If you are visiting Tallahassee and want something unique to do for an afternoon, check out Thomasville, GA. It is located about 30 minutes from Florida State University.
Thomas County, located in southwest Georgia and bordering Florida, was formed in 1825 by legislation introduced by Thomas J. Johnson, owner-builder of Pebble Hill Plantation. One year later, on December 22, 1826, a location was established for the new county seat, Thomasville. The city and county are believed to have been named for Major General Jett Thomas, a member of the State Militia during the war of 1812.
Without a railroad until 1861, Thomas County residents became largely self-sufficient. Agriculture was diversified and business methods were modernized. With the advent of the Civil War, Thomasville played an important role in the Confederate cause by supplying goods and men. The war itself touched the county only briefly when Federal prisoners were sent to Thomasville from Andersonville in late 1864.
How to spend an afternoon in Thomasville GA
Let me tell you, it’s HOT in August in Florida and S Georgia so we didn’t LOVE walking around but the town’s so cute, we had to check it out with Tink, the pup. There are so many cute shops in Thomasville, we had a blast window shopping. I may have even bought a couple of items for myself.
I was fortunate enough to return to Thomasville and spend an afternoon at Christmas time. If you can get to Thomasville during the holiday season, you will find Christmas music playing on every corner. Loads of photo ops with large wreaths around town and twinkly lights to get you in the holiday spirit. It is a wonderful place to find unique gifts for your holiday shopping list.
Some of my favorite shops
His Daughter Boutique – I found a really cute dress in this shop. The prices are reasonable and the fashion is perfect for this mom!
Flourish – great little gift shop specializing in skincare, pjs and wellness items. This is a great place to pick up a gift or 2.
Chanel Essence Boutique – fun clothes and black-owned so I was happy to support these ladies.
Firefly – really cool home decor shop that is fun to browse or if you’re looking for home decor items, this place is fantastic! Since I am currently a digital nomad I didn’t need anything in the shop but I did enjoy checking it out.
Kaleidoscope Consignment – you know I love a good consignment shop. I seek them out wherever I go because I can find great deals. This place has a great staff and some really good deals!
The Bookshelf – one of the coolest book stores I have been in. It has all the latest books to browse along with local history books and kids books. We spent some time wandering around this treasure.
Ally B – charming boutique for ladies. I found a really unique sweater that I just love. Great selection of unique ladies dresses, tops and accessories and the staff is very helpful.
Dining in Thomasville
Flowers Bakery – your mouth will water when you first open your car door (at least ours did). We could not figure out where the divine smell was coming from and then we learned it was Flowers Bakery. I am gluten-free so I wasn’t able to buy anything but everything looked marvelous!
Farmers Daughter Vineyard and Tasting Room – super fun little tasting room. The wine was sweet, our waitress was great and we enjoyed some time sipping sangria and chatting at Farmers Daughter.
Jonah’s Fish and grits is very popular with great fresh seafood and famous cajun shrimp and grits. I love it when I can find shrimp and grits since it is gluten-free!
Chophouse on the Bricks is a farm-to-table restaurant. It offers a unique combo of dinner items and cocktails. Fresh seafood and other options are gluten-free, so be sure to ask the server!
When we first came into town we found, what is named the “unvacant lot”. It’s a public art experience and it’s so cool. We took a couple of walks around, finding new art at each turn. It’s a great place for photos and photo shoots as evidenced by the several folks taking professional photos in the little lot.
After we checked out that little location we took a turn around the blocks that were full of little shops and restaurants. We checked out several restaurants and settled on The Sweet Grass Cheese Shop. Oh my goodness were we happy with our selections. They had so many gluten-free options on the menu for me and everything we ate was delish! The pimento cheese spread was particularly amazing, served with homemade sweet pickles and gluten-free crackers. I had the wings and Abby had the “little cheese” sandwich. Both were heavenly!
If you’re in the Tallahassee area or near S Georgia, check Thomasville, GA for the quaint food and shopping scene.