Tourism has fallen off a cliff, kids are at home at all hours of the day and besides a grocery trip or health needs, many people are generally staying inside so there is plenty of computer time. Explore Georgia, the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s tourism arm, has introduced its latest efforts to bring the best of the Peach State into our quarantined homes.
The office announced its new website showcasing many Georgia hot spots to do its best to keep people connected, give them something to do and remind people of all the opportunity that is out there once we are able to get back to some semblance of normality.
“We’re all in this together, and Georgia will be ready and waiting for you when it’s time to travel again. Until then, use this list to find virtual ways to explore the state,” said the Explore Georgia team. “From digital chats with zookeepers to free concerts online, Georgia’s virtual experiences are growing daily! Check back often to see what’s new.”
The site features a range of activities – many of which might interest those kids who are home all day, no doubt looking for learning opportunities of course – from animals to historic sites, or Biology class and History class for parents putting together lesson plans.
And it’s not just the Georgia Aquarium or a tour of Savannah, the website features a number of live videos that are being updated daily. Many of the sites participating include a new live video every day, such as Chewhaw Park in Albany which posts educational entertainment each day on Facebook. The digital Cubs program is at 10:00 a.m. every and is specially targeted for kids age 3-4. A digital Keeper Chat at 4:30 p.m. every day features a behind the scenes with a zookeeper and some of the parks animals.
There are also a number of arts groups and centers participating in the project. The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta has a Virtual Resources Page that offers virtual shows, coaching, classes, and educational tool kits. The High Museum of Art in Atlanta is posting a family-friendly art or movement-based activity each week on its blog and it has also started a #HighMuseumatHome challenge where fans can recreate paintings, sculptures or photographs from the museum’s collection with whatever items they have at home and then post pictures of the results with the hashtag.
A tremendous amount of music can also be found on the site, from live home performances from bands that would have otherwise just played at the Savannah Music Festival to Athens own Widespread Panic, which has started the “Never Miss a Sunday Show” webcast every Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. Those can be found through their Facebook page.
More sites and videos are posted on a regular basis for those who may have breezed through the dozens of videos already.
You can follow along on social media with the hashtag #ExploreGeorgiaFromHome
