While Athens is a great college town, sometimes it’s nice to get away for the weekends. With so much available, and all within a few hours’ drive, why not?

The biggest nearby attraction is Atlanta. At a mere hour and a half drive up Hwy. 316, this capital city has plenty of activities that will satisfy anyone’s tastes.

Some of the biggest crowd-pleasers in Atlanta are Six Flags over Georgia and the new Georgia Aquarium.

Six Flags is a roller coaster and water ride-filled amusement park. Enjoy some of their newer coasters, like the Goliath or the classics, like the Mindbender.

They close for the season on October 28 and end with Halloween-themed days. Another amusement park is White Water, which is filled with water rides and pools.

The Georgia Aquarium, a new attraction, boasts being the world’s largest aquarium. Tickets are $24 and can be upgraded to include their 4D theater experience or a behind-the-scenes tour.

Other Atlanta favorites are Centennial Olympic Park, the High Museum and the World of Coke. For culture there are shows at the Fox Theatre, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and a number of smaller playhouses all around the city.

For those looking for more outdoors activities, Stone Mountain offers a variety of things to do. Located down Atlanta Hwy. 78, Stone Mountain offers hiking trails, fishing at the lake and golf courses.

In addition, there is a 1.3 mile hike to the top of Stone Mountain. If less inclined to make the hike, enjoy the scenic skyride to the very top.

During the summer nights, there is a Lasershow Spectacular at sundown nightly. In the fall, they only have shows on Saturday nights. The 45-minute laser show is projected onto the memorial carving on the side of Stone Mountain with a fireworks finale.

If the city scene isn’t quite what the weekend calls for, there is always Helen in North Georgia. For those wanting a getaway from the hustle and bustle of school, Helen offers a more open-air and natural environment, lying only an hour and a half away.

Helen is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Chattahoochee River. This site offers the opportunity to hike and mountain bike right alongside places to go tubing and fishing.

Although based in an area of Cherokee Indian culture, they have German influences as well.

In the summer, Helen celebrates the Bavarian Nights of Summer and in the fall they have Oktoberfest.

There are multiple options for lodging. To rough it, there are campgrounds available. For larger groups, there are also eight to 20 person cabins for rent, in addition to basic hotels. For a romantic weekend, there are also many smaller bed and breakfasts.