In the university town of Valdosta, in Southern Georgia, discover galleries, performing arts venues, nature parks and sporting attractions. Valdosta is an award-winning city proud of its community spirit and sporting traditions. In 2008 it won the ESPN TitleTown accolade for its football achievements and sports passion.
Get a taste of the city’s charm by exploring the streets of Downtown Valdosta. Admire architectural monuments such as Lowndes County Courthouse and the First United Methodist Church. Poke around the bookstores, fashion boutiques and handicraft shops. Browse work by local artists at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts and Kaleidoscope Gallery and Emporium.
Go to the Lowndes County Historical Society Museum to get an overview of the county’s past. Learn about famous city residents such as the Old West gunfighter Doc Holiday, who was a close ally of Wyatt Earp. Join a guided tour of The Crescent at Valdosta Garden Center, a Georgian-style mansion built in 1898. The 13 columns of its veranda symbolize the British-established colonies that declared an independent United States of America in 1776.
Experience the city’s collegiate life on the campus of Valdosta State University. Attend theatrical shows at its Peach Summer State Theater. Visit the Valdosta Planetarium and listen to performances by the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra. The university’s Bazemore-Hyder Stadium hosts high school and college football games.
A 15-minute drive south is Wild Adventures Theme Park. Enjoy a fun-filled day riding roller coasters, going on a jeep safari and being part of colorful parades. Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area, north of downtown, offers the chance to canoe, hike, picnic and hunt in a recreational reserve. Golf enthusiasts can play 18 holes at the Kinderlou Forest Golf Club designed by Davis Love III.
Valdosta is about a 3.5-hour drive from Atlanta and a 2-hour car trip from Jacksonville, Florida. Visit on a Friday night during autumn football season, when almost the entire city cheers on one of the nation’s winningest high school teams.
