Set in the middle of 1200 wooded, preserved acres in the beautiful Snake Creek Gorge, this Country Inn, Retreat and Conservation Center is known for the world's largest, longest continuous zip line canopy tours, adventure and team building treks, Day Spa, history museum and on site chef. Experiential Adventures at its best!
205 Horseshoe Dam Rd Banning Mills, Whitesburg, GA 30185-2560
Historic Banning Mills
365 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
I booked an economy lodge room at Banning Mills for three nights and really enjoyed my stay. My room was modest, a tad dusty, and some of the fixtures were broken or dilapidated, but the beautiful setting and proximity to outdoor activities more than made up for any inconvenience. At no additional cost, lodge guests can access hiking trails, suspension bridges, and kayaking in a small lake, and I took advantage of all of these. The included breakfast is definitely better than continental breakfasts at similar-priced lodging, and it's served in a dining room with a nice view of the surrounding forest. I've heard good things about dinner and lunch, but I didn't end up dining here beyond breakfast, so I can't comment on that aspect of the experience.
If you need good wifi, the rooms don't offer a solid connection, and there's not much in the way of cell phone data either. When I needed to upload a video to my website for work, I asked the lodge staff about it, and they connected me to a private network in the main lodge that got the job done. Just don't expect seamless internet access from your room.
Unlike other guests, I was here mainly for the lodging and not the adventure activities - I simply needed a place to stay near Newnan, and I wanted to make sure I got to spend some time outdoors instead of just in my room. This was an awesome decision, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. As an adventure sports enthusiast, I thought the ziplines looked fun, and the exceptionally tall climbing tower would definitely have provided a unique artificial wall experience (though if you're an avid climber you'll notice it's set to be climbed in tennis shoes). I found an hour to try horseback riding for the first time, and it was a pleasant opportunity to pat a horse, chat with some fellow travelers, and enjoy being in the woods: very safe and casual riding on some docile animals who seem to be treated conscientiously by the local wrangler Lara.
I've read a few negative comments about the staff and management, but my experience was positive. A few of the staff in the lodge gave me the impression of being less than friendly, but they were universally helpful and accommodating, so I wouldn't go so far as to say anyone was rude or disrespectful. And certainly no one's attitude detracted from my experience.
Overall I was very happy I chose to stay here, and I'll book a room again if I need to be in the area.
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Date of stay: March 2021
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Room Tip:Â I'd go for the economy lodge rooms every time. They offer all the access and amenities of the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Holder, Owner at Historic Banning Mills
Responded Jun 21, 2021
Yes, we are in hopes that one day we will get the super fast internet but alas, it is only in the main city areas. We do have decent wifi though but with other guests on, it is not going to let you stream. Glad you got to check out the trails on horseback. Love our horses and it is a great way to see some of the beautiful gorge and Snake creek conservation areas. Hope you can come back soon
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Historic Banning Mills is absolutely gorgeous with amazing trees, hiking and adventures, a fabulous babbling creek, and multiple lodging options satisfying your deepest glamping dreams. Your choice of pine cabin, treehouse room, and romantic overlook, you just can’t go wrong here. The front desk staff are all AMAZING, so friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. The office stays open until 11pm. We stayed in pine cabin 23 and were smitten with its perfect layout, adorable balcony looking out at lush trees with the sound of the gorge far below, big jacuzzi tub, comfy queen size bed, and thoughtful dining area. We loved the wooded forest view! We loved the privacy too. The cabin was so cozy, especially in a late night rainstorm. It felt impeccably clean and a great getaway for social distancing. The price included a country breakfast, which was delicious and served in the most charming room off of the main lodge. The service was immediate and exemplary. The new chef from England is marvelous! We hope to return next week to try out a treehouse room package with the popular 4 course dinner! I highly recommend booking this place for a couples getaway, a single solitary retreat into nature, a family reunion, or group trip. It’s an ideal lodging option for any nature lover, conveniently located just outside of Atlanta. We cannot wait to return!
