Back in October we took a quick fall getaway to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Throughout the years, we’ve taken many day trips to enjoy the gardens and trails. Due to its close proximity to us we’ve never needed to stay overnight; however, when trying to think of a place we could spend a pleasant, outdoor fall break that would be close enough to allow us to wait until our college-aged daughter got out of her last Friday afternoon class before leaving town, Callaway Gardens seemed like an ideal destination!
We stayed in a cozy 2-bedroom cottage on Sparkleberry Lane. How cute is that name!
We loved staying in this cottage! It offered plenty of space with a great kitchen, a relaxing den, a screened porch, a bed for everyone.
Our time indoors was spent playing games, working a puzzle, snacking on good food, and laughing late into the night!
But most of our weekend was spent in the beautiful outdoors.
It wasn’t leaf peak week yet, but there was enough autumnal color in the trees to enjoy as we walked through the canopies of several trails.
I find woodland paths to be so enchanting, don’t you? Every twist and turn excite my curiosity to discover the next surprise ahead. A creek, a bridge, a gazebo, a waterfall, a quirky tree.
I took in every single fascinating detail! God’s creation is a feast for the eyes!
The little chapel has always been our favorite stop along the trail.
Nestled so naturally in the woods with a creek running alongside it, this quaint chapel draws us in with its stonework, rich wood, and stunning stained glass which splendidly depicts the four seasons in its design.
Callaway’s natural beauty would be enough to soak in, but for the younger visitor, Callaway has incorporated a playful bug theme into their walking paths. These bugs were giant!
This little cabin is also a favorite and I was happy to find it open the day we were there.
The Butterfly Garden is quite cheerful to meander through! It’s hard to capture the scene adequately in photos, but hundreds of butterflies flutter and swirl all around their guests. I told my 21-year-old about the time we walked her through when she was a toddler and her little face was full of joyful excitement. Sweet memory.
The only extra event we added to our tickets was the Pumpkins at Callaway.
It was really cute, but a little disappointing because it seemed they’d sold more tickets for the night than they could accommodate. There were some activities our son wanted to try but when we got in the lines, we were told they couldn’t take anymore guests for the evening even though it was still a few hours before closing. So, we did not get our money’s worth with this one, but we walked over to the beach and had a great time taking funny family photos (not pictured here but they practiced their silliest yoga poses.)
I took this last photo as we were driving out our last day to head back home, and I think some of us may have let out an audible sigh as we departed.
God was so gracious to allow us this fall trip and I’m very grateful for the rest and memories made with my family.
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