North Atlanta, GA Outdoor Activities

The FAA-certified pilots at Prestige Helicopters, Inc. fly their passengers over downtown Atlanta, the King and Queen towers, and Turner Field. They helm a fleet of three Robinson R44 helicopters, as well as R22 whirlybirds, each spacious enough for up to three guests. Along the way, skybound guests peep at the area's arterial highways, majestic mountains, and winding Chattahoochee River, intermittently soaring high enough to fly over skyscrapers while avoiding most feral clouds.

Pilots also instill basics of takeoff, steering, and landing during flight-training programs that start students off on the cloud-kicking path to obtaining private, commercial, and flight-instructor licenses. When not leading tours and training programs, the skywaymen shuttle passengers between airports and hotels and take aerial photographers up for photo shoots.

Currently the Director of Instruction at Keith Jarvis Golf Academy, Keith and his staff of qualified instructors call upon his 24 years of experience as a professional player and coach to enhance each lesson. Students perfect swings for extra distance off the tee and practice short-game precision for more one-putts and fewer galleries showered with sand. Lesson programs incorporate the wireless 3D K-Vest, worn to limit extraneous movements and develop muscle memory during the swing, and Tomi putting equipment, which helps putters develop a consistent stroke.

At the summit of Mount Yonah, hikers bask in the dying sunlight and soak up views of verdant foothills that span the horizon. Before the sun dips below the peaks, they meander back down the craggy trail toward Habersham Vineyard, where they can toast to a wholesome day of hiking. This scenic hike is one of dozens of possible routes led by Skywater Georgia Wine Hiking’s knowledgeable guides. They draw upon their knowledge of the region to showcase the best trails and wineries during daylong tours. Based on each group’s fitness level, interest, and ability to tolerate photo-bombing sasquatches, guides can plan easy-going three-hour hikes around Victoria Bryant State Park, or embark instead on a 10-hour journey up the steep foothills of Standing Indian. Regardless of the tour route, guides take time to point out local flora and fauna, and energize groups’ with a light lunch.

Ten minutes from the bustle of Atlanta, hummingbirds and dragonflies buzz around gardens, and horses crunch leaves under their hooves as they amble down dirt-covered trails leading to a private pond. Fruition Farm beckons visitors to relax at this idyllic refuge, whether by swaying on the porch swing with a book in hand or trapping sleepy friends in a hammock draped between two trees.

Communing with nature is reflected in the farm's approach to horseback riding—natural horsemanship, which fosters a special rapport between equestrians and steeds based on respect and trust, motivating horses to obey commands without riders threatening to expose their secret pasts as cows. This philosophy encompasses all activities at Fruition, from lessons and camps to weekend retreats and creative excursions such as moonlight rides and Tea on Tuesdays, which pairs laid-back rides with a catered lunch at the farmhouse.

Two Wheel Adventures owner Chris Carr's love of motorcycles has driven him to adventures including becoming the 2011 AHRMA Middleweight Superbike National Champion, careening into authordom with Street Riding Secrets, and bestowing his knowledge of motorcycle handling on budding enthusiasts with a series of introductory classes. Together with a team of moto-enthusiasts, he leads courses that run the gamut from two-hour introductions to motorcycling or scooter skills to two-day basic riding courses, motorcycle street-savvy sessions, and licensing courses. For certain courses, students can borrow one of the motorcycles from Two Wheel Adventures' stable of 250cc Kawasaki Ninjas, Honda Nighthawks, and Yamaha XTs, rather than scrounging up a borrowed bike or attaching a motor to a unicycle.

Since 1959, East Cobb Stables' 3.5-acre parcel of Georgian countryside has served as an idyllic classroom for students to learn the timeless, unconditional bond between a man and his steed. The resident horses enjoy vigorous exercise on two outdoor rings, where visitors learn to saddle up and perfect the techniques of the hunter-jumper style. Imparting grooming, tacking, and riding techniques during lessons, a stable of five instructors molds pupils from all backgrounds and age groups into bona fide equestrians, calling upon years of varied experience to share the secrets of taming the wild puppeteers that live within each horse.