If you’re looking for the perfect escape just south of the busy city streets of Atlanta, Henry County is a destination you absolutely need to check out. We’re all taking more road trips for vacation this summer, and this is the perfect destination whether you want a quick day trip from Atlanta or to extend your road trip through the Southeast.
Growing up, Henry County was the type of place where my family used to start looking for a stop on road trips to Florida. We’d make it past Atlanta, then start searching for the best place to take a break after the heavy traffic finally cleared out.
Today, I realize it’s a fantastic destination on its own, and it’s so much more than just a convenient place to grab a bite and stretch your legs. Add a day or two to your road trip to experience Henry County, or if you’re visiting or from Atlanta, make it a day trip.
I was hosted by Henry County to be able to share my experiences. That said, I only ever share recommendations of what I truly loved and always provide my honest feedback.
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Where To Rest Your Head
If you’re planning to stay overnight, try the Home 2 Suites by Hilton Stockbridge. It’s a relatively new hotel, and I found it to be incredibly clean and comfortable.
When I travel with my family, we always look for an option that offers a free breakfast because some family members get up ridiculously early and need to eat while others are still deep in dreamland. The best part is that it’s located just off the highway and sits right near many of the places you’ll want to visit during your stay.
Explore The Atlanta Motor Speedway
You probably already know about the massive NASCAR races here, but The Atlanta Motor Speedway has so much more going on than just the big events. You can actually sign up for behind-the-scenes tours to see parts of the track you never usually get access to, including riding on the track.
The tours run Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm, though you do need to reserve your spot in advance. It’s an inexpensive experience that I really loved when I did it. Just know that around Race Weekend, this is not an option.
Racing isn’t limited to the NASCAR Cup events either. The speedway hosts Thursday Thunder with the quarter-mile track, as well as autocrosses several times a year. That said, if you’re coming in for Race Weekend, take some extra time and enjoy more of what Henry County has to offer.
Fly with the Army Aviation Foundation
I had never flown in a helicopter prior to visiting the Army Aviation Foundation. I’m so glad this was my first experience.
You have to book the Army Aviation Foundation and Flying Museum in advance, but it’s an incredibly unique experience where veterans maintain and fly retired military helicopters. The best part is going up in the air with them for a ride, with the air whipping past you in the open helicopter.
The perspective from above is just so cool, especially watching the tiny shadow of your helicopter and looking down at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. You’re strapped in and utterly safe, but it’s eye-opening to think about how these combat helicopters were so exposed in battle.
The volunteers on the ground will tell you all you ever wanted to know about the helicopters, and you can even climb into several of them to see what it felt like for the pilots. They also have a small museum of various military aviation artifacts they’re building out, and one of the exhibits (a letter, but I’m not going to spoil it by saying more) had me almost in tears.
Visit Panola Mountain State Park
When you want some time in nature, Panola Mountain State Park is the place to be. We went on a ranger-led hike up the mountain to see the skyline of Atlanta, and I’ve heard the sunrise option is just awe-inspiring.
The park requires a guide because of the delicate ecosystem on this 100-acre granite outcropping, but it’s an easy hike and well worth doing. The guide gave all sorts of great info along the way, plus they demoed how resurrection plants work that wait for water before they turn green.
Beyond the hike, the park also has tree climbing, archery, geocaching, orienteering, fishing, and lots of other programming to keep everyone busy. You can also explore the forested trails on your own, just not up the mountain (and the signs are clear so you don’t accidentally wander to an area you shouldn’t visit).
Make Friends at Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary
Noah’s Ark is a sanctuary for abused, abandoned, neglected, or surrendered animals. They house everything from domestic livestock to exotic animals such as tigers, monkeys, bears, and more.
While you can purchase tickets to explore the sanctuary on your own, I recommend doing what I love and booking the small group tour “Walk on the Wild Side.” This one-and-a-half-hour guided tour takes visitors into the habitats and between the fences before they open to the general public.
You’ll see and learn about many of their more than 900 animals, and it’s a behind-the-scenes experience you just won’t get elsewhere. I love how open the facility is with enormous habitats that allow the animals to live as close to how they would in the wild as possible. This isn’t a zoo, but a place I’d much rather visit and support.
Pick Fruit at Southern Belle Farms
This trip was my second time visiting Southern Belle Farms, and I had so much fun picking fresh strawberries. They offer u-pick fruit with different items in season for much of the year, including muscadines, peaches, blackberries, and more.
If u-pick isn’t your thing, stop by their animal area where you can see everything from sheep to cows, and watching the goats jump around on their obstacle course play area is a total hoot. You can buy feed for the animals, and they’re all super friendly – including the cow that tried to kiss me.
If you visit in the fall, they open up a massive corn maze along with other fun activities. Buy your passes online for the best deal, because there’s so much to do, you won’t want to skip anything.
Don’t leave without visiting their country store, where you can find delicious items from various fruit ciders to jams and jellies to preserved produce and more. I walked out with my fair share of preserves, after spending way too much time trying to decide which variety of peach I needed to bring home. I had no idea there could be so many!
