5 Best Sights in Southwest Georgia, Georgia

South of Pine Mountain Village lies the area's main draw: a 2,500-acre golf and tennis resort with a combination of elaborate, cultivated gardens and natural woodlands. This family-friendly destination was developed in the 1940s by textile magnate Cason J. Callaway and his wife, Virginia, as a way to breathe new life into the area's dormant cotton fields. With more than 1,000 varieties, the Day Butterfly Center is one of the largest free-flight conservatories in North America. Mountain Creek Lake is well stocked with largemouth bass and bream. Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel —a favorite wedding venue—is a lovely stone chapel nestled in the woods alongside a lake and babbling stream. The Callaway Discovery Center is a popular choice for families; especially enjoyable is the daily Birds of Prey show. During the holidays, Callaway lights up with the exciting "Fantasy in Lights."

Located outside the gates of Fort Benning, this museum examines the role of the U.S. infantry for every war in the nation's history through interactive, technology-rich displays. A must for military buffs, the facility holds more than 70,000 artifacts, including weaponry, uniforms, and equipment from the Revolutionary War to the present day, including a re-created World War II Company Street, which includes General Patton's sleeping quarters. On the museum grounds is the moving Global War on Terrorism Memorial, which is rededicated every year to honor service members who have lost their lives. The center also features a Giant Screen theater that shows both documentaries and Hollywood blockbusters.

With 565 acres of lush fields, forests, swamps, and butterfly gardens, this nature center is a wondrous haven for birds and scores of other native wildlife. Miles of walking trails meander through the property, and nature programs are offered year-round. Check the website for the latest hours and program offerings.

Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, part of the Riverwalk, houses a multimedia planetarium with several showtimes offered daily, an observatory, a replica of an Apollo space capsule, a space shuttle, and other NASA-related exhibits, including cool flight simulators.