When traveling through Southwest Georgia, you’re never too far from a delicious Southern meal, exciting excursions, museums housing tons of history, or cozy places to stay.
These highlights of towns and cities across Southwest Georgia only scratch the surface of all there is waiting to be discovered.
Relaxation in Thomasville
Historic Thomasville, known as “Georgia’s Rose City,” sports a seamless blend of old-world charm and an upbeat urban vibe, making it a popular location for a relaxing getaway. The picturesque downtown offers the best in shopping with top-notch specialty shops, antique stores, and boutiques. There is also a variety of award-winning restaurants, many featured in Southern Living, which serve some of the area’s best bites and hand-crafted cocktails. Outside of Downtown, take a tour of Pebble Hill Plantation, embark on a delicious food tour, or visit the Thomasville Rose Garden which houses 1500 rose bushes and a 335-year-old Big Oak tree where souvenir photos can be taken.
Top Things to Do in Tifton
Tifton might be a small town, but it is rich in history, agriculture, and Southern hospitality. Here are just a few ways to explore the town:
- Attend one of many festivals held throughout the year.
- Experience the area’s history at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture.
- Shop, eat, and explore historic Downtown Tifton.
- Pick your own berries, peaches, and more at one of the area’s U-Pick farms.
- Catch a live concert or stage play at the historic Tift Theatre.
- Picnic and play at Fulwood Park.
- Attend a conference or concert at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.
- Visit the Plough Gallery to check out the latest exhibit.
Enjoy Downtown Valdosta
In Downtown Valdosta you will find extensive dining opportunities, amazing retail stores, music events, casual gallery walks, and more.
Be sure to stop by Georgia’s southernmost brewery, Georgia Beer Company, or grab a fresh cup of hand-crafted coffee from GUD Coffee. Check out the beautiful city views on the rooftop of Steel Magnolias and enjoy the best lunch south of the Mason-Dixon Line at King’s Grill. For some entertainment, catch talented local musicians at First Friday or during Food Truck Thursdays. And for those looking to support the community, visit 2nd Saturday Makers Market, a gathering of local farmers, growers, artisans, and producers.
Opportunity Awaits in Grady County
Have you ever been to Grady County, a place where opportunity awaits? Opportunity to…
- Walk among millions of beautiful trout lilies at Wolf Creek Trout Lily Preserve.
- Find the best native plants at Birdsong Nature Center’s Old Timey Plant Sale.
- View antique cars at the annual Great Southern Antique Car Rally.
- Celebrate the magic of yuletide at the Christmas Parade.
- Witness the making of cane syrup at Calvary Mule Day.
- Watch a movie at Georgia’s oldest theater, Zebulon.
- Visit Laura Pope Forrester’s folk artist home.
- Paddle, fish, and hike at Tired Creek Lake.
For more opportunities awaiting you in Grady County, start planning your visit today.
Bluffton’s Multigenerational Farm
Located in Bluffton, Georgia, White Oak Pastures pasture-raises and hand-butchers 10 species of livestock. The farm’s zero-waste production model offers customers humane, hand-crafted leather products, artisan tallow goods, and pet chews.
White Oak Pastures operates with full transparency and invites guests to tour, dine, and lodge on the farm. Four one-bedroom cabins are nestled in a longleaf pine forest, providing visitors with cozy lodgings. Depending on the day’s grazing plan, guests might wake up to cattle, small ruminants, hogs, or poultry roaming just outside their door.
Adventure Out of This World, All in Albany
Mingle with meerkats. Relax to the sounds of Ray Charles. Get an eyeful of the solar system. Come face to face with creatures of the deep.
These adventures and more are waiting for you in Albany.
Minutes off I-75 and I-10, find adventure that is out of this world: go wild at Chehaw Park & Zoo and Flint RiverQuarium; experience history and science hands-on at Thronateeska Heritage Center; stroll through Radium Springs Gardens; have a drink at Pretoria Fields Collective; get inspired at the Albany Museum of Art and Theatre Albany; and visit the Historic Bridge House/Albany Welcome Center and the Albany Civil Rights Institute, home of the Freedom Singers.
Among these adventuresome destinations, two dozen hotels, eateries, boutiques, and gift shops welcome visitors to town.
Trade Bustle for Beauty in Colquitt County
In Colquitt County, small cities are combined with big Southern charm. Take a stroll down the tree-lined streets that surround the county’s award-winning courthouse and enjoy shopping downtown where eclectic specialty shops and locally-owned restaurants abound.
Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway with family, planning a girl’s weekend, or organizing a corporate retreat, Colquitt County has destinations that fit every need. A variety of plantations offer hunting adventures, wine tastings, space for fun team-building experiences, and the perfect destination wedding venues. Whatever your event may be, it is sure to be memorable.
For more information on what is awaiting you in Colquitt County, visit the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce online or call 229-985-2131.
“It’s Better Being Outdoors” in Bainbridge
Discover the true beauty and hospitality of the South, all with modern day amenities in Bainbridge.
The cornerstones of Bainbridge’s outdoors are Flint River and Lake Seminole, both of which offer abundant fishing and water sports (so much so that Georgia State Legislature named Bainbridge the Bass Capital of Georgia in 2009.) Additional outdoor recreation includes world-class hunting and tennis facilities, miles of trails, a BMX Pump Track, and the state’s first-ever National Fitness Court.
When it’s time to slow your pace, enjoy a unique downtown. Destinations you won’t want to miss include:
- Southwind Plantation
- Southern Philosophy Brewing
- The American
- All in One Seafood
- Diablo’s Southwest Grill
- Willis Park Hotel
- Commodore Bed and Breakfast
