Amy Albers

Last Updated on April 12, 2026 by Although I grew up in Atlanta, my experience with Coweta County and its county seat, Newnan, GA, was zero. It’s only roughly 40 miles southwest of Atlanta, but it simply wasn’t on my radar as anywhere other than where country music legend Alan Jackson grew up. Yup, way down yonder on the Chattahoochee. As a librarian who freelances as a travel writer, my day job and my side gig don’t overlap that much.

Last Updated on February 5, 2026 by When you think of favorites at Walt Disney World, Tom Sawyer Island probably never made it into your top 20. The attraction closed last summer and is undergoing a revamp to a Cars-themed land. I would bet that some families never set foot on the island and may not have known there was even anything to do over there. Some kids, however, are not all about the doing. They are about being. That’s what Tom Sawyer Island gave my children. A place just to be.

The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival is perfect for escaping a holiday rut. If you’re tired of doing the same winter activities yearly, head to Cary, NC, for this fun event celebrating Chinese culture. The festival is ongoing through January 12th at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Chinese lantern-making began in the Han Dynasty, which began in 206 BC. Initially, the lanterns were very simple and were released to signify letting go of one’s “old” self in preparation for the Chinese New Year.