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Located in Swainsboro, a small town in southeast Georgia, Flat Creek Lodge is the pet project of Caroline and Steve Harless, who initially began purchasing the land in Emmanuel County with the idea of promoting reforestation. After realizing the popularity of hunting and fishing in the area, and recognizing the ability of their land to host the sports, the Harless’ decided to open a hunting lodge. Combining the opportunity for sporting activities with their own appreciation for the finer things in life, this unique hunting and spa destination took root in 2001. With its ability to accommodate large groups, the resort is a great locale for corporate retreats — men can engage in teambuilding sporting activities while women can bond at the bathhouse or treat themselves to luxurious spa treatments. It is also a perfect haven for twosomes like mine, giving us both a taste of the things we love most in life. Though the lodge closes only in July, when South Georgia’s climate makes enjoying outdoor activities virtually impossible, the best seasons to visit are late fall to early spring, and Flat Creek welcomes most of its guests from October to April. With an array of getaways from the Romantic Wine Weekend to the Blast and Cast Memorable Escape, Flat Creek Lodge has plenty of all-inclusive packages to choose from, and can also tailor your trip to your heart’s desire. For more information, visit www.flatcreeklodge.com.
For a party of two, the intimate suites at Flat Creek Lodge are perfect havens for solitude and immersion in nature — even the drone of a television is absent from each room so that a temporary reprieve from the “real world” is achievable (though the luxury is available in the nearby Gameroom if isolation from technology isn’t your goal). The suites share a balcony that overlooks a picturesque pond with amazing sunset views. For larger groups, the Cottages at Flat Creek serve as home-away-from-home escapes. In two-bedroom, two-bath and four-bedroom, four-bath versions, each cottage also includes a kitchenette, living room, flat-screen television and porch overlooking a pond. Since the cottages are a short drive from the main lodge, golf carts are provided to carry guests down the gravel paths. Cottage guests have access to a fitness center and enjoy close proximity to the bathhouse. No matter where you stay, your surroundings maintain a cozy, no-frills feeling, with natural wood floors, rustic log furniture and accents in muted shades of brown, tan and burgundy. Each room adheres to a wildlife theme with matching art and taxidermy, such as the Wild Boar Cottage or the Raccoon Room. You’ll never get lonely with all the critters!
Under the direction of Sporting Club Director Robert Edwards, Flat Creek Lodge offers enough hunting and fishing activities to satisfy the cravings of extreme outdoors enthusiasts. With plenty of game-filled woodlands and 240 acres of spring-fed ponds and lakes, the opportunities are endless. When in season, sportsmen can hunt a variety of game such as turkey, dove, quail, pheasant, wild boar and deer, and group hunts can be arranged to suit guests’ desires. Hunting licenses are required for all hunters and trophy fees may apply. By enrolling in Flat Creek’s membership program, hunters can also participate in special events, such as annual organized quail and dove hunts and a sporting clay tournament (as well as special rates and discounts on lodging and dining — call 478-237-3474 for membership information). Set out to wet a line in one of Flat Creek’s 18 fishing holes, all stocked with catfish, large mouth bass, bream, bluegill or crappie. If you don’t have your own fishing or hunting gear, the lodge provides equipment. You don’t have to be a pro to enjoy outdoor activities — they’ll even set you up with an experienced outfitter to lead the way (thanks to Outfitter Eric, we struck gold at a bass pond hidden in the woods). If you’d prefer to stay indoors, opt for an afternoon of pampering. The Spa at Flat Creek Lodge offers treatments such as Swedish, hot stone or aromatherapy massages, sugar scrubs, herbal linen wraps, facials and nail care. Relax in the whirlpool or cedar-lined sauna, or head out to the Japanese Bathhouse for a mineral soak or a milk bath drawn with milk straight from the Flat Creek dairy, which boasts numerous benefits for When the sun goes down, the Gameroom at the lodge provides after-hours entertainment with a pool table, bar and TV lounge.
