BACK TO BARNSLEY Not content with resting on its laurels, the award-winning north Georgia resort continues to evolve its offerings. Written by Bridget Williams Some travelers have their go-to place, whether inherited, generational, or discovered. And, even if it’s only visited annually, the sojourn serves as a bookmark in a life’s chapters. Though I’ve always been more globally curious than a repeat visitor-type traveler, Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Georgia—nearly smack dab in the middle between Atlanta and Chattanooga—could be my place. Why? First of all, it’s a snap to get to. As a fan of road trips, I opted to make the five-hour drive from my home in Louisville for my visit this past November. Second, there are scores of things to do. And, even if you want to be a total sloth, you can eat to your heart’s content and be very, very happy you came. The 3,000-acre resort, sited in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, envelops the ruins of Woodlands, an 1840s estate with an exquisite boxwood parterre garden. Guest accommodations are spread out amongst 39 spacious freestanding cottages organized in the style of an English-inspired pedestrian village, along with a 55-room Inn. Opened in 2018 and 52 slmag.net
inspired by the work of noted British architect Edwin Lutyens, the stately structure sits prominently at the end of a tree-lined boulevard, standing watch over the charming cottages like a proud parent. The Inn is the antithesis of a bland box, boasting16 different room configurations, including third-floor dormer rooms with window seats that complete the country estate feel. The entirety of the resort is charming year-round, but it really comes alive at Christmas, where a storybook quality is even more pronounced. I arrived after dark, and after so much COVID-era travel, where resorts were primarily empty, and visiting seemed to serve more a reminder of the pandemic rather than an escape, I was happy to find myself in a bustling place with people genuinely enjoying themselves. After taking a hot second to admire my spacious room, I headed through the center of the village to meet my travel mates for dinner at Woodlands Grill. En-route, I spied a crowd, bundled up off to ward off the chill and sticking close to a firepit, raucously sharing a drink at the Beer Garden while listening to live music. This being the
