The Michael C. Carlos Museum is located in Atlanta on the campus of Emory University. Employees of the university have utilized conference rooms for work retreats as well as various departmental meetings.
The museum is small in terms of square footage, but it’s a neat place to visit. Both school and public tours are available, and their calendar includes lectures on various types of art as well as reading programs.
Collections curated at the museum include ancient Greece and Rome:
Buddhist and Hindu art from South Asia, such as this sculpture of the Hindu goddess Vishnu:
Ancient Egypt, including mummies and sarcophagi:
There are also smaller collections of Mesopotamian and Assyrian art and artifacts. Be sure to visit the museum’s bookshop, which has many books available for curbside pickup, as well as jewelry inspired by the art collections. The Ebrik Coffee Room offers visitors coffee, pastries, and snacks.
Parking for the museum is available at two of the university’s parking decks: Fishburne Deck (located on Fishburne Lane) and Oxford Road Visitor’s Deck (1390 Oxford Road, Atlanta). Prices for parking depend on the number of hours spent on campus or at the museum.
If you’re planning a company retreat or conference, check out the edible arrangements from Sweet Cheats bakery and coffee shop. Catering is also available from the university.
Collections in the museum can be viewed online via the link above.
When you’re in Savannah, you can visit Skidaway Island State Park, which offers hiking trails and camping grounds. It borders Skidaway narrows, part of the Intracoastal Waterway in Georgia. Hiking trails wind through both maritime forest and salt marsh. There is a boardwalk and observation tower, and some of the wildlife in the park include deer, egrets, herons, fiddler crabs, and raccoons.
We hiked Big Ferry Trail and Sandpiper Trail, both of which are nearly level. There are live oak, palm trees, and pine trees, many of which have Spanish moss draped across their branches. Saw palmetto plants also grow along the trails. Big Ferry Trail leads to a boardwalk where the observation tower is located. It’s a moderately easy hike of about 2.6 miles total.
The plants pictured above are Saw palmetto, a palm-like plant that grows like a tree or shrub in warm climates and can reach heights of up to 10 feet with clusters of leaves spreading out to 2 feet or more. You can also start with the Big Ferry Trail and loop around for 4.2 miles via the Sandpiper and Avian Trails. All are dog-friendly, but be sure to use sunscreen if you’re hiking in the summer and bring plenty of water and snacks. Plan on bringing insect repellent if you’re hiking in the summer as well; I’ve always liked Avon’s Skin So Soft.
Of course, the main attraction on any island is the beach (or beaches). Tybee is no exception. The north end of the island tends to be quieter than the southern end, but both offer amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean as well as places to rent kayaks, paddleboards, or take fishing trips. We saw a pod of dolphins on our visit, and dolphin watch tours are also available.
Tidal pool, north end of Tybee Island
Along the beach, you’ll see many rock formations with tidal pools, where you can see fish, barnacles, crabs, and mussels. These pools are found at the intertidal zone, where land and sea meet. At high tide, water collects in these depressions and, at low tide, the water recedes and the tidal pool is formed.
If you head down to the south end of the island, you can find the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, where you can view ocean life in aquariums of various sizes, or register for a walking tour of the beaches with a guide.
Whether you have a long three-day weekend or a full seven-day week to spend here, you’ll enjoy spending your hours on the beach.
Tybee Island is a barrier island about 15 miles from Savannah, Georgia, and can be reached from that city in about a 20-minute drive. The pace there is slower, and the island seems geared more towards relaxation than a full agenda of activities. The beach, of course, is the main attraction. The pier, on the southern end of the island, offers a place to fish, go for a walk, and get some ice cream.
Highway 80 offers many choices for good food, but I loved the low country boil at The Crab Shack, a restaurant with a separate visitor’s area with parrots and macaws and an alligator pond. (Seriously). The food is amazing, and one platter will feed approximately 2 to 3 people.
The Crab Shack
When my family and I visited Tybee, we stayed in Savannah and commuted to the island, simply because Savannah offered us a nice city to walk around as well as cheaper lodgings. Tybee offers plenty of hotels, vacation rentals, and AirBnBs.
We headed to the northern end of the island, which tends to be less crowded. We saw a pod of dolphins swimming offshore, and we climbed the lighthouse. There are 178 steps to the top, and there are landings every 25 steps or so, if you need to stop and catch your breath. Be warned, those of you who (like me) have a fear of heights: you can go outside once you reach the top, but that railing is all that stands between you and the open air. I found myself hugging the wall more than once.
Tybee Lighthouse, est. 1736
The current lighthouse is the fourth tower at this station, though neither of its first two predecessors were lit. The first tower was built at the direction of James Oglethorpe and was constructed of wood; erected in 1736, it was felled by a storm in 1741 The following year a replacement was erected, this time of stone and wood, but still without illumination; instead, it was topped with a flag pole. This tower succumbed to shoreline erosion.
In 1999 a major restoration project was begun under the auspices of the Tybee Island Historical Society, who took possession of the light station in 2002 under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. As part of this project the tower was repainted in the 1916-1966 black-white-black daymark. The beacon is still a functioning navigational aid, still using its original lens. The site is open to the public and retains its keepers houses and auxiliary buildings as well as the lighthouse tower.
The lighthouse uses a Fresnel lens from 1857. A Fresnel lens is a type of compact lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses. The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design. A Fresnel lens can be made much thinner than a comparable conventional lens, in some cases taking the form of a flat sheet. A Fresnel lens can capture more oblique light from a light source, thus allowing the light from a lighthouse equipped with one to be visible over greater distances.
