So you’ve heard of soccer moms and baseball moms, right? Well, I’m a tennis mom. My 10 year old son lives and breathes tennis. We are constantly driving to tennis matches all over town, but every now and then, we get invited to tournaments that require a road trip. Today was one of those times!
Our son and his tennis team are the current TN State Champions, which means they were invited to play in the Southern Sectionals Championship Tournament in Rome, Georgia. This is actually our second year getting to play at this tournament. Rome is in the mid-west section of Georgia and about 3 and a half hours from our home in Tennessee. Last year, we stuck to the interstates and took I-24 East to Chattanooga, TN and then I-75 South to Calhoun, GA. We started that route today, but ran into some significant traffic issues that caused me to rethink the route. After consulting the GPS, I found a route that kept us off the interstates and took us on a very scenic 3 and a half hour drive through southern TN, the northeast corner of AL, and northwest GA.
This drive was fabulous! We drove through the Cumberland Mountains in Sewanee, Tennessee and through the Chattahoochee National Forest in western Georgia. One of our favorite stops along the way was Stevenson, Alabama. This tiny little town is home to Downtown Dogs and Professor A.J.R. Graham’s Odditorium. We actually drove through this little town last year on our way home from the tournament and found these little gems. Last year, Downtown Dogs was in a treehouse….yes, I said a treehouse…next to the Odditorium. You would place your order at the local antique shop and then walk over to the treehouse for your hot dogs. They would cook them in the treehouse and then send a basket over the side of the railing with your hot dogs. They were so yummy! Seriously, the best hot dogs I’ve ever eaten. Evidently, since last year they tore down the treehouse and built a small glass building next to the Odditorium for the restaurant. If you are ever near Stevenson, AL you should check it out.
Since we were on a tight schedule to get to Rome in time for his first matches, we couldn’t linger long. We had to get back on the road. The final stretch of road leading into Rome via Hwy 27 is called the Scenic Hometown Highway. It definitely lives up to its name as it winds through multiple small towns.
In addition to the Rome Tennis Center, Rome has a lot to offer. After his match today (which he won! YAY!), we went to check out the downtown area on Broad Street. This was one of the nicest Main Street-like areas I’ve seen in a long time. There are tons of restaurants and shops lining both sides of the street with Christmas lights strung up and down the street. The best part was that they have people driving golf carts up and down the street offering rides. So you can easily park at one end of the street and catch a golf cart ride to a restaurant at the other end. These guys work for tips, so make sure you have cash on hand!
We are thoroughly enjoying our mini trip to Georgia. I’ll keep you posted is we see more cool stuff along the way!
