The Lodge And Spa At Callaway Gardens is a Marriott Autograph Collection property that we recently stayed at for one night. Here is my trip report and review of both the hotel and some of the attractions that we visited while we were there including the Birds of Prey show and the Fantasy of Lights.

The Lodge And Spa At Callaway Gardens – A Top Place To See Holiday Lights

We decided to pay for a suite at The Lodge And Spa At Callaway Gardens because we needed to guarantee the suite and the rates were very reasonable. When we arrived we were pleasantly surprised at how nice the entrance was to the hotel. The lobby and entrance were both decorated very nicely for the holiday.

We ended up with the Cardinal Suite which was very large and looked to be recently updated. Upon entering the room, there was a large kitchenette to the left and a large living area with breakfast nook straight ahead. The room made a circle and was 4 rooms really, when you include the king master and the oversized bathroom. There were 2 small balconies and one that was huge like a deck with full sitting area. The view we had was very nice overlooking the pool, fountain and the property.

There is a lot to do at Callaway Gardens so we found that we spent very little time in the room. We ate at their Ironwood Lounge for a late lunch and had the place to ourselves. We found it to be good food, service and great ambiance complete with a fire going in the fireplace.

We were only there for 1 night and had both Baby WeeklyFlyers with us so, considering that; we did a lot while there! The next stop on our list was to the Birds of Prey show in Callaway Gardens. We got free admission into Callaway Gardens with our hotel stay, so that was an added benefit. The Birds of Prey show was amazing and the kids really enjoyed it! You definitely need to watch your head at this show as the birds literally swoop down above the crowd. When they say not to stand up; they aren’t kidding! The show was about 30 minutes and very exciting if you like nature and animals. I would say great for kids too!

Callaway Gardens really was a nature-lovers paradise and very relaxing! There were many other things to do and see there but, our time there was limited. We definitely could have filled another day in Callaway Gardens, as there were other landmarks and activities to do such as tree-top adventure zip-lining.

That evening we had tickets to the Fantasy of Lights show which is one of the “Top 10 Places to See Holiday Lights,” as named by National Geographic Traveler. We found this to be fun especially for kids but, even the adults were wowed by some of the light scenes.

Bottom Line

We had never been to Callaway Gardens and really didn’t know what to expect. What we found was a very nice and tranquil locale that we really enjoyed as a family! The The Lodge And Spa At Callaway Gardens was really a very well appointed hotel that we found to be a good value. I would recommend a visit to Callaway if you are into nature and are looking for something different from the normal hustle and bustle!