Jessica Forrester

Be a Tourist In Your Own Backyard

BY JESSICA FORRESTER

Planning a vacation can be overwhelming! Even so, it is important to take a break from work to spend quality time with your family. If you want to avoid traveling, due to COVID-19, or if you are simply looking for a unique experience close to home, here are six staycation ideas in Cobb County and surrounding areas that will help make this a summer to remember!

1.

Wake in a New Place Treasure Hunt Tree House

Need a change in scenery? Search for “Treasure Hunt Tree House in Metro Atlanta” on Airbnb for more information, and to browse through the photos of this special getaway in Kennesaw. The multi-story tree house is complete with fun features, including a treasure hunt activity, and the two structures joined by a rope bridge.

Lake Allatoona Inn

Located on the lakefront, the restored Victorian inn is surrounded by 16 acres of land and nearby historical sites. The grounds are used for grazing horses, as well as special events held on the property. For more information about this quaint bed-and-breakfast, visit lakeallatoonainn.com.

Splendor Oaks Tiny-Living Glamping

Splendor Oaks Eco-Farm Homestead, located on Bells Ferry Road, is home to three unique glamping getaways, all less than 250 square feet. Guests can reserve the Stay Bird Bus, La Bella Bell Tent or Eden Treehouse through Airbnb. The owners, Kurtis and Dayana Cagle, have created an environment where everyone will feel at home. The lower level of the main house has a guest lounge, with various amenities, and a “lake life” fun truck outfitted with kayaks, floats, fishing poles, a cooler and a lake pass for nearby Lake Allatoona, which can be reserved at an additional charge. Visit www.splendoroaks.com/airbnbs to see photos of the property, along with the links to the Airbnb listings.

2.

Make an Escape Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are immersive games in which players work together to find clues, solve riddles and puzzles, and accomplish tasks to progress through the game and reach the goal. There are many escape rooms to choose from in Marietta, including Urban Escape Games, The Escapery and Project Escape. Each escape room features a different theme, holds unique secrets and puzzles, and is a new adventure.

Immerse yourself and up to five others in a whole other world with Cobb County Parks Escape Rooms. Put your teamwork, puzzle-solving and trivia expertise to the test in hour-long escape rooms throughout the year: The Emporium, Prison Break and Merry Mystery. Call 678-978-2557 to register over the phone, or book online at https://cobbparksescaperooms.com. Open Fridays and Saturdays. Located at Oregon Park Annex at 135 Old Hamilton Road, Marietta.

Jim Lawrence, left, a Vintage Flights pilot with Randy Dotson after flying in one of Vintage Flights’ World War II training planes, the AT-6 Texan, 2018.

Walking Tours Ghosts of Marietta.

Join the residents that chose to never leave on a guided tour of a past that is deep in tradition, history and quality of life. Tour guides will excite you with tales of departed spirits and mysterious residents as you walk through Marietta’s historic streets, and, if you’re lucky, you will experience them as well. Visit ghostsofmarietta.com to book a tour, Fridays through Sundays year-round.

Historic Haunts.

Take a trip back in time through downtown Canton, and learn about its history and haunts on a 2-hour guided walking tour that begins and ends at the gazebo. The family-friendly tours can be booked through the fall, and are sure to captivate and surprise you. Visit https://cantonhaunts.com for more information.

Downtown Tour Series.

Learn more about downtown Woodstock by taking advantage of the free, themed walking tours exploring various aspects of the area. The guided tours are offered on the last Thursday of the month, March-September, and each month’s tour covers a different topic. RSVP online for a tour, beginning two weeks before the tour date, at https:// wdstkbrandstore.square.site. For more information, call the Woodstock Visitors Center at 770-924-0406.

4.

Take to the Skies Biplane Rides.

Operating off the patio of the Downwind Restaurant in the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport, Atlanta Air Tours, formerly Biplane Rides Over Atlanta, offers daytime and sunset flights with memorable views. Experience the adventure of open-cockpit flying while soaring over notable attractions, such as the downtown Atlanta skyline, Stone Mountain, Lake Lanier and Ted Turner Field. 770-393-3937. Visit https://biplane.com for details and to book a flight.

Hot Air Balloon Rides.

Balloon Atlanta is a hot air balloon tour agency that provides unforgettable experiences, from skimming across a lake to soaring thousands of feet in the sky. Visit balloonatlanta.com for more information and to book a ride.

Vintage Flights Aviation Experiences.

Based at the Cherokee County Airport, between Canton and Ball Ground, Vintage Flights offers unique aviation and sightseeing experiences in authentic World War II era aircraft. The aircraft are dual-flight-control equipped, so you can take the controls if you are feeling daring. Vintage Flights provides unforgettable experiences and definitely will give you a new view of Cherokee County! Visit https://vintageflights.com for more information.