Callaway Resort & Gardens: A Four-Season Escape in the Georgia Foothills

by Melissa Teutsch on September 29, 2025 in Travels,
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Tucked among the pine forests of western Georgia, just an hour southwest of the Atlanta airport, lies Callaway Resort & Gardens—a 2,500-acre woodland retreat. 

Founded in 1952 by Cason and Virginia Callaway as a place to preserve native azaleas and give people a deeper connection with nature, it has blossomed into a year-round destination where families, couples, and even solo travelers can find beauty and adventure in every season. Whether you’re seeking quiet reflection, outdoor thrills, or colorful blooms, there’s a corner of Callaway that will fit you.

Where to Stay

Callaway makes it easy to tailor your getaway. The Lodge has hotel-style rooms with a central location, while cozy cottages are great for families and small groups. Need even more space? The villas range from two to four bedrooms, giving larger groups room to spread out and are a popular choice for family reunions. Guests can rent golf carts to cruise the property—a fun and practical way to explore. Some cottages and villas even have porches and patios, perfect for sipping coffee in the morning or winding down with a glass of wine in the evening while listening to the birds or watching the local wildlife.

Exterior view of a multi-story lodge at Callaway Gardens with balconies overlooking a landscaped courtyard, highlighted by a moss-covered stone fountain with cascading water and surrounded by trees and greenery.
The Callaway Resort & Gardens Lodge offers rooms for guests, as well as hosts conferences and gatherings year-round. Photo courtesy Callaway Resort & Gardens.

Dining at Callaway 

You won’t go hungry at Callaway. The dining options are varied enough to keep things interesting, from casual bites to sit-down meals with a view. Start your morning with a cup of coffee and a quick bite at Azalea Market, or enjoy a hearty breakfast at The Country Kitchen (their hashbrowns are not to be skipped and the view from their dining room is gorgeous). For lunch, grab a lakeside salad or sandwich at the Discovery Café, or unwind with a burger and a drink at Champions Grille after a round of golf. Cason’s Tap Room highlights recipes from the Callaway family cookbook with local cheeses and meats, while The Piedmont Dining Room shines at dinnertime (I highly recommend trying the fried green tomatoes). During summer, you’ll find beachside classics and a cabana bar for adults at Robin Lake Beach Pavilion. Across the property, dining spots offer shaded patios or waterside views, making it easy to enjoy a meal while soaking in the natural surroundings.

Things to Do Year-Round

No matter when you visit, there’s plenty to fill your days. Trails weave through the property, perfect for walking, biking, or just wandering with no agenda. Tee off on one of two golf courses, treat yourself at the spa, or explore the Discovery Center, home to art exhibits, workshops, the Crawleseum (bug museum), and even a Birds of Prey show at the Discovery Amphitheater. Outdoor lovers can rent bikes for the 10-mile trail system or test their courage on the TreeTop Adventure zip lines that soar up to 70 feet above the forest floor. Families will also find plenty to keep little ones entertained, from scavenger hunts and playgrounds to nature-based kids’ programs that make learning about wildlife fun.

Bright, sunny exterior of the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Resort & Gardens, showcasing a striking glass conservatory surrounded by lush gardens and large, colorful butterfly-shaped topiaries, all set against a backdrop of towering green trees and a clear blue sky.
The exterior of the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Resort & Gardens, a glass conservatory framed by vibrant topiary butterflies, invites guests into an immersive butterfly wonderland where butterflies flutter all around you. Photo Melissa Teutsch.

The Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center is a must-see, one of North America’s largest tropical butterfly conservatories, where thousands of butterflies flutter through a glass-enclosed, dreamlike environment. It’s a spot that feels equal parts magical and meditative. September is Blue Morpho Butterfly Month, so I was fortunate to time it right to be able to see one of the largest butterflies in the world. Guests are free to go inside the conservatory on their own or take part in a guided tour on weekdays. 

Fishing enthusiasts will love the thirteen private lakes stocked with trophy bass and bream (no license required), with options for shore fishing or private guided fishing excursions. Callaway Outdoors also offers jon boats, canoes, kayaks, rod and tackle rentals, and an on-site pro shop with gear and snacks, so all you need to do is show up. You can also rent a kayak or canoe for a slower pace, while those seeking a quiet moment can retreat to the Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel, where stained glass glows with the colors of Georgia’s four seasons. Organ concerts take place every weekend in the chapel.

