Where is a Safe Spot at College?
As colleges are doing their best to come up with ideas as to how to keep our students safe and healthy as they reopen campuses, we can only hope that our students will adhere to those rules when they leave their classrooms. Let’s face it; it is not easy to enforce social distancing among a population that has a tendency to want to gather. Plus we all know one of the best parts of college is the constant socialization and is it really fair to ask them to completely isolate? Probably not.
We realize we can’t replace a good fraternity party or tailgate, but there are alternatives to fun near campus and since outdoor fun appears to be the safest alternative these days, we have come up with open-air ideas. Given that we are living under such unprecedented circumstances; we always recommend double-checking hours, availability, etc. before heading out as activities may be modified or limit the number of persons in each party.
Parks
- Ben Burton Park: 615 Mitchell Bridge Rd, Athens, GA 30606. Park on the Oconee River that allows dogs, trail walking, hiking, kayaking, and canoeing.
- Walker Park: 200 Trail Creek St, Athens, GA 30601. This park has both a bike trail and outdoor fitness equipment to ensure the perfect workout.
- Sandy Creek Park: 400 Bob Holman Rd, Athens, GA 30607. This is one of the largest parks in Athens and has Lake Chapman at the heart of it all. There are so many fun activities you can do here: boating, kayaking, hiking, disc golf, etc.
- Dudley Park: 100 Dudley Park Rd, Athens, GA 30601. This park is all woods and is perfect for nature walks and hiking.
- Bishop Park: 705 Sunset Dr, Athens, GA 30606. Bishop not only has paved trails for walking and biking, but it also has numerous sports fields including baseball, softball, soccer, for recreation.
- Memorial Park: 293 Gran Ellen Dr, Athens, GA 30606. There are some playgrounds and children geared equipment at this park that definitely makes it more of a family zone in some areas. It also has a dog park, nature trails, and a pool, which are all more geared towards the use of college kids and adults.
- Oconee Forest Park: Athens, GA 30606. Full of petroglyphs, historic ruins, 850+ miles of trails, campgrounds & more, the Oconee Forest Park is one of the biggest and most fun parks to visit in Athens. You never know what you might run into while on the trails!
- North Oconee River Greenway: Athens, GA 30601. While this is not a park, it is more of a drop off that has access to a 3.5-mi. a paved path for non-motorized use that connects to parks, a nature center, & 3 different trails.
Restaurants that have outdoor space for dining.
- Mama’s Boy at the Falls
- George’s Low Country Table
- Clocked
- Trappeze Pub
- Big City Bread Cafe
- Heirloom Cafe
- The Cafe on Lumpkin
- Ted’s Most Best
- Five & Ten
- Aqua Linda Taquiera
- Taqueria Tsunami
- Taqueria del Sol
- Blind Pig Tavern
- El Barrio
Of course, if you notice that your student is experiencing any type of stress or anxiety from the new rules on campus, there are resources available. Learn more in our blog The Stress of College.
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