This Week: Mountains East (Dahlonega)

On this week's episode of Georgia Traveler, it's off to Georgia's picturesque northeast mountains. Dahlonega, site of America's first gold rush, is our destination city, where we visit the Smith House restaurant and Wolf Mountain Vineyards. David Zelski explores Elberton, the Granite Capital of the World, while Gerald Bryant meets Joni Mabe the Elvis Babe at her museum in Cornelia. Phil Proctor delights in the delicacies offered up during Oktoberfest in Helen, and Keely Muse guides us through some beautiful state parks in Dawsonville, Mountain City, and Tallulah Falls.

Georgia Traveler 103, "Mountains East (Dahlonega)" airs this Friday, April 17 at 9 PM, Saturday, April 18 at 7 PM, and Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 PM on GPB. You can also watch on Saturday, April 18 at 8 PM, and Sunday, April 19 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.

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/Channel 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

We're fast approaching the second weekend in March! Here are some suggestions for exploring the great State of Georgia:

Celebrate Girl Scout Week at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace

Through Saturday, March 14 in Savannah

Celebrate 97 years of Girl Scouting in the United States and the life of the Girl Scout Founder, Juliette Gordon Low, at her childhood home. Tour the Birthplace to learn about this famous American woman and the movement she started in Savannah, GA. Explore funny anecdotes, courageous and inspirational stories, and ideals of patriotism and character. Girl Scout cookies served. Juliette Gordon Low was an individual with hearing and mobility impairments. During Girl Scout week, in honor of all individuals with different abilities, admission will be FREE to all visitors in a wheel chair. From 10 am – 4 pm daily through Saturday, March 14. For more details or to get information about the events on a specific day, check out their website.

Cherokee Basket Making Workshop at the Chieftains Museum in Rome

Saturday, March 14 from 12 noon-4 PM

Learn the history of one of the oldest crafts of the Cherokee, as well as view over 25 beautiful baskets on loan from local basket collections. Many baskets available for purchase. Basket making workshop on Feb 14th Noon - 4:00pm. Call 706-291-9494 or visit the website for details.

The Amazing Castle at Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta

Through May 26, 2009

The Amazing Castle transports children and adults to a magical place and time and celebrates the citizens who make a community special. Travel within this castle to a peaceful little community where, from entertaining to sewing, every citizen has an important job to do. Children join the fun as they dress up as knights, princesses, court jesters, and other workers needed to make this community thrive. This exhibit addresses core concepts in social studies, reading, and language arts. Students don costumes and role-play lords and ladies or castle villagers. Visitors can work in the Royal Workshops with “Trim the Tailor” or “Gable the Carpenter”. They pick vegetables in the garden, tote them to the Great Hall to cook up a royal meal and visit the tower to wake “Herald”, the sleeping dragon! The children will be engaged in helping each other solve problems and communicating through developmentally appropriate playful experiences about what it means to be a part of a community. For more information, check out their website.

And those are just a few of the great ways to explore Georgia this weekend. For more information, check out the Explore Georgia website operated by Georgia Traveler's production partners at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

This Weekend in Georgia

Like all weekends in Georgia, there are some great opportunities out there in our State. Check out these events:

Robert Burns Scottish Weekend, Friday-Sunday, February 20-22, 2009

Old Clayton Inn in Clayton, GA

Organizers tell us that this traditional program starts Friday with a Scottish Ceilidh Musical program beginning at 7pm and ending about 10pm or later with singing, performing musical instruments, reciting poetry, and food and drinks will be available for guests. On Saturday after a big breakfast together, field trips will be taken to the Scottish Tartans Museum in Franklin, NC, as well as other places like Highlands, Tallulah Falls, the John Campbell Folk School, and other places of interest. Upon returning to the Inn, guests will have a tasting of single malt Scotch whisky at 4pm followed by a traditional Burns Supper, Haggis Ceremony, and traditional toasts for all guests. On Sunday after breakfast, many guests will attend church services at Wiley Presbyterian and other churchs followed by the buffet lunch at the Old Clayton Inn and additional field trips in the area. Guests may stay over Sunday evening if they want at no additional charge. For more information, check out the Old Clayton Inn Website.

Mardi Gras on Tybee Island, Saturday-Sunday, February 21-22, 2009

Tybee Island, GA

Our friends down at "Savannah's Beach" are celebrating their first ever Mardi Gras Tybee! Festivities scheduled to take place on South Beach include a parade, costume contest, live entertainment, ball and more! For more info visit http://www.tybeefest.com/

Tutankhamun: The Golden King & the Great Pharaohs

Ongoing exhibit at the Atlanta Civic Center

The Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University presents Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs features over 130 extraordinary objects including many from the reign of Tutankhamun, as well as treasures from the the most significant pharaohs who ruled the Nile throughout 2,000 years of history. This exhibition places Tutankhamun in the context of ancient Egyptian culture and focuses on the splendor of the Egyptian pharaohs, the significance of kingship to the ancient Egyptian people, and the intricate and symbolic ceremonies related to life and death in the palace. Viewers will get a sense of how life and art evolved over many generations in ancient Egypt. For more information, check out the website.

And those are just a few of this weekend's highlights. For more information, check out the new http://www.exploregeorgia.org/ website!