Southwest Georgia
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Southwest Georgia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Callaway Resort & Gardens
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."
17800 U.S. 27, Pine Mountain, Georgia, 31822, USA844-512--3826Sight Details
Rate Includes: $25, free for overnight guests, Mid-Mar.–early Sept., daily 9–6; mid-Sept.–early Mar., daily 9–5 -
2. Jimmy Carter National Historic Site
Three different historic sites highlight the life and work of the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. You can visit the late-1880s railroad depot that once housed his 1976 presidential campaign headquarters. Vintage phones play recordings of Carter discussing his grassroots run for the White House. A couple of miles outside town on the Old Plains Highway is the 360-acre Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm, where the Carter family grew cotton, peanuts, and corn; it has been restored to its original appearance before electricity was introduced. Period furniture fills the house, and the battery-powered radio plays Carter's reminiscences of growing up on a Depression-era farm. Plains High School, where the Carters attended school, is now a museum and the headquarters of the historic site. Start your visit here with a short orientation film, and pick up a self-guided tour book that explains the sites.
300 N. Bond St., Plains, Georgia, 31780, USA229-824–4104Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Daily 9–5 -
3. Little White House Historic Site/FDR Memorial Museum
Located on the southern end of town, this fascinating historic site contains the modest three-bedroom cottage in which Roosevelt stayed during his visits. The cottage, built in 1932, remains much as it did the day America's 32nd president died here (while having his portrait painted) and includes the wheelchair Roosevelt designed from a kitchen chair. The unfinished portrait is on display, along with the 48-star American flag that flew over the grounds when Roosevelt died. The FDR Memorial Museum includes an interesting short film narrated by Walter Cronkite (last screening at 4 pm), exhibits detailing Roosevelt's life and New Deal programs, and some of Roosevelt's personal effects, such as his 1938 Ford, complete with the full hand controls he designed. Admission here allows you to also visit the nearby pools where Roosevelt took his therapy.
401 Little White House Rd., Warm Springs, Georgia, 31830, USA706-655–5870Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12, Daily 9–4:45 -
4. National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center
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.
1775 Legacy Way, Columbus, Georgia, 31901, USA706-685–5800Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5 suggested donation, Closed Mon., Mon.–Sat. 9–5, Sun. 11–5 -
5. Pebble Hill Plantation
On the National Register of Historic Places, Pebble Hill is the only plantation in the area open to the public. The sprawling estate was last home to sporting enthusiast and philanthropist Elisabeth "Pansy" Ireland Poe, who specified that the plantation be open to the public upon her death (in 1978). The property dates to 1825, although most of the original house was destroyed in a fire in the 1930s. Highlights of the current two-story main house include a dramatic horseshoe-shape entryway, a wraparound terrace on the upper floor, and an elegant sunroom decorated with a wildlife motif. The second story now serves as an art gallery displaying the Poes' large sporting art collection. Surrounding the house are 34 acres of immaculately maintained grounds that include gardens, a walking path, a log-cabin school, a fire station, a carriage house, kennels, and a hospital for the plantation's more than 100 dogs (prized dogs were buried with full funerals, including a minister). The sprawling dairy-and-horse-stable complex resembles an English village.
1251 U.S. 319 S, Thomasville, Georgia, 31792, USA229-226–2344Sight Details
Rate Includes: Grounds $5.50, house tour $16, Tues.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. noon–5; last tour at 3:45, Closed Mon. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Andersonville National Historic Site
About 20 miles northeast of Plains, Andersonville National Historic Site is a solemn reminder of the Civil War's tragic toll. Andersonville, also known as Camp Sumter, was the war's deadliest prisoner-of-war camp. Some 13,000 Union prisoners died here, mostly from disease, neglect, and malnutrition. Photographs, artifacts, and high-tech exhibits detail not just the plight of Civil War prisoners but also prison life and conditions affecting all of America's 800,000 POWs since the Revolutionary War.
496 Cemetery Rd., Andersonville, Georgia, 31711, USA229-924–0343Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Daily 8–5 (Grounds), 9–4:30 (Museum) -
7. Birdsong Nature Center
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.
2106 Meridian Rd., Thomasville, Georgia, 31792, USA229-377–4408Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5, Wed., Fri., and Sat. 9–5; Sun. 1–5 -
8. Coca-Cola Space Science Center
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.
