtown Watkinsville, go south on Hwy. 15 for 4 1/2 miles and east on Elder's Mill Road for 1 mile. In Herman Michael Park. In Watkinsville, Georgia |
| Haralson Mill Covered Bridge in Conyers is open to traffic. It was built in 1997 and is 150 feet long. Phone: 770-532-6206. Directions: From Atlanta, take I-20 east to Exit 40 at Sigman Road to Hwy. 20 north, go east on Bethel road and north on Haralson Mill Road. In Panola Mountain State Conservation Park. In Conyers, Georgia |
| Historic Commercial District Tour is a self-guided walking tours, maps and brochures are available at the Chamber of Commerce. Features Courthouse Square a nd surrounding eight blocks have 40 structures of mostly mid-to-late 1800's construction on the National Register. Courthouse features pressed metal ceiling. Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Phone: 478-994-9239, 888-642-4628 - Located in Downtown Forsyth, Georgia 31029 |
| Historic Piedmont Scenic Byway Drive Route - Traveling through Putnam and Hancock Counties, the Historic Piedmont Scenic Byway stretches for 82 miles. From the Rock Hawk effigy, built by Native Americans thousands of years ago, to Glen Mary Plantation and other antebellum homes, this route reveals a region of Georgia that is rich in historic and cultural qualities. The scenic and natural beauty of the Piedmont is also on display as the byway travels through the Oconee National Forest, across the Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers, and past acres of rolling farmland. Scenic Byway Driving Tour picture, map and more info. |
Horticulture Trail Garden displays exquisite ornamentals are performance-tested in seasonally rotating gardens. Open: Office hours Monday-Friday at 8 am - 5 pm. Garden always open. Call for guided tours. Free. Amenities: Parking and Restrooms. Phone: 706-542-2471
Address: 1111 Plant Science Bldg., UGA Campus, Athens, Georgia 30602 |
| Kitty’s Cottage and Old Church - Tour the 1841 church, which was the first chapel of Emory University. Kitty’s Cottage was the home of a freed slave who did not want to return to Africa. Open: Call Ahead for tours. Phone: 770-787-3868 or toll-free 800-616-8626 - Address: Wesley St, Oxford, Georgia 30054 |
| Lane Southern Orchards - At Lane’s peach-packing facility, browse the locally grown produce at the market. Open: Tours available daily. Call for hours. Free admission. Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired, Food and Party Facilities. Phone: 478-825-3362 and toll-free 800-27-PEACH - Address: GA Hwy. 96, 50 Lane Rd., Fort Valley, GA 31030 |
| Lights on Macon Illumination Tour - Some of the city’s most resplendent homes are lit 365 days a year to showcase their unique architectural features on this free self-guided tour. Nightly at dusk. Phone: 478-743-3401, 800-768-3401 - Address: Downtown Macon, Macon, GA 31201 |
| Memory Hill Cemetery was one of the four public squares in the 1803 town plan. Aughor Flannery O'Connor and Congressman Carl Vinson are among those buried here. Open daily. Phone: 478-452-4687 or toll free 800-653-1804. Address: 300 W Franklin St., Milledgeville, GA |
Milstead 104 Dinky Steam Locomotive - The Dinky is a 1905 Rogers steam locomotive that hauled cotton bailes from the main line to the textile mill on the Yellow River. Open daily.
Phone: 770-602-2606 or 800-CONYERS. Address: Greenl & Railroad Streets, Conyers, GA |
| Monastery of the Holy Spirit - Founded in 1944 by a group of monks who practice self-sufficiency, cultivating their own food. The 2,000-acre grounds include a bonsai garden greenhouse, lake and plenty of great walking areas. It hosts service, tours and religious retreats. Open: The Monastery gates are open from approximately 4 am and close at 8 pm after the Night Prayer. The Abbey Store is open from 10 am until 5 pm Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 12:30 to 4:30 pm (closed holidays). The Bonsai Greenhouse is open from 10 until 4:30 pm Monday through Saturday (closed Sundays and holidays). Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Phone: 770-483-8705 - Address: 2625 GA Hwy 212 SW, Conyers, Georgia 30094 |
| Monticello Crossroads Scenic Byway Drive Route - Pine forests and rolling pastures dominate the views along the Monticello Crossroads Scenic Byway as it runs through Jasper County. This 29-mile Byway emphasizes the rural and historic qualities of the area. Native Americans and evangelical Methodist Circuit Riders once used these routes as they crossed the state. Highway 83 was also part of the Seven Island Stage Coach Road that ran from Augusta to New Orleans and the Natchez Trace. Several structures and the central business district of Monticello have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Amenities: Parking and Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Phone: 706-468-8894 More info and map. Locations are GA Hwys 11 & 83. |
Monticello Historic District Driving Tour - Free brochure available in visitors center.
Phone: 706-468-8894 – Address: 123. W. Washington St., Monticello, Georgia 31064 |
| Ocmulgee National Monument - See burial mounds, an earth lodge reconstructed over the original 1,000-year-old floor, an outline of a colonial trading post, and a museum. Open: Daily 9a.m.-5p.m.. Call for groups. Free. Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired, Party Facilities. Phone: 478-752-8257 – Address: 1207 Emery Hwy., Macon, Georgia 31217 |
| Old Clinton Historic District - This pre-Civil War hamlet is the “town that time forgot.” Self-guided tour brochure available. Read the history on markers and enjoy the park. Georgia's early 19th century county seat. Only Clinton has survived sufficiently free of modern development to give an idea of the layout and appearance of this early New England town. Twelve houses built between 1808-1830 and the Methodist Church, 1821, still stand. Self-guided driving and walking tours. Free. Amenities: Parking, Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Phone: 478-986-1123 – Address: US Hwy. 129, Clinton, Georgia 31032 |
| Perry Historic Walking/ Riding Tour is a self-guided walking or driving tour of historical homes and significant sites in Perry. Brochure available at the New Perry Hotel or the Perry Welcome Center. Phone: 706-485-7701, 706-485-3277 - Address: 101 General Courtney Hodges Blvd., Perry, Georgia 31069 |
| Rock Eagle Effigy - About 5,000 years old, this prehistoric rock effigy in the shape of an eagle is believed to have been built by a tribe of Creek Indians as a ceremonial meeting place. Open: Daily. Free to see. Phone: 706-484-2800 – Address: 350 Rock Eagle Rd., Eatonton, GA 31024 |
| Rose Hill Cemetery - Many famous Macon citizens rest here, including Civil War soldiers and Southern rock ‘n’ roll legend Duane Allman. Open: Daily until Sunset. Free to visit. Amenities: Parking and Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Phone: 478-751-9119 - Address: 1071 Riverside Dr, Macon, Georgia 31204 |
| Soldiers’ Cemetery - Two buildings on the Oxford College campus served as hospitals during the Civil War. Also see a cemetery with the graves of 25 Confederate soldiers. Open: Daily. Free admission. Amenities: Parking and Public Restrooms - Phone: 770-784-8488 – Address: Oxford College Campus, Oxford, Georgia 30054 |
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