SCHLEY COUNTY, Ga. — Sometimes you want to go camping, but you still want coffee, a hot shower, and air conditioning. We have the perfect place in the last part of our 'Stay Local for Less' series, and it's not too far!
If you're up for some "glamping," you can head to Strange Farms in Schley County. It's named after the Strange family who owns it.
There's plenty of free stuff to do when you stay, but they also have add-on activities, like shooting at a gun range.
The whole place sits on 50 acres and there's a 70-acre lake, but the star of the show is where you'll sleep. Inside these tents, you'll find hotel quality beds and fun fixtures in the bathroom. Outside there's a deck and an unusual grill.
"We just invented this product called the gather grill. It's like an outdoor hibachi fire pit," said Jed Strange.
Jed Strange and his family first planned to use the family land for themselves, then they developed a business model.
"We wanted to make it about the cost of somebody would pay if they were going to stay in a hotel room, which is roughly $60-80 a person," said Strange.
If you rent all five tents and a cabin, you get to use the dock house. It has a beach and a commercial kitchen inside.
"You can cook and sit probably 60 people," he said.
There are several activities you can pay extra to do.
"We've got steel targets, so when you shoot the target, you immediately hear it," said Strange.
There's also skeet shooting, but if fishing is more your fancy, a john boat with trolling motor rents for $100 a day on the weekends.
Stay Local for Less | Go 'glamping' at Strange Farms in Ellaville
"It's primarily a bass lake," said Strange.
Golfing is also free. Just hit it across the lake off the tee box.
"It's actually a country version of top golf," Strange said.
You can fish off the bank or play a little cornhole or volleyball too.
There's tons of stuff to do here, but if you feel like taking a drive in the country, Plains, the home of Jimmy Carter, is just 20 minutes away.
You can also take a quick trip into Ellaville, where you'll want to experience one of the town's culinary treats -- "piggy sticks" at the Pizza place.
"It's pizza dough with garlic butter and then cheese and bacon," said Strange.
So go "hog wild" in the area and spend a night or two at Strange Farms. It's a classy camping experience with lots of fun.
STAY LOCAL FOR LESS