The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Blairsville
Less than two hours from Atlanta in the shadow of Georgia’s highest peaks (including the highest, Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet), Blairsville has historic mountain town charm and deep agricultural roots worth exploring at sites along the North Georgia Farm Trail.
The Reece Heritage Farm (Free, 8552 Gainesville Highway, unioncountyga.gov/reecefarm) at the foot of Blood Mountain opens for the season April 12. It offers an enlightening glimpse into what Appalachian farm life was like in the early 20th century, as well as the life of the farm’s namesake, poet and novelist Byron Herbert Reece.
One mile away is Vogel State Park ($5, 405 Vogel State Park Road, gastateparks.org/vogel), one of Georgia’s oldest state parks, with lakeside and waterfall hiking trails worth exploring on a day visit. Stay in a historic cabin at the park or in town at the newly renovated Creekside Cottages ($150 and up, 20 Cottage Creek Way, mycreeksidecottages.com) on Butternut Creek. Creekside’s four cottages have private fire pits on the creek bank and are within walking distance to the courthouse square downtown.
The cottages are also within walking distance to the Union County Farmers Market (Free. 290 Farmers Market Way, unioncountyga.gov/ farmers-market), which opens for the season the first week of June, but you can visit the Hunter-england Cabin and Historic Homestead on-site anytime. The cabin, built in 1832, is believed to be the oldest structure in Union County.
Enjoy a farm-to-table Southern-style breakfast or lunch at the Sawmill Place (1150 Pat Haralson Drive, thesawmillplace.com), choosing from a seasonal menu sourced from local growers.
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Hop a one-hour flight to Savannah/hilton Head International Airport and take a 45-minute drive to beautiful Hilton Head Island, home of acres of pristine natural beauty, luxury resort hotels and more than 23 golf courses.
Unveiling a $10 million renovation this spring is the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa ($274 and up, 2 Grasslawn Ave., westinresorthhi.com), a 419-room oceanfront property on the north end of the island. Sporting updated rooms and suites with a brighter Lowcountry vibe, the property, which has been a mainstay on the island since 1988, has five dining options ranging from a casual poolside eatery to an upscale seafood restaurant, plus three oceanside pools with cabanas and private beach access.
Take a tour of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park (free self-guided tours, $8 per person guided group tours, 40 Harriet Tubman Way, exploremitchelville.org), a 33-acre site of the first town self-governed by former slaves in the U.S. established in 1861. The town is lost to time now but the site contains exhibits, interpretive signage, walking trails, observation points and public beach access.
For authentic Lowcountry cuisine head to the middle part of the island to dine at A Lowcountry Backyard ($12.95 and up, 32 Palmetto Bay Road, alowcountrybackyard.com) known for its shrimp and grits and Gullah-inspired dishes.