Do not leave without visiting Mimi’s Kitchen. They serve seasonal treats like peach cobbler and strawberry shortcake that are homemade right on site, as well as the apple treats you expect in fall, and yes, many of them are big enough to share.
Southern Belle’s is a well-known and loved spot, so it gets very crowded on the weekends. I recommend visiting on a weekday if you can, or at least getting there early on a weekend.
My Favorite Spots to Grab a Bite
Henry County is filled with great local places, so don’t just hit a chain because it’s easy. These are some of the places I’ve tried out and absolutely fallen in love with. I’m sure you’ll do the same.
A Gourmet Coffee Kiosk
If you just want some coffee to start your day, Drip-Thru Coffee is a unique experience you have to try. They have locations in Stockbridge and College Park where you’ll find these tiny kiosks the size of a tollbooth.
Somehow, they create more varieties of coffee and tea than I even knew existed. It’s gourmet coffee made the right way with high-quality Arabica beans, and each handcrafted drink is quickly made to order.
Gnosh on New York in Georgia
For a bigger morning meal, head to SDK’s Cafe & Coffee in McDonough. They fly in fresh New York bagels multiple times a day, and yes, you read that correctly.
NYC bagels just don’t taste the same when they’re made anywhere else, and the sandwiches they make with those pieces of carb heaven are the perfect way to start the day. Their coffee is just as good with tons of specialty options and flavors, so you’re sure to find something to love.
Fill up on Traditional Southern Food
Another incredible option is Southern Fusion Dining in Locust Grove. Opened by a 20-year Army veteran who then went to culinary school, this is one of the best local spots I’ve ever eaten breakfast at.
He takes Southern cooking seriously, with cinnamon rolls that are bigger than a saucer and way too much for one person. In addition to the traditional flavor, ask about the daily special for the cinnamon roll, which was pulled pork once and peach the last time I visited.
From shrimp and grits to collard green egg rolls to chicken and waffles, you definitely want to add this one to your list. Just be aware that it’s only open Thursday to Sunday, so you need to plan ahead.
Fun and Funky Pizza and More
When it’s time for lunch or dinner, 15th Street Pizza & Pub in McDonough is a must. They make more than just their fabulous pizza, but obviously that’s a highlight.
You absolutely need to get the pickle pizza, with a creamy garlic base, dill pickle slices, mozzarella, and dill weed. I promise it sounds questionable, but everyone in our group loved it, and I would have eaten just that.
The meat lovers egg rolls are a fun twist on a classic, and you can’t miss their pepperoni rolls or fried pickles. If you want to make healthy choices, they have great salad options, as well, but that’s not why I went there!
This restaurant is dog-friendly outside, so it’s a great place to bring your well-behaved pooch. They even have a dog menu.
Southern BBQ with an Asian Twist
Sweet Auburn Barbecue is also in McDonough, though they do have an Atlanta location, too. Go with a group and order their BBQ Omakase. Trust. Me.
The menu says that it feeds four, but we came nowhere near finishing it with six people. The platter comes with pimento cheese wontons, smoked brisket egg rolls, pulled pork, chopped brisket, a half rack of baby back ribs, wutang wings, Texas toast, and your choice of three sides.
The presentation has a wow factor as it arrives on a ginormous charcuterie board, and the food is just as fab. Personally, I think this comes closer to feeding eight people unless you’re super hungry.
This southern barbecue with an Asian fusion is definitely worth the visit. We couldn’t even think about dessert, but they looked so tempting, as did everything we saw pass our table.
Not Your Average Mexican
For huge portions at reasonable prices, check out Frida’s Mexican Grill & Cantina in Stockbridge. They make fabulous birria, which is my favorite Mexican meat and something a lot of places just don’t do well.
Presentation is their thing, with many of their food and beverage options coming in super creative manners that make the whole meal as fun as it is tasty. Delicious food is the bare minimum when it comes to Mexican, and there is a reason this place is packed during prime hours.
Soul Food in a Historic Restaurant
Finally, you have to stop at Green Front Cafe in Stockbridge. This restaurant first opened in the 1940s, believed to be the first restaurant in Stockbridge, and was known for serving Black and white customers under the same roof from its start, including through days when segregation was expected.
It’s under new ownership as of 2022 and serves soul food with a hint of Jamaica, including the pop I know and love from my visits there. You’ll find fried chicken and catfish, but you’ll also discover Jamaican jerk chicken, rice and peas, and a lot of history.
If you want a fantastic local spot, this is it. It’s located near the Martin Luther King Senior Heritage Trail, as his church is just down the way, and community remains a hallmark of this small restaurant.
Plan Your Trip to Henry County Soon
Henry County turns a quick pit stop on your way past Atlanta into a fun mini-vacation. Between the amazing animal encounters, the beautiful state park, and the fantastic local food, it’s a destination that truly stands on its own.
The next time you find yourself cruising down the interstate or looking for an easy escape from the city, pull over and see what makes this part of Georgia so incredibly fun. Embrace your road trip!