My family and I loved visiting here. The alpacas are friendly and adorable! They have lots of space…read moreto run. We were allowed to get a refill of their feed and the owners enjoy watching their fluffy friends getting spoiled. We didn't feel rushed. We also saw piglets, kittens, horses, and a donkey. The hay ride was fun! We were offered cold water which was nice! We purchased the Bug-a-boo soap made with alpaca wool fibers which works well and helps repel bugs.

Came here with boyfriend using a groupon. Basically was 50% off, tours are usually $20/person but…read morewith the groupon it was $20 for the both of us. Location is about 1 hr from Atlanta, pretty easy to get to just a straight shot up I-75. The turn on google maps is a little off on the final stretch but they have a sign so we didn't have any problems finding it. You drive up this really long gravel road that circles their property and park by the big red barn they have. That's where they stable the alpacas and horses they have. They have two short haired pointers outside that are very friendly and will probably greet you. They also have great danes that they breed that are very friendly but those are in a fenced area so no need to be nervous. The farm owner/tour guide wasn't around when we got there so we called the number from google and she came over. We rode in her gator which is like a mix between an ATV and a tractor. Circled around the whole 60 acres of estate and she pointed out all her family's houses that they've built and where they pasture all their animals. Sadly they sold their goats but they have a really cute miniature donkey that we petted. Once you get back from the tour you can pet and feed the alpacas. Basically you get to give them their daily meal of feed so they will swarm you and you can pet them while they eat their feed. There's about 13 alpacas but they are all very friendly and do not bite! So no need to worry. Their horses also come over, they have nine very beautiful horses one of which is a cute pony. They also will eat the pellets so you can pet those as well. They have a little store with products made from their alpaca's fur so you can get that stuff. We watched them herd their alpacas from their stables to pasture, which was pretty difficult haha, and then we left. Overall great experience! Definitely wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting dirty. You'll probably walk away with a little alpaca poop on your shoes. Also the alpacas don't exactly spit but sometimes they sneeze and they can definitely sneeze on you. They look super cute with their bobblehead haircuts and I would definitely recommend coming for a visit!

For the price $9/adult, it was mostly worth a short stop on our trip. The small butterfly…read moregreenhouse had far fewer butterflies than I expected to see and just took a few minutes to circle. There's a pleasant nature walk and lovely unkempt gardens overflowing with native and tropical flowers for the local bees and butterflies. There are two bee hives on the property. The monarch butterflies we saw were outside in the garden, so don't skip the outside portion. They have a small plant sale with a lot of cuttings. If you need a place for a toddler to run around on a car trip, this would be a good place to stop.

Wonderful stop for anyone with young kids, or even some of us of an older age looking for a fun /…read morepeaceful change of pace. Kudos to the staff that have done a lot to expand this charming area. A special shout out to Natalia and Willett for their engaging nature and wealth of experience! Don't leave without a discussion with one of them. Cheers! RS

Willing to try and make the best of homestead practices, but always looking for support/funding for…read moreany failures and disappointments. It feels more like a commune NOT a business. It was just odd...

Splendor Oaks is a an Eco-Farm homestead oasis! There is a…read moretree house, glam tent, and schoolie on property for an air bnb type stay, they will set up a tent for you nearby at the lake or you can come park your own RV, schoolie...etc. There are goats, ducks, chickens, dogs, and Peaches the pig! There are veggies, classes on growing mushrooms and the newest venture is their Dahlia farm! Fresh flowers you can order monthly or just come make your own vase for a special occasion. Kurtis and Dayana the owners have poured so much love into this farm you can literally feel it when you pull up. Their animals are so well loved and it's the perfect place to get away or just visit for the day. Follow @splendoroaks @staybirdbus @labellabelltent @edentreehouse or visit www.SplendorOaks.com for information about events or to book your trip!

Town Creek Valley Farm is a hidden gem in Talking Rock, Georgia. The corn maze is large and…read morepredominantly flat with enough unpredictable twists and turns to keep us on our toes but not frustrated. They provide a punch card that you follow a story line, solve puzzles and punch as you go throughout the maze. They have u-pick flowers that are reasonably priced and lots of cute photo spots to take pictures of your visit. We thoroughly enjoyed this corn maze which is family owned and operated. They also won't break the bank or drive a tractor through a protected trout stream (like nearby Yahoo Farm on 108 in Jasper).

Beautiful!!! This was the perfect end to our day and the nicest people. U-pick these gorgeous…read morezinnias or sunflowers while surrounded by the corn maze where you can hear the kids laughing trying to go through it and do g forget the cow in the next field watching us and mooing. I could have grabbed a chair and just stayed for a while. Don't miss a chance to check this little slice of heaven

Visited today on a spectacular spring day (happened to be Earth Day.) The sky was so blue, the…read morebirds were singing, and the gardens were bursting with color. My favorite part of the gardens is the Japanese garden with its countless deep red Japanese maples, reflecting pools, shaded benches for contemplating the gardens' beauty. It's a beautiful place to take a stroll and have lunch in the shaded outdoor dining area next to the sandwich shed. Sandwiches are delicious, prepared by the fabulous Home Restaurant in the area. Make a day of it! Bring your book, have some lunch, and walk the gardens for a peaceful day out in nature.

