Ideas for trip 3-4 hrs from Atlanta
 

Have any?

is this a trip for adults? any children? young? old and disabled? overnight or day trip?

What are you interested in...camping, museums, theme parks, hiking?

a family with toddler. weekend trip for this summer. no theme parks. been to 10,000 museums. perhaps a good hike. a pool. privacy. we like camping but not with a young one.

Destin and other panhandle beaches can be reached in about 4 1/2 hours and with the central time change you lose an hour to net 3 1/2 hour drive west and 5 1/2 hours back east.

Asheville.

we just returned from a trip to rosemary beach,fl-- beautiful. thanks for the idea though. asheville. been there- but like the thought/idea. any others?

I'm not sure this is what you want, but have been told by friends that it is quite interesting:
http://gastateparks.org/info/kolomoki/

Callaway Gardens? It's only a few hours from Atlanta. They have students from FSU performing in a small circus (acrobatic tricks) that kids like, a "beach" of sorts, an arboretum and fabulous butterfly house. You might be interested in their birds of prey demonstration. They have miles and miles of bicycle trails, and lots of accomodation options---self-catering cottages, an inn, etc. Of course, they have a lovely golf course and tennis courts.

Pine Mtn Georgia is not terribly exotic, but it would be a nice getaway for you all.

You might check out Chattanooga. Downtown's very nice, and the Tennessee Aquarium is amazing. Lookout Mountain is close by. About a 2-hour drive from Atlanta (depending, of course, on where you're coming from in the city).

Atlanta has a new aquarium that is supposed to be fantastic. Stone Mountain is kind of cool, has a lake & beach, too. Helen, GA is supposed to be a German style town, I believe.
How about Savannah? Everyone seems to really like it.

In Chattanooga there's always the Choo-Choo, of course.

Thanks for all of the ideas. Callaway Gardens is a good idea. So is Savannah. Been to Atl Aquarium. and to Stone Mtn and to Helen. Also been to Chattanooga. Good ideas all of you. The Highlands is an idea too. Never been to Cashiers. Has anyone?

Greenville (SC) - zoo and nice downtown with lots of shops and restaurants, walk along the river
Highlands/Cashiers - def. cooler than Atlanta! Nice to walk around Cashiers.
Asheville - WNC Nature Ctr, Health Adventure

just seeing if there are new and fresh ideas out there. thanks.