Brad Hulsey Historic Banning Mills located in Georgia’s hidden gorge on Snake Creek in Carroll County

Travel – 6th of Series Summer days are winding down and kids will return to school in August. However, there is still time to visit historic sites and state parks.

Historic Banning Mills outdoor adventure park is home to two Guinness World Records, a variety of gravity defying adventures, and a plethora of outdoor activities.

It is located in Georgia’s only hidden gorge on Snake Creek in Carroll County, Georgia. The area is rich in history and the area was home to the Creek and Cherokee nations. The Native Americans lived in lodges made of pine poles and mud plaster, while farming and hunting along the rich and fertile Chattahoochee River area.

Today, it is home to 10 miles of zip lines and aerial adventures that will have guests enjoying high- flying fun. Banning Mills combines excitement, adventure, beauty and serenity, creating a dynamic vacation experience for guests of all ages.

Guests have the option to defy gravity on two aerial adventure courses, reach speeds up to 60 mph on a variety of exhilarating zip lines, free fall from 100 feet in the air, climb through the trees and walk across a 600-foot Sky Trek bridge-all in one place. Historic Banning Mills is also home to two Guinness World Record holders, including one for the World’s Longest Continuous Zip Line Course and Eco-canopy Adventure Tour with six different adventure levels, and the World’s Tallest Freestanding Climbing Wall. Banning Mills offers the one - or two-day rush packages for guests who just can’t get enough thrills.

Continue the treetop adventure in Banning Mills’ newest addition the Tree House Village. The village has seven tree houses, two of which are two stories, large enough for the family. Each tree house has views of the beautiful gorge below. Rustic cabins, cozy cottages and creek side cabin rooms are a few other lodging options for a getaway at Banning Mills.

Banning Mill’s familyfriendly aerial adven- ture course, Crazy Squirrel Village, is a two- tiered obstacle course that’s fun for the entire family. Children, ages 4 and up, can climb and zip through the trees on the lower tier at heights of 20 feet off the ground, while children ages 9 and up can experience thrills on the second tier at heights of 60 feet off the ground.

For visitors who prefer to be grounded, Banning Mills offers several other outdoor activities that don’t involve going to extreme heights. Kids, teens and adults can experience Falconry and live Birds of Prey shows, kayaking on the “Hooch” and horseback riding and several sky bridges, which are all available on the property. Additionally, guests are invited to meander along an intricate network of private hiking trails that border the river. Also, onsite is an Olympic- sized swimming pool and a miniature golf course that are free of charge to all Banning Mills’ guests.

The Flight of the Falcon tour includes the new 3,400-foot line where our guests fly like Superman, halfmile long ziplines and extreme tours, and Sky Trek bridge at 600 feet long and 190 feet high.

The 100- foot free fall off our new Power Tower is now open. The tower is also home to the tallest freestanding climbing wall in the world. At 140 feet tall and with a Guinness World record, this is a great adventure!

Hours of operation are: Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For additional information, call 770-8349149.