Things To Do In Valdosta

With machines set up in rows to encourage competition, many ordinary gyms cater to men's bodies and psychology, right down to the urinals that were "accidentally" installed in the women's locker room. At Curves, you'll move around a circuit of hydraulic resistance machines that have been designed to work with women's bodies to promote weight loss, protect against osteoporosis, and deal with arthritis. An experienced trainer is always nearby to help manage your machine maneuvering and your muscle making. Instead of fiddling with weight stacks and losing your momentum, the hydraulic machines use your body weight and fitness level to create resistance that matches your abilities, decreasing the risk of soreness or injury. Because traditional lift-and-lower motions create bulky muscles, each machine uses push-and-pull motions to create toned, lean muscles perfect for crushing a grapefruit without looking like you can.

Seminole Bowl welcomes bowlers to compete on 24 polished lanes laid out beneath cosmic lights and a thumping sound system. The alley's grill revives weary bowling muscles with nachos and ice-cold soda, and a full-service bar invites bowlers to linger longer as they reminisce about the game and compose odes to the Cincinnati split. A large game room inspires kids to compete in pursuit of redemption tickets rather than the heart of the quiz bowl cheerleader.

Snuggled among 35 acres of wild flowers, old-growth trees, and verdant greenery, Country Oaks Golf Course delights divot diggers with a slew of scenic yet challenging holes. The course, full of narrow fairways and strategically located greens, rewards golfers' accurate drives and skillful approach shots with the ability to speak French. Errant whacks may land in Country Oaks' treacherous water obstacles, tree stands, and sand traps, while the undulating terrain demands subtle reads as players prepare their shots. Golf carts are included, allowing players to save their energy for more important tasks, such as retrieving errant shots, showing off on the driving range, or forging unused clubs into a mega club at the course's 3,500-square-foot clubhouse.

Factor X Fitness's twin 24-hour training facilities each feature more than 11,000 square feet of cardio and strength-training equipment, including free weights and fleets of treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes. The 24-hour access extends to tanning services, which offer a choice between UV-free spray tanning or booths with built-in stereo systems that allow guests to listen to their own music or a recording of bacon sizzling while tanning. Their pro shop helps fuel workouts with plenty of gear including T-shirts, supplements, and energy drinks.

Mitillini Vineyards invites visitors to hand-pick grapes from the lush, scenic rows of vines dotting the property's 20 acres. After traversing the terrain and obtaining 10 pounds of organic muscadine grapes, guests can take their spoils home and apply the fruit toward the creation of jelly, juice, or antioxidant-rich tuxedo stains. Mitillini Vineyard's you-pick operation is open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weeknights and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, allowing families to visit the vineyard together in preparation for the kids' upcoming reading of The Grapes of Wrath.

At Highland Walk Golf Course, Bermuda grass fairways and greens arch over 6,407 yards of steep hills studded by tall Georgia pines for a challenging 18-hole layout. Throughout the round, the course’s dramatically undulating terrain gives way to sweeping views of the countryside as well as numerous blind shots, giving an advantage to players whose golf bags double as periscopes. Georgian course architect Denis Griffith’s creative use of the terrain is on full display at the signature 17th hole, where golfers drive the ball from terraced tee boxes and over the shadowy, intimidating depths of a ravine. Though the elevation changes place precise shot making at a premium, the course features relatively open fairways and greens, providing ample landing areas for aggressive drives and caddies airlifted in for emergency putt-reading services.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,407 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 71.4 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 131 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options