This Week: Old Dixie Highway and Coasting Along the Atlantic

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 209 - Old Dixie Highway airs Friday, August 28, 2009 at 9 PM, Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 7 PM and Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 7:30 PM on GPB.

Also this week:

We're "Coasting Along the Atlantic", exploring U.S. 17 from Savannah to Darien. The team gets great travel advice at the Visitors' Information Center just outside Savannah and sets off. Phil finds fantastic food at the famous Lady and Sons while David discovers local legends and haunting fun on Savannah’s Ghosts and Gravestones tour. Keely tries a new outdoor activity on Tybee Island with the help of the High Tide Surf Shop and later joins Phil on a getaway to the community of Hog Hammock on Sapelo Island. Our last stop: family fun at the Blessing of the Fleet Festival in Darien.

Georgia Traveler 201 - Coasting Along the Atlantic airs Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 7:00 PM on GPB.

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.

This Weekend in Georgia

37th Atlanta Model Train and Railroadiana Show

Saturday, August 8, 2009 North Atlanta Trade Center, Norcross, GA



Sponsored by Golden Spike Enterprises, this model train show is a real treat for kids and grownups alike! Browse through thousands of model trains and accessories, as well as authentic railroad memorabilia. Huge operating model train layouts are also featured! Between model trains in any scale, railroad timetables, CDs and DVDs about railroading, there's bound to be something that will toot your whistle. The folks at the Train Show are very friendly and are generally thrilled to help newcomers get started in this fascinating hobby. For more information, visit the Golden Spike Enterprises website.


Gold Fever at Smithgall Woods

Saturday, August 8, 2009 Smithgall Woods State Park, Helen, GA



This weekend, explore the history of gold mining at Smithgall Woods State Park in Helen with a gold panning demonstration, a hike on the Martin Mine Trail, and talks about gold mining and local area geology. There is a small parking fee. For more information, visit Smithgall Woods State Park's website. Georgia Traveler's David Zelski paid a visit to Smithgall Woods in the Second Season. Click here to see the episode!


Astronomy Night

Saturday, August 8, 2009 Georgia Veterans State Park, Cordele, GA



On Saturday from 8 PM to midnight you can explore the heavens at Georgia Veterans State Park in Cordele. A very small fee gets you in for planet and star watching in this beautiful 1300 acre nature preserve. Stunning views are promised! Here's the website for more info.

And those are just a few of the events you can find this weekend in Georgia. For more ideas, visit the ExploreGeorgia website operated by our production partners at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

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.

Food Find: Whistle Stop Café (Juliette)
Georgia’s own little taste of Hollywood is in Juliette, home of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. Converted from an old country store into the now famous restaurant for the movie, the Whistle Stop Café attracts folks from all over anxious to try the fabled Fried Green Tomatoes. While visiting, David gets behind the counter and takes a stab at being a short order cook, but he decides to leave it to the professionals. The next time you’re walking along the tracks, stop off in Juliette and the Whistle Stop Café. And remember, the secret’s in the sauce!

Family Fun: Peach Festival (Fort Valley)
Georgia may be the Peach State, but there’s one place where the Peach is really king, it’s in Peach County, home of the Peach Festival! Phil takes the opportunity of a visit from the state’s greatest tourism show to the state’s greatest fruit to find great things to eat. And in a festival devoted to peaches, he didn’t have to look far: the Peach Festival is home to the world’s largest peach cobbler! Measuring five feet by eleven feet, and eight inches deep, this confection feeds Phil with just enough left over for the rest of the fair patrons! From the Peach Festival, visitors can take the free shuttle out to the Lane Packing Company, and see just how peaches are grown and turned into, among other things, delicious peach ice cream. If you’re like Phil, the experience will leave you debating the age-old question: peach or peach ice cream???
Link: http://www.gapeachfestival.com/

Getaway: Henderson Village (Perry)
Keely takes a step back in time when she visits Henderson Village, a bed and breakfast resort made up of an array of historic 19th Century buildings. Situated on 19 acres, Henderson Village features cozy rooms, fine dining, beautiful gardens, and a 3200-acre hunting preserve. Keely shoulders her firearm and snags a few clays before deciding she’s more into the quiet and peaceful side of Henderson Village. Whatever your interest, Henderson Village has got it.
Link: http://www.hendersonvillage.com/

Outdoor Activity: Golf at Lake Blackshear (Cordele)
When our Traveler crew pulled up at Lake Blackshear Golf Course at Georgia Veterans State Park, some thought the Three Stooges had arrived. Instead of Larry, Moe, and Curly, it was Keely, Phil, and David, but the hilarious hijinks were on a roll. Join the Traveler Trio as they show their golf skills, or lack thereof, and have a great time putting around at Lake Blackshear Golf Course.
Links: http://www.lakeblackshearresort.com/

http://www.gastateparks.org/info/georgiavet/

Local Legend: Grits Festival (Warwick)
“You can eat it with butter, you can eat it with cheese, you can eat it any time with any old thing you please. As long as it’s grits, baby!” Every year in Warwick, the Grits Capital of the World, grits lovers from all over come down to take part in the Grits Festival. Our David Zelski meets up with such local notables as Granny Grits, Mike McDaniel, who came in first place in the Grits Eating Contest, and even the Grits Queen. By the end of the day, David finds himself submerged in a vat of grits. The only things that were missing were the butter and cheese!
Links: http://www.gritsfest.com/

Georgia Traveler's "Old Dixie Highway," airs this Friday, May 1 at 9 PM, Saturday, May 2 at 7 PM, and Wednesday, May 6 at 7:30 PM on GPB. You can also watch this episode on Saturday, May 2 at 8 PM, and Sunday, May 3 at 8 AM on GPB Knowledge.

Peach Festival this Weekend!

Celebrate Georgia's state fruit this weekend in Fort Valley at the Peach Festival. To find more about upcoming events, visit the Peach Festival website. If you want to eat part of the World's Largest Peach cobbler, check out the events page- serving starts at 2 PM Saturday, June 21!

The Peach Festival is featured on tonight's episode of Georgia Traveler as 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 tonight at 7:30 PM!

You can also watch this episode online.