The Red and Black

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Variety

Media Credit: LESLEY ONSTOTT Bear Hollows. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: JASON BROOM Botanical Garden. [Click to enlarge]

Non-stop class for three hours or more everyday uncannily makes the most beautiful spring days seem dreary and dull. For summer students, white beaches and languid sunbathing all day are simply out of the question no matter how many hours of class time are spent daydreaming about paradise and cursing the decision to stay in Athens.

But the entire summer doesn't have to be spent nose-in-book - there are plenty of short trips to take around and in Athens that offer a little solace and a lot of fun. Though incomparable to the sun-drenched boardwalks of Miami, these trips are short, mostly free and offer a lot to those who are willing to explore.

Take a trip to the Athens Visitors Center downtown and learn a little about the place you live. While there, download a free, customized "podtour" to your iPod of downtown using the center's Wi-Fi to learn the history of the buildings and streets you walk by everyday.

If imagining Athens in its historic splendor isn't appealing, try getting acquainted with some of its flowery or furry residents by visiting one of the many nature centers, zoos or gardens.

The Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail has a free zoo where visitors can go to see bears, owls and otters while walking along a trail that also circles a lake where ducks and geese can be fed. In addition to the outdoor animals, the park's exhibit hall is open every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in order to allow visitors to touch and hold snakes, turtles and salamanders.

The State Botanical Garden is a good place to stroll or picnic while enjoying flowers native to Georgia and even some exotic varieties in the greenhouse that serves as the garden's visitor center. The garden also features walking trails that lead visitors past several archaeological sites and along the Middle Oconee River.

For something more active and whimsical, drive down Whit Davis Road and play princess or prince while exploring the largest volunteer-built playground in the state. The World of Wonder Playground covers almost two acres with an array of playscapes, mazes, slides, swings, bridges, tunnels and climbing walls.

If these activities haven't soothed that itch for sand and sun, one place offers an oasis for Athenians to lounge by the beach and play in the water all day for the low cost of $2.

Sandy Creek Park on Bob Holman Road is home to a sandy beach on the shore of Lake Chapman. Although ropes section off the swimming area to separate most swimmers from deep water, the rest of the lake is open to canoeing, kayaking and even sailing. Equipment can be rented at the park for an hourly fee.

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