Have you ever been to a town with true Southern charm? Valdosta, Georgia, offers sweet tea in every restaurant, chain or mom-and-pop, and pecan pie is on every dessert menu. We have that Southern hospitality you want to check off of your bucket list. The last stop before Florida, Valdosta is a darling detour on your way to Disney World or Miami. Keep reading for the top 15 sites to see while you stay for a few days in this genuine, football frenzied, traditional Southern town.
1. Be a Band Wagoner for the Day at the Lowndes vs. Valdosta Game
Feel the intense rivalry that spans decades at the legendary Lowndes Vikings vs. Valdosta Wildcats football game. The Wildcats are famous across the United States because they have won more games than any other high school football team in the country. As the Wildcats and the Vikings go head to head, you can experience top tier athleticism, witness a section of students painted-up and dressed in theme, and watch alumni flock to the stadium to cheer on their alma maters.
Enemies fight at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Derrick Davis/ Valdosta Daily Times, 2017.
2. Feast on an All-Star Special at Waffle House
After a bloodbath on the football field, the players will drive to the Waffle House, the local hangout, for their weekly All-Star Special, which is a waffle served with two eggs, a piece of buttered toast, and a breakfast meat of your choosing. Join them at this late-night dinner for an in-person highlights reel of the game, and you can watch as the two teams, bruised and covered in sweat, occupy opposite sides of the restaurant. If you’re lucky, you’ll be invited to the after party at the quarterback’s house; go with the winning team.
Primetime Hangout. David Goldman/AP/NPR, 2018.
3. Go Muddin’ in a Big Ole Truck
When you’re not at a football game or flipping to ESPN to watch the Georgia Bulldogs, or the Dawgs, as fans say, you can grab a couple of friends in a big truck, preferably a Ford F-150, and head to a field in Lowndes County to go mud bogging. Turn on Thomas Rhett, our hometown star and former Lowndes Viking, and race through the mud. The dirtier you get, the better; the real fun comes from showcasing your filthy truck in town.
Rustic Field. Lowndes Co., 2017.
4. Stroll Down the Boardwalk at Grand Bay
If muddin’ isn’t your thing, you can see Valdosta’s beautiful scenery at Grand Bay. A pine forest and a Cyprus wetland, you can walk down the winding pathway through the swamp to the wooden fire tower that provides a panoramic view. Bring a packed lunch to gobble up after canoeing through the swamp, watching alligators sun on logs, and fishing in the lake.
Grand Bay Boardwalk. 2014.
5. Experience the Swamp from Indoors at Ray’s Mill Pond
Seeing alligators is a must, but you don't have to be outdoors.
Instead you can watch them from your table’s window at Ray’s Mill pond while tasting Ray City’s famous fried catfish, hush puppies, and homemade grits. Ray City is twenty-seven miles from Valdosta, but the drive is worth the Southern delicacy you will begin to crave after your first bite.
Alligator feasting at Ray’s Mill Pond. 2014.
6. Dine in Style at the Royal Cafe
Seafood may not be your favorite meal, but no need to worry because the Royal Cafe in Quitman, Georgia, serves crispy and tender fried chicken. At this buffet, you will meet the friendliest people and see as friend groups occupy tables they’ve been sitting at for twenty years. Known for their fried chicken, the Royal Cafe satisfies your desire for traditional Southern food because of their sweet creamed corn, buttery sugar pie, and creamy cheese grits.
Royal Cafe. Quitman, GA, 2019.
7. Trade the Small-town Diner for a Southern Mystery Ball
Mystery Ball is an annual themed event, and it is hosted by an exclusive group of women, who manage to keep the theme a secret all year. Membership is passed down, so you have to be born to a woman in the club or marry someone whose mother is an affiliate. Each participant invites two couples, and all the members wear costumes and masks to hide their identities even though everyone in town knows who they are.
Mystery Attire. The Union-Recorder, 2019.
8. A Common Sighting: Clay Pigeons
While invites to Mystery Ball are difficult to come by, you can always secure an invitation to a hunt. You can visit a groomed farm of over one hundred acres and shoot clay pigeons, or skeet, with a shotgun in the midst of draping oak trees. Machines designed to throw clay pigeons are placed on the sides of the range, and you will get to use the cliché word, “Pull.”
