GETTING BACK TO NATURE

Bring your bike, binoculars and comfortable shoes - this getaway is for the outdoorsy types! If “Getting Away from It All” is on the top of your list, hook up the RV and head over to Sugar Mill RV Park to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Once you arrive, check-in and drop your bags! Then, head straight to Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop for provisions for a picnic filled with cheesy deliciousness. Bring your treats to the Thomasville Rose Garden at Cherokee Lake Park. The Rose Garden is home to over 1,500 rose bushes and sits adjacent to picturesque Cherokee Lake, which has a one mile paved walk path that goes around and over the lake. Choose to have your picnic under the gazebo or at one of the many picnic tables located around the lake. Either way, the view is great!

Pack your binoculars (and bug spray) then take the drive over to Birdsong Nature Center for some bird spotting and trail walking. Birdsong’s 565 acres are home to nature trails, gardens, and even an amazing birdwatching window, where you’ll see all sorts of feathered friends enjoying the water fountain and nibbling bird seed.

Why not end your day back in downtown for a quail hunt of sorts, no hunting gear required. You can go on a Hunt for the Lost Quail, spotting eighteen bronze quail statues that are hidden high and low, all outdoors and all in plain sight. Some are high and some are tucked away – can you find them all? Use the Visit Thomasville app or pick up a rack card with the clues and a map to get you started. While Downtown, be sure to not forget a visit to The Big Oak! No trip is complete without seeing this iconic landmark for Thomasville, Georgia. While there, make sure to get your picture taken with The Big Oak Cam.

It’s time to relax and kick your feet up - let us recommend the Rose City Special cocktail at Liam’s! Stay in Liam’s Lounge and Cheese Shoppe for a small plate dinner, or make a reservation for the dining room and enjoy their delicious local fare, including local game and farm raised greens.

The next day, wake up bright and early! Load the bikes, then head off to Hubs & Hops for an early morning bike ride. The Saturday Clay Road Bike Ride kicks off at 8 am and offers routes from 10-100 miles on paved roads, unpaved roads and lovely canopy dirt roads around and through plantation land. Join the group of locals and other visitors who love to ride as much as you do.

You’ve worked up a sweat - time to break for lunch! Downtown Thomasville features delicious restaurants of all types to please any palate. Walk over to The Scoop for sandwiches, salads and more. Or stroll over to The Kickstand for delicious handmade street tacos and queso. Want to sit outdoors with your four-legged friend, then we have several locations to dine al-fresco such as Savannah Moon and George and Louie’s Restaurant.

While you’re downtown, ride your bikes over to the Big Oak to have your picture taken beside one of Thomasville’s most iconic landmarks. The Big Oak is 335 years old and to make the most of your visit, have your photo taken using the camera located across the street. You can then download the photo to share and save.

If there’s still time and you want to learn about nature conservancy, jump in the car and head to the Tall Timbers Research Station. Known as the Red Hills Region, these 300,000 acres of undeveloped plantation land rests between Tallahassee and Thomasville. Due to years of active game bird management, it’s home to several rare species of federally endangered birds, animals, and plants. The Nature Conservancy lists the Red Hills as one of America’s “Last Great Places.”

If you love the outdoors and love to shop for outdoor gear, then you need to head over to Kevin’s Fine Outdoor Gear and Apparel. They are stocked with all the necessities for the luxe life in the field. Maybe camping and hiking are more your bag, so walk over to Big Adventure Outfitters, they have everything you need to explore and enjoy the outdoors.