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Escape Georgia's Heat: Exploring Michigan's UP and Pictured Rocks
As frequent travelers and travel bloggers, we're often asked by Georgia friends and neighbors, "What's a great vacation for escaping Georgia's summer heat?" Frankly, in our wide ranging travels, we have quite a few recommendations for out-of-Georgia summer trip. But when it comes to the literal meaning of "cool" trips, one active option always tops our list.
Summer Bounty at Farmers Markets Attracts Throngs
The summer peak of local produce production is bringing large crowds to area farmers markets before the end of the growing season. Saturday morning's Marietta Square Farmers Markets saw large crowds gathered around virtually every fresh produce stand, waiting to pick their favorite fresh-grown vegetables.
Submit Your Phenomenal Park Pics for the 2024 State Park Photo Contest
Captured a great photo at a Georgia State Park or a state park elsewhere in the US? Well, we're in the final days to enter the 2024 State Parks Photo Contest, with the deadline of 11:59 pm on July 15 fast approaching.
Bald Eagles Thriving in Georgia: Surging Population Measured by Helicopter Survey
It's a great time to be a bald eagle in Georgia. The majestic bird and symbol of the nation is enjoying a robust nesting year in the state, with the number of young eagles trending "above average" based on an annual nest survey conducted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR).
Georgia's Fastest Shrinking Rural Counties Share Big Problems
Two rural Georgia counties lost more than 12% of their population over the past three years, leading a worrisome trend in many of Georgia's rural counties and smaller towns. The populations of Telfair County and Stewart County, both largely rural counties with agricultural based economies and located in the Southern half of Georgia, shrunk by more than 12% each from 2020 to 2023, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
"Cobb Idol" Features Talented Locals Competing at Marietta's Strand
Get ready for talented singers competing to win the title of Cobb Idol, coming in July to the Strand Theater in Marietta. Inspired by the internationally-famous television program, Cobb Idol is a live concert competition where the best voices in Cobb battle it out for the chance to be named this year’s Cobb Idol.
Savor the Flavor: Woodfired Grill Pizza Delivers Crispy Crust, Smoky Deliciousness
I'm not a chef, but I love good food. And I don't profess to be an expert at grilling, though I do occasionally test my grill skills. But let me just share with you that I've found an easy, fast and delicious way to enjoy pizza. I smoke it on my electric Ninja Woodfired Grill. It's the easiest method I've found to get a unique tasting pizza, fast. In fact, cooking this pizza only takes about six to eight minutes of grill time. But you'll need some prep time to get things ready, though a few practical shortcuts can speed that along, too.
Huge Life Expectancy Gap Revealed Between Georgia's Urban, Rural Counties
When it comes to living a longer life in Georgia, location matters. And living in one of Georgia's top counties for longevity can add up to 13 years of extra life expectancy as compared to its bottom-ranked counties.
Cobb County Longevity Among Tops in Georgia
Living in Cobb County may add extra years to your life!. That's according to data reporting and analysis from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R), a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The program draws attention to why there are differences in health within and across communities nationwide.
Favorite Finds: Mega Scones and Cinnamon Rolls at Marietta Farmers Market
Most weeks, we're out cruising and perusing farmers markets, local grocers, farm stands or other unique retail shops for fun, interesting or just-plain-great buys. This week, we returned to Marietta Farmers Market for a second visit to the Open Heart Bakeshop Stand. Here's what makes it one of our Favorite Finds.
Georgia's Biggest Losers: 1/3 of Cities Shrink While State Population Booms
While Georgia's overall population continued to grow over the past three years, approximately one-third of its incorporated cities lost population. Those are among the findings in the Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Georgia released by the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Division in May 2024.
Georgia's Bears Wander in June, Increasing Sightings and Encounters
For Georgia's bears and people, June is an active and mobile month, which means there's a much greater opportunity for unexpected encounters. June marks the beginning of summer vacation season for Georia's human population, which means more visitors to state parks, along hiking trails in wilderness areas, and occupying campgrounds.
Georgia's Population Surges Past 11 Million, Fueled by Migration
Georgia's population grew beyond the 11 million mark in 2023, reaching 11,029,227 residents according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. With a robust population increase of 2.9% from 2020 to 2023, 315,456 new residents arrived in the state. Georgia was the 10th fastest-growing state in the US by percentage during the reporting period.
6 Earthquakes Shake NW Georgia in 30 Days
There's been a whole lotta shakin' goin' on in Northwest Georgia over the past 30 days. And, yes, some of it likely has been in the barn. A total of six earthquakes have been recorded in the northernwestern portion of the state over the past 30 days, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Summertime's Perfect for "Campfire Shenanigans" at Red Top Mountain State Park
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors, and it's even more fun when you add in some nighttime campfire shenanigans. That's the idea behind the Friday evening "Campfire Shenanigans" event held at Red Top Mountain State Park throughout the summer. And in this case, all the "shenanigans" are supervised by friendly state park rangers to insure that all participants have a good time.
Hiking the Iron Hill Trail at Georgia's Red Top Mountain State Park
We hike the Iron Hill Trail at Georgia's Red Top Mountain State Park north of Atlanta. Shared with mountain bikes, the wide trail winds through pine forest before reaching the shores of Lake Allatoona. Whether walking through the forest accompanied by Georgia songbirds or wading in the cooling lake waters, this trail is perfect for all ages. The soil is rich in iron ore, which gives the landscape and the lake a reddish color.
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Trained journalist and retired global marketing executive. Extended stories and posts at OurTravelCafe.com. Living in Northwest Georgia, I write about about avocations including outdoors, travel, exploration, history, food and community passions. I've traveled to 47 states and nearly as many countries. My French Cajun upbringing in Louisiana plus my extended restaurant-related career affirm my status as an over-qualified eater. At my blog, OurTravelCafe.com, I offer a complete menu of our my own experiences, explorations and adventures, organized by geography and always sprinkled with some spicy, tasty tidbits and food notes.
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