Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Pine Mountain, Georgia is a small town of 1,000 residents, located an hour from Atlanta. The town features shops, galleries and restaurants. Pine Mountain is next to Callaway Gardens, a nature preserve and F.D. Roosevelt state park, Georgia's largest. The town hosts events and festivals from May through December.
Pine Mountain and Callaway Gardens host festivals throughout the year. The biggest event is the Steeplechase at Callaway Gardens, which takes place in November. September features the Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival, as well as a rodeo. During December, Callaway Gardens holds the Fantasy in Lights. The exhibit features over 8 million Christmas lights and holiday music. There are no major festivals from January through April. January is the slow season. Some area accommodations offer discounted rates during January, while others close for the season.
The closest major airport to Pine Mountain is Hartsfield-Jackson, located an hour away in Atlanta. Columbus Airport in Columbus, Georgia is 30 minutes away and offers limited flights. Columbus airport has several rental car agencies. Downtown Pine Mountain is small, but most of the region's attractions and resorts are located away from the city center. Pine Mountain has no public transportation and limited taxi service, so having a car is suggested.
Callaway Gardens offers 14,000 acres of gardens, woods, outdoor recreation and resorts; it also contains a butterfly center, a horticultural center, a golf course and Robin Lake. F.D. Roosevelt State Park is five miles from Pine Mountain. The park has hiking trails and Lake Delano; fishing is allowed all year. In the summer, visitors can swim in the public pool. The Wild Animal Safari, an outdoor zoo where visitors can feed wild animals, is five miles from Pine Mountain. Roosevelt Stables offers horseback riding trips through F.D. Roosevelt State Park and up to Pine Mountain. The Little White House, the home where Franklin Delano Roosevelt stayed while being treated for polio, is a museum open to the public. Sweet Home Plantation is on the National Historic Register; the antebellum plantation dates from 1840.
Pine Mountain and the surrounding area offer accommodations for every price range and taste. The Lodge and Spa at Calloway Gardens and Mountain Creek Inn are luxury resorts. Callaway Gardens also has villas and cottages for rent. The Chipley Murrah House is Pine Mountain's bed and breakfast. F.D. Roosevelt State Park has campgrounds and the Pine Mountain RV resort. There are three inns and a motel in Pine Mountain as well, as of 2010.
Pine Mountain has 17 restaurants, as of May 2010. The food offerings range from fast food to family-style restaurants. The town also has an Italian restaurant, a Mexican restaurant and a pizza parlor. Callaway Gardens offers nine restaurants. Fine dining is available at the Lodge and Spa and the Mountain Creek Inn.
Downtown Pine Mountain has many shops and galleries. The town also has two shopping plazas. Main Street is home to three antique stores. South Main Street has the Pine Mountain Antiques Mall, which offers over 100 vendors.