This Week on Georgia Traveler: Old Dixie Highway

On this week’s episode of Georgia Traveler, we explore U.S. 41 from Macon to Cordele. The nation's first planned highway, U.S. 41 is often referred to as the "Old Dixie Highway". The team gets great travel advice at the Visitors Information Center in Macon and David sets off for fried green tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café in Juliette. Phil celebrates the state fruit at the Peach Festival in Fort Valley while Keely shoots skeet on her getaway to Henderson Village in Perry. Everyone joins in the outdoor activity of golfing at Lake Blackshear in Cordele and David dives into the local legend of the Grit in Warwick.

Georgia Traveler's Old Dixie Highway episode airs Wednesday, February 4 at 7:30 PM. You can also see this episode on GPB Knowledge Saturday, January 31 at 8 PM & Sunday, February 1 at 8 AM.

For more information, check out our website at http://www.gpb.org/georgiatraveler

This Weekend in Georgia

It's the last weekend in January. Try some of these suggestions in honor of the Chinese New Year.

Food Find
Lafayette Manor Inn
Lunch: Tuesday - Saturday 11:30AM - 1:30PM
Dinner: Tuesday -Saturday 7:30 PM - 10PM
Award-Winning French-Asian Fusion Cuisine
219 E Robert Toombs Ave Washington, GA 30673

Local Legend
Celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Atlanta History Center
Sunday, January 25, 2009 1 PM - 5 PM
Lunar New Year is one of the most celebrated holidays among Asian cultures. It is a time for new beginnings, festive family gatherings, ornate delicacies, and memory making. Enjoy a program of traditional music, dance, and other activities while meeting new people and learning the history and traditions of this lively and colorful celebration. This program is free to members; included in the cost of general admission for nonmembers.

Outdoor Activity
Pine Mountain Trail
The Pine Mountain Trail, a 23 mile footpath that crosses and follows the beautiful Pine Mountain ridge, offers clear crisp views of distant ridges in winter, with occasional snowfall, to the lush greens of summer ferns and foliage of lowland flora. Wildflowers are abundant and spring brings flowering dogwood, native azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. You may also find a stand of rare American chestnut trees thought to be extinct. The American Chestnut Foundation is working to bring back these trees by hybridizing them with the smaller Chinese Chestnut.

Family Fun or Festival
Imagine It Children's Museum
Sunday, January 25 11 AM & 1 PM
Bring in the Year of the Ox with a Chinese New Year celebration for kids. The Imaginators read "Sam and the Lucky Money" by Karen Chinn and the children make their own lucky red envelopes. Then, sing and act out "Five Green Dragons" and enjoy a parade throughout the museum.
275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive; Atlanta GA 30313

This Week: Mountains West

On this week's episode of Georgia Traveler, it's off to Georgia's magnificent northwest mountains. Rome is our destination city, where we visit the point where the Oostanaula, Etowah, and Coosa rivers meet and see a famous statue at City Hall. We'll venture far north to the iconic landmark of Rock City Gardens at Lookout Mountain. David Zelski explores Barnsley Gardens in Adairsville and checks out the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville. Gerald Bryant takes a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, and Phil Proctor meets Colonel Poole at his Pig Hill Hall of Fame in Elijay.

Georgia Traveler's Mountains West episode airs Friday, January 23 at 9 PM, Saturday, January 24 at 7 PM and Wednesday, January 28 at 7:30 PM. You can also see this episode on GPB Knowledge Saturday, January 24 at 8 PM & Sunday, January 25 at 8 AM.

For more information, check out our website at:
http://www.gpb.org/gatraveler

This Week: Georgia Foothills Journey

On this week's episode of Georgia Traveler, we we’re on a "Georgia Foothills Journey", exploring U.S. Interstate 575 from Jasper to Cartersville. Phil goes on a getaway to the Woodbridge Inn Restaurant and Lodge in Jasper while Keely discovers the local legend of the Tate House. Two Brothers Barbeque in Ball Ground serves up some fine food for Phil and David experiences family fun at the Archeology Day and Iron Pour at Red Top Mountain State Park. Keely and Phil enjoy all kinds of water sports at Lake Allatoona, with some help from a new friend at Paradise Boat Rental at Park Marina.

Georgia Traveler's Georgia Foothills Journey episode airs Friday, January 16 at 9 PM, Saturday, January 17 at 7 PM and Wednesday, January 21 at 7:30 PM.

You can also see this episode on GPB Knowledge Saturday, January 17 at 8 PM & Sunday, January 18 at 8 AM.

For more information, check out our website at:
http://www.gpb.org/georgiatraveler

This Weekend in Georgia

It's the second weekend of 2009 in Georgia and there are many things to see and do...

Beginning Beekeeping at Smithgall Woods in Helen on Saturday, January 10
Learn about basic bee keeping and how to start a hive. Berry Wright has been a professional honey producer for 45 years. He will show bee-keeping equipment, how it is assembled, how to install bees into the equipment, and provide resource information. If the weather is good, we’ll go to the apiary and look at the hives. A hat and veil are suggested. $3 parking. 706-878-3087. For more information, visit the website.

Beyond: Visions of Planetary Landscape at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon opens on January 10.

