Top 10 Adventures in Georgia

By Jessica

Finding adventure doesn’t have to send you traveling across the world or even across the country. Georgia residents are fortunate enough to have many adventures waiting just around the corner. Here are my top 10 adventure spots in Georgia (in no particular order). Some are free and others cost a chunk of change. No matter what type of adventure you’re interested in, you’ll find something on this list.

1. Rocktown: Located at the top of Pigeon Mountain on the border of Georgia and Tennessee, this is a playground for kids and adults alike. Whether a serious rock climber or just like playin’ around, Rocktown is a great place to spend a day or weekend adventure. Read more about Rocktown. Cost: free!
2. Skydive the Farm: In Rockmart, Georgia, there isn’t much going on … except for your run of the mill jumping out of an airplane! Choose tandem or the Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) program. Both offer a huge thrill and an unforgettable experience. The jump masters at The Farm are professional, personable, and a hoot! You’ll have a blast! My fav jump master is Edvaldo, the Brazilian. Cost: Tandem $159 on special and AFF $269. If you have a group of friends interested in jumping, ask about their group discounts. You can even camp out at the farm.
3. Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding: Head to Lookout Mountain and get a great view from the air. Take hang gliding lessons and start the day on the baby slope (if you are physically active and can tote a glider on your shoulders) or just hang on for the ride and do the tandem flight. If you’ve never hang glided, it is a serene and peaceful experience (the tandem flight, that is). The Introductory Experience is much more labor intensive but an awesome time. Flying on your own, even only a foot off the ground, is an exilerating experience! Camping is also available near this area. If you’d rather, plenty of cabins are available for rent in the nearby town. Cost: Introductory Experience $199 (which includes the tandem) and tandem only $149. Also ask about group rates. Read more about hang gliding at Lookout Mountain.
4. Petty John’s Cave: Great cave for new or non-cavers, this cave is located on Pigeon Mountain. In fact, if you’ve been to Rocktown, you will pass by the sign for Petty John’s. Be sure you know SOMETHING about caving before heading here and at the very least bring three sources of light, food, and water. This cave goes about 6 miles in, so there is a potential to get lost in the cave. And if you enjoy yourself, consider doing more caving. The Dogwood City Grotto is a local cavers organization that hosts trips each month. Cost: free.
5. Tallulah Gorge: Take a hike, literally! Head to north Georgia and hike the Hurricane Falls staircase trail to the bottom of the gorge. It’s a strenuous hike so be sure you are up for it. Obtain a permit (free) before hiking to the bottom of the gorge. Rock climbing and repelling are also allowed, with a permit. Leave the pups at home for this hike. Pets are not allowed down to the gorge (but are permitted on the rim trails). Cost: $4 for parking. Camping, biking and fishing are also available. Also check out the suspension bridge (check out the monthly full moon hikes over the bridge).
6. “Little Grand Canyon”: Providence Canyon, known as the “Little Grand Canyon,” is located near Lumpkin, Georgia. The views are spectacular and although the name implies small, it is not (it is little compared to the Grand Canyon). Take a hike on the trails or reserve a backcountry backpacking site. Either way, be sure to bring your camera! Cost: $3 for parking and $6 for backcountry camping sites.
7. Brasstown Bald: At 4, 784 feet above sea level, this is the highest peak in Georgia. From the top, you can see four states. To make this an adventure, don’t drive to the top, hike it. Better yet, plan a backpacking trip to include Jack’s Knob. Cost: $3 if you drive to the parking lot and free if you take a longer hike to get there.
8. Sea Kayaking: Head to Tybee Island area and take a trip on the water. For a laid back adventure, choose the Salt Marsh Paddle. For more excitement, surf the Triangle and choose the rough water kayaking package. Cost: $55 for Salt Marsh Paddle (half day) and rough water kayaking starts at $135.
9. Raft the Chattooga: Sections III and IV of this river offer adventurous white water rafting. Rapids are rated from class IIs to IVs. Section IV is more intense and requires experienced guides. Check out overnight trips. This is a great way to cool off and get adventurous on those hot Georgia summer days. Cost: Varies during season and outfitter but ranges from $80 to $130 for day trips.
10. Wilderness Canoeing: Head south to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for canoeing and camping. Paddle through the “Land of the Trembling Earth” and witness the alligators and herrings firsthand. The swampland touts 120 miles of canoe trails with seven designated camping areas along the trail. Cost: To camp along trail is $10 a night.

