Georgia has its share of natural beauty — lush, green trees, majestic mountains, canyons and rushing waterfalls. Also to be found in Georgia are things to do, see and experience that take you off the beaten path; those quirky, unconventional things that are interesting and will leave room for a great story to tell later. From little darling goats which leisurely stroll on a roof in Tiger to reminiscing on the good old days and treasured lunchboxes in Columbus, there's something for every peculiar, not run-of-the-mill taste.
In a rather wonky, unconventional way to release pent up aggression, Tank Town USA provides an easy option — one where smashing old cars to smithereens is a tried and true tradition and pastime. It's noisy, it's loud and it's fun. And those who choose to partake in a smashing might get a little dirty, literally. Tank Town USA, 10408 Appalachian Highway, Morganton. 706-633-6072, tanktownusa.com.
In this charming pit stop in Tiger, Georgia, as the name suggests, goats are on the roof. Yes, actually on the roof. An assortment of goats walk on a suspension bridge between the two buildings, making for a sight to see. A wide variety of Amish foods, furniture and wacky souvenirs can also be found here. Goats on the Roof, US-441, Tiger. 706-782-2874, goats-on-the-roof.com, @agoatlife.
Remember the Cabbage Patch Kids? Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland is a field of dreams, situated in a Southern style home in the North Georgia mountains. Babies are born at Babyland from Mother Cabbage herself, beneath the branches of the Magic Crystal Tree, and their little heads appear in heads of cabbage as their introduction into the world. Walking through the hospital takes visitors through baby delivery, the babies being nursed once born and even holding the babies. Cabbage Patch Kids Babyland General Hospital, 300 N.O.K. Drive, Cleveland. 706-865-2171, babylandgeneral.com, @cpkusa.
Lunch Box Museum
In a brightly-lit room, as a part of a much larger vintage mall, an eclectic collection of lunch boxes, of all things, are the highlight in this site in Columbus, Ga. The owner Allen Woodall speaks highly of the collection of lunch boxes he's amassed over the years, marked by nostalgia and memories from primary school years. There is also a fleet of antique cars near the property if car nostalgia tickles your fancy. Lunch Box Museum, 318 10th Avenue, Columbus. 706-653-6240.
The Georgia Guidestones are like little Stonehenge right here in Georgia — six massive pieces of granite arranged to form four pillars, a central piece and a capstone. Built in 1980, messages scrawled in eight different languages, including Chinese and Arabic, are found on the pieces of rock and have long been held to be some sort of conspiracy and a gateway to ancient wisdom. The guidestones have even been the subject of a book; Raymond Wiley published one four years ago detailing everything about these mysterious, much talked about, pieces of granite. Georgia Guidestones, Hartwell Highway, Elbert.
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