The town's major attraction is the A. H. Stephens State Historic Park (tel. 706/456-2602), site of Liberty Hall (tel. 706/456-2221). The park is named for A. H. Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy and former governor of Georgia. He lived at Liberty Hall from 1834 until his death in 1883. The home has been restored, and is very much as it was in this Georgia hero's day. Some of the antiques on display were used by the Stephens family, and the former vice president's bedroom is furnished with original pieces. Stephens was imprisoned at Fort Warren for part of 1865, at the end of the Civil War. Small in stature and frail in health, he seldom weighed more than 90 pounds.

Adjacent to Liberty Hall is an impressive Confederate Museum (tel. 706/456-2221), housing uniforms of the men in gray, along with a display of muskets, swords, documents, letters, diaries, and more than 300 other items related to the Civil War and Stephens. The exhibit is one of the finest collections of Confederate artifacts in Georgia. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm and Sunday from 2 to 5pm. Admission is $3 for adults and $1.50 for children.

The park, which is open daily from 7am to 10pm and charges no admission, offers boating, fishing, hiking, camping, biking, and walking opportunities. It has two lakes along with outdoor cooking and even dancing facilities. Many area residents hunt here, mainly for deer, although wild turkey and squirrels are targets as well. The park stretches across 1,200 acres, with 25 tent and trailer sites. It has an Olympic-size swimming pool and embraces the 18-acre Lake Buncombe, with public fishing. The lake is stocked with bass and brim. The smaller 2 1/2-acre Lake Liberty--stocked with catfish--also offers public fishing. Historic nature trails cut through the park.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.