Tallahassee is kind of geographically unique in that once you leave, it’s just countryside for miles. Jacksonville is over two hours away, Atlanta is almost five hours away, and all else surrounding Tallahassee is rural and small-town Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. While the closest Apple Store or concert venue might be hours away, a pretty short drive away from Tallahassee is a number of small towns that make for the perfect day trip. If you get on Thomasville Road (headed toward the RedEye Coffee and Trader Joe’s in Tallahassee) and simply remain on this road, after about 45 minutes, you’ll reach one of these towns: Thomasville, Georgia.
Thomasville is well known for its downtown blocks that have the architecture, small businesses, and vibe that makes it feel like you’ve stepped into Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. As the winter holidays pick up and finals week comes to an end, it’s the perfect time for all of us FSU students to take a cute and cozy day trip. If you’re staying in Tallahassee over break and looking for something to do with an empty campus or looking for somewhere to relax and find a little treat after finals, here are some special holiday things you can do in Thomasville that I’m sure will get you in a festive mood (after listening to Ariana Grande holiday music the whole drive there).
Victorian Christmas
If you ever had to read A Christmas Carol (or watched the Barbie version) in middle school, I’m sure the Victorian Christmas event in Thomasville will unlock memories about Tiny Tim and the Ghost of Christmas Past. On the evenings of Dec. 14 and 15, Thomasville is closing its downtown streets to cars and holding a Victorian era-inspired Christmas festival. The streets and storefronts will be elaborately decorated for Christmas, men will be dressed like Laurie from Little Women, and apparently, there will be live reindeer. There are also a number of free things to do and watch, including a ballet performance of The Nutcracker, a palm reader, and jazz bands. On top of that, there will be over 20 food vendors in addition to the restaurants downtown. I’m eying Marquesitas Yucatan Crepes, Empire Bagel, and Delicatessen.
Christmas in lights
If you’re busy Dec. 14 and 15, every night of December there is a drive-through Christmas light show starting at 1919 Flowers Road in Thomasville. A fun fact for you is that the bread you possibly have in your pantry (if the brand is Nature’s Own) was created by Flowers Foods, which was founded and remains headquartered in Thomasville. For over 25 years, Flowers Foods has been hosting an elaborate Christmas light show at their headquarters, this year with over 25,000 energy-efficient LED lights.
SHOPS
Probably one of my favorite holiday activities is window shopping. Downtown Thomasville is the perfect place to wander around unique shops, with the holiday decorations adding even more to the experience. The two-story toy store, Imagination Emporium, alone looks like it’s straight out of Elf. I love to check out their antique/thrift stores, bookstores, and specialized shops like Big Adventure Outfitters, the Fuzzy Goat yarn and sewing store, and Big Oak Tree Rug Gallery.
To make the most of our three weeks until we have to get back to FSU and go to class again, I think that a cute holiday trip will help you make the most of this (hopefully) stress-free time!
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