4 hotels near Thomasville, GA

Start your visit at one of the staples of the Old South: the Pebble Hill Plantation offers a short film at the beginning of the tour that gives a brief history of plantation life in general and this plantation in particular. During the Gilded Age, Pebble Hill became a “shooting plantation,” where wealthy northerners would come to enjoy hunting, sumptuous meals and luxurious vacations. The plantation’s visitors included Alexander Graham Bell, the Goodriches, the Vanderbilts and even the soon-to-be-president McKinley. The plantation had its own fire station, dog hospital and schoolhouse. Take a tour of the house and the stables. Note the Audubon paintings on the main floor and bring a picnic because the grounds are free to explore and are truly breathtaking.If you enjoy cheese, then a visit to the Sweet Grass Dairy Marketplace is a must. Sweet Grass Dairy pioneered the use of rotational grazing in the United States, making for sustainable farming and, some would argue, a better product. Certainly the cheeses produced are superlative. You can buy them to go or stay and enjoy them on the premises. The marketplace menu is constantly changing, but you can be assured of amazing handcrafted cheese boards, creative small places, delicious sandwiches, handpicked craft beers and wines from all over the world. The owners make it a point to source locally and bring the freshest food to the table all year-round.It may sound unusual to make a point of visiting a tree, but Thomasville’s Historic Big Oak really is worth checking out. Right in the middle of the city’s historic district, this 300-year-old tree is the largest and oldest east of the Mississippi; it is in fact one of the oldest live oaks in the country. The property on which the oak stands was purchased and made into a public park by Elisabeth Poe, the last owner of the Pebble Hill Plantation; it was visited and photographed by Dwight Eisenhower, who was reportedly so impressed with it that he asked his driver to stop so that he could get out and take the picture. There is a webcam across the street that you can call with your cell phone and snap your own photo of yourself next to the oak if you are so inclined.A former plantation is now the home of the Birdsong Nature Center, and if you would like to take a look at something more lively than the oak tree, head over there next. Inside the main house you will find a large one-way window where you can watch birds without disturbing them; you can even relax on the comfortable couches provided while doing so. Outside the window is an area well stocked with food to keep all sorts of species of birds interested in hanging about for your viewing pleasure. But don’t just stay in the house as there is a butterfly garden, along with 12 miles of trails around the property (maps are available) and you do not have to be a dedicated birdwatcher to enjoy them. Be sure to check out a screened pavilion beside Big Bay Swamp called the Listening Place: there’s a pond with water lilies and bald cypress trees, and it is in fact a great place to hear all the songs and sounds of the area.Not far from the historic oak tree you can learn about the human past of Thomasville at the Thomas County Museum of History where you will discover why the city was such a favored destination for the wealthy during the Gilded Age. Start with a film and then take the guided tour through several buildings. After the film, you will visit the 1870 Rufus Smith log house, the 1877 Emily Joyner house, and the 1896 Oliver Ewart bowling alley—the first indoor bowling alley in the United States. Finish up at the 1940 Roberts’ Garage and check out the Model T cars and Victorian-era carriages. You can then return to the Flowers-Roberts House for a self-guided tour of the exhibits inside.You may feel by now that you have seen enough historic houses, but a visit to the eccentric Lapham-Patterson House is well worth another hour or so. The original owner, C.W. Lapham, was ahead of his time in designing according to his own sense of feng shui: he thought that a healthy living environment was created by mimicking the organic lines and curves of nature, so there are no right angles in this house. The fact that Lapham survived the Great Chicago Fire meant that, in his book, outside egress was mandatory, and so every ground floor room has a door going outside (those on the second and third floors have balconies for the same reason). All of it makes for a slightly eccentric and overall fascinating house to visit.Whether you are interested in history or in nature, a stay with Choice Hotels in Thomasville, Georgia is sure to delight your whole family. Make a reservation today!