15 Best Sights in Southwest Georgia, Georgia

South of Pine Mountain Village lies the area's main draw: a 2,500-acre golf and tennis resort with a combination of elaborate, cultivated gardens and natural woodlands. This family-friendly destination was developed in the 1940s by textile magnate Cason J. Callaway and his wife, Virginia, as a way to breathe new life into the area's dormant cotton fields. With more than 1,000 varieties, the Day Butterfly Center is one of the largest free-flight conservatories in North America. Mountain Creek Lake is well stocked with largemouth bass and bream. Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel—a favorite wedding venue—is a lovely stone chapel nestled in the woods alongside a lake and babbling stream. The Callaway Discovery Center is a popular choice for families; especially enjoyable is the daily Birds of Prey show. During the holidays, Callaway lights up with the exciting "Fantasy in Lights." 

Three different historic sites highlight the life and work of the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. You can visit the late-1880s railroad depot that once housed his 1976 presidential campaign headquarters. Vintage phones play recordings of Carter discussing his grassroots run for the White House. A couple of miles outside town on the Old Plains Highway is the 360-acre Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm, where the Carter family grew cotton, peanuts, and corn; it has been restored to its original appearance before electricity was introduced. Period furniture fills the house, and the battery-powered radio plays Carter's reminiscences of growing up on a Depression-era farm. Plains High School, where the Carters attended school, is now a museum and the headquarters of the historic site. Note that the Carter's current ranch style home is a part of the historic district, but not open to the public. Rosalynn Carter's grave site is there. Start your visit here with a short orientation film, and pick up a self-guided tour book that explains the sites.

Located on the southern end of town, this fascinating historic site contains the modest three-bedroom cottage in which Roosevelt stayed during his visits. The cottage, built in 1932, remains much as it did the day America's 32nd president died here (while having his portrait painted) and includes the wheelchair Roosevelt designed from a kitchen chair. The unfinished portrait is on display, along with the 48-star American flag that flew over the grounds when Roosevelt died. The FDR Memorial Museum includes an interesting short film narrated by Walter Cronkite (last screening at 4 pm), exhibits detailing Roosevelt's life and New Deal programs, and some of Roosevelt's personal effects, such as his 1938 Ford, complete with the full hand controls he designed. Admission here allows you to also visit the nearby pools where Roosevelt took his therapy.

Located outside the gates of Fort Moore, this museum examines the role of the U.S. infantry for every war in the nation's history through interactive, technology-rich displays. A must for military buffs, the facility holds more than 70,000 artifacts, including weaponry, uniforms, and equipment from the Revolutionary War to the present day, including a re-created World War II Company Street, which includes General Patton's sleeping quarters. On the museum grounds is the moving Global War on Terrorism Memorial, which is rededicated every year to honor service members who have lost their lives. The center also features a Giant Screen theater that shows both documentaries and Hollywood blockbusters. A variety of virtual reality simulators are also available for a fee.

On the National Register of Historic Places, Pebble Hill is the only plantation in the area open to the public. The sprawling estate was last home to sporting enthusiast and philanthropist Elisabeth "Pansy" Ireland Poe, who specified that the plantation be open to the public upon her death (in 1978). The property dates to 1825, although most of the original house was destroyed in a fire in the 1930s. Highlights of the current two-story main house include a dramatic horseshoe-shape entryway, a wraparound terrace on the upper floor, and an elegant sunroom decorated with a wildlife motif. The second story now serves as an art gallery displaying the Poes' large sporting art collection. Surrounding the house are 34 acres of immaculately maintained grounds that include gardens, a walking path, a log-cabin school, a fire station, a carriage house, kennels, and a hospital for the plantation's more than 100 dogs (prized dogs were buried with full funerals, including a minister). The sprawling dairy-and-horse-stable complex resembles an English village.

About 20 miles northeast of Plains, Andersonville National Historic Site is a solemn reminder of the Civil War's tragic toll. Andersonville, also known as Camp Sumter, was the war's deadliest prisoner-of-war camp. Some 13,000 Union prisoners died here, mostly from disease, neglect, and malnutrition. Photographs, artifacts, and high-tech exhibits detail not just the plight of Civil War prisoners but also prison life and conditions affecting all of America's 800,000 POWs since the Revolutionary War.

