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Day Trips: Great Places to Visit When You Just Have Today!

By Becky Samford, DNJC Macaroni Kid and Erin Stolle, ARM Macaroni Kid July 20, 2014
If you have a favorite not on the list, please comment below and I'll add it! 

The Art Barn
- You will feel like you are at home with friends and family as you truly experience what  farm life is all about. From gathering farm fresh eggs, peeking into the gardens, to the beautiful sounds of the barnyard symphony... Roosters crowing, Cows mooing while Donkeys and horses belt out some equine melodies. The farm offers many learning opportunities for groups of every size. From small family gatherings to farm-tastic field trips for schools of any size. Barnyard meet & greets to Farm To Table workshops.  Come create a memory.
208 Roper Road, Canton, GA 30115

BabyLand General Hospital - Free admission to the Cabbage Patch Kids' Southern-Style, antebellum home in the Georgia Mountains.  Witness a birth.  Staff administers Imagicillin & gives adoption consultations.  Adoptable Appalachian art in animated displays. Throughout the year there are special public Seasonal Events, Tea Parties, along with private birthday, ballroom and wedding celebrations.
300 N.O.K. Drive, Cleveland, GA 30528

Booth Western Art Museum - This 120,000 square foot Museum opened in August 2003, and houses the largest permanent exhibition space for Western art in the country. Galleries feature contemporary Western American art, historic Western art, Civil War art, Presidential portraits and letters, Western movie posters, and Western illustration. Sagebrush Ranch is an interactive gallery where children of all ages can learn about art and Western America. The Museum’s Special and Temporary Exhibit Galleries hosts six to ten temporary exhibits per year.
501 N Museum Dr., Cartersville, GA 30120

Callaway Gardens - A recreational facility offering beach and water sports, geocaching, treetop adventures, zip lines, beautiful gardens and historical buildings.
17800 US Hwy 27, Pine Mountain, GA 31822

Coca-Cola Space Science Center, Columbus, GA- This state of the art facility houses the Challenger Learning Center, the 360 degree, 110 seat Omnisphere planetarium, where you can experience a trip through the universe and the Mead Observatory. Visit the Plaza area for many interactive exhibits and displays, including:
  • Magic Planet : An interactive touch screen display that allows you to project the surface of any of the Solar System’s planets or moons onto a 24 inch spherical projection screen. 
  • Mars Rovers: Patrons will get the feel and excitement of maneuvering the Rovers on the Planet Mars.
  • Spitzer Infrared Telescope Exhibit: Experience the wonder of infrared light in this interactive exhibit. This exhibit will also explore the wondrous findings of the Spitzer Infrared Telescope.
  • The Weather Station: Act like a real weatherman as you get to experience “presenting” the local weather in front of a chromakey screen. Information on Tornadoes, Clouds, The Atmosphere and weather terminology.
  • The Wave Machine: Learn how waves are created as patrons get to see in real time how waves are formed.
  • Milestones in Space Exploration: This interactive exhibit shows the patron the critical events in space exploration.
  • Viewspace: Step to the back of the center and be mesmerized by the latest information transpiring throughout the universe. Provided by the Hubble Space Institute, this program provides the patron with snapshots of the latest and best news from the world of Astronomy.
  • Cyber Fighters: These linked flight simulators will give the patron the feel for real flight as they maneuver against others in this realistic simulator.
  • The Space Shuttle Landing Simulator: This will give visitors the sights and sounds of a real landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Mission Control will feed the “Pilot” information as he gets closer and closer to the actual touchdown.
  • The Gemini Rendezvous and Docking Simulator: This simulator gives visitors the thrill of rendezvous and docking their Gemini space craft with the Agena Target vehicle.
701 Front Ave., Columbus, GA 31901    Phone: 706.649.1470  Closed on Sundays

Gold Panning in Dahlonega
- Though you may not strike it rich, in most cases the wealth is in the experience! While you can usually pan no more than a few cents worth of gold in an hour, there's always a chance of finding a stray nugget. Recreational panning for gold in most streambeds is allowed. Special permission, permits, or fees are not required when only a shovel and pan are used and no significant damage is done to the streambed. In-stream sluices and suction dredges are not allowed. Contact the Blue Ridge Ranger District office at (706) 745-6928 to determine whether the mineral rights of a stream are publicly or privately owned or if any restrictions have been placed on the stream.
Dahlonega CVB, 13 South Park Street, Dahlonega, GA 30533

Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center and Treetop Quest- Visit, Discover, Explore…
The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center is a unique partnership between the GEHC Foundation, the University of Georgia and Gwinnett County. Their mission is to transform the concepts of science and history into fun, interactive, learn-by-doing experiences that will encourage  natural curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world. Saturdays during July, learn about the lizards that inhabit our part of Georgia. Discover how they use camouflage to avoid predators, make a fun craft, and go on a hike to try and spot some local GEHC lizard-friends. Planetarium shows and night hikes are also avaiable.

Located on the GEHC grounds, you can soar, zip, climb, crawl and swing through the most unique and exhilarating eco-adventure course of its kind in Georgia! Treetop Quest features zip lines, monkey bridges, Tarzan swings and flying foxes at heights of up to 55 feet off the forest floor!
A self-guided activity, once you are equipped, we will teach you how to operate your equipment and you will be good to swing through each course as many times as you want, for 2.5 hours (according to age limits).