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Holder, Owner at Historic Banning Mills
Responded May 23, 2022
Madeline, Thanks for taking time to write about your experience. We try hard to make a great time for our guests. Soooo, we are very happy that you guys had a great time. We would be honored to have you back soon!
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Our family of 4 stayed there for 3 days and had a fantastic time on the Level 4 zip line tour. I would highly recommend it as a family or couples trip. We loved hiking around the property and following the trails, its beautiful. The guides, Hunter and Josh were awesome. All of the staff we encountered were very nice and helpful 100% of the time. We felt very safe on the zip line course and the bridges, but the wood towers going to them need some maintenance.
The facilities need some upkeep. We knew it's rustic and the website says "not the Ritz in the woods", but a good scrubbing, a sander and a couple gallons of paint would go a long way. Rustic and historic does not have to equal dirty and unmaintained. Our loft cabin had dirt and dust in every corner, the ceiling was water stained plywood and if you brushed against a wall you got splinters. The lodge corners and walls also could have used a good cleaning. The cabin had minimal lighting and so did the lodge (so you can't see the dirt perhaps).
Spend some money on mildew resistant paint, a better cleaning service and saving for upgraded electric. It really wouldn't take much to make it a lot better. If there isn't enough profit, raise the prices $20 a person. The zip line tour prices are exactly the same as 7 years ago, the first time my husband and I went to Banning Mills. Without any improvement I would stay at a hotel in town next time and just enjoy the great adventure tours they offer.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Cleanliness
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Holder, Owner at Historic Banning Mills
Responded Oct 17, 2020
Thanks for your review. We will look into your suggestions but I will say that we do daily checks and maintenance as needed on our towers and all aspects of the aerial adventure park system. It is difficult to keep outside structures looking brand new. Rooms, We will look at more lighting but it is rare that we have complaints on this. Our rooms are clean and Do Not have mildew. We will bring this review to the housekeepers to make sure they are not missing corners for dust. That is a big no no. The inside of the cabin rooms are definitely wood, Most people do not rub up against the walls but we know the cabin room you were in and will definitely see if there is any wood pieces that may need to be sanded. We appreciate your suggestions. We do look at all criticisms to see how we can improve. We do not take them lightly nor ignore them Thanks again for letting us know your thoughts.
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This a great secret!!! Can’t believe I’ve never heard of it. Found it researching places in Georgia!! My 14 year old twins are Adrenalin junky’s and this place was a perfect Christmas gift. We went up New Years Eve and they zip lined w my husband for 4 hours ($99 special) while my 13 year old and I hiked the beautiful gorge! It was a great day. We wished we could have spent the night in one of their cabins or tree houses but they were closed for New Years Day. We will definitely come back over summer. They had a pool, putt putt, zip lines, hiking, kayaking, a great lodge and neat area for younger kids. Just a great family place where phones and screens seem a million miles away. Special thanks to their guides Caleb and Hayward who made it tons of fun for the twins. They talked about how crazy they were all that evening. They also have the Guinness book of world records for longest zip line and tallest climbing rock wall. So we can’t wait to go back for more. Might be an annual Christmas gift.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna H, General Manager at Historic Banning Mills
Responded Jan 3, 2020
Thanks for coming out to Banning Mills. So glad you guys enjoyed the trip and adrenalin rushes. You will have to come out and check the new trails we just opened and just a quick correction: we have the largest zipline course in the world with a Guinness World record but not the longest zipline in the world. Come back soon to see us! Will tell Caleb and Hayard about your trip
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My wife and I celebrated our 26th anniversary at Banning Mills and I can honestly say that this was one of our best choices we've made for this special celebration. Every staff member we encountered was friendly and truly dedicated to making our visit everything we wanted it to be. We stayed in a tree house with a beautiful view of snake creek. We relaxed to fresh air, the sound of the rushing water and birds chirping, and the great feeling of being surrounded by nature. We also zip lined and this experience was great as well. Our guides, Conner and Xavier, were very conscious of our safety and knowledgeable of the history of Banning Mills. The meals served were way better than I even imagined they would be. The romantic dinner at night and the wonderful breakfast were so delicious and the chef did an amazing job with presentation and preparation. I would definitely highly recommend Banning Mills and plan to visit there again.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna H, Manager at Historic Banning Mills
Responded Mar 25, 2020
Thank you for choosing Banning Mills for your special 26th annivversary. We are very honored you chose us and so glad you guys had a great time. Please come back in the near future!
