Stone Mountain Park

Our “spot” by the lake.

We had a fun surprise in Atlanta! We weren’t planning to do any touring even though they are known for their amazing aquarium and there are several other fun stops we could have made. I had a team event scheduled and the kids were still tired from touring city after city, so our goal was to let James and the kids rest for a whole day while I went to my speaking gig with our Atlanta team. I did a quick search to find a campground that was not too far from my event. It appeared to be at a State Park that was a quiet wooded campground on a lake sequestered off from the busy city- a perfect place to chill out and rest! What I didn’t know was that the park we were camping at was an amazing sought-after historical attraction.

It’s called Stone Mountain Park. I noticed some pictures online that showed a big domed stone mountain, so I assumed it was just an interesting geological feature. We rolled in late at night, so I stopped in at the camp store to settle up in the morning and took a few minute to look at the post cards. It seemed weird to me that I couldn’t find any that pictured the domed mountain. Instead they all showcased some kind of sculpture of men on horses. Thank goodness we have Google for every question that pops to mind because I suddenly realized that Stone Mountain Park wasn’t just about a mountain. It’s a historical monument that features the largest high relief sculpture in the world!!! Three Confederate Civil war heroes, President Jefferson Davis and Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, are carved into the side of the mountain.

This sculpture is bigger than a football field! It is truly a spectacular site. We were amazed to learn about the sculptors that created the monument in the early 20th century. In addition to the wonder of the craftsmanship, I have to say that experiencing the history of the Confederacy was quite interesting to our Northern born and bred family. In all honesty, we have never given much thought or attention to the specific history involved in the Confederate side of the Civil War. I have to admit, the tribute to the war history of the south was somewhat perplexing to us. It was interesting to see how our fellow countrymen in the South regard the Confederacy through a different lens than we do. It gave us the opportunity to dialog and try to better understand a part of our country who may view history from a different perspective. Regardless of this, we also talked about the importance of recognizing the events and characters of history regardless of our opinions surrounding those events.

We were there on the off season, although the weather was perfect so I’m not sure what would make it an off season. Never the less, everything but the museum was shut down. They have built an adorable village at the base of the mountain filled with shops and food, but nothing was open. It felt a little bit like strolling through Disneyland if it were closed. We weren’t there for the shops so it actually made our touring quick and easy. The grounds overlooking the sculpture is divided into plots to honor each of the Confederate states. The history of each state’s Confederate history is printed into the cement under their state flag. We enjoyed a perfect morning of strolling and learning with no crowds.

If you find yourself in this part of Georgia, I highly recommend stopping by to see Stone Mountain. We are sure happy that we stumbled onto this awesome site by accident!

In addition to our spontaneous sightseeing, we did have a relaxing stay by the lake. I had a wonderful Mother’s day driving through Alabama and Georgia (and we finally found a restaurant open on a Sunday so I didn’t have to cook!) and the following day I met my life-long friend and business partner, Crystal, who drove down from North Carolina. The two of us had a great Thai dinner and event with some wonderful people from our Atlanta team and the kids enjoyed watching the squirrels (Nolan’s still trying to catch one with his bare hands) and relaxing. The aquarium will have to wait for another day! Thank you for some great R&R Stone Mountain Park Atlanta!