F.D.R. State Park
Don your hiking boots and grab your fishing pole before you head to Georgia's largest state park, on the southern tip of the Appalachian mountain range. The sprawling, 9,040-acre oasis (this is where F.D.R. came to recuperate when he was diagnosed with polio) is an outdoor lover's playground. There's a spider web of nature trails and the granddaddy 23-mile Pine Mountain hiking trail to tackle. Anglers can try their luck at Lake Delano and local stables offer guided horseback rides on park trails. The park includes several picturesque picnic areas---and if one day isn't enough (it won't be!), there are campsites and cabins for rent.
F.D. Roosevelt State Park
2970 Ga. Highway 190
Pine Mountain , Georgia 31822
800-864-7275
Gastateparks.org
Callaway Gardens
Don't let the name fool you. This is far more than your typical public garden. Yes, there are beautiful garden displays, but there's also swimming beaches, biking and hiking trails, lakes, tennis, racquetball, golf, skeet-shooting and more. Stop by the $12 million Discovery Center for a look at exhibits, pick up maps and to get a general overview of the property. Top features include a 20,000-square-foot indoor floral display, a 7.5-acre vegetable garden and the 10-mile bike trail. Don't miss the Butterfly Center with more than 1,000 butterflies. There are trams and water taxis to help get you around the expansive grounds.
Callaway Gardens
17800 US Hwy 27
Pine Mountain, Georgia 31822
(706) 663-2281
http://www.callawaygardens.com/
Wild Animal Safari
Lions and tigers and bears---oh my! This Pine Mountain attraction is widely popular, especially with families. There are several ways to get up-close and personal with the animals. You can follow the roads through the park in your own car, rent one of the Zebra vans or board a park bus for a guided tour. Either way, you'll come close to the wild things that roam the 200 acres of natural grasslands, prairies, and forests. Some of the animals you're likely to see are camels, rhinos, tigers, buffalo, lions, zebras, bear and more.
Wild Animal Safari
1300 Oak Grove Rd.
Pine Mountain, Georgia 31822-4548
(706) 663-8744
http://www.animalsafari.com/safari/
Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Site
History buffs will enjoy a visit to this historic site, where the former President built a home in 1932. The site includes the Little White House, F.D.R. Memorial Museum and the Historic Pools Museum. Lots of information, pretty grounds, and pastoral setting add up to make this historic site a favorite with Georgians.
Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Site
401 Little White House Rd
Warm Springs, Georgia 31830
(800) 864-7275
Article Written By Pamela Wright
Pamela Wright is a freelance writer, author of more than two dozen guidebooks, and hundreds of articles. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including "National Geographic Traveler," "Family Circle," "Family Fun," "Backpacker," "Hemispheres," "Cooking Light," "Yankee" and more. An active member of the Society of American Travel Writers, she holds a Bachelor's from Michigan State University