While these adventures made my top 10 list, many came in close. Georgia is full of adventure, if you take the time to look for it. Have recommendations for other top 10 adventures in Georgia? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Soaring High Over Lookout Mountain

By Jessica

(And My Experience Being a Human Tick Drag)

Lookout mountain offers great views, but the best views can be seen from the sky. I’m not talking about a helicopter ride or airplane—I’m talking about hang gliding. If you’ve never been, this is an experience you don’t want to miss out on. Hang gliding is absolutely amazing. It’s not scary or thrilling (in case you were scared of that or seeking it). Being in the air, soaring above the trees, is a serene, peaceful feeling. You really feel like you are gliding through the air like a bird. Everything is quiet and you can connect with the world in a way you never have before.

Summer of 2007, my dad and I decided to try hang gliding out. We both imagined it would be scary (especially since he is scared of heights) and thrilling. It was neither. But it was an experience we haven’t soon forgotten. Since we figured this was going to be a once in a lifetime experience, we decide to go all out and opted for the “full package” service. While you can decide to just go for a tandem hang gliding “ride” with no previous experience (after watching a short safety video), we decided to try hang gliding on our own first. Well, sort of on our own. We had a group lesson put we were “flying” our own hang glides. OK, so we were on the bunny slopes, and yeah, I didn’t get air many times—OK, OK, only once!—but still, it was way cool.

Our instructor taught us the aerodynamics of the hang glide. He said the glider was “meant to fly”—like that was it’s one and only mission in life. Our job was to let the glide fulfill it’s mission, which is easier said than done. We started by running with the glider on flat ground, and behold, the glide started to lift off. It didn’t have enough momentum to take flight on flat ground, so we moved up to the bunny slope. Running off the bunny slope with a glider on your shoulder is not the easiest task. It’s cumbersome, to say the least, and can easily cause tip-overs. As you try to take flight, you are supposed to keep you head up (toward where you want to go) and your grip loose (to let the glider fly). Well, that goes against all natural tendencies. As you begin to feel yourself lifting off the ground, two things happen—you look down to see how high you are and you grab tightly onto the glider to make sure the glider takes you with it (even though you are attached with a harness). As soon as you look down and grip tighter, the nose of the glider points down, and you and the glider follow. Soon you are sliding down the hill on your belly with a glider on your back. I seriously felt like a human tick drag, constantly swept down the hill picking up grass and whatever else came in my path.

Oh, but the time I got air,

that I let my grip of the glider go and kept my head up—WOW! It was amazing! The group cheered wildly each time anyone got even the slightest bit of air. My dad was much more successful at this than I. He even landed on his feet once! Speaking of landing, they never really taught us how to do that. I asked once, “so, how do we land?” The instructor replied, “Don’t worry about that part.” I guess because it usually takes care of itself. Most of us barely got off the ground in the first place. And those that got air, were soon enough skidding to a stop on their bellies (the harness you were is padded in the front, so you don’t get banged up TOO badly when you crash, I mean land).

NOTE: If you choose to do the Introductory Experience , which is what my dad and I did, wear old clothes, pants and take the knee pad when they offer them to you! Be prepared to come away with a few bruises and grass stained clothing. Bring sunscreen and water too, as you are outside for training the whole morning.

After an exhausting day of attempting to hang glide on our own, we all went to lunch and waited for our tandem flight that afternoon. Our excitement built as we watched others suit up and soar off for their tandem hang gliding flight. Everyone loved it! I was soon on deck for my first true flight experience. I was suited up with a harness and helmet and strapped to my instructor. We were pulled behind and ultra-light (experimental) aircraft to 2,000 feet. The ride up was load (being behind the motor of the aircraft) and bumpy.

At 2,000 feet, my tandem instruction released us from the aircraft and we started gliding. The ride instantly became smooth and as the aircraft circled around to land, the noise subsided. Soon it was quiet, serene and beautiful. I took control of the glider as my instructor taught me how to turn left and right, how to go faster and slower. We glided over a lake and could see the reflection of our glider in the lake. It was amazing.

I gave the reigns back to my instructor as we came in for a landing. It was as smooth a landing as the ride itself (and this time I wasn’t landing on my belly!). We all shared stories about our flights and talked about when we could go again! It was truly an amazing experience.

Interested in hang gliding, check out where I went: Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding. If you have a group of friend interested in hang gliding (or that you could convince), ask about group discounts. You can also camp out near the site the night before your hang gliding experience. If you don’t live near Atlanta/Tennessee area, look for a hang gliding place nearby. Ask around for suggestions of good places or look for an outdoor/adventure club in your area that might be leading hang gliding trips. The Atlanta Outdoor Club leads an annual (usually) hang gliding trip to Lookout Mountain.

Want more of a thrill than hang glide, SKY DIVE! It’s a rush like no other! Check out my blog on skydiving coming soon.

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