Location

In the northwest corner of piedmont park in the heart of midtown.

You can enter by car or on foot from Piedmont Avenue at the pardon between14thstreet and Monroe dr., or use MARTA train.

Disabled Facilities

All areas are accessible to visitors with disabilities but strollers have to be left outside the Faqua conservatory.

International Visitors Facilities

30-minute audio tour of the Faqua conservatory in five languages:German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and English they are available at the museum shop for$2only.

Times of Availability

April-October (Tuesday-Sunday from9am to7pm)

November - March (Tuesday-Sunday from9am to6pm)

Closed on Mondays and all days thanks giving,Christmas and New Year's Day.

Prices

Best prices are $10 for adults $7 for seniors $5 for students and free for children under the age of six.

Annual membership (individuals):$40

Annual membership (families):$60

Must See

1. Museum shop: It opens at 10 am filled with grand collections of garden books, hard to find garden supplies, seeds, bulbs, wedding gifts, jewelry , wind chimes and greenhouse live plants such as orchids, exotic succulents, ferns, carnivorous and beautiful house plants plus much more other stuff.

2. Sheffield botanical library: Holds over 3000 books and more than 60 periodicals on all aspects pf gardening and horticulture, the books cant be removed or checked out.

Special Events

You can rent the magnificent garden for private parties, weddings and co-operate meetings.

Every month you can witness the succulent blooming of a number of exotic flowery plants.

Hot spots

1. Indoor glass gardens.

2. Outdoor breathtaking gardens.

3. Children's garden: with water play area, mazes, slides, crawl thru caterpillar, beehive, gnomes, and dinosaur with eggs to discover in the sand.

4. Niki De Phalle exhibit: beautiful gardens , forests, exotic birds and many sculptures for kids to climb and play with.

5. Orchid exhibit: you might find it a bit expensive but it's worth it you will see rare kinds of orchids and all other kinds of colorful velvety magical orchids.

6. Chihueli exhibit: A famous exhibit that contains 70 pieces of gall sculptures that will amaze you and sweep you off your feet don't miss it because it opens just one night per week.

In the end I can only tell you if you don't believe me come see for yourself and thank me later.

 

St. Simons Island offers a variety of activities for the entire family. From dolphin tours to horseback riding or spending the evening on a ghost walk. Whatever your idea of fun, St. Simons Island is sure to have it.

Grab your bags and head over to the Ocean Lodge. It's much more than a place to lay your head for the night. The Ocean Lodge is rich with history and blessed with an abundance of beauty. Enjoy the warm gentle breeze while walking along the beach or simply relax out on the sundeck. This establishment has extraordinary details throughout, including the state of the art kitchen, bathroom and down to the luxurious view from the balcony. You won't be disappointed.

Now that you're settled in, take a ride over to Jekyll Wharf and catch a popular Dolphin Tour. See the dolphins carefree play, take in the view while you enjoy a water excursion like no other. Looking for something a little more hands on? The island offers sunset and beach horseback riding, grab a saddle and charge on. Interested in getting a little wet? A kayak is just what you are looking for. You can explore the Golden Isles and catch a glimpse of the wildlife on the beaches of St. Simons or journey through the Marshes of Glynn under a glorious moon during the Full Moon Paddle.

You might have to search high and low for this tucked away gem, but the Georgia Sea Grill is one of the best seafood stops on the island. Don't forget to order the Buttermilk Oysters, you won't regret it. If you are looking for a fine dining experience, J Mac's is your place. Choose from lobster, steak, veal or lamb and enjoy a drink at the piano bar, the Boston Cream Pie martini is a local favorite.

Take a walk over to Neptune Park, stroll along the beach and search for sand dollars or take a carriage ride and fall in love. This island has a variety of options for your enjoyment. But if you are up for a little adventure out of the ordinary, try searching for a tree spirit. That's right, surrounding the history of St. Simons Island lies a folklore legend; the St. Simons Island tree spirits. A local sculptor etched saddening faces into the trees in order to immortalize sailors who lost their lives at sea as well as several Indian faces. Follow the trail of the tree spirit's and allow your creative thoughts to take you back in time and imagine a storyline like no other.

St. Simons Island has something many other vacation destinations do not; it is not necessary to sell the idea of a visit with large theme parks, America's 1 beach or famous celebrities. Although those things are great and they do a wonderful job of attracting visitors, this tiny slice of the Golden Isle uses pure southern charm to whisk their visitors into place. That's the catch. St. Simons Island is charming, quaint and most of all, interesting.

Let's talk about one of my favorite attractions thus far, the Original Ghost Walk. I've been on many of the best including St. Augustine and Savannah, but I believe that this one is tops, by far. You can venture into the past with the local ghosts and spirits. The guided tour has you baffled by the talk of the tree spirits, the Lighthouse ghost and Mary the Wanderer.

Spooky, at best. But riveting for sure. The tour is led by only the light of an old tattered lantern and the legends of the historic south tip of St. Simons Island come alive by searching every nook and crannies of the eerie island paradise.

Throwing a little bit of nature into your vacation mix is always a good way to enjoy the great outdoors. Get out and play; St. Simons Island has more than an eyeful of exciting wildlife and scenic views of the island. Take on a nature tour and explore coastal Georgia. Search the island for a guided Marsh Walk or Beach Walk, you can even learn about the majestic live oaks that create the glorious landscape of the island.

