I just discovered Callaway Gardens! It is a beautiful 13,000 acres of Georgia countryside in the Appalachian Mountains. My husband and I found it perfect for our first romantic getaway without the kids. Callaway Gardens Georgia was a lovely place to relax, unplug and enjoy the scenery. It was a beautiful escape.
Callaway Gardens Georgia Attractions:
Callaway Gardens offers one of North America’s biggest Butterfly House Conservatories, the world’s largest azalea display, a lovely vegetable garden, ten miles of nature shrouded trails, lakes, beach, bike and boat rentals, a Birds of Prey Show, and a Horiculture Center. Oh yes, and did I mention the Treetop Adventure – Zip Line and Ropes Course and Virginia Callaway Discovery Center?
With so much to do and see at Callaway Gardens, we were not able to do everything we wanted during our little getaway but we did rent bikes and check out the nature trails. We rode over to the Butterfly Center Conservatory which was awesome. They had tons of cocoons and you could witness some butterflies emerging and then go inside and see them fluttering about a terrific assortment of flora. We enjoyed Mr. Cason’s garden and I loved looking at the amazing structures of the grape vines.
We rode our bikes around the lakes and saw the huge Callaway Gardens Beach around Robin Lake. There was a big stage area right on the water where they have concerts and performances as various times of the year. I could just imagine my kiddos making sand castles and swimming on the Robin Lake sand beach. In fact we passed several playgrounds and I kept thinking how much the kids would have enjoyed the trip too.
My husband and I even did a little mini golfing! They also had shuffleboards and ping pong tables.
Callaway Gardens is located just an hour from Atlanta, 3 hours from Birmingham, and 5 and a half hours from Nashville. We stopped in Atlanta on the way to Callaway Gardens to enjoy lunch at one of our pre-kid favorite spots- the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club. Delicious chicken quesadilla and Long Island Ice Tea!
The Lodge and Spa At Callaway Gardens:
Callaway Gardens Lodge
We stayed at the Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens, part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens blends the luxuries of an upscale resort with the simple touches of Mother Nature. The resort sits within the beautiful Callaway Gardens, which offers a plethora of outdoor activities but they also give you complimentary wireless internet just in case you need to stay connected. In fact, The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens actually has the first U.S. Green Building Council LEED-certified conference center in the world!
The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens has a hotel fitness center that is open 24 hours. I skipped that but it was nice to know it was there!! It also had a heated outdoor pool and two hot tubs. There was also a Golf Course at Callaway Gardens that I know my husband would have enjoyed if we stayed a little longer but there was a lot to fit into our stay!
We had a room with a huge, very comfortable king bed. There were lots of pillows so that you could pick just the right firmness for you. There were premium cable channels and wireless internet available but we just unplugged completely for our romantic getaway. It was a pretty room and had a lovely balcony that gave us a view of the pool, the fountain, and the tree line.
The bathroom was very spacious and had a separate shower and tub. The bathtub was awesome- nice and deep so you could really relax. They also had complementary items from the onsite Spa Prunifolia- really lovely shampoo and conditioner. Speaking of the Spa…
Callaway Gardens Spa Prunifolia:
Of course, I loved the sound of Callaway Gardens but I also loved the sound of the Spa Prunifolia and it was a huge draw for me. Relaxing, enjoying nature and a bike ride, and then an amazing Swedish Massage. What’s not to love right? You can have your cake and eat it too! Recharge at Spa Prunifolia’s 13,000-sq-ft spa, with an array of organic spa treatments and services. Yes, please! I regret being unable to sample each every amazing spa treatment that Spa Prunifolia offered (such as the Lemon Verbana Body Polish, Garden Aromatherapy Pedicure, and Prunifolia Signature Facial) but I was fortunate to experience the Swedish Massage firsthand. It was amazing!
First I hit their steam room while I was relaxing and waiting for my appointment time. Then I was given a choice of four amazing essential oil enhanced massage oils with different benefits. When I laid down on the massage table, I knew I was in for a treat. The massage table was heated and it was so relaxing. Then I had the most amazing massage where she really worked my muscles in a very effective way. I was experiencing a kink in my lower back for 3 days before the massage and it was gone by the evening after her amazing treatment. I loved all the extra touches like the heated towels and heated eye cloth. When my massage was over, I could have just stayed there all day I was so relaxed. I stopped at the dry heat sauna on the way out. A really great experience. In fact, writing about it is making me wish I could head over there right now! No wonder it is named a “Top 100 Spa” by Conde Nast.
Piedmont Grille:
The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens offers onsite dining at Piedmont Grille and the Ironwood Lounge. The Piedmont Grille offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner and features eclectic Southern fare highlighting as much local, organic and wild ingredients as the region has to offer. We sampled some yummy treats.
Of course we had to try the Fried Green tomatoes with the hot pepper jelly sauce and the cole slaw topping. Very nicely done!
I also just loved the fresh rosemary bread that they served us to snack on while we waited for our entrees. It had a lovely crunchy crust and really flavorful soft inside. You could tell is was freshly baked. I got the Prime Rib- YUM!
My husband had the Sweet Water Beer Basil Short Ribs served with homemade herb spatzel,baby brocolli and au jous. Really good!
I enjoyed the Bananas Foster French Toast with maple syrup, pecans, and whip cream so much that I forgot to take a picture until I had wolfed half of it down!
My husband enjoyed the amazing breakfast buffet with the custom omelet station.
Pine Mountain, GA Attractions:
Besides all of the attractions in Callaway Gardens, you can also check out the rest of Pine Mountain if you can find the time!
- FDR State Park
- FDR Little White House
- Wild Animal Safari
Callaway Gardens Georgia retreat is the perfect destination for family vacations or romantic getaways. I even saw a wedding party at The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gadens! We would certainly go back.
I was provided with a stay at The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens in the hopes that I would share my honest opinions. I received no monetary compensation and the opinions expressed are my own.
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