Atlanta Glamping Adventure

atlanta glamping adventure

Ahhhh Atlanta, also known as the Hollywood of the South.  I love visiting Atlanta, Georgia because there is an abundance of things to do and I’ve always had friends to visit who live there. My son and I have visited the MLK memorial, the amazing whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium, and we’ve done the Snow Mountain winter wonderland at Stone Mountain. What you may not know is that Atlanta is a hop skip and a jump away from some pretty sweet places to get your nature on.  (See past post about Chattahoochee tubing and Anna Ruby Falls.) In fact, there are at least 8 Georgia state parks within an hour to hour and a half driving distance. 

This summer my son and I were planning a visit to the burbs of Atlanta to celebrate a family event with my best friend.  She told me her house was going to be full of out of town family so I was considering our options for a place to stay.   Sure, I could have called another friend or just booked a reasonable room at a chain hotel nearby but where’s the adventure in that? Ooooooorrrrrrrr………. I could take advantage of this trip and sneak in something way cooler. And I hit the jackpot!

georgia yurt

I made our reservations to stay at the campgrounds of Fort Yargo State Park in one of their…..wait for it……YURTS!!!!  Winning! I found yurts 30 minutes away from my bff’s house in Winder, Georgia. Yall know how I feel about yurts.  Since last year’s summer glamping trip  where we stayed in a yurt in north Florida, I have been on a mission to stay in more yurts so this was the perfect opportunity.  Fort Yargo actually has a yurt peninsula of 6 yurts that can be reserved. It’s a small peninsula that juts out into the lake, which is the centerpiece of the park.

What makes these yurts an awesome choice for a glamping experience?  I’m glad you asked:

  1. Each yurt has a lake view from the back porch terrace. fort yargo state park
  2. The yurts are spaced reasonably apart so there is a definite sense of privacy from the other glampers. yurts fort yargo state park
  3. It’s an actual structure, impervious to the weather so you won’t feel like you’re as vulnerable as you do in a tent.
  4. The doors have a keypad lock so no pesky key to keep up with.
  5. No sleeping on the floor when you’re in a yurt.  There is a bunk bed with a twin on top and a full size fold down futon on the bottom and another full size fold down futon on the other side of the room.  Remember to bring your own bedding!  That’s the beauty of glamping, you can make your dwelling as nice and comfy as you please.  I didn’t have a chance to take pics after I set up our bedding but I brought my Egyptian cotton sheets and comfy pillows along on this trip to glam up my experience. You could also bring fresh flowers and vases, cute lanterns for ambience, and anything else to glam up your space.  inside of a yurt
  6. Yes, there is electricity.  There are lights  and a ceiling fan inside the yurt and plenty of outlets.
  7. Unlike when you go traditional camping and you have to eat at an outdoor picnic table or risk dropping crumbs inside the tent, there is a table and chairs inside of every yurt.  Just remember to sweep up after yourself and take your trash out of the yurt to the campground dumpster so that you don’t invite any pesky critters to join you inside. DSC_0168 (600x454)
  8. Each yurt comes with a canoe for your use on the lake and the life vest and ore are already inside of the yurt.  Now I personally prefer kayaks to canoes so we did not utilize this perk but there are other water craft for rent down on the lake beach.fort yargo state park
  9. You can still get the fun camping experience of building your own campfire to sit around and grill food or toast marshmallows.  There’s also a water pump right outside. teens camping
  10. Wagons were provided at the yurts to haul back your fire wood or supplies from the car.  Carrying bundles of wood would have been a bit of a pain without it so I was grateful for this extra amenity.

I know my divas are wondering about one of the most important features when you are staying away from home.  What about the restrooms?  While I’ve seen some yurts in other locations with restrooms, these do not have restrooms inside them.  The campground restroom is a very short walk from the yurt parking spaces.  I never had to wait for a stall because there was abundance of them.  The water was nice and warm and it was always reasonably clean so this campground gets the Outdoorsy Diva’s seal of approval.  I just can’t deal with yucky restrooms.

Now I have to say that the Florida Torreya State Park yurt spoiled us a bit because that yurt had air conditioning.  Unfortunately these yurts did not but there was a ceiling fan.  An optimal time to visit would be in the fall or spring when the temperatures are mild and not extreme.  It was in the 80s for high temps but since we wouldn’t be spending that much time inside of the yurt during the day time it wasn’t too much of a problem for us in the evenings.

What I loved most about Fort Yargo State Park is the abundance of things to do inside the park.  This is an optimal place for a camping or glamping adventure because you can truly go to this park and escape and not run out of things to do.  There’s a mini-golf course, fishing, historical site, hiking trails, and a lake beach.  The beach is actually a pretty big size and swimming area is roped off.  The beach was clay dirt as opposed to sand so that was a different type of beach experience.  You can also rent paddleboards, kayaks, aqua cycle boats, and other types of boats.  Most of the rentals were only $10 an hour.

