Hey everyone! Two weekends ago, my friend Hannah and I drove an hour southwest of ATL for a short getaway back to nature at Historic Banning Mills for the weekend! It is the perfect break from the city and offers unique accommodations and experiences like ziplining, horseback riding, etc. Check out my full review below!
Check-In
When we got to the lodge, the staff was super nice & helpful in getting us our keys & helping us with information. They told us about the walking trails, how to get to dinner, information on the zipline tour we were doing, etc. The lodge where we checked in was where dinner was served & also had areas to hang out like these sofas & a pool table room!
Treehouse ($209)
We drove from the lodge to our treehouse we were staying in and were pleasantly surprised by how big the grounds at Historic Banning Mills were! When we got to our treehouse, we went on a small suspension bridge to get to the door. When we walked in we noticed how spacious the treehouse was- perfect for two people! We had a king bed, jacuzzi, shower, and balcony! One thing to definitely note is that the treehouse does sway a bit so if you’re easily anxious or would be freaked out by that, you may want to consider a cabin instead ($99-$209). We found the treehouse really comfortable and perfect for our short trip!
Photos of the treehouse by Hannah Lozano (find her photography site here!)
Suspension Bridge
We took the large suspension bridge when we went from our treehouse to the lodge/ dinner! It was a little nerve-wrecking but was a great experience and made for some unique pics!
Gourmet Dinner for Two ($75)
For dinner, we dined at the quaint restaurant in the lodge! We were told to pick our entrees when we made our reservation a few weeks prior. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality food at Banning Mills since in my experience, other retreat resorts usually have a cafeteria or more fast-food style dishes. See what we ordered below!
When we sat down, our waiter brought us sliced baguettes and bruschetta (pictured above). It was delicious and was the perfect appetizer. The next course of our meal consisted of salads served with homemade dressings (pictured below left)! I got mine with the balsamic vinaigrette and blue cheese! For our entrees (below right photo), Hannah ordered the Vegetarian Jumbo Ravioli Trio (Butternut squash,spinach and portobello mushroom ravioli topped with marinara) and I ordered the Shrimp Pasta (tossed with a Champagne cream sauce and sundried tomatoes). Both dishes were great quality and so filling!
For dessert, we finished our meals with two types of cheesecakes! My favorite was the peanut butter one on the right which basically tasted like a Reese’s cup! So rich and yummy!
Zipline Tour
Banning Mills has the Guiness World Record for the longest zipline course! They offer a variety of courses ranging in level & price from $49-$149. We did the level 3 zipline course (Flight Pattern PLUS Zip Line Canopy Tour Course) & it was so fun! It included going up 1500 ft, ~3 hours of being on the zipline course, & going up to speeds of 60mph! The staff was young, fun, and very professional- I always felt informed and safe! Definitely recommend doing the zipline here (check out the video below by Banning Mills)!
Hope you all decide to try Historic Banning Mills next time you’re looking for a getaway from Atlanta that’s nearby! Hannah and I had so much fun and I can’t wait to tell more people about it!
Thank you to Historic Banning Mills for sponsoring this trip and experience. All opinions are 100% my own.
Atlanta For The Young 