There are plenty of parking spaces, you will see guides to lead your car to available spot…read more Currently tulips are off from its peak season, you can still see some, daffodils are in full bloom, also the azaleas are poised to burst forth at any moment. With weak or no cellular signal or Wi-Fi available within the gardens, visitors can pay full attention on admiring the beauty of nature. The gardens occupies total of 376 acres, featuring over 250 acres of landscaped gardens divided into several distinct sections: the Japanese Gardens, the Monet Waterlily Gardens, the Daffodil Gardens, and the Manor Gardens. The Japanese Gardens occupy a central position within the estate, covering 40 acres and featuring streams, ponds, miniature islands, small bridges, and Japanese maples. As one strolls through this section, one can deeply contemplate the core tenets of Japanese aesthetics: *Mono no aware* (物の哀れ the pathos of things), *Wabi-sabi* (侘寂 Wabi-austere beauty and sabi -rustic patina or beauty in aging), and *Yūgen* (幽玄 profound and mysterious grace and subtleness rather than obvious beauty. mystery). *Mono no aware* is certainly palpable here; the seasonal colors are vivid, yet most of the tulips have already faded. However, visitors do not see the withered blooms, as they are swiftly cleared away. This practice is, in fact, an authentic element of Japanese aesthetics--one that does not seek to deliberately pander to visitors. After all, imperfection and impermanence inevitably evoke a sense of melancholy, which lies at the very heart of Japanese aesthetic philosophy. As for *Wabi-sabi* and *Yūgen*, they are subtly woven into every detail of the landscape, inseparable from the whole. I could sense the garden's inherent simplicity and minimalism--its use of "negative space" and evocative atmosphere--such as the circular stone steps leading into the lake, only to come to an abrupt stop. Is it perhaps an example of the essence of sudden enlightenment found in Buddhist philosophy? Throughout the gardens, various Japanese-style shrines and stone lanterns are scattered everywhere, exuding that distinct aura of ethereal elegance and profound tranquility characteristic of traditional Japanese gardens. The floral plantings are meticulously designed to rotate with the changing seasons: spring brings a display of tulips and daffodils; summer features water lilies--specifically in the "Monet Water Lily Garden," which boasts 140 varieties of lilies and a replica of Monet's bridge; and autumn offers a vibrant tapestry of colorful foliage alongside sweeping fields of Sulfur Cosmos wildflowers. I visited the Butchart Gardens in Victoria over 30 years ago--a truly stunning garden that, at the time, was awash with tulips. In terms of sheer size, Gibbs Gardens is more than six times larger than Butchart Gardens.

Cute little roadside stand with a variety of delicious homemade baked goods at a great price!read more

What a beautiful place! A friend and I went on an afternoon in June and all of the Daylilies, and…read moremany other flowers, were in full bloom. Every color you can imagine. The owner is super friendly and has worked very hard for many years on this garden. You can buy the daylillies or just wander around and take pictures. She has a covered porch to sit on for shade and tables to have a picnic or just relax and enjoy the view. She does charge $20 per car (you just leave cash in a box when you park) and that goes toward care of the garden. I highly recommend stopping by. It's only about a 15 minute drive from the outlets in Dawsonville.

A beautiful drive towards the North GA mountains, Fausett Farms is a stunning escape from the…read morecity/suburbs. Located in Dawsonville off Hwy 136, this beautiful farm is a must-see stop during Fall. Before you even pull in, you'll see the acres of beaming and bright yellow sunflowers happy and thriving in the fields. The farm charges a small entrance fee, and they do allow you to cut and purchase your own sunflowers during certain weeks of peek season. They are great about posting updates to their website and social media for the upcoming season. I had so much fun walking through the fields and snapped some awesome photos of our local Georgia pollinators and famous monarch butterflies enjoying a snack provided by the sunflowers. Nature loves to show off!

We came here on a Sunday during weekend #2 of their sunflower season and it was great! They had…read moremultiple fields so the one we took most of our pictures at was dedicated to the weekend we were there. Parking was easy on the dirt lot and you pay upon entry. They also had some refreshments for sale, a honey stand, and sunflower oil stand. They had multiple staged backgrounds and we were free to wander as we pleased. The fields were not too crowded since they are so big. I also liked that they asked you not not pick sunflowers which kept the fields full of them. You could buy pre-picked ones up front for $1 each. They also offered a horse drawn carriage tour of the property for $5 per person. Would love to come back during golden hour.