Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Get away from the busy life in Atlanta and head north to "shoot the Hooch" for a weekend vacay. This year-round recreation area offers picnicking, hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing. There's also the aforementioned Hooch: tubing down the Chattahoochee River.

Grab your tube and hit the slow-moving river. Outfitters rent kayaks, canoes, and tubes for your on-the-water activities. Some areas offer a place to take a cool dip into the river to relax on a hot summer afternoon.

If you prefer to fish, put your line in a quiet part of the river and simply sit back and relax. The Hooch is stocked with 23 different game fish, including trout. Fishing the autumn gives you a chance to fish among nature's fall splendor when the leaves change color.

Hiking, biking, and jogging are plentiful here as well. Paved and rustic trails give families and athletes alike an opportunity to explore meadows, forests, rocky bluffs, and marshy creeks along the 48-mile stretch of river. You might see the remnants of old mills, bridges that once crossed the waterway, and wildlife that calls the river home.

Island Ford in Sandy Springs serves as the headquarters of the area. Sandy Springs has a small-town vibe with cozy restaurants and live entertainment. Nearby campgrounds give you a home base for entering the park during the day. The grounds of the recreation area itself doesn't have any camping spots.