Callaway Gardens
add photos12 Reviews for Callaway Gardens
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'11, '12
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"Free in Jan and Feb!"
Despite having lived in Georgia for almost 13 years, we had never been to visit Callaway Gardens. When I learned that admission is free in January and February we took a little road trip down to visit. Unfortunately for my youngest, the height minimum on Treetop Adventures is 54 inches, so we were not able to check that out. We did go to a Birds of Prey show featuring owls that was informative and quite entertaining as well. The butterfly garden was neat, but not too different from the others we've been to. The grounds look like a lovely place to ride bikes and explore on warmer days.
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1 family found this helpful
"It is like summer camp for families!"
Callaway Gardens is perfect for families who love to camp but want some of the luxuries of a hotel. We stayed in the Southern Pine Cottages and it was the perfect base for our weekend adventure. In our Southern Pine Cottage we had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a little kitchen that was fully equipped with everything that we needed to cook dinner, and a living room area. Our favorite part of the cottage was the number of porches…three of them! We had one porch off of each bedroom and a screened in porch off of the living room. After playing all day, we sat on the porch in the dark and watched the lightning bugs dance around. It is the first time my kids had ever seen lightning bugs so it was a fun moment for us!
There is so much to do in Callaway Gardens that we couldn’t possibly fit it all in one weekend. One of our favorite activities included spending time in the Butterfly House. The Butterfly House can get very busy so be prepared for crowds. I got a tip from a friend to wait until the day warms up to visit because the butterflies are more active! In the summertime, Robin Lake Beach is a great place for families to gather. There is a swim area, a snack bar, shuffle board courts, table tennis, miniature golf and a small playground. Robin Lake Beach is also home to Aqua Island, a floating playground, Blaster Boats and Light Striker Laser Tag. The Treetop Adventure is one of the newer additions and lets visitors zipline through the trees and climb across bridges that don’t look all that sturdy to me! We were impressed with the staff as we watched them work with a little girl who was mildly panicked about being so high off the ground. Nobody could calm her down so we watched them lower her to the ground with a pulley system. You can also rent kayaks and this is the one activity we are disappointed that we missed.
Hiking and biking is another popular activity. While we did a little bit of hiking, we skipped the bike riding. The activities are not all very close together and the area is very hilly. I knew that our small children would not last very long.
A few things to note: If you want to participate in activities like laser tag, blaster boats, or the Treetop Adventure, you will want to sign up early in the morning. You can sign up at a building called Square One at Robin Beach. The activities fill up very quickly. We went to sign up around noon and several of the activities were already booked solid for the day. Also, there are lots of age and height restrictions. I advise you to make sure that you check which activities your children will be able to participate in before you get them excited. My little guy was very upset when he found out he was too young for laser tag! If you decide to eat at the pizza place on the grounds, order your pizza ahead of time. We waited for over an hour for our pizza while the person next to us happily ate their dinner because they had called their order in 45m before they came to the restaurant!
Disclosure: My family received a complimentary stay and passes at Callaway Gardens in order to complete an unbiased review. We covered all additional expenses including gas and meals. Callaway Gardens did not request that any specific opinions be expressed and all opinions are my own.
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"butterfly"
this is a beautiful and fun place. Plan to spend there whole day because you can really enjoy the beauty of the nature and the time with your family in the nature. it would be good to take lunch and eat it in the heart of the nature, where kids can play and see the beautiful big butterflies. Don't forget also to visit another beautiful place nearby The Wild Safari.
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"Just Beautiful!"
We went to the butterfly garden house and it is just amazing. What absolutely gorgeous flowers and the butterflies are so beautiful. We went for the weekend and just thoroughly enjoyed how relaxing it is there and there is just so much to do--hiking, swimming, running, etc. We can't wait to plan our next trip!
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"Great Family Fun"
Callaway Gardens is the perfect place for a family with young ones to explore. Our family visited the Gardens a few months ago and our daughter had an amazing time. The walking trails are well maintained and clean. During our visit, we watched the raptor show, which was extremely informative for my husband and I, as well as for our 6-year-old. One of the most fascinating parts of the visit was our time at the Butterfly Center. We wished we would have brought our mountain bikes along with us, as well, so that we could have taken advantage of the biking trails. Since admission to Callaway Gardens can be pricey, I would recommend making a whole day out of your visit.
1 family found this helpful
"Beautiful Butterfly Garden"
There isn't too much to do in the winter time, but in January and February, they always offer free admission so that's when we typlically go. The kids LOVE the butterfly garden and we could spend hours of time in there. They also have a viewing area where you can watch the butterflies come out of their cocoons. It's so much fun to see!
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"Free Admission in Jan and Feb!"
We love Callaway Gardens, especially in January and February when admission is FREE! Even though there might not be a lot in bloom, the trails are still great, the butterfly house is open, and you can see a great birds of prey show as well. We will definitely be making another trip this winter to enjoy the hiking and biking trails!
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"Callaway Gardens"
What a great over-all family trip! I had my wedding there this summer and had several friends and family members coming with all age groups represented. There is something for everyone there, especially during the summer. Most of our guests stayed at the Lodge, which provided comfortable amenities, good food, sand plenty to keep the kiddos occupied. The spa at the Lodge leaves something to be desired, I wouldn't go just for that. The gardens are beautiful and the fun is happening all around!
1 family found this helpful
"Tried and true family fun"
We live close enough to Callaway that we are able to visit often, and it is great for families. While it can be slightly pricey, season passes are very affordable if you are able to make return trips. The beach area is nice on a hot day, but our favorites are the butterfly center and the vegetable gardens. There are nice bike trails and paddle boats, as well as the famous Fantasy in Lights Christmas show. Definitely worth the trip!
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"Beautiful Fun"
This park is just plain beautiful. From the spring when the flowers are blooming and the summer when the butterflies are numerous to the fall with the changing leaves (and, yes, still flowers!), to the winter with the Fantasy in Lights. There are plenty of places to walk or bike, and if you are taking younger children, I would definitely suggest a stroller!
1 family found this helpful
"Christmas lights"
We've enjoyed their festival of lights for a couple of Christmas seasons. The ride through the park on the "tram" is well worth the wait. It is so fun to sing along to the songs with your family all together, looking at the fun light displays. The lit up oak tree (large tree) reflected in the lake is a must see. Wear warm, warm clothes (hats, gloves, etc.) They also provide blankets.
1 family found this helpful
"A great weekend getaway"
Callaway Gardens is a great park with beautiful butterfly gardens. It was some of the most amazing nature I have seen. There are shows and exhibits and our favorite was the Birds of Prey that featured owls and a Bald Eagle. They have a vegetable garden to visit and lots of places to stop and play. Bring a stroller for little ones and make sure you have your camera.
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