Hard Labor Creek State Park

At Georgia’s second-largest state park, unlike its name, there is nothing laborious about a stay at the park for an extended weekend getaway.

Located in Morgan County, The park features recently renovated lodges that sleep up to six and have full kitchens, fireplaces, screened porches, fire pits, BBQ grills, and more. There’s also:

The Creek at Hard Labor Golf Course is known for its challenging layout in a pristine, natural setting. It features Champion Bermuda greens and narrow tree-lined fairways. (There’s also a mini golf course.)

There are 16.5 miles of mountain bike trails and two one-mile loop hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate.

Kayaking is available at one of two huge lakes and there is a sand beach on one of the lakes (man-made).

It’s also minutes from downtown Madison – one of the prettiest and most walkable small towns in the South – is just an hour from Atlanta, yet strolling through its historic Main Street and Downtown Square, you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported into a walk-in picture book of nineteenthand early-twentieth-century American architecture.

Madison exudes smalltown southern hospitality and charm. And Madison is having its moment, thanks to a thriving dining scene with lots of new restaurants, a new mid-century boutique hotel opening this summer and a slate of fun spring and summer events on tap. Main Street in Historic Downtown Madison is home to cool boutiques, art galleries, antique shops, and excellent restaurants. Madison has a self-guided walking tour, and there is also a tour of some of the oldest historic homes in town that you can enjoy on foot or by bicycle.

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