Of course I chose the kayak and my son chose a paddle board.  We enjoyed a nice morning on the lake. The water was calm and there was a breeze. We cruised all the way to our yurt peninsula and back. We were pressed for time so we didn’t spend nearly as much time as we could have exploring the lake.

paddleboarding

fort yargo state park

So are you convinced yet?  Fort Yargo State Park is an excellent option for you ATLers who are looking for an easy getaway.  We can all use some time to connect with nature and recharge so a glamping adventure could be an easy affordable option.  Here’s what you need to know to plan you own outdoorsy adventure:

  • There’s a Publix grocery store and a Target within a few miles so you can stock up on what you need just before you arrive at the park.
  • Don’t forget to bring your own bedding and items to glam up your space.
  • Bring everything you need for outdoor campfire cooking, paper towels/utensils, shower supplies, cooler, board games, etc.
  • In addition to the yurts, they have cabins, cottages, RV sites, and traditional tent camping sites.  The yurts are just $85 a night.
  • There is a $5 park entrance fee that covers your entire stay at the park and call the park ranger to make arrangements after the gate closes if you are arriving late.  It’s also $5 for firewood.
  • If you are interested in a traditional camping experience, the Georgia State Parks system has a pretty awesome first time camper program.  For just $50 you can rent all the gear needed for tent camping and get first hand assistance to show you the ropes.  It’s open to anyone that hasn’t camped in a Georgia State Park before, so if you’re up for a road trip it’s a good option for us Floridians or any other out of staters as well.   More information here.

I have to say, with such a close proximity to Atlanta I was expecting to see more black families enjoying such a beautiful park.  Yet, when I mentioned it to several friends who live near the area, and have for quite some time, so many had never even heard of  this park. In the 2 days we stayed we didn’t come across any other black families.  It’s just a reminder of the reason that I do what I do. I started my little corner of the interwebs to share our adventures in the hopes to inspire others to want to seek them out as well.   There’s just so much beauty to be seen I hope more black families can begin to take advantage of all the great outdoors has to offer.

black woman kayaking

Lauren G. , Outdoorsy Diva™

“Adventure is a lifestyle.”

 

 

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18 Comments

  • Reply
    Alexandria @ Al2getherfit
    August 24, 2015 at 8:50 am

    I’m so glad you posted this! I’ve been wondering about Yurts ever since you mentioned them to me months ago! My 4 year old was just reading this post with me, pointed at the pictures, and said “we need to go there!” Sounds good to me! 🙂

    • Reply
      Lauren
      August 24, 2015 at 9:00 am

      Awesome! I think your little ones would have a blast. The other yurt is in Torreya but I think this one offers alot more to do especially with smaller kids. You really don’t have to leave the park. I hope you plan your trip soon!

  • Reply
    Danielle
    August 24, 2015 at 9:10 am

    You’ve convinced me- I need to stay in a yurt one day! That one looks so cute. And I also need yo try paddle boarding… Thanks for the inspiration!

    • Reply
      Lauren
      August 24, 2015 at 9:20 am

      Danielle I suck at paddleboarding but if you have a strong core you’ll be fine. LOL

  • Reply
    laci
    August 24, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    Omg yay !!!!!! So glad I came across this post it made my day I am so doing this and within the next 3 weeks how fun !!! I live in Toccoa, GA so its not far away but will still be so much fun. Your post was perfect and sold me instantly yay thanks.

  • Reply
    Danielle
    August 24, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Ha! My core is like jello! Maybe I’ll stick to the kayak.

  • Reply
    Paris at My Big Fat Happy Life
    August 24, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    I have never stayed in a yurt before…sounds like a lot of fun! The state park looks amazing with so many activity to keep you enjoying the great outdoors!

  • Reply
    Stacey
    August 24, 2015 at 3:34 pm

    Looks like a blast! Great photos

  • Reply
    Michelle @ Sunshine and Hurricanes.com
    August 24, 2015 at 8:17 pm

    This is so neat! I had no clue there were yurts in FLORIDA!?!? You’ve totally inspired me to check them out! I’ve been watching tiny House Hunters on HGTV and think a yurt would be a cool way to have a vacation home!

    • Reply
      Lauren
      August 24, 2015 at 8:56 pm

      The more I research there seem to be yurts everywhere if you know where to look. Georgia had so many but I only found the one in Florida. I really hope they build more.

  • Reply
    Samantha
    August 25, 2015 at 11:01 am

    How cute is that little cabin?! That’s the only way I’ll go camping haha

    • Reply
      Lauren
      August 25, 2015 at 11:05 am

      Lol I understand.

  • Reply
    Betsy @ Happily Ever After, Etc.
    August 25, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    I’ve never heard of a Yurt before but it sounds like my kind of camping! Haha! We’re actually fairly close to Atlanta so maybe we’ll have to check it out!

  • Reply
    www.LiveLifeWellBlog.com
    October 14, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    I live in Atlanta and I’ve never heard of this!!! It looks like a blast and I’d love to do it for a staycation.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Allison

    • Reply
      Lauren
      October 14, 2015 at 5:09 pm

      Thanks fo reading Allison. There is so much natural beauty just a short drive from Atlanta. I hope you get a chance to go!

  • Reply
    S
    March 22, 2019 at 12:08 am

    Hi outdoorsy girl!what an inspiration you are.I have to kids and I want to expose them, as much as I can, to outdoor life.but I have a husband that doesn’t support that lifestyle.My bad,I love him,but I will have to be more proactive on my own and you are a great inspiration for it.I want to be like you when I grow up.

    • Reply
      Lauren
      March 24, 2019 at 12:28 pm

      Thank you for reading this post and I’m so glad to hear that you are inspired to get outdoors with your kids. I know it can be hard when a partner doesn’t share your same enthusiasm but maybe when he starts to see you getting outside and how much fun you and your kids have doing it then he’ll want to join in too! And if he doesn’t then that’s ok too. You’ll have something special to share with your kids that is your own. Best of luck to you.

  • Reply
    chelsea
    June 10, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    Thank you! Love reading your articles and reference them often when looking for places to camp 🙂

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