Rock Garden

Calhoun, Ga

OMG, this little gem was a magical and dreamy place! This is where your dreams come true and the fairies live. 😁

The garden itself is small, but worth our one hour drive. We spent almost 2 hours there. We walked around it a few times to really soak in all the little details of these miniature castles. We also had a picnic. It was a perfect afternoon outing!

It was not too crowded at all. There was also a one mile trail in the woods that looped around. What a fun and whimsical garden! Makes me so happy.

Notes from the park:

-Porta potties only. If that’s not your thing, there’s a rest stop about 5 miles down the road.

-Kids friendly

-1 mile trail

-Not a lot of parking but enough.

-Located behind the church. Just follow the signs.

Gibbs Gardens

Ball Ground, Ga

I am a bit upset we didn’t get to finish seeing everything. My son had enough after an hour, lol. I don’t blame him, there were just so much to see! We barely covered it.

We went on a Friday afternoon and it was not crowded at all. The paths were well marked and very easy to walk on. It was a mixture of gravel and dirt roads. It’s stroller friendly for the most part. I would have loved to have my wedding photos taken here! So many beautiful flowers and foliage. The staff were also very nice.

I plan on coming back in the spring to see the different flowers. We went during the summer, and it was hot but bearable. There were a lot of shades and benches to rest on.

Notes from the park:

-Clean restrooms available

-Gift shop available

-$20 admission fee, kids 2 and under are free

-Plenty of parking

-Wear comfortable shoes

Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site

Cartersville, Ga

What an awesome site to visit! Our time there was very peaceful. There weren’t many people there so we took our time.

It was a super easy walk. The stairs were a good little exercise! There are also information stations to learn about the place. We spent about 2 hours just walking around and having a little picnic.

If you walk far near the back there is a nice little trail in the woods along the river. We will definitely come back.

I felt the burn 😜

Notes from the park:

-Restroom available

-Stroller friendly

-$5 admission fee

-Easy stroll

-Benches by the water for relaxing

-Parking was plenty

Arabia Mountain

Stonecrest, Ga

We hiked Arabia Mountain on a very hot August sun. Our son had his first meltdown on the way back to the car. He was getting tired and we were walking too slow. Nevertheless, we had a great time. The terrain was mostly rock and dirt paved roads. Make sure to wear actual hiking shoes, or a good pair of sneakers.

I think the fall or spring time would probably be the best times to go in terms of the temperature.

There are more than 30 miles of hiking trails to hike your heart out! We only did about 3.5 miles round trip from the parking lot. You can reach the peak view about 1.3 miles in.

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Notes from the park:

-Stay on the stone marked trails so you don’t kill any fragile plants

-Parking is limited, so come early

-Parking is free

-Dog friendly on leash

-There’s a water fountain at the beginning of trail

Sweet Water Creek State Park

Lithia Springs, Ga

Ahh, what can I say about this park. We went during the summer, so it was really humid and hot but bearable because we were in the shades most of the time. I love coming here and my kid loves it, too. The last couple times that we visited it was during the weekend. Luckily it was not that crowded. There were plenty of parking left when we got there, around 2pm.

There is an entrance fee of $5. There is also a lovely visitor’s office where the bathrooms are located. Inside there is a nice little store with a bit of history on one end.

The hike was mild, a little hilly on some parts but nothing terrible. About 30 minutes into the hike there is a ruins. That was the highlight of our trip. We stopped there to hang out by the benches and put our feet in to cool off.

Notes from the park:

-Not stroller friendly

-Pet friendly

-Restrooms available

-$5 entry fee

-Plenty of parking, but can be crowded on weekends.