Traveler's Rest State Historic Site — Attraction in Toccoa

Wow what a step back into the future. If you love old historic buildings preserved this is your place. The vibe was amazing. The tour was self guided which is surprising bc of how old everything is and anyone could touch these things. House is very cold. We went in first part of November. It was about 60 outside but easily 50 or less indoors. We really enjoyed seeing the bedrooms and living quarters the old clothing bedding etc. A couple things on the down side. The chimneys in many rooms are falling apart and there was broken brick pieces all over the floors in many rooms. I would think this is something that would be checked daily before opening the tour for safety reasons and such. Also the in laws building had a broken glass window with glass on the ground. We had two toddlers with us so this was concerning. I’d just suggest a daily walk of the grounds so no accidents happen but overall was a wonderful experience....

Traveler's Rest imparts lessons like few other sites in this part of the world. It is a powerful reminder of Georgia's pioneer days when Cherokee peoples still controlled their ancestral mountain lands and when the presence of slavery was an everyday reality. The house is full of the furniture and tools that belonged to the period and the house itself is a beautiful survival made of heart pine from the virgin forests that once covered the southern Appalachians. It increases one's appreciation for all the blessings that we take for granted today: electricity, central air, running water, modern sanitation, and so on. Nevertheless, one learns to admire early Americans for their toughness, their competence that was essential to survival, and their enterprising spirit. A complex legacy but one worth remembering and seeing in the existence over 200 years later of...

Traveler’s Rest Historic Site which is right by the South Carolina state line. The inn was built in 1815 by James Wylie who had “insider knowledge” that the Unicoi Turnpike would be built right there. It turned out to be quite profitable as it became a favorite stop-over for all the stagecoaches passing through.

Due to budget cutbacks, this is yet another Georgia state historic site that is suffering. It is now only open on Fridays & Saturdays, and 3 hours on Sunday. The ranger who gave us a tour of the inn was one of the nicest, most knowledgeable guides I’ve had at a Georgia state park. He was very passionate about the preservation and history of the site he maintained (he was also really good at dealing with my 2 year old while giving a tour & history lesson). If you are in the area, I highly recommend you check this spot out and support them with your...