With 565 acres of lush fields, forests, swamps, and butterfly gardens, this nature center is a wondrous haven for birds and scores of other native wildlife. Miles of walking trails meander through the property, and nature programs are offered year-round. Check the website for the latest hours and program offerings.

Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, part of the Riverwalk, houses a multimedia planetarium with several showtimes offered daily, an observatory, a replica of an Apollo space capsule, a space shuttle, and other NASA-related exhibits, including cool flight simulators.

Part antiques store, part museum, this eclectic site boasts the world’s largest collection of lunch boxes and other pop-culture treasures. There are seven “museums” or displays within the collective: The Lunch Box Museum, The Georgia Radio Museum, The Royal Crown Cola Museum, The Chero-Cola Museum, The Nehi Drink Museum, The Tom Huston Peanut Museum and The Car Museum. Evoking nostalgia while showcasing the industrial history of his hometown is key to founder and curator Allen Woodall, Jr.’s vision. The soft drink brands and Tom’s Snacks originated in Columbus in the early 20th century.

The state's largest art and history museum invites visitors to celebrate creativity and culture through the experience of American art, regional history, tranquil gardens, and more. The museum reopened in May 2024 following a transformative renovation including a new children's gallery and garden, history galleries, orientation spaces, courtyard, and grab-and-go café. The art galleries have been reimagined and historic features in the Bradley Olmsted Garden have undergone repair. Art enthusiasts, history buffs, nature lovers, and learners both young and old will find something of interest here.

At 9,049 acres, F. D. Roosevelt is the largest state park in Georgia. Named for the president who considered this area his second home, it's rich in both history and natural beauty. Several park amenities were built by FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, including multiple cottages and the Liberty Bell Swimming Pool fed by local cool springs. The park contains more than 40 miles of trails, including the popular 23-mile Pine Mountain Trail. Dowdell’s Knob, an overlook along the trail, was one of the president's favorite spots to picnic; there's even a statue there to commemorate him. Within the park are also two lakes, 115 modern campsites, and backcountry and pioneer campgrounds.

When it was built by Chicago shoe manufacturer Charles W. Lapham in 1884, this three-story Victorian house was state of the art, with gas lighting and indoor plumbing with hot and cold running water. But the most curious feature of this unusual house is that Lapham, who had witnessed the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, had 45 exit doors installed because of his fear of being trapped in a burning house. The house is now a National Historic Landmark because of its unique architectural features. The Thomasville History Center staff offers guided tours on weekends.

Those interested in the nation's Civil War past should make it a point to visit this innovative military museum that focuses on the Confederate navy and its influence on the U.S. Navy's subsequent development. Columbus's riverfront location made it a major player in river transport prior to and throughout the Civil War. Interactive exhibits tell the story of shipbuilding and major Civil War ship battles. You can even walk the decks of partially reconstructed Civil War ships and get a glimpse of what combat was like in a full-scale replica of the CSS Albermarle. The museum also boasts the largest collection of Civil War naval-related flags on display in the country.

Known as "Georgia's Little Grand Canyon," Providence Canyon State Park and Outdoor Recreation Area is actually made up of 16 canyons whose earthen walls display at least 43 different colors of sand. Providence Canyon is a favorite of geologists, photographers, and hikers, who enjoy peering over the canyon's rim and traversing its 10 miles of trails. It's located about 33 miles west of Plains.

Located in the historic 1923 Flowers-Roberts House, this museum and history center contains exhibits about the history of Thomas County along with seven historical buildings you can tour. The buildings, carefully preserved and moved to the museum grounds, include an 1870 "dogtrot" log cabin and an 1893 bowling alley believed to be the second-oldest bowling alley still standing in the United States. To get the full picture of Thomasville's history, purchase the combination tour which includes the nearby Lapham-Patterson House (offered on Fridays and Saturdays).