The World of Coca-Cola and many other adventures await visitors in Atlanta’s Olympic Park.

9 Road Trips from Ft. Benning, GA

Last week I shared adventures at Ft. Benning, Georgia and just outside the gates in Columbus. Here are a few adventures that are easy road trips.

If you are up to going 45 to 90 minutes away you will be able to expand your horizons a little. Providence Canyon State Park (45 minutes south of Ft. Benning), Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site (60 minutes west in Alabama), Callaway Gardens Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center (60 minutes north) and Lane Southern Orchards (90 minutes east) all make for great half-day or full-day excursions.

Providence Canyon State Park is an isolated little park that is a hidden gem. We did not see many people there and at times wondered if anyone else knew about it. We went in the late spring and it was hot. The canyon hike was very doable, even with little guys. I recommend going in the fall once the heat breaks. The fall sunshine will no doubt bring out the radiant colors of the canyon. Take a picnic for a full day of exploration!

The Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site in Alabama is small. It’s the perfect place to go on your way to Montgomery or points west. The museum takes you back in time and is a great way to talk to the kiddos about airplanes, WW2, and the heroes of our recent American history.

Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia is a botanical garden and resort. We would go in the morning and take a lunch so that naptime would be in the car on the way home.

Callaway might be best known for its golf courses, but we went for the butterflies. The Cecil B Day Butterfly Center got us up close and personal to all kinds of beautiful butterflies. This was a part science, part beauty self-guided experience. We entered the conservatory and saw the butterflies in their earliest stages of life.  Then we proceeded to the large enclosed garden exhibit with butterflies flitting about us. 

The longest of the “short trips” that we took was to Lane Southern Orchards in Fort Valley, Georgia. We were encouraged to go in the fall for the hayride and corn maze. It was fun for all four of us. Go during the week if you can to avoid the crowds, but call first to be sure you can do “all the things” even if it is just a few of you who arrived in your van. Check out their seasonal events on the website. Keep in mind they are known for their peaches and their pecans. You will want to stay and eat something (or a lot of things) in their restaurant.

Discover Atlanta

Atlanta is a large city. Period. Do you like city life? It will have just about everything you want in a major metropolitan area. While I am not a city gal, there are three places that we went that were fun for the whole family.

The World of Coca-Cola is part of the Olympic Park venue (from the 1996 Olympics). There are many exhibits, but upon checking out the website it seems they have changed since I went. (Remember, it’s been 10 years). Friendly parent of littles hint: the museum is on a large grassy lawn, so it’s easy to find a place to let them burn off energy.

Stone Mountain Park is a sprawling park centered around the natural beauty of Stone Mountain. You can hike up to the top or take the Swiss Cable Car up or down or both. The 360 degree view is breathtaking. A 1940’s era train takes visitors on a short 5-mile tour around the mountain (which is the central location in the park). Every season there are different events offered. One fall we went to a Highland Games where my husband got to try to throw a Caber… also known as trying to throw a telephone pole.

The Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament in Atlanta is just one of 10 locations around the country. If you are unfamiliar with this amusement, think dinner theater meets renaissance festival.

The website says, “…travel through the mists of time to a festive celebration where you’ll be in awe of gallant knights and majestic horses.”

It really is a fantastic time for the whole family. Check out the specifics about times and reservations on their website.

Florida awaits!

If you are itching for the beach or Disney attractions definitely head south while you are at Ft. Benning. It is a four hour car ride to Destin and six and a half hours to Shades of Green, the Army MWR owned and operated resort on Walt Disney World property. As you might expect, since one of Florida’s chief industries is tourism, there is an abundance of things to see there. These just happen to be what our family couldn’t miss while we were at Ft. Benning.

Destin is located on the Florida Panhandle making the drive from Ft. Benning a bit closer than Clearwater or other resort towns on the peninsula. It is known for its beautiful white beaches and clear blue water.

We had little guys, so we stayed close to the hotel to work around naptime and make the most of our beach time. We stayed elsewhere, but Ft. Benning Destin Army Recreation Area offers villas, suites, hotel rooms, studio and RV sites along with a marina. This is a great money-saving option.

There is plenty to do in this resort town, from shops on the boardwalk to golfing. My husband isn’t in love with the overabundance of sunshine or sand (maybe his single failing) but he loves seafood as much as I do. The seafood restaurant selection was fantastic. We ate out on the boardwalk and even found a place that gave a military and first responder discount! (Sorry, no reviews because that was 10 years ago!)

And, of course, Disney. According to Google’s Generative AI, a family of four can expect to spend at least $6,000 at Walt Disney World. Staying at Shades of Green might be your best bet for hotel stay, especially since the room rate is based on rank. No matter how long you stay or how many “extras” you plan to spend money on, if you are able to avoid paying for airfare you save hundreds of dollars on your travel. Disney is a lot of fun and best with little kiddos. The joy and wonder we got to experience with our two were worth the investment. I’m just glad we were able to take advantage of the proximity of Ft. Benning.

We were at Benning for a bit over three years. There always seemed to be more to do. We could have explored Atlanta more. We could have visited Savannah.  We never made it to the east coast of Georgia. Sorry Ft. Stewart!. We could have driven up to Dahlonega where the Rangers have mountain training and explore the Northwest Georgia mountains. Those will just have to be on my list for next time. What’s on your list?