Helen, GA
- Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Chattahoochee River, this Northeast Georgia village has a rich history linked to the Cherokee Indians and Indian burial mounds as well as early settlers who arrived to mine for gold and cut virgin timber for a thriving lumber industry in the early 1900s. Helen is a re-creation of an alpine village complete with cobblestone alleys and old-world towers. We've got shopping, camping, both rustic and luxury mountain cabins, restaurants, bed and breakfast inns, mountains, theater, recreation, romantic getaways, beautiful scenery, family activities, waterfalls, museums, history, art, fishing, tubing, golf, and more. Something for every member of the family.
Helen CVB, 726 Bruckenstrasse, Helen, GA 30545

Lanier World
- Whether you are looking for the coolest lakeside spot for day play and nightlife, a sandy area to bask in the sun, or a place to let loose and let your inner child out, LanierWorld has it all. At the Family Fun Park, enjoy Wild Waves, the South's largest wave pool, as well as Raging River, carnival rides, Bucky's Game Station & Tads Lakeside Grille. A short walk through the tunnel takes you from the Family Fun Park to Big Beach, home of the largest collection of rides, slides and dining options at LanierWorld. Across the sand and over the Boardwalk, lies Sunset Cove, THE spot on Lake Lanier for music, entertainment, dining & nightlife! 
7000 Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford, GA 30518

Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary - Noah's Ark is a 250 acre sanctuary for abused, unwanted and neglected animals. A beautiful "park like" setting with paved pathways to bring your family and enjoy an afternoon out. We have a beautiful picnic area and playground. Wear your walking shoes, pack a lunch and come spend the day with us!
712 LG Griffin Road, Locust Grove, GA 30248

North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm - The animals we exhibit here serve as ambassadors for their wild cousins and help educate on a variety of species of animals.. From reclusive reptiles to friendly farm animals to carnivores.  The species here at North Georgia Zoo educate visitors and help zoo scientists protect wildlife and hoofstock around the world.
2912 Paradise Valley Rd., Cleveland, GA 30528

Rock Ranch- The Rock Ranch is a beautiful 1,500 acre cattle ranch located about an hour south of Atlanta.The Rock Ranch is owned by Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy and dedicated to “Growing Healthy Families”! A day at The Rock Ranch is packed full of excitement, fun, adventure and making memories. Train rides, zip lines, jumping pillows, cane pole fishing, paddle boats, and horse rides are just a few of the attractions that will make your day truly memorable. You can even "camp out" in their Conestoga Wagons! There’s more to do here than you can shake a stick at. Come see for yourself!
Open:Fun in the Summer Time, July 1-28 (M-Sat), Fall Family Fun Days, Sept 27 - Nov 15( Saturdays Only)  and Spring-A-Ding-Ding Days, April 1-25 (M-F).
5020 Barnesville Highway, The Rock, Georgia 30285  Phone:(706) 647-6374

Sweetwater Creek State Park
- Sweetwater Creek State Park is a peaceful tract of wilderness only minutes from downtown Atlanta. A wooded trail follows the stream to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War. Beyond the mill, the trail climbs rocky bluffs to provide views of the beautiful rapids below. Additional trails wind through fields and forest, showcasing ferns, magnolias, wild azaleas and hardwoods.  Park rangers lead informative hikes to these areas throughout the year.
1750 Mt. Vernon Rd., Lithia Springs, GA 30122

Tanglewood Farm - Tanglewood Farm is nestled in the rolling hills of Cherokee County at the foot of the North Georgia mountains. We have a 10-acre Wild West Town with more than 100 inhabitants... all of them miniature farm animals! Tanglewood is a wholesome family place where young and old can enjoy together a trip back to the past. In addition to petting and feeding our friendly animals, kids can enjoy pony rides and hay rides, seasonal arts and crafts demonstrations, and panning for gold and arrowheads.
171 Tanglewood Drive, Canton, GA 30115

Tellus Science Museum - Tellus features four main galleries: The Weinman Mineral Gallery, The Fossil Gallery, Science in Motion and The Collins Family My Big Backyard. A 120-seat digital planetarium and an observatory with a state-of-the-art 20-inch telescope is also located at Tellus. Eye-popping exhibits like an 80 foot-long Apatosaurus and a replica Wright flyer excite and amaze visitors of all ages. Children will have a blast conducting hands-on experiments with light, sound, magnets and more. Dazzling gems and minerals sparkle and glow alongside interactive exhibits demonstrating how the Earth moves and changes.
100 Tellus Drive, Cartersville, GA 30120

White Water Rafting Columbus- Master the longest urban whitewater course in the world! This stretch of the river provides an urban outdoor experience that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet. Choose from mild to wild. Find an adventure for every skill level to create a splash of outdoor excitement. And when you’ve conquered the river, you’ll find yourself in the middle of one of the South’s most cosmopolitan cities with endless dining, entertainment and family adventures to explore.
Call 706-321-4720 to book your adventure!

Wild Animal Safari - Wild Animal Safari has over 65 different animal species, adding up to over 650 animals! You will get to see these animals upclose from the comfort and safety of your vehicle or one of ours. You'll see lions, tigers, monkeys, giraffes and more. Our websites have more information about what animals each animal park features.
1300 Oak Grove Road, Pine Mountain, GA 31822

Yellow River Game Ranch - Stroll along a mile-long trail on 24 wooded acres and encounter over six hundred highly sociable birds and animals indigenous to the state of Georgia. White-tailed deer, bunnies, buffalo, sheep, kid goats, black bears and a bevy of new-born animals are waiting to be fed, admired and petted on a “nose-to-nose” basis. We specialize in “people-friendly” wildlife.
4525 U.S. 78, Lilburn, GA 30047