{"622056":{"#nid":"622056","#data":{"type":"news","title":"8 Day Trips to Take This Summer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELab, class, home \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;if this sounds like your daily routine, you\u0026rsquo;re not alone. That\u0026rsquo;s why Aurelio Bellotti sometimes escapes the city for a day trip.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Just going back and forth from campus to my house can make me feel claustrophobic,\u0026rdquo; said Bellotti, a third-year Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering. \u0026ldquo;I like hiking a lot, so Sweetwater Creek is one of my favorite places to go. It\u0026rsquo;s really cool to drive just 30 minutes away and feel like you\u0026rsquo;re in the mountains.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBesides Sweetwater Creek, there are plenty of spots that are perfect for a day trip. Read on for a list of eight nearby destinations that will help you escape the city this summer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Col\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECheck out the largest lake in Georgia. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.discoverlakelanier.com\/\u0022\u003ELake Lanier\u003C\/a\u003E is located just 45 minutes north of Atlanta and offers a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, camping, and fishing. Plus, it\u0026rsquo;s home to Margaritaville at Lanier Islands where you\u0026rsquo;ll find restaurants, a water park with water slides, and more.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVisit an Alpine village. \u003C\/strong\u003EAbout 90 minutes north of the city is \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.helenga.org\u0022\u003EHelen, Ga.\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;a village that looks like it was transported from the Swiss Alps. Visit one of the local vineyards, stroll through the Folk Pottery Museum or Helen Arts \u0026amp; Heritage Council, or get a little shopping in at the Alpine Village Shoppes. If you\u0026rsquo;d rather partake in outdoor activities, check out Duke\u0026rsquo;s Creek Falls or the Sautee Nacoochee Indian Mound.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHike Georgia\u0026rsquo;s Little Grand Canyon. \u003C\/strong\u003EDrive south for about two hours, and you\u0026rsquo;ll reach \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.atlantatrails.com\/hiking-trails\/providence-canyon-georgia-little-grand-canyon\/\u0022\u003EProvidence Canyon\u003C\/a\u003E, home to trails through nine different canyons. The canyons date back to the 1800s when they were carved out of land damaged by poor farming practices. Visitors can see the red and orange rock formations by walking along the canyon rims, hike through the creeks and trails at the bottom, or check out the museum.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESee the state\u0026rsquo;s tallest waterfall. \u003C\/strong\u003EAbout 90 minutes north of Atlanta, you\u0026rsquo;ll find \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amicalolafallslodge.com\/\u0022\u003EAmicalola Falls\u003C\/a\u003E, which offers several different trails, including an eight-mile path to the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. Once you\u0026rsquo;re done hiking, try ziplining or practice your archery skills at the Amicalola Falls Lodge.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHead to the coast. \u003C\/strong\u003ENot only is Atlanta close to the mountains, but it\u0026rsquo;s only about four hours west of the beach. Take a swim at one of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/visittybee.com\/\u0022\u003ETybee Island\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026rsquo;s public beaches, and then take a tour of the Tybee Island Light House, or check out historic Fort Screven. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EListen to some tunes. \u003C\/strong\u003EIf you\u0026rsquo;re a music lover, make the 90-minute drive east to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.visitathensga.com\/things-to-do\/\u0022\u003EAthens\u003C\/a\u003E where bands like R.E.M. and the B-52s got their start. You can find live music at spots including the Georgia Theatre, the Foundry, and the 40 Watt Club. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFind out about folk art. \u003C\/strong\u003EIf you\u0026rsquo;re an art fan, make the two-hour drive north to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.atlasobscura.com\/places\/howard-finsters-paradise-gardens\u0022\u003EHoward Finster\u0026rsquo;s Paradise Garden\u003C\/a\u003E, which is just outside Summerville, Ga. The garden is home to art and sculpture, including several buildings like the five-story Folk Art Chapel.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELeave the state. \u003C\/strong\u003EIt doesn\u0026rsquo;t take long to visit one of Georgia\u0026rsquo;s neighboring states. For example, a visit to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chattanoogafun.com\/\u0022\u003EChattanooga, Tenn\u003C\/a\u003E., (north of Atlanta) clocks in at about two hours. While you\u0026rsquo;re there, walk among the fishes at the Tennessee Aquarium, take a walk through the shops and statues in the Public Art District, or check out the Chattanooga Zoo.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ol\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECheck out eight\u0026nbsp;places beyond Atlanta to explore this summer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Check out eight places beyond Atlanta to explore this summer. "}],"uid":"34838","created_gmt":"2019-05-29 17:31:19","changed_gmt":"2019-05-30 15:25:06","author":"asiebold3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"622055":{"id":"622055","type":"image","title":"Providence Canyon","body":null,"created":"1559150843","gmt_created":"2019-05-29 17:27:23","changed":"1559150843","gmt_changed":"2019-05-29 17:27:23","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236947","name":"unnamed.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/unnamed_15.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/unnamed_15.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":554991,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/unnamed_15.jpg?itok=sqT0GgVb"}}},"media_ids":["622055"],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1808","name":"graduate students"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:asiebold3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAutumn Siebold\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOffice of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}