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Overview Rome's downtown
Broad Street area is quaint with several notable restaurants and
shops. Yes, there is good Italian food in Rome, along with just
about anything else you might desire The downtown architecture
has a classic Southern charm, and the adjacent hills are covered
with beautiful old Victorian homes and churches. Rome has its own Class-A Minor League Baseball team, the Braves. As and affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, it's not uncommon to see players here before they make the big-time. Attending a Rome Braves game in their new classic-style stadium is a lot of fun, and it's a short bike ride from Ridge Ferry Park along the Heritage park bike path. Another place of note in Rome is Berry College, a top-rated academic institution on a sprawling thirty- odd-thousand acre campus. Learning the unique history of Berry College justifies a visit, but the incredibly scenic campus and its natural inhabitants are bonus. After a drive by the castle-like Ford buildings, and a visit to the "Mountain campus," make sure to catch the hundreds of deer that graze the fields near dusk. Within a half-hour or so from Rome are a variety of other incredible places to go and things to do. You can stay at a local hotel, or camp at Cedar Creek RV Park or at Rocky Mountain Recreation Area. Rome has a lot to offer and energetic family looking for adventure.
Adventure Journal We arrived at Ridge Ferry Park midday and unloaded the bikes. The weather was much warmer that we'd become accustomed to this Winter. It was a great day for a ride. The Heritage Park Trail is paved all the way and is an easy ride. It winds along the Oostanaula river's bank, past the library, and into the downtown area. We took a little water break at the fallen hero memorial before riding on to the fountain and courtyard area near the Forum. Some friendly teenagers showed the kids some tricks on their skateboards, then we rode on. We enjoyed the scenery and light exercise riding through town, over bridges, and along levees. Finally, after backtracking past Ridge Ferry Park, we wasted all that exercise with monster burgers from Fuddruckers. The end of a perfect afternoon. The Richardson Tribe |
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Adventure Journal Entry Date: October 2010 We have been to the Chiaha Festival a few times, and we love it! It is so different from most of the Arts and Crafts shows we go to. On this particular weekend, we had camping plans at Desoto State Park in Fort Payne, Alabama. We knew we'd have to pack-up early enough on Sunday to swing into Ridge Ferry Park for Chiaha, and that's just what we did. When we first arrived, David Bell, an old friend of ours, was performing on the stage. He is as great as ever. The kids were anxious to get into the Scout's activity tent to make some sand-art bottles like they had done the last two years. Rebecca was anxious to see the art, especially the jewelry. Being rockhounds, we always enjoy talking to the folks that make wire-wrap pendants and other types of jewelry from common gemstones. The kids and I spent a little extra time in Mr. Hardy's hand-made knife exhibit. He explained to us how he made the knives completely by hand. Everything from forming the blade to cutting, assembling, and finishing a variety of exotic handles. It was some really cool stuff. I took a lot of pictures of various art, but then, while I was taking pictures of some LP tanks painted pink and made to look like flying pigs, the "artist" stepped-up, and quite abruptly insisted I not take pictures of his art for fear someone might steal the concept. So, I have intentionally NOT shown a picture of a 5' piece of rebar sticking in the ground with a 5 gallon LP tank welded to it, with sheet metal wings, all painted pink. Unfortunately for the "artist", you won't know who he is or what he has to offer. And PLEASE, do not steal the idea of welding wings on an LP gas tank and painting it pink. Man' I'd love one of those things in my yard. There is always a lot of food at Chiaha, but we couldn't feast too much. There is no ATM, and we were short on cash. We ultimately ended-up at the playground as usual. Ridge Ferry Park has two playgrounds side-by-side. They are both fantastic. There are also some exercise stations with equipment and instructions. If I'd had the energy, I would have pulled the bikes off and gone for a ride too, but after a weekend of Desoto State Park and a few hours at the festival, we were ready to head home. The Richardson Tribe
Entry Date: May 2010 As the path emerges from the wooded Oostanaula river's edge, the grand library is our first encounter with downtown. Rome has a very attractive downtown area with much of its architecture from the 18th century. Newer structures are designed to fit the look, and it works. The Broad Street area of Rome is as quaint as you will find. Just a few pedal pushes further, and you can wander the area freely. As we passed the Forum (yes, the Forum), we discovered a little park area with a wading fountain, benches, and some very nice landscaping. We decided to stop there to play on the way back. We rode on down the bike path then crossed the river on an awesome pedestrian bridge. We rode along a levy until we reached an area called Heritage Park. We staked a claim on a nice little shaded picnic table, and ate. On the way back to Ridge Ferry Park, the little guys played in the fountain while Rebecca and Lee Thomas checked out some of the old buildings. They found a plaque that showed the water level from a flood that happened in 1886. When we finally got back to Ridge Ferry Park, we decided to ride North on the bike path. We discovered that it went all the way around the stadium where the Rome Braves play, terminating in a little RV area, but it didn't look like it was used very often. Another notable landmark on this end of the trail is Fuddruckers. After burning all those calories riding bikes, we figured we could indulge with a burger and shake. The Richardson Tribe
Entry Date: October 2007 I'm also very impressed with Ridge Ferry Park where the festival takes place. We have brought the kids here a few times before to enjoy the large play ground, but now we want to come back to take advantage of the walking/bike trail that runs for miles along the Oostanaula river. I wish I had more pictures of the art, crafts, and jewelry that were displayed at the festival, but I had Roxy's leash in one hand, and at least one child's hand in the other most of the time. The lines for the food were long, so we ended-up eating 1/2lb cookies for lunch on Saturday. They were so yummy that we got more on Sunday. This is the first time, by the way, that we have ever returned to a festival for a second day as we did for this one. It was that great! The Richardson Tribe
Other Destinations: |
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