Flat Creek Lodge’s 2,000-acre property provides ample opportunity for exploration. While you’re out and about, you’ll encounter two greenhouses, where herbs and vegetables thrive before making an appearance in the dining hall; orchards with blackberries, raspberries, pomegranate trees and more; a smokehouse for smoking meats, making sausage and sometimes jerky; and a dairy farm and micro-creamery, which yields cream, butter and Flat Creek’s own line of licensed artisan cheese. More than 50 jersey cows make the dairy operations possible. “They’re our ladies,” joked Flat Creek’s general manager Cathy McDaniel. “We pamper them.” Once you’ve seen the sights, pay a visit to Stumpknocker’s Porch, an onsite shop offering plenty of Flat Creek goodies, from homemade jams, pepper relish and syrups to lodge-appropriate interior goods like deer skin rugs, and even Flat Creek logo merchandise such as tackle boxes. It’s here that you’ll be able to purchase any of the four types of Flat Creek’s own line of cheeses — full-flavored Edam, mild and creamy Colby, bold Gouda or soft Havarti. Visit the Gameroom’s Outfitter Store for Columbia Sportswear and brands like Bob Allen, Remington, Browning and more.
If you think you have to venture into the city to find exquisite, gourmet food, you’re wrong. The fare at Flat Creek Lodge, hidden in its rural setting, rivals that of any urban culinary destination in Atlanta. A dinner at Flat Creek Lodge is more than just a meal — it’s a “dining experience,” as they call it. Each table in the one-room dining hall is reserved for only one party on any given night, so that guests enjoy a leisurely repast at their own pace. Menus vary on a daily basis, and Chef Scott Myer prepares four- or five-course dinners and three-course lunches that may begin with succulent shrimp bisque, chunky tomato basil soup or a fresh Arugula salad. Two nightly entrée options allow you to choose from dishes such as crisp yet tender tuna steak with smooth risotto and fresh spinach, seared duck breast with red currant sauce and organic rice pilaf or pecan-crusted venison medallions and Gruyere potato gratin. Desserts may be simple, like the crème brulee with fresh raspberries, or rich, like the chocolate cranberry torte with chocolate ganache. At dinner, each course is paired with just the right wine to enrich the culinary experience. Much of the food served, including herbs, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, fish and game, comes directly from Flat Creek’s grounds, ensuring that each meal is as fresh as possible. Hearty, country breakfasts, which also vary daily, are just as decadent. With farm fresh eggs, creamy grits, berries grown in-house, thick bacon, piping hot biscuits with rich, seasoned gravy and good, strong coffee that puts Starbucks to shame, your day of hunting, fishing or relaxing at the spa is surely off to a good start.
Flat Creek Lodge is located just three hours southeast of Atlanta. If you happen to own a helicopter, you can take advantage of the onsite heliport, which typically welcomes groups for corporate retreats. For more information, call 478-237-3474 or visit www.flatcreeklodge.com.
As amateur animal watchers, Hunter and I play a variation of the “Punch bug” game whenever our excursions lead us away from civilization. Instead of VW Bugs, we look for wildlife (he usually wins, but I’ve been the first to spot a deer in the woods a time or two). Needless to say, we spent our weekend in nature’s paradise with our eyes peeled, and were rewarded with glimpses of Mallard ducks, swans, geese and even peacocks (though considering we found them roosting in a pen instead of in the wild, that one might not actually count). One evening, while I was reading on the porch of my cabin, I felt the presence of a creature, and looked up to see that a heron had alighted on my lawn and was looking at me earnestly. I sat, frozen, reveling in my up close and personal encounter with nature. By the time I reached for my camera, my new friend had taken flight — it was as if he was reproving me for attempting to capture our intimate moment on film. The swans, on the other hand, were quite photogenic. Gracefully, they glided across the ponds or preened in groups by the water’s edge, and posed for my pictures. They had allowed us into their territory for the weekend, and we were grateful for the opportunity. |
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