Elizabeth Florio 2023-11-16 08:37:07
In an age of bottomless inboxes and color-coded calendar blocks, getting away is the greatest form of self-care. Here are seven Georgia escapes where you can quiet your thoughts, fire up your senses and just be still—from a brilliant night sky in the Okefenokee Swamp to a peaceful Trappist monastery in the countryside. STEPHEN C. FOSTER STATE PARK You hear the swamp in the grunts of pig frogs and gurgling hoots of barred owls, but you don’t see it. A flashlight might reveal the red eyes of a gator, but you’re safe on land, at a clearing where the main road ends and the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge takes over. The tiny town of Fargo in South Georgia is home to one of only two Gold- Tier International Dark Sky parks on the East Coast, where visitors can stay overnight at an on-site cottage or campsite. Pack a folding chair and gaze into space for breathtaking views of the Milky Way, streaking meteors, and the showstealing clutter of a thousand stars. When the sun rises, enjoy hiking, biking and fishing, and be sure to explore the rest of the park with a guided boat tour around the swamp. SERENBE A stroll around the community of Serenbe reveals freeroaming sheep, miles of wooded footpaths, blueberry bushes planted along sidewalks for easy foraging, and a farm that fuels local restaurants and community supported agriculture. The wellness community, located on the outskirts of Atlanta, is designed to connect humans with nature, and visitors can embrace that intention with horseback trail rides, yoga classes and visits to the weekly farmers market. Rent a house, stay in the gorgeous Inn at Serenbe, recharge at the Portal—an intimate wellness retreat center—or attend events like wine dinners in the garden. OYSTER FINE BAMBOO FLY RODS Coming home with an heirloom-quality fly rod is just a perk of Bill Oyster’s rod-making classes, which the celebrated craftsman holds 22 weeks a year at his Blue Ridge studio in the North Georgia mountains. The real reward is six days of laser-focused, leave-it-all-behind handiwork, starting with splitting and shaping raw bamboo into a hexagonal rod. The work is so engrossing, says Oyster, students often need to be coaxed to stop for lunch. Sessions sell out more than a year ahead (though you can join a waitlist and hope for a cancellation) and conveniently end on Saturday, leaving Sunday open for losing oneself on a nearby trout stream. THE FARMHOUSE INN Head to The Farmhouse Inn in Madison for a rural respite on a working farm. Stroll the property’s winding walking trails after your hearty farm-to-table breakfast, then say hello to furry and feathered farm residents, like donkeys, chickens, ducks and turkeys. Disconnect from daily life in a quiet setting—try gazing at a pond, ogling the fragrant gardens, trekking through the woods and dining on homemade Southern delicacies at the onsite Red Barn. To get your dose of peace and tranquility, book a stay in one of the inn’s rooms or cottages. ELOHEE RETREAT CENTER When Eve Cook was battling an aggressive cancer in her mid-30s, she escaped to her family’s plot of land in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Georgia and watched her health mirror the seasons: first barren, then bursting with life. She now runs a retreat center on that land, near the artsy town of Sautee Nacoochee. Elohee’s upscale cottages and meeting spaces welcome visitors for meditation, yoga, art, empowerment, worship (all faiths welcome) and restorative rambles among ferns and hemlocks. MONASTERY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT A deer inclines its head in the pine forest as a bell tolls, breaking the silence that is a way of life in this monastic enclave in Conyers, located less than 30 miles from Atlanta. Atop a hill dotted with chestnut trees, the noon sun streams through stained glass, bathing the Gothic archways of the abbey church in twilight blue. Twenty-eight Trappist monks call this place home, but day-trippers are welcome to picnic by the duck pond, browse the museum and gift shop (the brothers make a heavenly biscotti), sign up for a retreat or simply observe a moment of contemplation in the sanctuary. An on-site retreat center allows for longer stays centered on prayer and personal growth. LITTLE ST. SIMONS ISLAND The ferry ride to Little St. Simons is just 10 minutes, but it’s enough time to shake off civilization. Instead of beachfront condos, pick from six historic cottages set on 11,000 wild acres. Instead of shopping centers and golf courses, experience raised bird blinds over the salt marsh and dirt bike paths under live oaks. Exclusivity at this eco-resort on the Georgia coast comes from privacy, and “all-inclusive” means locally sourced meals shared with fellow guests and a team of naturalists to take you fishing, kayaking and turtle-spotting. It’s island life in the most immersive way. SCAN CODE for more ways to recharge.
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