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Crossing Creeks RV Resort Mileposts: So Many Places To Go
Written by Matt
If you need a few reasons to stay at Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa, or to own an RV lot here, all you really need to do is check out a few mileposts.
Crossing Creeks is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northeast Georgia, very near the state’s highest point. It’s seemingly removed from the hustle of the everyday world. It is, in every sense of the word, an escape. Hiking, fishing, canoeing, biking and many other activities are as close as you could possibly want.
And yet Crossing Creek is a stepping stone to history and culture, including beautiful cities in several states. If you’re on your way from the mid-Atlantic, Northeast or Midwest to Disney World, the Universal Orlando Resort movie theme park, Cape Canaveral or any other Florida attraction, Crossing Creeks is a great place to stop for a night or a few days. The full-service RV campsites and spa facilities, including a pool, will get you refreshed before you head out on the final leg to your destination. (Sure, you can stop again on the way home.)
Crossing Creeks truly is a destination in and of itself, but don’t forget to consider how much there is to do within hours and even minutes of the RV resort. Check out a few mileposts to see just how many great places to enjoy are less than a day’s drive away:
Fishing: A few feet. Rock Creek in Blairsville and other streams have trout waiting to be caught. Lake Nottely, 9 miles away, has lots of bass, rainbow trout and black crappie.
Boating: 9 miles. Lake Nottely has more than 100 miles of shoreline. Boaters love it as much as the anglers do.
Spectacular views. 20 miles. Brasstown Bald is the state’s highest point, and it’s half an hour away. The viewing deck offers a sightline that stretches well into North Carolina on a clear day, and as far as the Atlanta skyline to the south. The fall view is breathtaking.
Appalachian Trail: 24 miles. The nation’s best-known and perhaps most beloved marked nature and hiking trail is so close. You’ll find several well-marked day hikes along the Georgia section of the AT. The trailhead is only 48 miles from Crossing Creeks on Springer Mountain.
Whitewater sports: 26 miles. You’ll find whitewater many places west of the fall line in the Georgia mountains. The nearest spots are around McCaysville, a neighboring community to Crossing Creeks. A unique whitewater experience is in Columbus, GA, which has the world’s longest stretch of urban whitewater kayaking and canoeing—2.5 miles of whitewater passing by the city skyline. It’s 217 miles away.
Culture, Nightlife: 124 miles. That’s the distance to Atlanta, the social and cultural hub of the Southeastern United States. One of the nation’s oldest cities, it is steeped in history and filled with museums. And yet its downtown and trendy neighborhoods, including Buckhead, bubble with nightlife and fine restaurants. There’s a whole, big, glittering world just 2 hours away from Crossing Creeks.
Peanuts: Probably inches away. Peanuts aren’t hard to find in Georgia, where so many are grown, but especially in the sandy soils east of the fall line. Try some boiled—that’s the Southern way to prepare them. And check out the National Peanut Museum in Tifton, 289 miles away.
Vidalia onions: 288 miles. Vidalia and the region around it are known for the nation’s best sweet onions. Only onions grown in that specific region of Georgia can be labeled Vidalia. You’ll find them everywhere in Georgia from late summer through fall. See how they’re grown and visit the Vidalia Onion Museum.
Peaches: Everywhere. Only in Atlanta could you meet at the intersection of Peachtree and Peachtree. Buildings, streets, parks and neighborhoods are named Peachtree. All around the state are real peach trees. Once the harvest starts, you’ll find your way to great places with peach ice cream, peach cobbler, peach pie, peach preserves and just wonderfully fresh, sweet peaches. And you’ll do it over and over again.
Movie sets: Around the state. Scores of movies are shot in Georgia, or at least partly here. Some you might have heard about or seen: “The Mule,” “Black Panther” and “We Are Marshall.” A new film production studio is under construction in Atlanta. Casting agents advertise occasionally for extras. Keep an eye out. You may be able to watch a movie being filmed—or be in one!
Fine wine: 7 miles. Odom Winery is the closest—it even has a Blairsville address—but there are more than two-dozen wineries nearby, enough to make a nice tour and tasting, or maybe even two.
Golf with the gods: 378 miles. Myrtle Beach, SC, is about a 6½ -hour drive, almost due east. So, yes, you can play Myrtle Beach, replenish yourself at Crossing Creeks, and then head to Florida without going out of your way. Good deal.
Major League Baseball: 102 miles. The Atlanta Braves are playing in Sun Trust Park, in just its second year, a few miles north of the city. The stadium alone is worth the trip, but we’re talking about the defending National League East champs here. Established big league stars and exciting up-and-comers are less than 2 hours away.
Country music: Probably around the corner. It’s not hard to turn and hear a fiddle being sawed, a guitar being strummed or a banjo being picked. Any bar with entertainment around here has country bands.
The Best County Music: 232 miles. Nashville and its Grand Ole Opry are a four-hour drive from Crossing Creeks. Hit the saloons and hear ’em before they become stars.
NFL football: 114 to 230 miles. Take your pick: The Atlanta Falcons of the NFC play in Mercedes Benz Stadium, 114 miles away. The Tennessee Titans of the AFC play in Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN, 228 miles away. The NFC’s Carolina Panthers play in Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC, 230 miles away.
NBA basketball: 114 to 230 miles. Two of the cities that have NFL teams also have pro hoops: Atlanta has the Hawks, and Charlotte has the Hornets.
NCAA sports: Everywhere you turn. Blairsville is within a reasonable distance of several Southeastern Conference teams, including the Georgia Bulldogs, 91 miles away in Athens; and Atlantic Coast Conference teams, including the Clemson Tigers, 89 miles away in Clemson, SC. There are many other lesser known schools with affordable competition in a full line of indoor and outdoor men’s and women’s sports. Many of these events, outside of football, are inexpensive.
Savannah, GA: 372 miles. One visit to Savannah will convince you of two things: It really is one of the country’s most beautiful cities. And one trip is not enough.
Charleston, SC: 339 miles. That’s right—Charleston is a half-hour closer than Savannah. Charleston, one of the country’s oldest port cities, is known for its friendliness and hospitality, and it’s a looker, too.
There’s a lot more to do and see, but we’re going to stop now. We don’t want to bore you ... not that we could.
The Super Bowl is in Atlanta on Feb. 3, and although the Falcons won’t be there this year—they didn’t even make this year’s post-season—having the game in Georgia ought to be a good enough incentive to host a Super Bowl Party.
Whether you’re watching the Super Bowl in your RV, outside your RV or in your home, there are some things you should make sure to do so you can enjoy the party and the game.
