Things to Do in Fayetteville

The Robertson family exemplifies the unifying power of family fitness. While parents Mark and Melissa manage Ascension Climbing's incoming clients, their three kids—Grace, Caleb, and Zeke—provide one-on-one training in the art of scaling mountainsides or the gum-studded underside of a giant's desk. Grace, who formerly coached college climbing teams, transfers her expertise to competitive clients during one-on-one lessons at one of 18 ropes. Zeke oversees the littlest ones at Ascension’s climbing walls and two bouldering caves, and Caleb fills in the schedule with lessons on climbing safety and technique.

As a tightly knit, climbing-savvy family, the Robertsons hope to strengthen the bonds of other clans through Ascension Climbing’s many activities. They invite families to climb and boulder together during events and trips. They also host groups and parties, spreading their love of climbing through chaperoned events and overnight lock-ins.

Located in a historic train depot in Jonesboro—the setting for Margaret Mitchell’s _Gone With the Wind_—the Road to Tara Museum assembles memorabilia and artwork inspired by the novel and its classic 1939 film adaptation. Visitors can meander past reproductions of the costumes worn by Vivien Leigh or peruse the many foreign translations of the book. The voice of Fred Crane, who played Brent Tarleton on screen, narrates sights throughout the museum, regaling with behind-the-scene tales of the movie set and Clark Gable’s mustache wax. Regular tours extend the educational experience outside the museum walls, exploring Clayton County’s various plantations and historic battlefields still littered with cork pop guns and broken water balloons

With the Atlanta skyline as their backdrop, players at Dosser Works Paintball fire rounds of pigment on four outdoor fields, each covered to keep out inclement weather and the sun’s judgmental glare. Experienced paintball players run these facilities, and they channel their knowledge of the game by supervising safety and regularly changing field layouts and game scenarios. Themed competitions and night games play out on two tournament-size fields, an astroturf-covered speedball field dotted with air bunkers, and a post-apocalyptic warzone where competitors dive and shoot from behind mounds of tires, sandbags, and an authentic burned-out Ford Windstar. A sniper tower between the speedball and dirt fields lets players take aim and give constructive haircut critiques to those below.

Nestled inside 180 acres of tree-lined, gently rolling grounds, the Newnan golf course springs up from the natural terrain, gracing golfers with scenic views of ridges, ravines, and waterways. The meticulously maintained fairways and greens wend along natural, wooded buffers that create a sense of public but peaceful solitude, like delivering a speech from inside a sleeping bag. Golfers hone their short game at the practice green, deliver pep talks to lazy 9-irons at the all-weather driving range, or pick up anything from tees to new clubs at the pro shop. The 15,000-square-foot clubhouse's Coweta Grill serves casual or formal dining fare and slings drinks at full bar, and a sweeping veranda overlooks the 10th tee and its hazards, including the catapult-launched Harlem Globetrotters, who slap down soaring golf balls.

Golf with friends is the best kind of bonding. There's nothing like being out in the open air, hearing the wind blow through the beautiful old trees lining the well-groomed fairways, and refusing to grant your compadres mulligans. Today's Groupon gets you one round of golf on the championship course, plus a GPS golf cart, at Durham Lakes Golf & Country Club for just $30 (normally $51–$61 before tax; note that the course offers a discount for seniors). Buy a few Groupons and make it a foursome.

Cleaved through a gallery of towering pines and hardwoods, the fairways of Lake Spivey Golf Course tumble over 6,807 yards of rolling terrain to form a challenging, par 72 layout. Two lengthy par fives—measuring in at 540 and 560 yards from the tips—bookend the front nine and demand a Herculean drive or a zero-gravity golf ball to reach the green in two. A more difficult design awaits on the back nine, with water hazards and herds of golf carts coming into play on six holes and two long par fours rated the courses first- and third-most difficult holes.

Tree-lined fairways, well-guarded pins, and slick, bent-grass greens characterize the layout from start to finish, reflecting the designers' vision for a course that requires both shot-making ability and solid course management to maintain low scores. The course also features a unique 19th hole, letting players enjoy a pressure-free conclusion to their round.

To prepare for their battle with the course's sandtraps, water hazards, and meddlesome tree elves, golfers can practice at Lake Spivey's driving range or take a lesson from PGA-certified golf pro Jeffrey Biggers. Appetites piqued after a day at the links can find relief at The Spivey Grill, which serves a menu of burgers, sandwiches, and other traditional grill fare.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,807 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.7 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 136 from the farthest tees
• Five tee options