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We got a package deal. Which I highly recommend! For a great price we got a creekside cabin for one night, dinner & breakfast for two (both were delicious!), T-Shirts and our Zip line package that was 4 hours long. It came with the Flight of Falcon zip... DO THIS, this Zip line alone is worth the trip here. We also went hiking, wading in the creek, swimming in the pool & exploring the grounds. I highly recommend this trip! Advice: take a cooler with you in your car or to your room, Drinks, snacks etc. Bring a bathing suit! and a poncho if its possible for rain the day of. They will still do the ziplines if its just light rain!
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Date of stay: August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna H, Owner at Historic Banning Mills
Responded Jan 18, 2020
Yep Yep Yep, the Flight of the Falcon is one of a kind zipline. Thanks for your kind review and come back soon to see us. Look for new spring package deals coming out!
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I decided that for my 50th birthday this year that I would finally do something I've always wanted to do: zipline. My cousin who lives in Atlanta recommended this place and I cannot say enough good things about it.
My friend and I decided on a mid-week "weekend" from Tuesday to Thursday. We stayed in one of their Inn Side Lodge rooms which had a stunning view of the gorge through a sliding glass door. The breakfast is very filling and we didn't feel the need to have lunch, which turned out to be a good thing as our ziplining adventure was right after lunch and I might've been sick ziplining on a full stomach.
Sean, Ethan, Liam, and Ryan were ALL terrific guides making newbies like my friend and I feel totally at ease without taking anything away from the more experienced in our group. I felt completely safe after donning all of the appropriate gear provided to us and following their thorough instruction. I don't recall which of the guys had to rescue me after not making it completely to the end of one run and starting to go backward, but he didn't make me feel bad for having to come a few feet out onto the line to grab me and pull me back to the end.
I was also especially grateful to the guy who works at night and did his best to reassure me that the bad weather I'd left behind in New Orleans wasn't forecast to be as bad as in the immediate area we were in.
There's loads of hiking trails that give stunning views of not only the Snake Creek but the ruins of the industry that made Banning Mills what it once was, a paper mill. They have a lot of other things to do if you're not as adventurous as wanting to zipline and they have a few things if mere ziplining isn't the only thing you want to do.
I couldn't have asked for a better first experience with the zipline.
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Date of stay: March 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Holder, Owner at Historic Banning Mills
Responded May 23, 2022
Kerry, we are sooooooooooooo glad you had an awesome time at Banning Mills. That is our goal: for all that come out to have a wonderful memory. Banning is unusual at best and the history and beauty of this conservation center add the cherry on top of the adventures. Come back soon and thank you for taking time to write about your experience with us.
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Me and my fiance spent the weekend at this resort and we had such a great time. We did a couple's package which included a gourmet dinner and breakfast the following morning. The food was excellent and the staff even better. I highly recommend it especially if your into the outdoors. Zip lines, kayaks, horses, swimming, and hiking is all at your disposal. I highly recommend a stay.
