I have been a photojournalist and published author since 2016, but have always wanted to pursue the career of travel writer. So here we go. Hopefully I can offer some excursions of interest for my readers.
My travels will sometimes focus on areas in Tennessee and surrounding states. But if you don’t live close, that’s okay. I plan to extend my treks into regions hundreds of miles away, and even international. I might journey to somewhere you have never thought about as a place to get away. Or, I may dive toward a location you would in no way consider stepping into. My hope is that you will piggy-back on my journey and find a magical place you have always wanted to explore. Come along with me in written word as we traverse our beautiful country, and hopefully, others.

First, my best travel tip. Get out of your vehicle and walk. As you walk, talk to and spend as much time as possible with locals. They will know the best places to visit. If you’re the shy type, remember that you can break through a lot of walls with these three words from travel expert Samantha Brown: Hello, please, and thank you. Everything else will fall into place.

Our first stop on the way to seeing the sights is relatively close for Knoxvillians and can easily make for a weekend getaway. As you head south on I-75/I-40 out of K-Town, instead of bearing right at the split toward Nashville as many of us have often done, chose a different direction and head south for some fun. Acworth, Georgia is a quaint, much overlooked town just under three hours away.

You’ll want to arrive on a Thursday afternoon and spend the night (Acworth offers five well-known hotels to choose from) so you can get an early start to the Farmer’s Market, located in the Historic Downtown district at the newly expanded Logan Farm Park. The market vendors will be there to greet you every Friday, April 9 through October 29, 2021 from 8 am – noon.

The vendors and food/crafts I encountered included Cheese Straws created by Darlene Wilson, owner of The Last Straw, a most fantastic Hummingbird Cake perfected by Nicole Green, the chef/Owner of Always Cake Bakery, and rubs and sauces personally crafted by Nathan and Melissa Montgomery of S&G BBQ who say they made a lot of mistakes on the way to perfecting their final products. And believe me, they have perfected them.

You gotta stop to sample the Pure Bliss Organic Bars and other high-energy goodies offered by Pete the Bliss Head. They are gluten free and certified organic. Pete’s fun to talk to even if he didn’t offer food.

I was fortunate enough to meet Lola Wilburn from Lola’s Sugar Pie bakery. I say fortunate because Lola is usually in the kitchen creating her delicacies and not at the market. If you only buy one thing from this amazing baker, choose the Praline Brownie Bites. That’s if you can get there before they are all gone. Lola believes that good is not enough. She has been baking for more than fifteen years and says her offerings must be excellent. She considers her baking a ministry.

Maria Starr brings her design talent to her business Pottery of the Starrs (POTS) with pottery and more that is functional, yet beautiful.

Believe it or not, you can even drop off your knives, scissors, and other tools for sharpening with Tony Whitfield of Y-Not Sharp Sharpening Services while you take your time strolling the market.

There are so many vendors week to week that there is not enough room in this column to expound on their goods, such as: Lackey Farms, MarRay Foods, Java Genesis Coffee Roasting, Anisa’s Secrets, Dry Creek Meats, cooking demonstrations, and many more. You can keep up with the market on Facebook by searching for Acworth Farmers Market.

If you can pull your trip together before September 11 this year, you can join the fun at Pizza, Pints, and Pigskins. An all-day event also held at Logan Park that includes exactly what the name implies, plus a performance to close out the day by the Ultimate Beatles Tribute Band, The Return. See details on the town's Website.

After scouring the Farmer’s Market for unique crafts and food, head just down the road to J.D.’s BBQ for lunch at 4424 S. Main St. where the motto is, “If you want good food, cook with wood.” The restaurant even smokes their pimento cheese spread and serves truly one of the best baked potatoes I’ve ever eaten. If you think all baked potatoes are created equal, you definitely need to get out more. Not into BBQ? No worries. Acworth boasts many other restaurants, from casual to fine dining.

If you can only stay one night, walk off your meal with a leisurely stroll through downtown Acworth and the Historic District before heading home. The town was recognized in 2019 as a Georgia Exceptional Main Street (GEM) by the Georgia Main Street program and won the All-America City Award in 2010.

If you can spare a second day you can take your time and enjoy even more activities, shops and restaurants.

Acworth, Georgia is located in Cobb County just minutes off I-75. For more info about this tiny, yet huge, picturesque town, check out the Website at https://acworthtourism.org