We had the best time at this sweet farm for u pick blueberries. It was a scorcher the day we…read morevisited, and the soonest we could make it over with 2 toddlers and a newborn was peak heat in the afternoon - but it was well worth the trek! I was getting cold feet about the hour drive the night before and exchanged a few messages with the owner. He might be one of the kindest people I've met. Just so genuine and reassuring. Felt like I was talking to family. There is a dirt road up to the farm and spots to park near a little hut you use to grab your buckets and pay afterwards. They have no trouble showing you where to go and helping you in any way. The blueberries were so reasonably priced and they were delicious. U-pick fruit is such a great activity for toddlers and my kids really seem to enjoy it. It wasn't too long of a walk down to the blueberries, but probably would have been a tiny bit tricky with a stroller. As much as I want to gate keep those scones - I'll divulge. Get them. If you do anything right in this next blueberry season it's the scones. Blueberry and lemon and literal perfection. It wasn't my postpartum hormones talking either. It was the best scone I'd ever had in my life. I didn't even think I liked scones and now I dream of them. This specific blueberry piece of heaven. I'm sorry there were no hand pies or jam the day we visited because I'm sure they would have been just as good. Please support this family owned gem. Pick the berries, eat the pastries, just give them your money. They deserve it.

Barnsley Gardens is a hidden gem! It's the perfect place to relax and unwind or stay as busy as you…read morelike. The rooms at the inn are comfortable and have everything you need for a wonderful stay. Highly recommend a visit!

Barnsley Gardens and its nearby resort are both lovely…read more The first time I visited the gardens and ruins of the old house, I was still a teenager and visited with my mom as part of a side trip while visiting family. I never forgot how beautiful and breathtaking it was and made certain to visit again as an adult, as well as to visit the resort that remains separate from the ruins and gardens. To say the estate is interesting is an understatement. The grounds and what remains of the original dwelling are unique, stunning and a bit melancholy all at the same time. The original mansion is all but gone, only dilapidated ruins left to mark the grandeur of the old building, but just by looking at what's left and touring the site, you can tell it was magnificent and it's not difficult to imagine how it once looked as it stood there as a stately grand home once upon a time. It's sad to see how the ruins are all that remains, but you can envision how the occupants once lived and how opulent the estate must have looked back in its heyday. I guess I'd now say the location could be best described as "beautiful decay." I think that's the best way to describe it today. The story of how the house came to be nothing but ruins is actually pretty sad, but it's a story that the employees happily recite to any visiting the gardens. Much of the ruins now are covered in a thick moss and overgrown twine and ivy. Its derelict appearance is rather interesting to note, with the ruins still retaining a weird charm and old beauty to them. The house, built in the Italianate style, was the site of conflict during the Civil War and was damaged and looted at the time. The roof was destroyed during a major tornado that struck the house in the early twentieth century, damaging other parts of the mansion as well. The original owner's descendants were apparently still living there at that point. The gardens, with its intricate paths and hedges, had been largely left to ruin until a restoration in the late 1980's. Since that point, the gardens have been maintained to their original look. As for the grounds, they are lovely. It's not the most ornate botanical garden around, but it's a more wild and naturally-growing type of atmosphere. The tours are self-guided and no one really bothers you while walking the grounds, unless if you have a question, of course. Touring the grounds was kinda peaceful because it's eerily quiet here, even with several other tourists on the same paths, etc. Honestly, it's never too crowded and I rarely bumped into other people at all. I guess you can commune with nature here! As to the resort portion, I did stay here overnight and the grounds and accommodations were excellent, but the food did miss the mark a bit. Just a reminder- the location is a bit off the beaten track. It isn't along the main hubs or anything, but it does make a great side trip if you're doing some traveling or like road tripping. The first time I ventured out here with my mom, we came upon it quite by chance, but it was a cool, fun find for both of us.

I've stopped here several times and gotten eggs and bread…read more Other items I've seen but not needed * Firewood * Cut your own Flowers * Various Peppers They have a small Frig with cold drinks and a few snacks. Eggs are straight from the Hens (not cleaned so wash before use). We didn't like the White Bread very much - very dense without a distinct taste. I've seen Raisin Bread as well. Stop and see what's available when you come by; it varies a lot.