During the last few decades, interplanetary probes such as Magellan, Voyager 1 and 2, and the Viking Landers have sent us astounding images from the depths of space. Journalist, filmmaker, and artist Michael Benson carefully reviews these images and then digitally enhances the original raw data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other archives. Flawless and beautiful, the pictures look as though they were captured while Benson himself floated above the surface of each planet. By studying these amazing images, we gain a deeper understanding of Jupiter’s bizarre moons and the varied landscapes of Mars and Venus. We can make virtual landings on the surfaces of Mercury and the Sun, fly by ethereal Neptune and Uranus, and soar between the rings of Saturn. Beyond is a comprehensive look at our solar system enhanced by educational text about the planets, their moons, and the probes themselves. For more information, visit the Museum of Arts and Sciences website.

Winter Wine Series at Barnsley Gardens Resort in Adairsville on Saturday, January 10

Barnsley Gardens Resort's popular wine series returns! Don't miss an opportunity to enjoy a different wine from various regions paired with a fabulous meal prepared by Barnsley Chef Charles Vosburgh, CEC AAC. A representative from the select wine estates will host each event and will entertain with challenging trivia and amazing prizes. Each dinner begins promptly at 7 p.m. Reservations are required. For more details, check out the website.

And that's just a sample of some of the exciting things happening in Georgia this weekend. For more ideas and planning tools, visit the exploregeorgia.org site, the official website for Georgia Tourism!

This Week: Wiregrass Highway

On this week's episode of Georgia Traveler, we're exploring U.S. 84, the Wiregrass Highway from Valdosta to Bainbridge. The team gets great travel advice at the Visitors Information Center in Valdosta and sets off in search of family fun at the Wild Adventures Theme Park. David discovers the local legend of the Carolina Bays and gets a taste of the farm life at the Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville. Keely explores the Plantation Parkway and Phil goes fishing at Lake Seminole with professional angler and Bainbridge native Pam Martin-Wells.

Georgia Traveler's Wiregrass Highway episode airs on GPB Knowledge this Saturday, June 6 at 8 PM and Sunday, June 7 at 8 AM. You can also see this episode of Wednesday, June 10 at 7:30 PM on GPB.

For more information, check out our website at:
http://www.gpb.org/gatraveler/

This Weekend in Georgia

It's the first weekend of 2009 and we hope that you're ready to get out and about in the great State of Georgia! Here are some ideas for some weekend fun:

Bird Count at F.D. Roosevelt State Park (Pine Mountain)
Saturday, January 3, 2009 8 AM - 5 PM

The Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count has gone on for over a century and relies on volunteers to help with a nationwide tally of migratory birds. Everyone is encouraged to join whether you're a veteran birdwatcher or just starting. $3 parking. 706-663-4858.

Three Kings Day at the Atlanta History Center (Atlanta)
Sunday, January 4, 2009 1-5PM
The holiday festivities don't have to end in December! In January, the Atlanta History Center offers visitors a fun program celebrating the hispanic holdiay, Dia de Reyes or Three Kings Day. Learn about this tradition of our southern neighbors through storytelling, music, live performances, complimentary food, and a whole lot of fun. This program is held in collaboration between the History Center, Mexican Consulate, and the Instituto de Mexico. Bank of America customers should eb sure to check out the entire museum this weekend, because it's on the bank! Check out the details by clicking here.



Guided Winter Hike at Smithgall Woods (Helen)
Monday, Jan 5, 2009 1 PM - 3 PM

Burn off some of that holiday excess on a moderate hike on roadways and through woodlands, stopping along the way at points of interest. Register in advance. $3 parking. 706-878-3087.

And always remember that these are just a few samples of the kinds of events and activities you can find at exploregeorgia.org. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend no matter where you travel!

This Week: Metro Atlanta and Wiregrass Highway

On this week's episode of Georgia Traveler, we explore some of the sites in Georgia's capital city of Atlanta. We find fine art at the High Museum and discover fun at Turner Field, Home of the Braves. We visit with the animals above and below the water's surface at Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium. We explore the history of the Cyclorama, and what would any trip to Atlanta be without a chili cheese dog and onion rings at the Varsity?



Georgia Traveler 109 - Metro Atlanta airs Friday, January 2 at 9 PM, and Wednesday, January 7 at 9:30 PM on GPB. Georgia Traveler 109 can also be seen on the newly launched GPB digital channel, GPB Knowledge, Saturday, January 3 at 8 PM.

Also on GPB Knowledge:

On this week's episode of Georgia Traveler, we're exploring U.S. 84, the Wiregrass Highway from Valdosta to Bainbridge. The team gets great travel advice at the Visitors Information Center in Valdosta and sets off in search of family fun at the Wild Adventures Theme Park. David discovers the local legend of the Carolina Bays and gets a taste of the farm life at the Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville. Keely explores the Plantation Parkway and Phil goes fishing at Lake Seminole with professional angler and Bainbridge native Pam Martin-Wells.

Georgia Traveler 205 - Wiregrass Highway can be seen on GPB Knowledge, Sunday, January 4 at 8 AM.

For more information, check out our website at: http://www.gpb.org/georgiatraveler/

Georgia Traveler is produced in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Check out the new Georgia Tourism website at: http://www.exploregeorgia.org/

Georgia Public Broadcasting is Television, Radio and Education: your PBS station serving all of Georgia; your source for great music and NPR news; and Georgia's source for top-quality multiple media educational products and services.

Watch Georgia Public Broadcasting on these nine stations across Georgia: Atlanta - WGTV/8; Albany - WABW/14, Augusta - WCES/20, Chatsworth - WNGH/18, Columbus - WJSP/28, Dawson - WACS/25, Macon - WMUM/29, Savannah - WVAN/9, Waycross - WXGA/8.