701 Front Ave., Columbus, Georgia, USA706-649–1477Sight Details
Rate Includes: $8, Closed Sun., Mon.–Fri. 10–4, Sat. 10:30–6 -
9. Columbus Museum
The state's largest art and history museum focuses heavily on American art ranging from colonial portraiture to provocative contemporary works. Other permanent exhibits showcase the history and industry of the Chattahoochee Valley. There's always something new and different to see in the temporary exhibit galleries.
1251 Wynnton Rd., Columbus, Georgia, 31906, USA706-748–2562Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Tues.–Wed. and Fri.–Sat. 10–5, Thurs. 10–8, Sun. 1–5, Closed Mon. -
10. F. D. Roosevelt State Park
At 9,049 acres, F. D. Roosevelt is the largest state park in Georgia. Named for the president who considered this area his second home, it's rich in both history and natural beauty. Several park amenities were built by FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, including multiple cottages and the Liberty Bell Swimming Pool fed by local cool springs. The park contains more than 40 miles of trails, including the popular 23-mile Pine Mountain Trail. Dowdell’s Knob, an overlook along the trail, was one of the president's favorite spots to picnic; there's even a statue there to commemorate him. Within the park are also two lakes and 115 modern campsites, as well as backcountry and pioneer campgrounds.
2970 GA 190, Pine Mountain, Georgia, 31822, USA706-663–4858Sight Details
Rate Includes: Parking $5 -
11. Historic Westville
Recently relocated to Columbus near the National Infantry Museum, this living-history museum provides a glimpse of what Georgia was like in the early 19th century. The museum features a collection of 16 original buildings moved from around the region—including a courthouse, two churches, a blacksmith shop, and historic family dwellings—configured to represent a typical small Southern town. Live costumed interpreters provide context, and demonstrations of quilting, cooking, blacksmithing, and other period arts and crafts are offered daily.
3557 S. Lumpkin Rd., Columbus, Georgia, 31903, USA706-940--0057Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10 -
12. Lapham–Patterson House
When it was built by Chicago shoe manufacturer Charles W. Lapham in 1884, this three-story Victorian house was state of the art, with gas lighting and indoor plumbing with hot and cold running water. But the most curious feature of this unusual house is that Lapham, who had witnessed the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, had 45 exit doors installed because of his fear of being trapped in a burning house. The house is now a National Historic Landmark because of its unique architectural features. The Thomasville History Center staff offers guided tours on weekends.
626 N. Dawson St., Thomasville, Georgia, 31792, USA229-226–7664Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10, Fri. 1–5, Sat. 10–5, Closed Sun.–Thurs. -
13. National Civil War Naval Museum
Those interested in the nation's Civil War past should make it a point to visit this innovative military museum that focuses on the Confederate navy and its influence on the U.S. Navy's subsequent development. Columbus's riverfront location made it a major player in river transport prior to and throughout the Civil War. Interactive exhibits tell the story of shipbuilding and major Civil War ship battles. You can even walk the decks of partially reconstructed Civil War ships and get a glimpse of what combat was like in a full-scale replica of the CSS Albermarle. The museum also boasts the largest collection of Civil War naval-related flags on display in the country.
1002 Victory Dr., Columbus, Georgia, 31901, USA706-327–9798Sight Details
Rate Includes: $8, Tues.–Sat. 10–4:30, Sun.–Mon. 12:30-4:30 -
14. Providence Canyon State Outdoor Recreation Area
Known as "Georgia's Little Grand Canyon," Providence Canyon State Outdoor Recreation Area is actually made up of 16 canyons whose earthen walls display at least 43 different colors of sand. Providence Canyon is a favorite of geologists, photographers, and hikers, who enjoy peering over the canyon's rim and traversing its 10 miles of trails. It's located about 33 miles west of Plains.
8930 Canyon Rd., Lumpkin, Georgia, 31815, USA229-838–6870Sight Details
Rate Includes: Parking $5, Daily 7–6 -
15. Thomasville History Center
Located in the historic 1923 Flowers-Roberts House, this museum and history center contains exhibits about the history of Thomas County along with seven historical buildings you can tour. The buildings, carefully preserved and moved to the museum grounds, include an 1870 "dogtrot" log cabin and an 1893 bowling alley believed to be the second-oldest bowling alley still standing in the United States. To see the interiors of the buildings and get the full picture of Thomasville's history, opt for the guided tour.
725 N. Dawson St., Thomasville, Georgia, 31792, USA229-226--7664Sight Details
Rate Includes: Self-guided tour $5, guided tour $8, Closed Sun.
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