The 57th Annual Great Locomotive Chase Festival typically celebrates the historic Civil War event…read moreknown as the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, where Union spies attempted to sabotage Confederate railroads. The festival usually features a variety of activities, including parades, reenactments, live music, craft vendors, and family-friendly events. Attendees can expect to enjoy historical exhibits that provide context about the original chase, along with activities aimed at engaging the community. Food vendors often play a significant role, offering local cuisine and festival favorites. Community participation is a highlight, with locals often dressing in period costumes and taking part in reenactments. The festival serves not only as an educational experience but also as a way to foster community spirit and celebrate local heritage. If you're looking for specifics about this year's events, attendance numbers, or standout moments, those details might depend on local news or festival updates.

IT'S FALL FESTIVAL SEASON!…read more Festival season is now underway and this year I have decided that we will attend a new crop of festivals that we have never attended. Our first fall festival happened to be the The Great Locomotive Chase Festival in Adairsville. The festival commemorates the great chase of "The General" after it was stolen, (by a group of Union soldiers), during a layover at the Kennesaw Depot. It traveled through Adairsville before being abandoned near Tunnel Hill. This festival features carnival rides, arts and crafts booths, food vendors, entertainment on a couple of stages, a parade and fireworks. It takes place over three days, (full days Friday and Saturday and half of a day on Sunday). Saturdays are always the biggest days and have the greatest amount of attendees so this is obviously the best day to attend. Admission is only $3 and allows you to attend all three days. Parking was only $3 and less than a block away from the festival. Festival day is very important so you start preparing the night before. Get that uniform ready, get a good night's sleep, have a plan for breakfast and make sure you have all of the pertinent information regarding time, place and weather. You want to leave early so that you can get there early because the vendors will. Many of the items such as jewelry and art are "one of a kind" so you definitely want first choice. This is the ultimate Yelping opportunity because it allows you to "shine the light" on small businesses that otherwise go unnoticed. Many of the vendors will offer unique items and this is the perfect time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. Adairsville was the perfect town to host this festival because of its historic roots, small town status and community spirit. Small towns really make the best festivals because of the "warm" people, family friendly atmosphere and great parking. Also, you not only get to experience the festival, you also get to explore the town, its history and local shops. This festival while not as large as other festivals was perfect for us. It was held at the center of Town along the Public Square with the town's historic buildings as the backdrop. The vendors were nicely spaced and there was a separate food court that including picnic tables for sitting and eating. During many festivals, you have to either stand and eat and find your own limited seating. We actually ate before arriving so did not purchase food from the court. When you travel to the smaller towns, you always encounter interesting groups like SOC, (Sons of the Confederacy,) and Georgia Carry, (Second amendment restoration). Don't presume to know what these groups are about. Step up to the table and ask them about their group or cause because they don't bite. These guys have always been very courteous and very informative while providing plenty of written information. Whenever possible, go to the source for your information instead of allowing others to interpret it for you. You will definitely be enlightened. I was happy that they started the music at the start of the festival (instead of hours later like some festivals). Browning Automatic was the group that performed this morning and they were great. I loved the classic rock tunes and was surprised at how talented these guys are, they really surprised me. We were able to sit on the bleachers to listen to them and enjoyed hearing them while we walked around the square. Today's festival included a parade which was the typical small town parade. It included the local sheriff and local community based sport teams and their little cheerleaders. It was cute to see all of these little athletes following along behind the high school football players. The parade route went right through the square, (no barriers) so it not only allowed everyone a close view, but made for great photos as well. The biggest surprise of the day was the local high school band which obviously spends a great deal of time practicing with a talented director because they could compete with any college band! They were great!

Wonderful B&B and ranch rolled into one. Visited for our 59th Anniversary. Pam was attentive,…read morecourteous and fun to visit with. Gave us wonderful history of her place. Great breakfast great place to stay.

Truly a wonderful experience in a beautiful location. The ranch is beautiful, the food is…read moreexcellent, and the hospitality is second to none. The warmth of conversation and stories that flow through this ranch will be something that will bring me back the next time I need a break from city noise.

