Things to Do in Gainesville

No matter the season, the experienced instructors at Skydive Monroe help students discover Atlanta’s sky-high beauty while gliding through the air at 14,000 feet. They teach students of all experience levels the ins and outs of these giant leaps, working with beginners through tandem jumps, instructor-assisted deployments, and accelerated freefall classes. They also oversee jumps for more experienced divers, and welcome non-jumpers to ride along in the plane for an additional fee. Staff members document each trip on video, allowing jumpers to relive the thrill of the jump without painting tiny cityscapes on their trampolines.

That Pottery Place Studio’s shelves brim with hundreds of unfinished ceramic pieces, each ready to blossom with a completely unique bouquet of colors and designs. Plates shaped like watermelons and cats sit propped alongside decorative birdbaths, planters, coffee mugs, and owl figurines designed to scare pigeons away from the china hutch. Guests of the DIY, BYOB painting room can throw their creativity at these 3-D canvases using the studio’s stencils, brushes, sponges, and dozens of glazes. Staff members shape twice-weekly classes around more complex seasonal projects, though they also make the rounds sharing tips on technique and helping sort through idea books with painters during open studio time. For those who want to build their pottery piece from the ground up, instructors also teach clay workshops on hand building, press molds, and slip casting.

Pottery painting and glass fusing are two of the most celebrated crafts at Earth Paint and Fire. Spirited and inclusive, the studio’s BYOB classes and art sessions invite guests to indulge as they customize a plate or fuse colored glass to create ornate dishware and jewelry. During special project sessions, the staff members also assist artists by helping them customize works with painted accents such as the footprint of a newborn baby, the paw of an aging pup, or the tire tread of a beloved robot butler.

In 2001, the first of many ziplines began to sprout from the grounds surrounding the Old Mill Farm. The cows would inspect the strange contraptions quizzically, but they soon grew comfortable with the droves of smiling guests whooshing overhead. Today, spread across more than 100 acres near the North Oconee River in Lula, Georgia, North Georgia Canopy Tours lead groups on high-flying adventures. Complete with commemorative photo packages, the tours entertain guests with serene views and exhilarating activities. The ziplines reach up to 70 feet off the ground and extend as far as 850 feet, allowing zipliners to catch glimpses of flying squirrels migrating south in V formation.

Staff also welcome visitors to stay overnight in 15 campsites and several authentic Native-American teepees equipped with amenities such as electricity and air conditioning. The walls of each teepee bear custom-painted Cherokee symbols representative of the seven Cherokee Clans, for which North Georgia Canopy Tours' seven campgrounds are named.

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.