Decorations
You can go three ways here:
Generic. Decorations that use football themes—goalposts, yard line markers, footballs, officials in striped shirts signaling a touchdown—are cheaper than items with team names. They can be reused every year and for college games, too. Try windycitynovelties.com for a mind-boggling assortment.
Team colors. Get the colors of your favorite team or both opponents and have at it with colored plates, crepe paper, balloons and beads. Make sure your plates are good and sturdy.
Insignia decorations. You’ll pay more for these, with either the Super Bowl LIII logo or with team-specific logos. If you buy team logos, and one is New England, at least you know they have a good chance of coming back every year to use up your leftover items. Seriously, check out Party City.
Bonus idea: Get yellow paper napkins, and lots of them, so guests can toss them like penalty flags every time somebody jumps offside or interferes with a pass. Some may even wipe sticky fingers with them.
Seating
Have a comfortable seat for everyone. Arrange chairs so everyone not only has a good view of the TV, but also can get up and down easily to get more food and drink.
Plates, Cutlery, Cups
Make sure everything is sturdy. Cups should be plastic and big enough to hold a full beer or mixed drink, but not the flimsy red cups—not with all the fist-clenching that’s done during this game. Cutlery should be functional—probably the clear deluxe types, or even the heavy-duty coated versions that look like metal utensils but are really strong plastic. Plates should be resistant to grease and sturdy. You’ll have fewer accidents—like food falling off a fork onto a guest’s sweater, or plates and bowls collapsing under the strain of your chili and staining a carpet or upholstery. Chinet has a good assortment of disposables that get the job done stylishly.
Convenient Menu
You want to see the game (and the commercials), not spend three hours at a stovetop, even if you have a couple of hot dishes. Look for recipes that cook up well in a slow cooker, which will not only cook the food with minimum fuss but also keep it warm. Slow cookers are compact and efficient. These days, they’re also surprisingly inexpensive. Buy an extra one if need be. Slow cookers take up a lot less space than a chafing dishes and sterno heaters, and they come in different sizes. Fox Sports has good Super Bowl slow cooker recipes online. Serve an assortment of cheeses, crackers, chips, dips, pretzels and sandwiches. Today.com has 50 suggestions for all types of Super Bowl Party foods.
Emergency Kit
Stuff happens. Make sure you have these on hand: extra paper towels and stain-lifting wipes in case of fumbles, and antacids, just in case someone decides your chili was a bad call.
Image Credits: American Heart Associates, Party City
All aboard! Next stop: winter and spring fun at model railroad displays round the state of Georgia.
If the holidays got you to thinking about that model train display you painstaking assembled as a kid, you can scratch the itch courtesy of several model railroading clubs scattered around the state. Many have winter or spring shows that welcome the public.
Gone are the days when the Georgia Railroad, Seaboard Railroad and the Atlantic Coast Line moved tons of freight and thousands of passengers every day. The spirit lives on, though, in displays by model railroaders and in collectibles from the days when rails ruled transportation.
If you’re a full-time RVer, you certainly don’t have space for trains. (If you do, send us a photo—we’d be fascinated! Under the platform bed, maybe?) If you’re a part-time RVer, maybe you still have some trains at home and just miss them. (Yes, people with model trains love them that much.)
Choose Your Gauge
Whatever gauge you prefer, you’re bound to find it at one Georgia display or another:
- O scale: 1/45-inch, the scale of the classic Lionel trains with three-rail track
- HO scale: that’s “Half O,” or 1/87, pretty much the standard these days, with two rails
- S scale: 1/64, the measurement of the American Flyer trains, with two rails
- N scale: 1/168, about half the size of HO, to-rail track
- TT scale: 1/120, about halfway between HO and N
56th Atlanta Model Train and Railroadiana Show and Sale
Here’s a place to see six working model train layouts, and buy items from more than 300 vendors, including trains from Lionel, American Flyer, Marklin and Ives, the old Standard gauge toy trains. Tables feature tons of model railroad items and railroadiana—signs, lanterns, tickets, timetables, dining car china, and more. It’s been going on every year for more than half a century, so you know it’s a good one. The venue is new this year and bigger than the previous site.
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019
- Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Cost: $9; tickets online; $1 discount at www.gserr.com/shows
- Place: Infinite Energy Forum, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097
- Directions: Figure on an hour and 45-minute drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort and Spa.
- Parking: Free in any of several onsite lots.
30th Annual Model Railroad and Train Show, Savannah
The Coastal Rail Buffs’ 30th Annual Model Railroad and Train Show is just another reason to visit beautiful Savannah—never a bad thing. The show had several operating layouts, in O, HO and N scales. Vendors offer model trains and accessories from tables.
- Dates: Jan. 26 and 27, 2019
- Times: Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Place: National Guard Armory, 1248 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, GA
- Cost: Age 12 and over, $7, except $5 for seniors age 60 and over and students; age 11 and under, free; active military, free.
- Directions: The Savannah armory is about a 5½-hour drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort and Spa. NOTE: Road closings near the armory may cause delays.
- Parking: Passenger vehicle parking is availabkle in front nd behind the armory, and t nearby municipal lots. Several RV parks offer RV parking in the area.
Georgia State Railroad Museum
As long as you’re in Savannah, check out the Georgia State Railroad Museum. It’s on the site of the old Central of Georgia Railway Savannah Shops and Terminal Facilities in downtown Savannah. It even has a roundhouse and a giant turntable, which positioned locomotives to head into or out of any of several maintenance bays arranged in a semicircle. The museum operates the most complete pre-Civil War railroad in the country. If you’re feeling strong enough, give the handcar a try.
- Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 7 days a week
- Cost: $10, age 13 and older; $6, children ages 2-12.
- Tickets: Available online.
- Location: 55 Louisville Rd., Savannah, GA 31401
- Directions: The railroad museum is about a 15-minute drive from the National Guard Armory.
The Model Train Show, Atlanta
It’s back to Atlanta in March for The Model Train Show at Cobb Galleria Centre. Model railroad clubs from around Georgia operate layouts. Gauges on display include O, HO, N, S and TT. There’s also an exhibit by the Dixie Lego Users. The North Georgia Live Steamers display their scale model live steam trains—powerful models big enough to ride. Vendors sell their model railroad wares at about 250 tables. There’s also a white elephant table at which visitors can sell an item or two they enter into a computerized system.
- Dates: Saturday, March 16; Sunday, March 17
- Times: Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Place: Cobb Galleria Centre, 2 Galleria Parkway, Exhibit Hall A, Atlanta, GA 30339
- Cost: Age 9 and over, $9; age 8 and under, free; Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in uniform, free.