While some may not agree as the subject matter is a bit esoteric, I had quite a bit of fun…read moreattending the Georgia Marble Festival last year (2015). This festival is held in October and as such has many of the offerings you would find during the fall. It starts out with a 5K on Saturday and a parade later in the day. There's also a large field that holds mostly North-Georgia locals with various wares for sale, including home-baked goods, arts-and-crafts and the like. This last is much more like the country markets that I'm used to seeing in my smallish home town. What makes this festival really special though is the subject matter. I became interested in the marble quarried from North Georgia as my home in Atlanta is wrapped in material from there referenced as "Cherokee Marble" - my home has 4 different gauges of white stone stacked/interlocked going entirely around the perimeter - it's quite beautiful. We drove up for the festival to see what it's all about, but also to take advantage of the tours of the local, still operating quarries. Turns out that much of the white monument stone was used in Washington DC and other state capitals as it's of a quality and hardness that makes it good for full-weather exposure (something I learned while attending the tours). It's now used much less than previously, with the finer quality stone sitting in reserve for use (it's mostly marked so it can be re-used when needed so that the veining and color matches). The tour is very good and worth attending - there are a few departures each day so you can fit it into other activities. The festival is very kid-friendly and a good way to escape the city and learn about an important resource. If you're clever you can time your trip to hit one of the big local "family style" restaurants, depending on where you're coming from. Otherwise, have a fried pie or funnel cake and live life.

We really enjoyed painting with Miss Beau. She has something for everyone, all skill levels, and…read moreall ages. She is super patient and helpful for young painters. We were all very excited to take home our art pieces! Check out the splatterpaint room, too!

Claimed to have massive crowds but was fairly empty. It did on and off rain but still very slow…read more Vendors did not do well. Music was good. Not variety of food. Just fried everything. Garbage cans not emptied. Toilets not cleaned. I won't be back.

1890's DAYS JAMBOREE, (Ringgold, GA)…read more I am a self-confessed "festival freak" and I always like to attend the small town ones during the holidays and on weekends. When it comes to small towns, the activities are always family friendly and I have never encountered public drunkenness, coarse/foul language, unreasonable lines, lewd behavior or a shortage of food. For the well planned festival, I always have a very good time and we always encounter the nicest people who are always up for a friendly chat. Festivals have something for everyone: food, music, dancing, a play area for the kids, classic cars and of course an array of vendors. I like the festivals that are north of Alpharetta and at least an hour away because the drives are always peaceful and beautiful. After planning my weekend activities, I needed an activity for Saturday and this one fit the bill. We have actually visited the town of Ringgold but only explored its history and Civil War connection. I was excited to go back, to visit the local merchants and attend their annual festival now in its 40th year. I enjoy being able to actively join in the fun, singing along dancing and making merriment. Yes, I love to whoop it up. If you are lucky, you will also get to attend a parade as we did today. This was a small town parade that featured little kids riding their tractors or little convertibles, and hustling candy on the side. I loved this parade because we were not required to be positioned on the sidewalks and could actually reach out and touch parade participants if we wanted to. This made the experience more personal and I really enjoyed being able to say thank you directly to the vets who participated in the parade. Even though Ringgold is a small town, residents and sponsors did a great job of organizing this festival because they had several stages featuring different performances such as just music, dance and contests. Even the outdoor stages had chairs provided. You had a nice choice and one of the venues was in the historical depot where you could actually cool off. The town is small enough that you could park at one end and easily walk to each venue. They were even smart enough to place the business/service vendors on a side street so it kept things all about the festival and did not disrupt the flow of energy. The people attending and working the festival were super friendly and I love just chatting up the vendors and those showing their classic cars. One of my favorites was Rodney S. who had purchased a '55 Chevy wagon and restored it with his brother, (over three winters, because he has to bale hay in the summer). I was just amazed at the quality of work that went into this vehicle both under the hood, and in the interior. Neither of them have professional skills in restoration and they did not use a professional garage to complete the work. All of the work, (stripping, fabricating and painting), was done in the brother's garage. What a beauty! Please check out the photos of the yellow wagon. The classic cars were all just beautiful and I especially love the trucks and tractors. The lady saw me really admiring the classic tractor up for raffle and asked me if I wanted to take a photo. Before she could even finish, I had climbed into the seat of that tractor (dress and all), and directed my husband to take various shots. It was awesome! There were several food vendors and I appreciated seeing unique choices such as gator on a stick and healthy options like the grilled chicken on a stick. Unfortunately, we did not get to sample any of the food because we had eaten a solid breakfast and decided that we wanted to sit down in a cool restaurant for lunch. I would definitely recommend this festival for good clean, family fun and just for anyone who enjoys a nice relaxing time, with great music and good people. There is still time to enjoy this festival because it goes on until 10 pm tonight.