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By Scottie Davis

Callaway Gardens, in Pine Mt., Ga. is the perfect resort for a multigenerational family gathering. Located in the rolling foothills of Georgia’s Pine Mountains, 80 miles west of Macon, Ga. and 60 miles from Atlanta Hartsfield airport, it is an easy place to meet.

Callaway is one of those rare vacation spots that offer enough diverse and different kinds of activities to pique the interests of all ages and keep the whole family occupied and happy. This 13,000 acre resort has won many awards and is frequently touted as the “Family Resort of the Year.”

Florida State University’s Flying High Circus, the Summer Family Adventure Program, and activities around Robin Beach are central to Callaway’s unique summer activities. The Tree Top Adventure is new this year, with zip-lines, swinging bridges and other aerial challenges for those who love an adrenaline rush.

The circus has been an integral part of the summer program since 1961. A select group of the University circus troupe performs five days a week (no Tuesday and Wednesday performances) under a huge green and white tent. Their daring feats on the high wire, exciting stunts on the trapeze, and thrilling juggling acts delight children of all ages.

My own adult children recall with great affection vacationing at Callaway Gardens. Now, my grandchildren are following suit and all of us are mesmerized by the circus. As I said before, this is a marvelous multigenerational vacation spot.

The college students who perform in the circus also serve as counselors for the Family Adventure Program. This seven day program runs from Saturday to Saturday and includes accommodations, scheduled activities and entertainment for all family members.

Youngsters from ages 3-17 can attend camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. while the adults are at leisure to do as they please. Evening activities are planned for the entire family. Families participating in this program stay together in The Cottages and Villas.

For families that prefer a less structured vacation, there are an array of activities available – golf, tennis, boating, fishing, biking 17 miles of nature trails, the Birds of Prey shows, Sibley Horticulture Center, Mr. Cason’s Garden, and the Day Butterfly House — to name a few.

Then, there is Robin Lake Beach, the world’s largest man-made white sand beach and a 65-acre lake. Swimming, water skiing and other water sports (including blaster boats), miniature golf, a children’s playground and the circus make Robin Lake Beach the hub of summer activities at Callaway Gardens.

Restaurants abound throughout the resort and accommodations range from the Mountain Creek Inn to the Southern Pine Cottages, Mountain Creek Villas and the Lodge & Spa. The latter, with 150 rooms, is now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection.

There are some incredible packages offered online. For additional information: callawaygardens.com or call 1-800-Callaway.

The summer program runs through mid August, so start packing, call the family and make plans to get together soon. Let’s hope the grands can keep up with you!

Scottie Davis recently went to Callaway Gardens with her granddaughter to check out the zip lines.

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By Scottie Davis

If beautiful surroundings, healthy cuisine and about as much exercise as a body can stand are prerequisites for your ideal vacation, you will love Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires in Lenox, Mass.

The centerpiece is an exquisite 1897 mansion with an expansive rolling lawn; luxurious accommodations and excellent food. Activities in the gym include classes in everything from cardio intervals, weights and bands to yoga and breathing. There are even classes in water coloring. Hiking, kayaking, golf and ropes courses are among those offered and a cultural desk arranges tickets to plays, concerts, and dance performances in the area and provide transportation, as well. On a recent visit to Canyon Ranch, not only did they take us to Tanglewood (the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer home) and drop us off right at the entrance, but the staff had already set up chairs on the lawn for us. Talk about service!

Workout clothes, tennis togs, and bathing suits are typical attire as guests move from class to class, participate in sports or head to the spa for a massage or facial. A multitude of activities take place every hour. The best news is there is no drill sergeant barking orders or telling you what to do. You decide which makes it an ideal place to vacation!

Cell phone use is restricted to guest rooms and a few designated areas on the resort contributing to the tranquility of the resort.

And people are friendly. During dinner at the Captain’s Table, reserved for guests traveling solo or new to Canyon Ranch, I met Jackie, a mom of three children who had just arrived from Beijing; Lois, a busy attorney from Philadelphia who comes to Canyon Ranch whenever possible to chill out; and Jean, another regular who once spent a month here and touts the medical staff as “incredible.” On a hike, I met another woman who was with her daughter and daughter-in-law, celebrating the younger women’s 40th birthdays. Though we came from different places, we shared the same goal — to live a healthy lifestyle.

Food is very important when you are on vacation and even though this is called spa cuisine, it is exceptional. Menus change often and in lieu of prices, fat grams and calories are listed. One night for dinner, I had smoked trout as an appetizer with veggie stir-fry, brown rice with chicken for an entrèe and carrot cake for dessert. The portions are small, making it perfect for those who desire to eat healthy. Cooking demos are also very popular and the chefs have a huge following.

Canyon Ranch has taken the spa to a whole new level. They offer services including mud wraps, massages and anti-aging facials. A wellness department has physicians and nutritionists on staff. Lectures and programs abound on subjects from poetry to breathing.