- Parking: Passenger vehicle parking at the Galleria is $5 per day, debit or credit only—no cash. RV parking is available at a number of RV parks in the area.
- Directions: Cobb Galleria Center is just off the intersection of Interstates 75 and 285. Plan on a little less or more than a 2-hour drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort and Spa, depending on your route.
Image courtesy of John Catsoulis, Wikipedia
Christmas Made in the South: Multi-City Holiday Craft Show
Written by Matt
If you’re looking for a holiday decoration stamped with the words “Made in China,” you don’t want to visit Christmas Made in the South. The juried craft fair makes several stops in Georgia and nearby every November and December.
The name pretty much describes what you’ll find from the 200 or so crafters and artisans who set up shop each Christmas season at the show. All the products are handmade by Southerners.
Juried Exhibit
“Juried exhibit” means not just any crafter can come in and sell at the show. Artisans must send photos of their work to show officials. If the jurors see merit in the work—uniqueness, originality, quality, booth appeal—they invite the applicant to sell at the show. Exhibitors must display and sell the type of work reviewed by the judges.
Shows take on a regional flavor because the juries differ from place to place.
Variety of Wares
Where some regional shows might deal with a single craft, Christmas in the South welcomes a variety of works, as long as they deal with a single holiday: Christmas. When 200 or more crafters are selling in one spot, you’re bound to see all kinds of products.
Among the handcrafted items are pottery, candles, blown glass, tree ornaments, jewelry, tapestries, outdoor decorations, and painted and caned furniture, a popular category.
Get Personal
If you’re a crafter yourself, the shows offer a chance to talk to people who are good at what they do and usually are willing to talk about it. Learn new techniques. Find out what goes into a craft you might consider adding to your own repertoire.
You can personalize some products, too. Ornaments, for instance, can be ordered with your name or a family name, and maybe the year. It’s an opportunity to buy some personalized gifts for people on your Christmas list.
Little Start, Big Growth
The show began as a church event on a single Saturday. Now it is run by Carolina Shows, Inc., which stages craft fairs and festivals throughout the South. Carolina Shows has been promoting events for more than 30 years, and it imbues each show with professionalism.
If the promoters find a product that doesn’t suit the tenor and standards of the exhibit, for instance, or doesn’t reflect what the jury approved, they’ll remove it. They’ll even take down signs that fail to meet standards.
Location/Dates
Admission for all events is $7 for all three days, age 13 and older; children 12 and under enter free. For discounts, print $1 off coupons per ticket online
Two Christmas Made in the South shows remain this season in Georgia:
Venue: Macon CentrePlex
200 Coliseum Drive
Macon, GA 31217
Dates: Nov. 2-4, 2018
Times: Friday, 10 a.m. -7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission:
Parking: Free
Directions: The Macon CentrePlex is a 3½- to 4-hour drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa.
Venue: Savannah International Trade & Convention Center
1 International Drive
Savannah, GA 31421
Dates: Nov. 16-18, 2018
Times: Friday, 10 a.m. -6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: $7 admits one adult for all three days, age 13 and older; children 12 and under, free
Discounts: Print $1 off coupons per ticket online
Parking: Free
Directions: The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center is a 5¾- to 6-hour drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa.
Another Christmas Made in the South will be in Jacksonville, Fla., during Thanksgiving weekend:
Venue: Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center
1000 Water St.
Jacksonville, FL 32204
Dates: Nov. 23-25, 2018
Times: Friday, 9 a.m. -6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Parking: $5-10
Directions: The Prime Osborn III convention center is just under a six-hour drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa.
There also will be a Christmas Made in the South in Ladson, S.C., just outside of Charleston, that’s actually a bit closer than Savannah:
Venue: Exchange Park Fairgrounds
9850 Highway 78
Ladson, SC 29456
Dates: Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2018
Times: Friday, 10 a.m. -6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Parking: Free
Directions: The Exchange Fairgrounds are a 5-hour and 20-minute drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa.
Photo Credits: Christmas Made in the South
If you think Georgia runners are tailbacks who gain a lot of yardage for the Bulldogs, you don’t know much about Georgia peanuts.
Runners are often the peanuts you snack on during the game. They’re the most common type of peanut grown in the state. That’s significant, since Georgia has just under 50 percent of the peanut acreage cultivated in the United States.
October just about finishes the Georgia peanut harvest, which begins in August, so let’s talk peanuts.
Here are some other quick Georgia peanut facts:
- Runners are made into peanut butter, snack nuts and candy.
- Other varieties grown are Spanish, Valencia and Virginia peanuts.
- Because they have the largest seeds, Virginia peanuts are those typically used for roasting in the shell.
- Georgia’s Spanish peanuts are usually small and red-skinned.
- Green peanuts, which are best for boiling, must be refrigerated to avoid mold.
- The peanut is actually a legume.
- Most peanuts are grown on the Coastal Plain, south of the fall line.
To thrive, peanuts need about 22 inches of rain during the growing season and sandy soil that drains well. That’s why the Coastal Plain is prime peanut country.
Allergy Warning: If you have a peanut allergy, no preparation in the world will make peanuts safe for you. If you’re preparing food for guests and using peanuts as an ingredient, from Chinese chicken to candy or sweetbread, make sure none of your guests has a peanut allergy. It can take very little peanut content to trigger a dangerous anaphylactic reaction in those who have the allergy.
If you want to enjoy some George peanuts, here are a few suggestions:
Boiled Peanuts
For boiled peanuts, you need green peanuts, or dried peanuts that you rehydrate. The peanuts should still be in the shell. Raw peanuts for boiling often are Valencia or runners. Dried peanuts might be the Virginia type. Despite the name, most are grown in Georgia.
Boiled peanuts, unlike dried and roasted peanuts, are soft after they are cooked. They have to be refrigerated not only before they are boiled tp keep them from spoiling, but also afterwards. If you want to make a large quantity for later eating, freeze them in bags. They’ll keep for months if frozen, then microwaved to thaw.
You can boil peanuts on the stovetop, but it’s easier to boil them in a slow cooker, such as a Crockpot. Boiled peanuts are almost always salty. Popular seasonings are Old Bay or Zatarain Cajun-style.
If you use dried peanuts, rehydrate them by placing them into a pot of water, unheated, and let them soak overnight.
We’ve looked for some good recipes. Here are links to a couple:
Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts
Stovetop Salted Boiled Peanuts
Roasted Peanuts
You can certainly go out and buy roasted peanuts. They’re all over the place, from gas stations to corner stores and supermarkets. But why not roast them yourself? If you like them really well done, which processed peanuts often are not, you can turn them a savory toasted brown in your own oven.
