For summer fun, there’s no better vacation spot than the heart and heat of Georgia, where the sun god sits high and mother earth spreads out in her fullest bloom. Now is when the South can excel in its recreational arts – especially with its abundance of outdoor adventurism. Rid yourself of the harsh florescent lights of the library and pale skin acquired during exams week and try out some of the camp sites suggested below.

The Yonah Mountain Camping Resort

Open year round, this resort contains a miniature-sized version of Germany hidden within Georgia forests. Called “Alpine Village,” it is located in the North Georgia Mountains near the Chattahoochee River. The area is made to resemble a Bavarian town in Deutschland and visiting is like strolling through a scenic German village. Just a hop, skip and a jump from the resort location, Yonah Mountain offers rivers for canoeing and tubing, cliffs for climbing, trails for hiking and lakes for fishing, boating and skiing.

Lake Allatoona

Only 30 miles from Atlanta, Lake Allatoona is one of the most popular and most visited lakes in the U.S. It offers fishing, boating, camping, kayaking and hiking. With eight different campgrounds and more than a dozen great hiking trails strewn across the area, the lake sits on the Etowah River, a tributary of the Coosa River. Allatoona also has its own winery (Boutier Winery) and a museum that gives the history of the land, the Civil War and the Native Americans. The Allatoona Dam impounds run-off water from 1,110 square miles into the Lake.

F.D. Roosevelt State Park

Located near Callaway Gardens, F.D. Roosevelt State Park happens to be one of Georgia’s largest state parks. Lake Delano has year-round fishing and boating, while the Liberty Bell Pool offers a place to swim. Made to fit any hiker’s abilities, the park’s trails range from short nature paths all the way to the 23 mile Pine Mountain trail on the southern-most edge of the Appalachian Mountain range. The park also offers a place for nice dining at Dowdell’s Knob above King’s Gap.

Jack’s River Falls

Located in Cohutta Wilderness, Georgia, this site is famous for its rolling waterfalls and rugged hiking trails. Off the slopes of Big Frog Mountain, two steep and rocky waterways (the Jacks and Conasauga Rivers) join together to form the cove-like Alaculsy Valley. The picturesque landscape and series of flowing cascades creates a natural swimming area, making it one of the most frequently visited waterfall sites in Georgia. Although they are not too extreme, the falls are worth the trip and soothing solitude they inspire. With crisp, clean cold water running off the mountainsides, Jack’s River Falls remains a natural river obstruction noted for its exceptional beauty.