There is also much to explore in the area where Edith Wharton and Norman Rockwell lived. Nearby is excellent shopping in Lenox, Stockbridge, Lee and Pittsfield. A visit to The Clark Museum in Williamstown is a treat.

Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires has it all – beauty, a staff geared to pampering, great classes and work-outs, and food for those who want to adhere to a healthy lifestyle. They have really thought of everything.

Learn more about Canyon Ranch at canyonranch.com/lenox

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By Scottie Davis

Charleston is like a southern belle. When you think you know her, you turn the corner and learn something new – again and again.

If you’re taking a day trip to Charleston, try to focus on one objective or activity, as the city can be overwhelming if you try to do too much in a short time. For example, it’s possible to plan day trips shop; to take a walking tour of the historic district and The Citadel; or to see the city dressed in holiday splendor and take in a Christmas show and light display. Carriage rides and walking tours (watch the uneven streets and sidewalks) give you an up close view of Charleston.

There are walking tours that concentrate on specific aspects of Charleston’s history -pirates, ghosts, Confederate Charleston, etc. To explore Charleston on your own, you need a comfortable pair of walking shoes, a map and a sense of adventure. Explore the historic district from the antique shops and boutiques on King Street to the museums on Meeting Street and restaurants and galleries on Bay Street. Peer over the garden gates, linger at the Battery. Then, let me know about the discoveries you love the best!

The arts are a source of pride to Charleston. Plays at the Dock Street Theater, productions at Gilliard Auditorium and The Sounds of Charleston in Circular Church, where “Amazing Grace” was born, are among the attractions. The Charleston Ballet, art museums and art galleries all reflect the sophistication of this elegant city.

Excellent restaurants abound in the historic district from quaint Jestine’s Kitchen to the Barbados Room in the Mills House Hotel. On Bay Street, Magnolias, Blossoms, High Cotton and Slightly North of the Broad (SNOB) are longtime favorites.

There are a gazillion B&B’s and hotels in the historic district. Choose one where you can walk everywhere your heart desires. Good deals can be found online at charlestoncvb.com.

In October, The Mojo Festival is alive with music, dance and art and Preservation Society’s Fall House and Gardens Tour featuring architecturally significant private homes and gardens is in full swing. There is no city in America that combines its culture, history, and beauty the way Charleston does.

Like encounters with a southern belle, Charleston is a joy to experience – time and time again.

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By Scottie Davis
Special to Sun City Packet

An aura of mystery surrounds Cumberland Island on the Georgia/Florida border. Known as “the Emerald of the Georgia Islands,” Cumberland is accessible only by water, limits the number of visitors to 300 a day and fiercely protects its privacy. A National Seashore maintained by the Park Service, Cumberland Island is raw nature at its finest.

There are no stores; no places to buy anything. You bring everything to the island with you and take all garbage off when you leave.

Little has changed on Cumberland since the mid 80s when I first began writing about it. Now, I also take groups to the island to experience firsthand what a treasure it is.

The public ferry, the Cumberland Queen, departs from St Marys, GA. For the 45 minute ride to the island. Pets and bikes are not allowed on the ferry and reservations are necessary.

Nature lovers, hikers, photographers, and birders are particularly drawn to Cumberland. Fifty miles of hiking trails loop and slice through the interior of the Cumberland. Wild horses roam the beach and graze lazily in the fields; armadillos slither across the paths. The dunes are so high you wonder if you are on a beach or a desert and there are 300 species of birds on the island.

American royalty have had a long love affair with Cumberland. Thomas and Lucy Carnegie bought the island in the 1880s and built an opulent mansion, Dungeness, where guests were entertained with polo matches and wild boar hunts. Though the mansion burned in 1959, the ruins, dressed in vines of green, still remain to tell of their lifestyle.

Plum Orchard, a 30 room Greek revival, was built for son George in 1898. The mansion has recently been renovated and tours are available through the Park Service.

Greyfield was built for daughter Margaret in 1901. This mansion is now the only inn on the Cumberland and the dining room at Greyfield is the only place to eat on the island. There is something wonderfully romantic about a candlelight feast served in the middle of the wilderness on the original dining room table from Dungeness.

The late John and Caroline Bassette Kennedy were married on Cumberland, exchanging vows in the tiny First African Baptist Church followed by a celebration at the Greyfield Inn. Area locals still tell stories about how this coup was pulled off!

Day trips to the island are very popular, but you can stay at the inn or camp if you want to overnight on Cumberland. There are 16 campsites in Sea Camp nestled behind the dunes, each with its own cooking facilities and picnic table. Water and showers are in the main camp. Reservations are necessary.

The National Park Service operates and maintains Cumberland Island National Seashore. Rangers also lead programs on the island. Check the board when you arrive to see what they are offering that day.

Cumberland is unlike any other island you will ever visit. Its mystery and beauty will linger with you long after you leave its shores. Cumberland is truly raw nature at its finest and “the Emerald of the Georgia Islands.”

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