Shooting Range. Adel, GA, 2018.
9. Become a True Southerner
Want more activities like target shooting? You can ride ATVs, or four-wheelers, up and down dirt roads, look for arrowheads in freshly plowed land, and fish in the Withlacoochee River. As the sun sets, huddle beneath blankets in a camouflaged deer stand to view these creatures leave their grass beds to feed, and after, you can roast marshmallows beneath a star-studded sky.
The Withlacoochee. Valdosta, GA, 2019.
10. Fall in Love with a Georgia Peach
After a hot day in sunny Valdosta on the Withlacoochee, drive twenty-eight minutes to Burton Brooks Orchards to fall in love with creamy homemade peach ice cream. In the fields behind the ice cream shop, a local family grows peaches, which they slice up, mix with cream, and churn into a sweet dessert. Make sure to take home a bag of Georgia’s juicy peaches on your way out.
Georgia Peaches. Barney, GA, 2019.
11. Hit the Road with your Bag of Peaches
Pack up your peaches and head to Twin Lakes in Lake Park, which is fifteen minutes from Valdosta. Try your hand at waterskiing and wake surfing while teenagers, drinking Miller Lite, race by on boats. Pair your beer with a hot dog from Lake Dogs, and you will fit right in with the locals.
Mornings at Twin Lakes. Lake Park, GA, 2019.
12. Become the Next Wakeboarding Professional
Sharpen your wakeboarding skills at the Valdosta Wake Compound off of Interstate-75. With ramps and jumps, you can zoom around the lake and test out the techniques you learned at Twin Lakes. There is no need for a boat this time because your handle is connected to a cable that tugs you around on the water.
Valdosta Wake Compound. The Union Recorder, 2018.
13. Partake in the Hahira Honeybee Festival
In Hahira, a town with two stop lights, the Hahira Honeybee Festival occurs each year. A very kid friendly event, the festival displays old-fashioned parade floats and showcases the town’s beauty queens. Walk around the quaint town and snack on honey sticks as you listen to homegrown bands perform in front of the old train depot.
The Mayberry of Georgia. Hahira, GA, 2017.
14. Be a Part of Another Tradition
Come to Temple Israel, Valdosta’s only synagogue, to devour corned beef sandwiches sold by the Jewish congregation every March. Mingle with the Rabbi to learn how this Jewish community has maintained a synagogue with a full-time Rabbi for over one hundred years in a Southern Baptist town. Although Temple Israel has a small congregation, services are still held every weekend and for the holidays.
Temple Israel. Valdosta, GA, 2019.
15. Relax Under the Canopy
To end your trip, grab your camera and drive to Coppage Road, fifteen minutes from city center. You will discover the Canopy Road, named for the pine and oak trees that grow toward each other from both sides of the recently paved street. They create a majestic ceiling on this sleepy path, so before you head out, promise to sit beneath the shade of the coveted trees that will forever yearn to touch.
The Canopy. Hahira, GA, 2018.
Works Cited
Davis, Derrick. “Valdosta running back Jayce Rogers jukes Lowndes defensive lineman Walker Schwab on a run in Friday’s spring game at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.” Valdosta Daily Times, May 13, 2017, https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/sports/local_sports/valdosta-plays-its-role-against-lowndes-in-spring-game/article_f55153e6-0941-5f36-9c1d-2a63d3bcf0e4.html.
Held, Amy. “A Waffle House waitress went the extra mile for a customer last weekend and now has been given a college scholarship.” NPR, Goldman, David, March 11, 2018, https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/11/592744079/waffle-house-waitress-helps-customer-goes-viral-gets-scholarship.
Lynn, Thomas. “Valdosta Wake Compound hosts ‘Yard Sale.’” The Union-Recorder, April 24, 2018, https://www.unionrecorder.com/news/ga_fl_news/valdosta-wake-compound-hosts-yard-sale/article_75adc420-0778-5b0b-b831-80b88d0135af.html.
Umholtz, Katelyn. “Mystery Ball takes Elton John theme.” The Union-Recorder, February 24, 2019, https://www.unionrecorder.com/news/ga_fl_news/mystery-ball-takes-elton-john-theme/article_1049a473-4824-58ca-9948-d3568d58b195.html.
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