Hope you get only good stuff in your treat bag this year, but even if you don't you'll find some awesomely scary (and not so scary) things to do below. They'll make this Halloween weekend fun even if you only get circus peanuts.

For a more complete listing of Halloween events, visit the AJC’s Holiday Guide.

FRIDAY

Stage: “The Ghastly Dreadfuls: Demi-Omnibus” offers a cavalcade of paranormal puppetry, macabre music and haunting horror stories from around the world and beyond this mortal plane. The show, recommended for ages 16 and up, runs through Oct. 3 at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta.

Stage: In “Rachel Teagle Believes in Ghosts,” storyteller Teagle offers a haunted evening in the great outdoors at Serenbe. 8 p.m. Oct. 29-30 at the  Serenbe Playhouse in Palmetto.

Visual art: Emmy Award-winning actress Jane Seymour showcases her artwork at 5 p.m. Oct. 29 at Wentworth Gallery at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. She’ll be at the gallery’s Perimeter Mall location …

Continue reading Weekend best bets: Oct. 29-31 »

YOUR PICKS

1) Rico’s World Kitchen

You say, “Order as a side, as an appetizer, or the Fried Green Tomato Salad, or the Fried Green Tomato and Pimento Cheese BLT. Wonderful Ya’ll get up to Buford!”

2) Blue Willow Inn

3) South City Kitchen

4) Mary Mac’s Tea Room

5) Six Feet Under

OUR PICKS

We say, “Busy Bee serves the best (and one of the cheapest) stand-alone fried green tomato — without sauce or toppings. The thinly sliced tomatoes are served piping hot and have a big burst of tangy flavor, which is complemented by a crispy, well-seasoned cornmeal
breading.”

1) The Busy Bee Cafe

2) Rico’s World Kitchen

3) Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q

4) South City Kitchen

5) Fickle Pickle

Continue reading Best fried green tomatoes »

The colorfully goofy and musically adventurous Nick Jr. TV show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" becomes a stage production. The touring version of the show hits the Fox Theatre this weekend and gets some help from a few local musical luminaries. Photo: Neilson Barnard

There are so many things going on this weekend, it’s tough to know where to begin, and this list doesn’t even include the haunted houses and pumpkin patches and corn mazes that are so prevalent this time of year. Check those links (and our Holiday Guide) for all the info on the Halloween-y happenings. As for the rest, here’s a sampling of the fun.

FRIDAY

Ghost tour: It’s the only time during the year that Oakland Cemetery  is open after dark, so don’t miss the popular Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tours. 5:30 p.m. Oct. 22-24. 248 Oakland Ave. in Atlanta.

Festival: For a little bit of the West here in the Southeast, check out the Southeastern Cowboy Festival & Symposium at the booth Western Art Museum in …

Continue reading Weekend best bets: Oct. 22-24 »

Natural beauty and adventure come together at Historic Banning Mills, which offers more than 5 miles of zip line. Photo: Bob Andres / bandres@ajc.com

1. Historic Banning Mills (Whitesburg)

You say, “Historic Banning Mills in Whitesburg is a great place to get away from it all. The zipline canopy tour is the best I have experienced, and we love the big wraparound porch overlooking the gorge. Simply beautiful!”
2. North Georgia Canopy Tours (Lula)
3. Dahlonega
4. Blue Ridge
5. Rabun County/Lake Burton

Lake Rabun is just one of many scenic waterways of Rabun County. Photo: Phil Skinner / pskinner@ajc.com

1. Rabun County/Lake Burton

We say, “The unspoiled northeastern corner of Georgia is one of the state’s most gorgeous spots. The serene, picture-postcard beauty of Lake Burton, Lake Seed and Lake Rabun tops the list of reasons to visit this county at the southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”

2. Blairsville/Vogel State Park
3. Lake Oconee/Reynolds Plantation
4. Savannah
5.

Continue reading Best weekend getaway (in Georgia) »