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Date of stay: July 2020
Location
Cleanliness
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Room Tip:Â Stay in the tree house rooms if possible
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First, Banning Mills is the main reason we decided to visit Atlanta, Georgia after reading 5 star reviews for the adventure place! We took a Lyft from Downtown Atlanta to Banning Mills and be warned, it’s in the middle of nowhere. We understood the confirmation notice let us know there’d be no Lyft’s back but did not realize there would not be any transportation back, at all available. This is a concern for me for visitors like us, who do not have a car of our own available. If it hasn’t affected business, great but it’s a red flag talking point in the referral conversations to friends. The prices are high but reasonable. When checking in, the office ladies did not seem interested in asking us if we needed help or anything. We stood by the check in for zipline for 15 minutes before questioning if someone could check us in and there were no lockers available for out of guest to leave their things. Our tour guides overall made the trip and adventure well worth it. Without them, I would not be rating this a 5 star. They kept the conversation light, funny and were very knowledgeable. You do need to pay attention and refer to the details of each course as some require you to be physically capable and have upper body strength – you can sometimes climb over 100 stairs. Another plus, is the tour guides do take pictures and videos throughout the course for you and there’s yours to keep via email. The experience is definitely a must and we did really enjoy it – adrenaline rush for sure!
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna H, General Manager at Historic Banning Mills
Responded Feb 15, 2020
Thank you for coming out and visiting with us and thank you for the constructive criticism. First, yes, we are in a rural area which does not offer much in regards to transportation for those who do not have a vehicle. There are taxis that we can call but they are going to be more expensive. We will try to put more information on our website in this regards and offer what we can to assist. The best thing is to rent a car if possible. We do suggest that because we have more to offer than just our zipline canopy tours. It may be that you would want to stay and explore a bit more of the property. Having a rental would afford that opportunity. Second: Sometimes waiting for check in can take a little time. If a guest has not presigned the online waivers, we have to take a little more time to explain to those guests and it puts us behind in getting to others. However, that does not mean our staff should at least acknowledge other guests and thank them for their patience while waiting. We will review this with managers and address this so it will not be an issue for the future. Thank you for taking time to write and we hope you have a chance to come back and experience the other adventures that we have.
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So first of all the place is amazing! My mom sent me to the Adventure Summer Camp, The counselors are so funny and sweet! For family’s that love adventure! The pool is fun but the bottoms and the sides are made of concrete so it would scratch you a little. Crazy squirrel is very fun, remember to use the bathroom before you climb up. I would not wear loose clothing because there is a free fall and a lots of fun zip lines . Spencer was my counselor and she is very funny, sweet and creative. Mr. Ethan is funny And very helpful. A big shoutout to all the staff though because everyone was just amazing. The pizza we ate on Friday was yummy and I like that they make it there, also the reptile show was awesome!!
Rena Lacassie
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You do not have to stay overnight at Banning Mills to do Adventure acitivities. However, it is highly suggested that you do make a reservation for the adventures because we fill up slots quickly. You can book online or call us 770 834 9149. Hope to see you soon and remember, our lodging comes with breakfast and we even have tree houses!
Hi! Yes check-in for all activities are at the Main Lodge. While it isn't suggested that you bike to the Lodge because you would need to access the main road, we do have an amazing pedestrian suspension bridge that connects you to lodge side that you are welcomed to walk across. If you chose to bike, you may leave your bike on the porch at the main lodge and use your personal bike chain to secure the bike.
I apologize for the delayed response. Our RV sites are maintained by onsite staff. We do have wireless internet; however, you are in a gorge so that leads itself to some signal quality issues. Cellular service has the same challenge. Since we are in a gorge, service can be spotty. We have found that Verizon Wireless works the best with Sprint & AT&T running a close second.
We have two tree houses that have the king bed on level 1 and a small loft area with one set of bunk beds. Bunk beds are great for kids but a bit too small for adults. The tree houses that have the loft are numbers 52 and 56. Make sure you tell them you have four so the staff can reserve the correct tree house for your family. Thank you for your inquiry!
There are more places to choose from in the Whitesburg area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
historic banning mills hotel whitesburg
LOCATION
United StatesGeorgiaWhitesburg
NUMBER OF ROOMS
70
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