BanksNewsTODAY

Nestled among beautifully landscaped grounds in Pine Mountain, Georgia, is a wonderful lodge where you can get spa treatments, relax at the pool, enjoy fine dining and stroll through the nearby Callaway Gardens. The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens is a paradise spot where visitors don’t even have to leave the grounds to have a relaxing and rejuvenating get-away.

The lodge is the perfect girlfriend get-away destination for North Georgia residents, as well as also being a great place for families and couples. It’s only a few hours drive away and it offers a great weekend or week-long get-away.
After checking in on a recent Friday night, we headed to the Piedmont Grille, located adjacent to the lobby. The Piedmont Grille offers fine dining with the Friday night seafood buffet being the perfect choice to kick off your visit. For a more casual evening, the Ironwood Lounge is also offered near the lobby area. [Full Story »] 

An amazing indoor water park and entertainment complex with activities that will delight children and adults alike … a high flying balloon ride that provides a birds-eye view of the Smoky Mountains and surrounding country-side … a family show packed with music, acrobats and colorful costumes … a beautiful golf course with two 18 hole championship courses.

Sevierville, Tenn., located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, offers all of this and more. It’s a great family vacation destination located just a few hours from North Georgia.

Sevierville is filled with family-friendly attractions for kids, parents and grandparents. A few stops to include on your visit are: Wilderness at the Smokies, Wonders of Flight, Cirque de Chine and Sevierville Golf Club. [Full Story »] 

BY ANGELA GARY

Pigeon Forge, Tenn., is the perfect family destination with all of the attractions that appeal to children and adults alike. From putt putt to amusement parks to outdoor adventure, you will find it all in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Pigeon Forge is also an entertainment mecca with music revues, magic acts and dinner shows among the options offered.

LUMBERJACK FEUD

The Lumberjack Feud is definitely a show that will appeal to all ages. It’s filled with a look at the amazing sport of lumberjacking with many world champions featured. [Full Story »] 

A trip to the spa is a perfect for a girlfriends’ getaway. On a recent weekend in Atlanta, I found the perfect place to relax and unwind; its exhale Mind Body Spa at the Loews Hotel.

While the massage choices seemed endless, I opted for the Fusion massage with Kristen. She used a Swedish based therapy combining the best known therapeutic massage practices to offer an unparalleled hour of relaxation.

Another massage that caught my eye for the future was the four-handed massage. Imagine two therapist and four hands. That would have to be the ultimate self-indulgence. [Full Story »] 

Amazing culinary creations offered in a fun restaurant with outside seating, as well as indoor dining. Personalized in-room spa services, along with a great midtown location within walking distance of some of the hot spots in the city all make the Ellis Hotel a great destination for a girlfriend getaway to Atlanta.

A short one-hour drive away, Atlanta is filled with all of the big city cultural attractions, along with first class dining and shopping, that make it a great choice to get away with your friends for a few days of stress-free rest and relaxation. It’s also a great location for a family destination or a romantic trip. The hotel also has an impressive event area for those planning group meetings.
[Full Story »] 

A relaxing boat ride along the Augusta Canal where a friendly tour guide points out the natural beauty around you and offers some historic tidbits of the area. Turtles lined up on a log and birds soaring overhead are among the sites delighting young and old on the hour-long boat rides.

Exploring the rich history and culture of the town, including an exhibit on the golf legends that bring thousands to town each spring and a fun look at some of the local legends who got their start in Augusta, as well as a moving exhibit of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul.

Shopping and dining in the downtown area that is filled with lots of unique boutiques and antique stores, as well as plenty of great restaurants. Stopping for a few moments to get your photo snapped with the statue of James Brown.

These are just a few of the adventures awaiting visitors to Augusta, Ga., which is a great family destination for North Georgia residents. It’s an easy two-hour drive away and is likely to take only one tank of gas for your round trip drive and exploring. Augusta is also very affordable, making it perfect destination for families looking for a drive destination for their next vacation. Festivals are planned year-round, so be sure to find out what is coming up. The recent St. Patrick’s Day celebration is one of the larger events planned each year and it includes an amazing parade and festival. [Full Story »] 

Celebrating 50 years of “The Rat Pack,” Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show has been hailed as the next best thing to seeing the Rat Pack themselves and will open at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Thursday, March 14, for five performances.

If you think you’ve seen the Rat Pack, it’s not until you indulge in the real Rat Pack experience with “Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show” that you begin to realize why Sandy Hackett’s own personal connection to theses iconic legends has allowed him to tell this story unlike any other producer or performer. Chosen personally by Joey Bishop, only Sandy Hackett can bring to life the nonstop party that everyone wanted access to.

Now audiences can experience this critically acclaimed, hugely entertaining theatrical production which includes exciting new arrangements of the classic songs everyone knows and loves. In addition, audiences will hear original, never-before-heard songs written by the late, legendary songwriter, Ron Miller (“For Once In My Life”), and recorded voiceovers made exclusively for this show by Sandy Hackett’s father, the late, legendary comedian, Buddy Hackett. [Full Story »] 

BY ANGELA GARY

For a winter wonderland destination with skiing and snowboarding and a charming downtown with lots of unique boutiques and shops all found in a scenic mountain town, head to Blowing Rock, North Carolina. It’s the perfect destination for a family trip, romantic weekend or girlfriend get-away. Just a four-hour drive from North Georgia, it’s great for a weekend trip or a week-long adventure.

Blowing Rock has been named “North Carolina’s Prettiest Small Town” and “One of America’s Prettiest Winter Towns.” It’s easy to see why with all of the natural beauty that make it a beautiful place to visit year-round. [Full Story »]