Peanuts can be roasted in the shell or out. It’s easy to roast raw peanuts, or dried peanuts, which stay fresh longer than raw peanuts do. You can roast them with salt and/or seasonings, or plain. That’s a matter of taste. There’s no right or wrong seasoning. And here’s good news: Roasting takes less than an hour, which is a fraction of the time required for boiling.
One thing to remember about roasted peanuts is that once you roast them, they continue to cook even as they cool off. A peanut that’s hot and a bit chewy right out of the oven will be a little more done and crisper after it cools.
Here are a couple of recipes:
Roasting Peanuts—Oven, Microwave or Oil
Roasted Raw Salted Peanuts
If you want to learn more about peanuts and myriad ways to prepare them—for breakfast, snacks, natural peanut butter, or as part of your main meal—visit the Georgia Peanut Commission website.
After you’ve done the work, munch on a few peanuts with family or friends during a football game or while just socializing outside your RV.
Photo Credits: Wikihow, Quora
You can sit around a campfire and tell ghost stories for Halloween. Or you can get that creepy, crawling, cold feeling up and down your spine that comes from visiting some places in Georgia that many say are truly haunted.
So, in the spirit(s) of Halloween, we’ve gathered the details on a few ghost tours that you can experience in Georgia. Included are links to driving directions. Wherever you go ghost hunting, take a sweater. The experienced say the temperature drops when ghosts are near.
Andersonville National Historical Site
Not far from Americus is Andersonville National Historical Site, which honors the victims of the Confederate prisoner-of-war camp there. Park rangers lead respectful tours of the site, which also houses the National Prisoner of War Museum. Treatment of prisoners by both the Union and Confederacy was abysmal, but Andersonville was, by all accounts, a death camp. Many visitors say they can hear the cries of agony from some of the 13,000 Union soldiers who died at the prison, infamous for its lack of sanitation and food.
The superintendent of the prison, Capt. Henry Wirz, was hanged after the Civil War for war crimes. The hanging failed to break his neck, so his body twitched at the end of a rope until he suffocated. His ghost reportedly has been spotted roaming the grounds.
Andersonville National Historical Site
National Prisoner of War Museum
496 Cemetery Road
Andersonville, GA 31711
Phone: 229-924-0343
Cost: Free
Reservations: Not required except for groups of 15 or more
Directions: Andersonville is about a 4-hour drive from Crossing Creeks, just less than 2 hours south of Atlanta.
Decatur Ghost Tour
Starting at the Decatur Town Square, tour guide “Boo” Newell leads visitors to buildings and cemeteries that people say are haunted. She delves not just into places where paranormal events have been reported, or where she’s experienced them, but also into the city’s history. The walk is about a mile long, so it’s the right length for kids as well as adults, but it takes two hours. What does she talk about? Murder, passion, vice, war and tragedy, she writes on her website. Plan to shoot photos—many people say orbs indicating paranormal activity show up in theirs.
Decatur Ghost Tour
Address: 101 E. Court Square, Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: 864-517-0688
Hours: 7:30-9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday year-round
Cost: $15, age 10 and older; $12, age 9 and younger
Reservations: online
Directions: Decatur Ghost Tour is just over 2 hours’ drive south of Crossing Creeks.
Roswell Ghost Tour
Here’s a chance to hunt for the supernatural and help to preserve Roswell’s historic features. A portion of every admission fee goes toward preservation projects.
Dianna Avena and other experienced paranormal investigators lead a 1-mile, 2½-hour Roswell Ghost Tour Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Roswell is an equal-opportunity haunt: Spirits have been reported in mansions as well as working-class homes and abandoned mills outside of town. Participants, and not just the tour leaders, say they have captured photographic, video and audible evidence of paranormal activity—people who no one remembers seeing, a person who casts no shadow, moans of workers in the mills. There’s a reduced price for children 12 and younger, but the tour guides do not recommend that children under age 13 take the tour.
Roswell Ghost Tour
610 Atlanta St.
Roswell GA 30075
Phone: 864-517-0688
Time/Place: 8:30 p.m.-1:20 a.m, Friday-Sunday, Gazebo in Roswell Town Square
Cost: $15, age 13 and older; $10, age 12 and younger
Reservations: online
Directions: Roswell, about a half-hour north of Atlanta, is an hour and 45-minute drive from Crossing Creeks via either US 19 or U.S. 76 and Interstate 575. It’s only a few minutes from Decatur.
Windsor Hotel, Americus, GA
The Windsor Hotel in Americus is a Best Western Plus establishment. Perhaps the plus refers to its spirits.
There’s nothing unusual about a doorman helping hotel guests with luggage—unless it’s at the Windsor. At the ornate Victorian-era brick hotel, there’s one—Floyd, an elderly gentleman—who guests occasionally report helping them out. The thing is, the Windsor hasn’t had a doorman in years. Floyd really had worked there.
Then there’s the patter of little feet running through the hallways at night. That might be Emma, the daughter of Emily Mae, the housekeeper. The only problem is that both were slain in the 1920s when Emily Mae’s lover pushed them down an elevator shaft.
And some guests say things they own are moved inexplicably from one place to another in their rooms. There is one explanation, of course, and the hotel is glad to share it with folks on the ghost tour.
Windsor Hotel Historic Haunted Ghost Tours
Address: 125 Lamar St., Americus, GA 31709
Phone: 229-924-1555
Time: Daily, 8-9 p.m.
Cost: $12
Directions: Americus is a little over 2 hours south of Atlanta, about a 4¼-hour drive from Crossing Creeks.
Savannah Tours
If Savannah is, as reputed, the nation’s most haunted city, there are sound reasons. It was the center of the slave trade. Its population was ravaged by a yellow fever epidemic, with many victims buried in the Colonial Cemetery. And undoubtedly, women were raped and people were killed as a result of the city’s capture under Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, who surprisingly spared the city from being torched. Sherman telegraphed President Abraham Lincoln to tell him he was presenting Savannah as a Christmas gift in 1864. Savannah did experience a devastating fire in 1865, although its cause has been a subject of debate.
Savannah’s status as the haunting capital may be the reason the city offers so many tours of ghost sites and graveyards. Rather than single out one, we’ll send you to a Savannah ghost tour list with offerings and prices. Some tours are walking; others are riding. Some are adults only; others are child-friendly. One even welcomes well-behaved dogs.
