This Week: Navigating Northwest Georgia

On this week’s episode of Georgia Traveler, we’re “Navigating Northwest Georgia” on U.S. 27 from Lookout Mountain to Carrollton. The team gets great travel advice at the Visitors Information Center in Ringgold and sets off for the high-flying outdoor activity of hang gliding at Lookout Mountain Flight Park in Rising Fawn. Keely finds family fun at Zion Farms just outside Rome and a great getaway at the Hearn Academy Inn in Cave Spring. David finds food for the mind and body at the Corner Café and Horton’s Books in Carrollton and Phil uses his sacred harp while exploring the local legend of shape note singing.

Outdoor Activity: Lookout Mountain Flight Park (Rising Fawn)

They’ve been teaching folks to hang glide since 1978 out at the Lookout Mountain Flight Park in Rising Fawn, so, what better place for our hosts to take the leap? Well, actually, Keely and David we towed up by an ultralight for their tandem flights with Instructor Dan Zink. If you’re interested in a similar hang gliding experience, what we did is called the “Discovery Tandem Flight. Check out their website to find out more.

Family Fun: Zion Farms (Rome)

Zion Farms in Rome features a horseback riding summer camp for kids as well as horseback riding for mother-daughter and father-son groups. It is also popular as a getaway for families looking to build lasting memories. Join Keely as she gets a little horse crazy with Chigger, and rediscovers a favorite childhood pastime.

Zion Farms is currently closed to the public.

Getaway: Hearn Academy Inn (Cave Spring)

The historic Hearn Academy Inn in Cave Spring is just a part of what makes this lovely little town a great Getaway. Shops, restaurants and friendly folks can all be found downtown, just a few blocks from Rolater Park. Within the park, you find the namesake of Cave Spring- a natural spring within a cave! Tours only cost a dollar. The official City of Cave Spring website has more information about the spring, the Hearn Academy Inn and the history of Cave Spring.

Local Legend: Shape Note Singing (Carrollton)

Our resident Food Finder makes a fantastic find of another kind. At the Wilson Chapel in Carrollton, Phil discovers the centuries old tradition of Shape Note Singing. The folks at the Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Convention were so thrilled that Phil and Georgia Traveler were there that they invited him up to lead the singing. Watch Phil as he waves his wand and vociferously vocalizes along with 150 other Sacred Harp singers, and then visits the nearby Sacred Harp Headquarters and Museum. For information on the Convention or visiting the Museum, contact Charles Woods, Chairman of the Board, Sacred Harp Publishing Company.

Food Find: Corner Café and Horton’s Books (Carrollton)

The Corner Cafe features such exotic sandwiches as the Jelly Fish (contains no real jelly fish) and a whole lot more, as David discovers when he visits the square in Carrollton. Nearby, Horton’s Books touts its standing as the oldest bookstore in Georgia while serving as home to resident ghost, Mary Melinda, and Chloe the Cat.

Georgia Traveler 203, "Navigating Northwest Georgia," airs this Friday, April 10 at 9 PM, Saturday, April 11 at 7 PM, and Wednesday, April 15 at 7:30 PM on GPB. You can also watch on Saturday, April 11 at 8 PM, and Sunday, April 12 at 8 AM on GPB Knowledge.

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 and the Georgia Tourism Foundation.

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