Interior view of a rustic stone chapel with exposed wooden beam ceiling, featuring a large colorful stained glass window in an abstract tree pattern as the focal point behind the altar, with wooden pews arranged in rows and warm lighting throughout the space.
This small chapel was commissioned by Cason Callaway, founder of Callaway Resort & Gardens, in honor of his mother. Inspired by Gothic chapels of the 1500s, there are two full length stained glass windows at each end of the chapel. Photo Melissa Teutsch.

Seasonal Highlights

Spring: A Bloom-Filled Wonderland
Spring is Callaway at its most colorful. The Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl bursts into bloom with more than 4,000 azaleas in every shade of pink, red, lavender, and white, representing over 700 different varieties. Among them is the Prunifolia Azalea, a summer-blooming native that grows naturally in a limited area within 100 miles of Callaway. (It’s the reason the Callaways purchased this land.) There’s no better way to spend a spring day after walking the trails full of azaleas than relaxing in Cason’s Garden with delicious bites, brews and wines, family-friendly games like cornhole, and live music, while taking in the beauty of 150,000 tulips. 

A wooden gazebo with weathered shingle roof sits surrounded by blooming azalea bushes in vibrant pink and white colors, with tall pine trees in the background and a walking path leading through the garden landscape.
The Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl bursts with vibrant spring color as more than 3,000 native and hybrid azaleas bloom in brilliant pinks, reds, lavenders, and whites. Photo courtesy Callaway Resort & Gardens.

Summer: Lake Life and Family Fun
When the weather heats up, the action shifts to Robin Lake Beach, one of America’s largest inland white sand beaches. Kids (and the young at heart) will love the floating obstacle course Aqua Island, while mini golf, volleyball, and cabana rentals round out the experience. 

Fall: Pumpkins, Sunflowers, and Enchanted Evenings
Autumn brings its own magic with Pumpkins at Callaway. Wander through sunflower fields, try to find your way through Cason’s Corn Maze, and marvel at the Garden of Giants, where pumpkins are bigger than small children. Afterward, sip cider or sample local brews at Cason’s Beer & Wine Garden. At night, glowing pumpkins and whimsical fog-filled pathways turn the gardens into a storybook come to life.

Large carved pumpkins with the Callaway Resort & Gardens logo illuminated in golden letters, surrounded by smaller decorated pumpkins and colorful LED light displays creating a magical purple and blue nighttime scene with visitors walking along illuminated pathways.
Pumpkins at Callaway creates a non-spooky, family-friendly environment. As evening falls, the gardens transform into an enchanted wonderland with illuminated displays featuring glowing pumpkins and a “Foggy Hollow” walk-through experience. Photo courtesy Callaway Resort & Gardens.

Winter: Lights and Holiday Magic
Callaway closes the year with its most dazzling tradition: Fantasy in Lights. This seven-mile drive-through light show has been ranked among the best holiday displays in the country, complete with a Christmas Village, a towering 40-foot pixel pine tree, and visits with Santa.

A spectacular illuminated Christmas wreath archway spans across a road, featuring bright green LED lights forming the wreath shape with a large red ribbon bow at the top and decorative holly leaves, creating a festive entrance to a holiday light display with trees and additional light installations visible in the background.
Fantasy In Lights, an annual tradition since 1992, illuminates Callaway Resort & Gardens with holiday magic, transforming 2,500 acres into a winter wonderland. Photo courtesy Callaway Resort & Gardens.

A Place for Every Season

With its blend of natural beauty, family-friendly fun, and four-season experiences, it’s easy to see why Forbes named Callaway Gardens one of the best places to travel for families last year. Whether you’re wandering through azaleas in spring, soaking up the sun on Robin Lake Beach, or marveling at twinkling lights in winter, Callaway offers something for every member of the family. 

For more than seventy years, this Georgia gem has been helping visitors reconnect with the natural world and with each other. Come once, and you’ll see why so many make it a tradition to return again and again.

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Cover photo courtesy Callaway Resort & Gardens.

A native of Louisiana, Melissa Teutsch enjoys hiking, reading, baking, dabbling in home improvement on her 106-year-old home, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two kids. When she’s not working full-time in the publishing industry, she’s planning trips to new places for her family or taking day trips to explore the North Georgia and North Carolina mountains.