Our Stay in Covington, GA

Georgia

April 2022

A Different Kind of Airbnb Stay

After a short drive, we arrived early at our next location in Covington, Georgia. This stay in a farm home would become a different experience from all the other Airbnb houses we had rented. Although we had our own bedroom and bathroom, we shared the house with the host, who lived on the other side of the big farmhouse.

So, we spent some time outside, getting to know Kathy, our friendly host, who enjoyed meeting guests from all over. She shared helpful tips about what to see and do nearby.

Her sweet pets reminded me of our “grand-pets”: one dog looked like Mae, and the other acted just like her. One cat could have been Shera’s brother, and the other, with her fluffy tail, could have been Clarke’s sister. They all loved being cuddled. Only Hemmes seemed a little unhappy with the other pets, but he still wandered around the house now and then.

Kathy’s Recommendation, Social Circle

Kathy suggested we visit downtown Social Circle, a historic town just 20 minutes from her farm. The town settled where two important trade routes met, the Cherokee Road and the Hightower Trail. Both were used by Native Americans and European settlers. Social Circle got its name when a traveler enjoyed the local Southern hospitality and said, “This is surely a social circle.”

It’s no surprise that the whole downtown is a National Historic District. Except for the cars and electricity, the town has kept its 19th-century charm. As we walked by old brick storefronts, historic homes, and a wishing well, it felt like we had stepped back in time.

Historic Covington, Georgia’s Top Film Town

After our quick visit to Social Circle, we drove to Historic Downtown Covington. Once again, it felt like stepping back in time. Covington has kept its small-town charm, with beautiful 19th-century buildings around Square Park.

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Covington is often called the “Hollywood of the South” because it’s Georgia’s top film location, with over 140 movies and TV shows filmed here. Classics like The Dukes of Hazzard, In the Heat of the Night, and The Vampire Diaries, which used the town as Mystic Falls, all brought their stories to these streets. In most of these films and shows, the Newton County Courthouse with its clock tower is a central landmark.

Hiking Hard Labor Creek

We stayed nearby and drove to Georgia’s second-largest state park, just 12 miles away. Hard Labor Creek State Park is famous for its 18-hole public golf course, which has ‘the hardest starting hole in Georgia.’ The park and golf course are beautiful, but we were there to hike, not to golf! We followed a horse trail but had to turn back twice because we couldn’t keep going without getting our feet wet. Even so, we got a great workout, covering more than 5 miles up and down the lovely hills!

A Stormy Day in Georgia

We had to take a rest day because a strong storm front with tornadoes moved through Georgia today. This was not really a problem since we had just had two busy days visiting Atlanta and Hard Labor Creek State Park with long hikes.

The heavy rain started earlier than we expected, around 10 am instead of noon, so we didn’t even try to go for a walk. I stayed in my room all day, catching up on organizing my photos. Hemmes stayed close to me, but as soon as he heard the loud thunder, he hid under the bed.

Farewell to the Farm

Our nine days at Kathy’s farm had gone by too quickly. The farm felt like a little piece of heaven, and after exploring each day, we loved just sitting on the porch, listening to the sounds of nature.

By 10 am, we were packed up and ready to go. We said goodbye to Kathy and her wonderful family of dogs, cats, and horses, and thanked her for being such a great host. One last time, we opened and closed the heavy gate at the end of the driveway, then drove off to our next adventure in Greeneville, TN, via South Carolina and North Carolina.