Directions: Savannah, a coastal city, is about a 5½-mile drive from Crossing Creeks. The quickest route is past Atlanta, so it would be easy to work in other sites in this blog while driving to or from Savannah.
Photo Credits: Wikipedia
Here come Georgia’s fall fairs. No two are alike, and all present great travel opportunities from Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa in Blairsville.
Fairs start in early September, with at least one fair scheduled each week through mid-November. Some are regional, some local. The biggest of all is the Georgia National Fair.
At almost any fair you can expect entertainment for all ages: food, of course, livetock competitions, cooking and baking contests, rides, concerts and fireworks.
To find your own way, here’s a list of county fairs in Georgia. Here are some highlights:
Northwest Georgia Regional Fair
- Cherokee Capital Fairgrounds
- 1060 Liberty Road, Calhoun, GA 30701
- Sept. 7-15
One of the first agricultural fairs of the season is the Northwest Georgia Regional Fair. The Cherokee Capital fairgrounds in Calhoun are less than a 2-hour drive from Blairsville. This is pretty much an old-fashioned country fair, with livestock competitions, 4-H and FFA exhibits, clowns, puppets, rides and traditional fair food. Gates open at 5 p.m. weekdays and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5, age 5 and over. Parking is free.
Georgia State Fair
- Atlanta Motor Speedway
- 1500 Tara Pl, Hampton, GA 30228
- Sept. 28-Oct. 7
With just about every kind of family entertainment imaginable, the Georgia State Fair runs for 10 days. It’s staged inside the Atlanta Motor Speedway, so there’s plenty of parking, including limited RV parking (call 901-867-7007). The speedway is about two hours and 40 minutes from Blairsville.
Kids entertainment abounds: a petting zoo, the Puppetone Rockers audience participation show, a white tiger display, pig races, monkeys serving as jockeys and racing dogs, a circus, magic and motorcycle daredevils. There’s also a midway and a walk-through butterfly encounter. The $10 admission ($5 ages 5-12, seniors) includes all attractions, including music; rides are extra. Tuesday is ride all day for $10. Other days, ride all day is $25. Thursday, each ride is $1.
Tickets are available only at the gate.
Georgia National Fair
- 401 Larry Walker Pkwy, Perry, GA 31069
- Oct. 4-14
Sponsored by the state of Georgia, this is the biggest of the fairs. Traditional livestock shows are a Georgia National Fair highlight, with competition for cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits and llamas. The Invitational Steer and Heifer Shows welcome 4-H and FFA exhibitors from Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Mississippi.
Music includes Emmy winner Peabo Bryson; Neal McCoy; a College Night ticket shared by Aaron Tippin, Sammy Kershaw and Collin Raye; 1990s and Southern Rock revivals; and gospel and Latin music. Other entertainment: pig races, antique tractors, hypnotist Tammy Barton, magicians, midway exhibits and lots of rides.
The Georgia National fairgrounds are about a four-hour drive from Blairsville, just over two hours south of Atlanta. Online ticket sales begin Aug. 24.
Elberton 12-County Fair
- 350 N. Oliver St. Elberton GA 30635
- Oct. 12-23
The regional Elberton 12-County Fair in northeast Georgia is less than a 2½-hour drive east from Blairsville. Daily admission is $5, and all-morning or all-afternoon ride tickets are available. In addition to blue-ribbon livestock contests, time-honored competitions include vegetables, jellies, jams, crafts and art. Here’s a different contest: 4Hers vie for best scarecrow. Musical acts entertain nightly, and there’s even pro wrestling.
North Georgia Agricultural Fair
- 500 Legion Drive, Dalton, GA 30721
- Oct. 18-26
One of the final nearby fall fairs is the North Georgia Agricultural Fair in Dalton. Ribbons are awarded for pies, cakes, pickles, preserves, jams, jellies, Christmas ornaments, quilts and much more. Crops judged include string and lima beans, corn, honey, nuts, peppers, tomatoes and many more categories. Livestock also is judged. Oh, and there’s a contest for voices: Karaoke preliminaries are Oct. 19 and finals, Oct. 26. There are food and rides aplenty.
Dalton is to the west of Blairsville—an hour and a half away by U.S. 76, or an hour and 50 minutes by the scenic route through south Tennessee on U.S. 74.
*Photos courtesy of Wikipedia.
So, you like to eat, do you?
Fruit juice, eggs and bacon for breakfast. Cream in the coffee. A fresh salad for lunch. For dinner, a juicy steak, maybe, grilled to perfection under the awning outside your RV, along with a baked potato and sweet corn. Ice cream with fresh berries or a Georgia peach sliced overtop for dessert. Peanuts for an evening snack with drinks.
Yeah, I know: I’m feeling hungry, too.
All that delicious food might have been purchased at a supermarket, but it started out on a farm—except for the coffee, there’s a good chance it was a Georgia farm. Lots of planning, work and care—and these days, technology— go into every farm that produces great food. Touring a Georgia farm or two to see how it’s done, and maybe even picking some fruit yourself, will make you appreciate your meal for more than how it tastes.
Here are some places in Georgia that invite you to learn firsthand about agriculture:
White Oak Pastures
22775 Highway 27
Bluffton, GA 39824
A five-generation working family farm, White Oak Pastures raises grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, sheep, goats, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas and hogs. It slaughters the animals in one of only two USDA-inspected on-farm abattoirs in the nation. You can dine in the White Oak Pastures farm-to-table restaurant for lunch Monday-Saturday and for diner Friday or Saturday evening. Stay in one of the on-farm cabins. The general store sells handcut meat, seasonal sausages, preserves and pickled items. Tour the farm on foot (wear boots—it’s muddy!) or prearrange a tour on horseback.
White Oak Pastures is a five-hour drive from Blairsville in the state’s south, about three hours south of Atlanta.
Vidalia Onion Museum
How sweet is this? The Vidalia Onion Museum tells you everything you wanted to know—and maybe more—about the Vidalia onion. The Vidalia onion is exceptionally sweet, partly because it is grown around Vidalia in all or parts of 20 Georgia counties where the soil lacks high sulfur content. This sweet onion was discovered quite by accident during the Great Depression. According to the USDA, you can’t call an onion a Vidalia if it’s grown in California or Pennsylvania or anyplace other than those counties, even if it’s one of the species that becomes a Vidalia onion. These onions are a rarity in that they’re hand-cultivated. You can also pick up some recipes at the museum and some delicious onions almost anywhere you travel around Vidalia from April through the summer.
The Vidalia Onion Museum is about 4 hours and 40 minutes from Blairsville, and about 2½ hours southeast of Atlanta. Admission is free of charge.
