Everglades National Park – Royal Palm (Anhinga Trail & Gumbo Limbo Trail)
Both Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo Trails are easy hikes amongst the diverse ecosystems of the Everglades, and truly the best opportunity to spot wildlife.
Everglades National Park
I spent weeks leading up to this trip doing research and pouring over the best way to utilize our time, since I only had one day inside the largest wilderness in the Eastern US, and 3rd largest park in the contiguous US. The miles and miles of grassland are roughly the size of Delaware, over 2300 square miles. Unlike many of our National Parks, Everglades does not boast unique grandeur or geographical wonder; instead, the Everglades are unique in their ecological diversity. There are over 700 species of plants, 360 species of bird, 300 species of fish, 50 species of reptile and 40 species of mammal that call the rivers of grass home.
The Galloping Galette & Mulberry Riverwalk
The trail is wide, easy to follow, relatively flat, and the perfect way to spend a beautiful afternoon.
Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge
I can’t wait to go back to Amicalola – it’s one of the parks that I visit again and again. I love that every trip feels a little different than the last, and there are always new and wonderful things to do because the area has so many attractions.
Helton Creek Falls
Helton Creek is my favorite kind of falls – loud, imposing, stacked rock that rises into the sky, the kind of place that I could spend for hours, listening to the water as it plunges into the pool below. The white noise is captivating, and seems to help clear some of the static from day-to-day life.
Chimney Rock State Park
Because I am a mischievous child, I did not tell my mom that there was an elevator, instead leading us to the trails.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Cades Cove
As we wound our way through the heart of the park, there were brief glimpses of color here and there, but just outside of Cades Cove, we found an absolute treasure trove of color, protected from the storms by the valley.
Atlanta Botanical Gardens – Gainesville
If you’ve got the opportunity to visit the Gainesville campus of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, I cannot recommend it enough! Such a beautiful way to spend the afternoon, and I know it was certainly the thing that I needed to help recharge my batteries.
Phinzy Swamp Nature Park
This is a beautiful park, and one that I would definitely revisit in the future if I travel through Augusta.
Audubon Newhall Preserve
This preserve is a wonderful way spend some time amongst nature without having to leave the island, and would be perfect to burn off some calories after a big lunch, or entertain the kids between events. It’s small enough to be manageable, but still offers plenty to see and do when the weather is nice.