Tybee lighthouse – Fresnel lens, from 1857Tybee Island Light Station
There’s more to see than just the lighthouse. Tybee Island Light Station is a complete light station whose history dates back to 1736. The tower stands 145 feet tall and has three Light Keeper’s Cottages nearby. A small 1812 Summer Kitchen holds archaeological finds. Across the street is an 1899 Military Battery that houses the Tybee Island Museum. Exhibits cover the time of the Euchee tribe, the history of Fort Screven, Tybee’s Golden Era and more. A yellow raised cottage adjacent to the property showcases 1900s Tybee architecture.
Located near Grant Park on Memorial Drive in Atlanta, you’ll find this gem of a coffee shop which features hot (or iced) coffee, pastries, and adoptable cats. It’s called Java Cats Cafe, and it’s definitely worth a look. Admission is $12, and that gets you a cup of coffee and a chance to play with some adorable felines. One side of the cafe is the restaurant portion, and the other side (pictured above) is the cats’ home with shelving and lots of places to climb and explore.
On their website, you can make reservations–which are now required due to COVID-19, or sign up for their “mewsletter” for upcoming specials and discounts.
Cherokee Bluffs Park encompasses 168 acres and is located in Flowery Branch. Its amenities include two dogs parks (one for small dogs, one for larger dogs), hiking trails, an amphitheater, picnic pavilions, and a playground.
(Hiking trail)
The trails are used by walkers, runners, and mountain biking. The trail itself is a 2.1 loop trail with some water features and manmade structures, such as this bridge. The trail is also dog friendly, but make sure your dog is always leashed.
The park, located off Blackjack Road, encompasses 168 acres. There are picnic pavilions which can be rented, and a small enclosed lodge (which has a capacity of 64 people) for meetings or parties.
(Lodge)
Cherokee Bluffs is by no means a large state or national park, but if you’re looking for a fun way to spend a lazy summer afternoon, bring some water and snacks and hit the trail.
The town of Flowery Branch, Georgia, is situated about an hour north of Atlanta, and is primarily known for being the home to the training camp of the Atlanta Falcons. Their camp is located on Atlanta Highway, and occasionally their team practices are open to the public. Players will sometimes sign autographs or items for fans.
Flowery Branch is also a nice medium between city life and country life; there is a Publix, a Kroger, and some fast food places nearby. However, there are places to do horseback riding, and Cherokee Bluffs has a playground, picnic area, and some nice hiking trails.
If you’re heading there for hiking or to see Matt Ryan toss a football, stop by Taqueria el Antojito on Atlanta Highway for some delicious beef or chicken tacos, and try the elote as well. If you’re interested in classic American food, check out Crossroads Bar & Grille for hamburgers and sandwiches (the Reuben is delicious!).
Flowery Branch is off I-985 (exit 113 off I-85 North), exit 12.
A series of four main cataracts at varying heights, Tallulah Falls has been a tourist favorite since the 1820s. It has been dubbed the “Niagara of the South”. The state park has some great hiking trails and you can get a permit to go to the floor of the gorge and do some kayaking.
Tallulah Gorge forms a natural boundary between two northeast Georgia counties, Habersham and Rabun. Construction of a dam that eventually formed a lake was completed in 1913, but not without some controversy: environmentalist and wife of Confederate general James Longstreet, Helen Dortch Longstreet, wanted to make the area a state park. She ultimately lost, but her campaign was one of the first conservation movements in the state of Georgia. In 1999, the trail system around the park was formally re-named in her honor.
(Tallulah Dam, releasing water, fall 2018)
There are two primary trails around the gorge, one of which is associated with an interpretive center: the North Rim Trail and the South Rim Trail. The North Rim Trail can be accessed from the parking lot at the interpretive center, and from the center itself. There are a few stops along this trail, including one where an old, rusted tower appears. The tower was used by Kurt Wallenda in 1970 to cross the gorge.
The trails are fairly easy, with the North Rim Trail having a few wrought iron steps as you get closer to the cataracts. Pets are allowed on the trails, but must be leashed at all times.
(Tempesta Falls, fed by Hawthorne Pool, which is in turn formed by Ladore Falls; near stops #2 an #3 on the North Rim Trail)
Tallulah Falls makes for a good day hike. Be sure to stay hydrated; water filling stations are available. Like Anna Ruby Falls, Tallulah Gorge State Park isn’t far from the town of Helen, so you can plan on stocking up on food and/or water there before your hike, or eating a delicious meal there afterwards.
One of the easiest hikes in northeast Georgia lies near the town of Helen, which is about one to two hours north of Atlanta. It’s called Anna Ruby Falls. It’s a fairly simple hike, up one way to see the double waterfalls and down the other way. The trail is completely paved. Below are some pictures of the falls from a 2016 hike:
Anna Ruby FallsOn the trail to Anna Ruby Falls
The hike took me about an hour to complete, and it was crowded that day. I’d recommend doing this hike first thing in the morning and then heading into nearby Helen for a day of shopping and sightseeing.
Helen, Georgia, is a small town designed to look like a Bavarian village.
Alpine Helen
Helen is a fun little town to spend the day in. You can grab a quick bite at The Nacoochee Village Tavern and Pizzeria or have an elegant meal at Caladonia Dining Room (in the Valhalla Resort Hotel). There are fun little shops to browse, including the Tim’s Wooden Toys, Wildewood, or Lindenhaus Imports. End your day with coffee and homemade fudge or pralines from Kopper Kettle Fudge, on Helen’s Main Street.