Southern Belle Farm
1658 Turner Church Road
McDonough, GA 30252
Fruit doesn’t get any fresher than when it comes right from the farm. Southern Belle Farm grows lots of it: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and 10 varieties of peaches. You can pick your own when each crop is in season or buy pre-picked items, plus jams, honey and other products, at the farm’s Country Market. For the summer, count on blackberries, blueberries and peaches. The farm grows vegetables too. This is a real family experience. In Belle’s Barn you can see chickens, donkeys, cows, calves, goats and horses.
Southern Belle Farm is about 2 hours and 40 minutes from Blairsville. McDonough is about a half-hour southeast of Atlanta.
Photo Credit: White Oak Pastures
Nothing is better with a summer meal than an ice cold craft beer.
Georgia is home to several brewpubs, where you can get good food and beer brewed on the premises. There are enough Georgia brewpubs to put together a really enjoyable tour in summer—or any time of year.
A brewpub serves food and its own beer. Some distribute their beers for sale by retailers and other restaurants; some sell only to onsite customers. Annual output may range from a few hundred to maybe 7,500 barrels a year.
Obviously, you’ll have to drink responsibly and drive the following day to your next destination. To make this trip extra safe, download the Uber app or the Lyft app to your iPhone or Android device so you can get safely ot wherever you’re staying. The apps are free.
Consider these brewpubs for your tour:
Wrecking Bar Brewpub
292 Moreland Avenue, NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
Widely honored in Atlanta and nationwide, the Wrecking Bar Brewpub occupies a late Victorian hybrid building that has been a home, a church, a dance studio and, before its current incarnation, an architectural antiques shop called the Wrecking Bar. The building near Inman Park was designed by architect Willis F. Denny, who designed other key Atlanta structures in the early 20th Century.
The Wrecking Bar menu revolves for food and drink. Brunch, anyone? Try Choco Mountain Imperial Breakfast Stout, with flavors including bittersweet dark chocolate, mocha, dark fruit, oats and wheat, and a half-gallon of Guatemala Antigua cold-press coffee in every barrel. Later, try the truly light Fruit at the Bottom Mango-Pineapple Milkshake IPA. Among the ingredients are lactose and vanilla beans. It’s very smooth.
Recent dinner entrees included Salmon Tagliatelle and slow smoked Aspen Ridge Brisket. The crew will help you pair any entree with a Wrecking Bar brew or other libation.
Cherry Street Brewing Co-op (Rick Tanner’s)
5810 Bond Street
Cumming, GA 30040
Rick Tanner’s Cherry Street Co-Op brewpub was the Grand National Champion of the 2017 U.S. Open Beer Championship. It won three gold, a silver and two bronze medals. Its location is Vickery Village in Cumming, Forsythe County, about 20 minutes northeast of Atlanta.
Choose from 25 of its brews on tap in the Cherry Street Taproom. There’s a whiskey-tinged brew, the Bourbon Barrel Aged Biere de Garde, and what the pub bills as the “wee heavy” Strong Scotch Nitro, an ale. With dessert, try the unique Coconut Porter. The bar packages some beers for takeout. Dining is informal, featuring Rick Tanner’s Rotisserie Chicken, well-known around Atlanta. Added to that recently are handcut steaks and grilled fish.
Nighttime and weekend entertainment, from live music to trivia competitions and cornhole tournaments, is common.
Reformation Brewery
500 Arnold Mill Way, Suite A
Woodstock, GA 30188
Moderation and balance in all things. That statement is behind the philosophy of Reformation Brewery “to set beer free.” The Woodstock, GA, eatery and brewhouse says it values everyone’s story. The Reformation story began with a homebrew that outgrew the number of guests who could drink it. After five years of home brewing, the brewery was born.
Woodstock is about 45 minutes northwest of Atlanta on Highway 5, via I-75 and I-285. Reformation plans to open a new pub at 105 Elm Street in Woodstock in August. The original brewery was a nice gathering spot but had food only on special occasions. Queenie’s, a Southern-style restaurant in Woodstock, will operate the kitchen at the new brewpub.
Patrons will be able to offer opinions on up to 24 unique brews to help guide production decisions. Upstairs will be the Study, with booths, sofas, chairs and a second bar. A gathering hall will have games, a giant screen and space for a singer-songwriter to perform. Reformation will preserve an ancient elm on the grounds, enhancing outdoor events.
Brews include rotating IPAs from Wander North Georgia, the award-winning Cadence Belgian-style dubbel, Haddy Belgian-style white ale, and Stark, a toasted porter. A sampler of canned brews is available for takeout.
Check out detailed list of Georgia brewpubs and breweries.
Music festivals in Georgia satisfy nearly any musical taste. Georgia festivals already are underway, with the season picking up steam as the temperatures rise in May and continue through summer.
Venues are easily accessed by driving from Crossing Creeks Luxury RV Resort, with at least one—the Georgia Mountain Fair—only 15 miles and 20 minutes away.
Music genres include jazz, hip hop, rap, indie rock, electronic dance, bluegrass and Gospel. Some music events double up with arts and craft fairs, amusement rides or prayer services. Many are two- or three-day events, one runs a week and the biggest—the Atlanta Jazz Festival—runs the entire month of May. Costs range from free to several hundred dollars for multi-day events.
Atlanta Jazz Festival
The Atlanta Jazz Festival hits the trifecta: It’s huge, it’s critically acclaimed, and it’s free. Billed as 31 Days of Music, it offers performances from rising talents throughout May at venues around the city: the airport, Chattahoochee Hills, Peachtree Center, the Suite Jazz Lounge, and city parks.
The top acts entertain Memorial Day weekend on the Next Gen Stage, Contemporary Stage and the Legends Stage, al in Piedmont Park. The Saturday show closes with an 11 p.m. Late Night Jazz Jam at Park Tavern with the Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra. Headliners in 2018 include vocalist Dianne Reeves, Joe Batiste with the Dap Kings, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, The Bad Plus and The Fuller Quartet. It’s a two-hour drive to Piedmont Park. Throughout May; featured acts, May 26-27.
Electronic, Indie, Hip Hop: Shaky Beats Music Festival
What a party! The Shaky Beats Music Festival in Atlanta’s Central Park books nearly 50 acts playing indie rock, electronic music or hip hop. Headliners are Marshmello, Friday; Zedd, Saturday; and Kygo, Sunday. Late shows start at 11 p.m. for attendees 18 and older. Ticket prices are $95 for one day or $179 for three days. The drive is two hours, more or less. May 11-13.
