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 show-stealing 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 free-roaming 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. 70 #EXPLOREGEORGIA THE FARMHOUSE INN, MADISON/FARMHOUSE INN
Official State Travel Guide 2024 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 70