Stop by Lovely Lane Chapel on your way to the beach. This is the oldest standing Church building on St. Simons Island. The windows are made of Old English art glass and colorful flowers highlight the traditional island landscaping surrounding the chapel. An elegant place to take your vows with the one you love; wink, wink.

Make sure to try out the local tastes while visiting the Golden Isles. What better way to enjoy the coast than to sip a raw oyster on a half shell? Don't forget the hot sauce, that's what makes it a real treat. Slurp away.

Before you leave the island make your way over to the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, one of only five surviving light towers in Georgia. Climb the 129 steps to the top and take in the view of the Golden Isles below. The keeper's cottage has been transformed into a museum featuring exhibits on the history of the lighthouse as well as unique lighthouse-related items. Make sure you join the "129 Club". Do so by climbing to the top of the St. Simons Island Lighthouse. A marker for St. Simons Sound, this historic landmark was created in the early 1800's by a local plantation owner. A local secret, the 129 Club signifies the 129 step cast iron spiral staircase to reach the top.

St. Simons Island is glowing with culture, wildlife and interesting facts and historical features. It is a hidden gem of the south and a vacation spot for both families and couples.

This area has it's own quirky spots to visit. No matter what your visit entails, you are sure to find something interesting around every corner. Some say this tucked away world is just the place to fall in love. I say, go and see for yourself why St. Simons Island, Georgia is a vacation getaway like no other.

We've planned this trip for a while now, and it was already time to make the move. My cousins' Ford Fusion, was perfect to go such distance. It was his brand-new car, red, and very sophisticated. We also had a police radar, because if we were getting there on scheduled time, we had to speed every now and then to make up for the awfully inevitable traffics that I-95 was famous for.

Now that we were ready, suitcases thrown in the trunk, and blankets and pillows in the back seats, my cousin flew in head first inside in the passenger seat. Delilah and Kate, the two women in my life, my girlfriend and my best friend were finally ready to jump in. Obviously, everyone was sleepy. But the driver, that would be me, had a very enormous disadvantage. I had to stay awake the whole time, or all of us would put an end to the press' silly season.

It was time to go now, but not quite in the direction we were supposed to. Feeling as drowsy as I was, I drove to Dunkin Donuts and got two cups of coffee so I'd keep awake. Looking in the rear-view mirror, the only thing I saw of those girls was their heads. They were all covered up in their blankets, sleeping as soundless. It was late winter, and still chilly in Florida. I looked over and so was George, his head cocked, leaning against he window, and was sleeping, but not as soundless as the girls. However, we had a schedule to keep, and I was ready to hit the road.

11:13AM

After making a couple of restroom stops, we finally made it to Georgia. Florida is not as scenic as the other states, nevertheless, some interesting things had caught our eyes here and there. For instance, it was kind of like tradition to count up all the accidents we'd see, and how many cars are pulled over by the cops. So far, the score was 4:7. Another things that caught our attention was the Fuller Warren Bridge, since we went over the Acosta bridge instead which was more parallel than perpendicular to the Fuller Warren. This is where we had stopped for our second bathroom break, in the heart of Jacksonville.

If you want to see the real Atlanta, avoid the chain stores and patronize the shops and home owned businesses, otherwise it is the same as everywhere else.

Plan to leave work earlier on Friday because the rush starts at lunch time.

The best time to visit Six Flags is on Sunday morning when everybody is at church. Have you map in your hand and head for the coasters. You won't have to wait in line until lunchtime.

Don't even try to drive on Peachtree Street in Buckhead during the holidays.

Try to get a smaller older house in Atlanta if you can afford it, closer to your job and short a commute.

Try going to the T-Gate checkpoint at the air port. It will save you time and get you to your destination a little faster.

Take a walk down Highland Avenue from north to Virginia Avenue. You will see why you came to the south.

There are two different Roswell Roads. One runs east/west in Marietta and (by the Big Chicken) the other runs north /south from Buckhead to Sandy Springs.

If you find a good short cut for avoiding traffic, don't tell anybody.

Dresden Drive in DeKalb has the best tag office. Its two blocks off Peachtree Road and you will get out fast.

Don't try to impress anyone with your French when pronouncing Ponce De Leon in Atlanta, the Leon part rhymes with neon and you can call it Ponce for short.

Slow down and remember you are in the South. We move a little slower so be patient.

Don't ever drive when the road ices, you might know how but nobody else around here does.

Remember it's not the heat that hurts you it's the humidity.

Try to stay off 285 between 3 and 7 o'clock because north is not north, east is not east and west is not west. Only a bunch of engineers at Georgia Tech know where these directions came from and you don't want to be in the wrong lane during these hours.

Get acquainted with the Hooch. It's a good place to walk, ride, jog, picnic or shoot the Hooch.

If you are thinking about driving Ga.400, Don't.

Try to remember that every time you get on an interstate in Atlanta you will meet a jerk. Don't let it bother you, accept it and move on.

When trying to pronounce a place's name get a person raised here to tell you how. ( Mari-etta is May-retta.)

We like to get all the young-uns together and go stare at a rock. Our rock just happens to be carved up southern style and has a spiffy laser show. It's called Stone Mountain.

When you visit a southerner on departing their house be sure to say," Ya'll come to see us when you're in our neck of the woods."

If someone comes to your house when you are having a meal say" Come on in and put your feet under the table."

To all you transplants I would like to say. You are welcome here, you will soon feel right at home and I hope you stay with us for a long time.