Christian: AtlantaFest
Billing itself as THE Christian Music Festival, AtlantaFest attracts some of the biggest names in Christian entertainment to Six Flags over Georgia. Featured in 2018 are Colton Dixon, Danny Gokey, Michael W. Smith, Mandisa, Phil Wickham and Tedashii, taking turns on the Main Stage on June 14, 15 or 16. The complete schedule includes other entertainment, speakers and worship. No alcohol, tobacco or pets. Tickets start at $51 for one day, to $115 for all three days. Group tickets are $100 for the full festival. Figure on a two-hour drive to Six Flags. June 14-16.
Country, Gospel: Georgia Mountain Fair
The annual Georgia Mountain Fair means country in the country. The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds are just 15 miles from Blairsville in Hiawassee. Headliners include the Bellamy Brothers, Joe Diffie, Malpass Brothers, comic Etta May and British Invasion pop legends Herman’s Hermits. The Sunday Gospel show features The McKameys, The Primitives and The Inspirations. RV campsites start at $26 a day. July 20-28.
Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival
The Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival in Dallas, GA, is a two-hour drive from Blairsville. The festival runs Friday ($10) and Saturday ($20), but a weekend pass is $25. The Wiseman Brothers are booked for Saturday. This family event allows no smoking, alcohol or pets in the covered concert area. Because of the sheltered vene, the event runs rain or shine. July 13,14.
For more information on schedules, ticketing and parking availability, visit the respective event websites above. Discover more Georgia music events on the music festivals page of Georgia.org.
Photo Credits: Wikipedia, Dianareeeves.com, georgiamountainfairgrounds.com
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Nothing turns your head faster and farther than beauty—an old car that’s dressed to the nines. OK, almost nothing. But classic and custom cars do beg for your attention, and thousands—seriously, thousands— will be on display at car shows throughout Georgia during 2018, all an easy drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa in Blairsville.
Car shows begin in earnest in April and May. Many are spring, summer or fall events. One of Georgia’s shows claims that it’s the world’s largest monthly show, running even through the winter.
Car shows in Georgia offer a chance to view a wide variety of vehicles:
- Classics, which are at least 30 years old and maintained in or restored to original condition, ranging from sports cars to family sedans.
- Hot rods, which are customized cars built between 1920 and 1948, usually chrome-laden, impeccably finished and powerful.
- Rat rods, the same age as hot rods and similarly customized for power, but often made to look unfinished or even worn—“ratted out.”
- Street rods, which are built for reliable cruising, with more power amenities than hot rods, even air conditioning.
- Muscle cars, which originated in the 1960s with the Pontiac GTO and include pony cars, named after the Ford Mustang.
- Tuner cars, which are recent and current models, mostly foreign marques, and often Volkswagens and Audis, with power bolstered by electronic tuning and turbochargers.
- Motorcycles and, occasionally, tractors.
Choose a show that attracts the type of vehicles you love. If you have kids, the tuner car shows, with cars like the ones in the “The Fast and The Furious” movies, might be a good way to hold their interest.
Car shows in Georgia include not only annual displays, but also monthly or even weekly gatherings.
Upcoming Shows
In its 73rd year is the Pine Tree Festival Car Sow at Main Street Market, Swainsboro, on May 5. It’s sponsored by South Georgia Car Shows, whose facebook page lists other automotive showcases in Georgia. Check out Pine Tree on facebook, too. Cars run the gamut, from old through the muscle era to today’s performance cars. Attendance is free.
Events often combine philanthropy and cars. An example is the annual Exchange Club of Wayne County Benefit Car Show on June 9 at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Jessup. Sponsored by Wayne County Cruisers, the show helps to fund the Exchange Club’s charities. It features nine judged categories, including trucks, rods, motorcycles and tractors, and awards the top choices of attendees.
Some shows run monthly. Caffeine and Octane (is there a difference?) showcases cars on the first Sunday of every month year round in Dunwoody, north of Atlanta. It bills itself as the world’s largest monthly car show. The shows, which contribute to an NBCSN TV series, are at Perimeter Mall. It’s free—even entering a car is free. It’s also early: 8-11 a.m. On display are classics, muscle cars, modern performance cars, imports, exotics, rare vehicles and motorcycles. There are plenty of places to eat and grab a drink, including morning coffee.
Atlanta has several other shows, including a couple that combine fashion and rolling metal. Check eventbrite.com.
There are too many car shows to list. Just Google car shows Georgia and you’ll find plenty more. If you want to take the motorhome out and really travel, SoutherTravelGuide.net has a Southern states car show list.
By the way, we haven’t found one yet that judges RVs, but you never know.
Columbus, GA, provides a wealth of history and touring opportunities for visitors, and though you might not expect it, excellent whitewater sports on the Chattahoochee River.
The city of about 190,000 lies across the river from Alabama in southwest Georgia. It’s an easy drive of about 3½ hours by Interstate 85 south, or by taking the scenic route over Georgia 515 West.
Columbus, named after the explorer, was a native American trading center, then an industrial center since before the Civil War. The war’s last significant battle, between armies commanded by Union Gen. James H. Wilson and Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, was fought in and near Columbus. Johnston’s army actually capitulated after Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union Gen. U.S. Grant. Among the wounded: chemist John S. Pemberton of Columbus, said to have developed the recipe for Coca-Cola as part of his recuperation.
Columbus is along the fall line, where mountains north and west of the city spill their river waters onto the plains that run from Columbus to the Atlantic Ocean.
Some things to do in Columbus:
Military Museums
Columbus is the home of the Army’s Fort Benning, which trains infantry. It’s only fitting that the city also contains the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, adjacent to the fort entrance. See likenesses of U.S. fighting men and women in uniforms of different eras. “The Final Hundred Yards” depicts infantry warfare from eight battles.
The National Civil War Naval Museum recounts a developmental time for maritime warfare. The Civil War advanced the steamship and introduced ironclads, which were armored ships designed to deflect cannon fire. Many civil war battles were fought in and around river ports, with naval activity launched from rivers, not the Atlantic Ocean. The museum contains remnants of ships rescued from the Columbus River, and re-creations of Union and Confederate ironclads. The Water Witch is a full-size replica of a Union side wheeler captured by the Confederates; it served both sides during the war.
Columbus Riverwalk
The 15-mile Chattahoochee Riverwalk follows the river for much of its length through and adjacent to Columbus. Walk or bike the trail, from the city’s northern limits to the gate of Fort Benning and the National Infantry Museum on the south.
