Clarke County: Culture, Gardens and Nature Trails

Clarke County shows its special side where cultural history and nature experiences come together. The Morton Theatre was built in 1910 by Monroe Bowers (“Pink”) Morton. It is one of the first and the oldest surviving vaudeville theaters in the United States built, owned, and operated by an African American. The fully restored building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was converted into a performing arts venue in 1993.

Historic Places and Vibrant Culture

For culture-focused vacation days, Clarke County offers more than a single highlight: 52 sites in Clarke County are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Ware-Lyndon Historic House, dating from around 1850, houses a collection of decorative art. It is also home to the exhibition and film “Resilient Civic and Musical Life: Ware-Lyndon House Enslaved and Descendant Stories.” The Church-Waddel-Brumby House is the oldest surviving residence in Athens; the Church-Waddel-Brumby House Museum, dating from around 1820, is also home to the Historic Athens Welcome Center.

The Welcome Center offers guided tours, each lasting about 90 minutes. Those interested in university history can also schedule a free campus tour from the UGA Visitors Center with student tour guides. The two-part tour includes a 15-minute drive through South Campus and West Campus, as well as 45 minutes on foot through historic North Campus. Reservations are required for a complete guided tour. Taking a closer look at Athens adds to this cultural orientation.

Gardens, Wetlands and Trails

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia has five miles of trails through natural areas and native plant communities of the Piedmont. The Heritage Garden traces the development of agriculture in Georgia from colonial-era pioneer gardens to the expansive farms of the 20th century. For trip planning with a changing pace, the Sandy Creek Nature Center offers 225 acres of forest and wetlands, as well as more than 4 miles of trails, including an accessible interpretive trail. At the Education and Visitor Center, you can see live reptiles and amphibians, saltwater and freshwater aquariums, and interactive natural history exhibits.

Longer trails can also be incorporated specifically into your daily itinerary. Sandy Creek Park offers more than 14 miles of trails through easy to moderate terrain for hikers, walkers, and horseback riders. The Buckeye Horse Trail is a 4.2-mile out-and-back trail for hiking and horseback riding. The Lakeside Trail follows the shore of Lake Chapman. For pedestrians and cyclists, the Firefly Trail provides routes within Athens-Clarke County away from immediate motor vehicle traffic; more than three miles run through Athens-Clarke County. The trail begins in downtown Athens at the original terminus of the Athens Branch of the Georgia Railroad. The North Oconee River Greenway Trail runs from the Sandy Creek Nature Center through Dudley Park and is accessible to pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorized travelers.

Experiences for Different Age Groups

For families with children ages 3 to 6, the Sweet Pea Club at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers songs, puppet shows, stories, hikes, activities, or games. At the Alice H. Richards Children's Garden, you will find an accessible 2.5-acre garden with adventure areas such as a treehouse in a chestnut tree, a fossil wall, large water-spraying mushrooms, a vegetable garden, and a replica of a cave from North Georgia. The Garden Gnomes program is offered several times a week as a free 5- to 10-minute activity by garden staff and volunteers.

Bear Hollow Zoo is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is home to various non-releasable native wild animals that serve as ambassadors for their species. In addition, the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia in Clarke County houses a permanent collection of more than 18,000 works of art. The Lyndon House Arts Center presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art and offers art classes. Athens Creative Theatre presents several productions each year, including comedies, dramas, and musicals, and offers theater classes for children, teenagers, and adults.

Choosing Accommodation Based on Your Itinerary

When searching for a vacation apartment or vacation home in Clarke County, it is worth deciding on your main focus first. If historic sites, theaters, art, and a campus tour are central to your plans, your itinerary should take these cultural appointments into account. For active days, on the other hand, you can choose from garden trails, wetlands, horseback riding and hiking routes, as well as sections for pedestrians and cyclists.

Other destinations for orientation: Toombs, Seminole County, Coweta, Lowndes, Murray County, Crisp County and Decatur County.

For the higher-level travel overview: Georgia.