Black Heritage Trail
A National Recreation Trail, the Black Heritage Trail of Columbus is a walking tour that connects buildings and other places important to regional black history. The tour includes brick streets laid by slaves. The “Ma” Rainey House was the home of Gertrude Pridgett Rainey, an early-20th century recording artist and “Mother of the Blues.” Spencer High School, originally an all-black high school, was integrated in the 1970s, largely by children of Fort Benning families. Churches, libraries, cemeteries and two theaters also are on the tour. Walk, bike or skate the trail.
Urban Whitewater Sports
Columbia’s 2.5-mile whitewater rafting and kayaking course is the world’s longest urban stretch. If you dare, cross the Chattahoochee round trip between Georgia and Alabama, suspended on the Blue Heron Adventure/Whitewater Express zip line at speeds up to 40 mph.
Other Columbus sights: Columbus Museum, Columbus Botanical Garden, Coca Cola Science Center, Heritage Corner.
Maybe you travel as a family, and the kids are along, or maybe the grandkids are traveling to Crossing Creeks RV Resort to spend some time with you.
If they came down from the North, one of them is bound to say, “I miss snow. It’s winter. There ought to be snow.”
Hmm. Unless you travel out of state and hit a ski resort (there are none left in Georgia), that’s not likely to happen. And if you don’t ski, well ….
Go to Atlanta. Atlanta? For snow? Well, it’s not far from there.
It’s at Stone Mountain Park, about 16 miles east of the city.
The snow is made by machine, and it gets the job done. Many ski resorts on the edge of snow country make their own snow, especially in warm winters.
And what exactly do you do with manmade snow outside Atlanta?
Go snow tubing.
Tubing That Rocks
Kids love this.
The side of a hill — call it Snow Mountain, please — has lanes created in the snow, so it looks like a giant white sliding board. Starting at the top, tubers park themselves in the doughnut hole of their tubes. And off they go, down the hill — for run after run. A Snow Mountain session is two hours. You can get your own adult pass to go tubing, too. It’s a pretty gentle ride, so don’t be afraid. With the lanes separated, you won’t go bounding into other tubers, and they won’t crash into you. There are even family-sized tubes — rafts, really.
After sunset, the Snow Mountain tubing run turns into Galactic Snow Tubing. It’s along the lines of nighttime laser bowling, or spooky miniature golfing around Halloween — lights, but with snow rather than bowling lanes or putting greens. The colors on the white snow make for quite a show. Remix versions of Top 40 tunes play over the sound system, with the lights keeping time to the music.
You’ll need advance registration.
Your daily pass includes two hours of tubing, so reserve time at 4:30 or later to experience the Galactic light and sound show, which starts at 5:30.
Playing in the Snow
When they’re not tubing, kids can just play in the SnowZone, building snowmen, getting on their back to make snow angels and just plain having fun. Snow Mountain runs Nov. 8 Feb. 25.
Make sure you dress the kids appropriately. If they don’t have snow pants, layer them and get them into something warm and dry as soon as you get back into the RV. Hats, gloves and boots are all good ideas, especially the gloves.
You can get a variety of passes, some including entertainment and/or a meal, if you plan to be there for the day. There’s also a daytime Christmas exhibit. Holiday packages are available for RVers and must include an arrival or departure date that falls within Dec. 2-3, 8-10 or 15-31, and Jan. 1-3. There’s also an early New Year’s Eve party for kids on Dec. 31 that ends before midnight.
Camping includes full- and partial hookup sites, tent sites, and stationary RV and yurt rentals. Multi-day packages for RVs are available, as are in/out privileges.
Price: $31.95 to $54.95 per person (daily). Holiday RV cost (2-night stay): $159 (includes 2 single-day park passes) to $262 (4 single-day park passes), plus $15 parking fee; additional passes @$25/person. Check for snow park availability. Camp open Christmas Day, but park closed.
RVs are as much a part of football as the forward pass. And so is tailgating, with stadiums in Georgia no exception.
The nationwide sports website Bleacher Report actually ranks colleges for their tailgating appeal, and it rates the University of Georgia as the No. 6 football tailgate experience nationally. USA Today ranks the University of Florida-University of Georgia tailgate in particular as the fourth best. It’s nicknamed “The World’s Largest Cocktail Party.”
But don’t just drive to any football stadium assuming that RVs will be welcome, that RV space is unlimited, or that you’ll be able to tailgate outside your RV. You might get tackled for a loss.
It’s best to go online or call and check out several things before you go:
- Are RVs allowed?
- Are advance reservations available?
- What is the RV parking rate? (It can top $100 — with no hookups.)
- Is overnight RV parking permitted, both before and after the game?
- Is RV tailgating permitted?
Here are some RV tailgating facts for major Georgia football sites:
University of Georgia, Athens
UGA sells RV parking permits in advance for parking near Sanford Stadium. The cost is $125 per game. RV permits for half the games were sold out in August. Trailers are permitted. Tailgating is allowed after 7 a.m. on game day. Grilling with gas is permitted only if gas is in disposable containers of 17 ounces or less. No deep frying. Tables, grills, chairs and awnings may not extend into adjacent parking spaces and may not block traffic lanes.
Georgia Tech, Atlanta
RVs with a permit can enter RV parking areas for Bobby Dodd Field at 5 p.m. Friday before a Saturday game. They can stay until noon on Sunday. Here’s the catch: Permits are sold for an entire season only and already are sold out for this year. You can get on a waiting list by calling 888-849-4849. Georgia Tech offers online help to RV owners in finding nearby privately owned lots that will accommodate them.
Atlanta Falcons, Georgia Dome
RV parking permits in the Yellow Lot are $80 per game on a first-come first-served basis. There are no advance reservations to park RVs for the Falcons’ NFL games. The Yellow Lot is closer to the stadium than the Marshaling Yard, also $80. The lots open five hours before kickoff. Tailgating is permitted, but deep frying is not. Tailgate parties must wrap up within two hours of the last down. Tents up to 8x10 feet are permitted. Traffic lanes must remain open to a 14-foot width. Trailers are not permitted.
While colleges usually limit actual stadium permits for RVs, you can go online to find nearby parking lots that accept RVs for games. It’s not unusual for some privately owned lots near any major college to accept RVs and/or trailers. Some even reserve a certain number of spaces for home-team fans and a certain number for away-team fans who are visiting.
There are also RV parks and resorts near many football sites that rent camping spaces on game weekends. It’s not uncommon to see tailgating activities at these locations. An advantage of renting these spaces is that hookups are available, while they typically not at colleges. Sometimes shuttles to the stadium are available.
There don’t appear to be any regulations against trash talking, but a warning if you like to brag and your team ends up losing: You may be eating crow at your post-game tailgate.