I completed my freshman year of college at Georgia Southern here in Statesboro (2016-2017), so I have definitely learned a lot about this small town. People often complain about the lack of things to do, so here's a guide of some of the many things Statesboro has to offer.
Dining
I am obsessed with this place, awesome donuts! I never find myself going to Dunkin and Krispy Kreme, becuase this place is so much better. The sausage rolls are also great.
I love Gnat's. This is my friend group's go-to spot for dinner. Everyone in Statesboro loves Gnat's; it can't
The Juice Cafe
This is the only health food shop for miles and miles. The Juice Cafe has a wide array of smoothies, smoothie bowls, juices, wraps, salads, sandwiches, avocado toast, and fruit toast. This shop just opened in 2017, so they are constantly adding new items to the menu. You can also customize
This is my favorite coffee shop in all of Statesboro!! They have great coffee, smoothies, and food. Also if you're involved in any kind of bible study with an on-campus ministry at Georgia Southern, you will probably meet here at some point. Also, it's right by Daylight Donuts, so you can stop and get a coffee in the morning.
This is another coffee shop that I'm obsessed with! They have better smoothies than Three Tree.
This is a place with bar/pub kind of food, but it's awesome!! I always get a burger with avocado on it, they also have great chick fingers and phenomenal wings.
In case you didn't know, Luke Bryan went to Georgia Southern and met his wife here. He is a Sigma Chi and she's an
Best sushi in all of Statesboro!!! My friends and I are obsessed with Tokyo, and probably eat here once a week or every other week. Seriously, all of the rolls are great, and so is all of their other food.
Sugar Magnolia Cafe
This is another one of my brunch spots, I've only been a few times. However, they have a great menu. Try to go on a Saturday or Sunday morning when they are serving brunch. The pizza is also pretty good.
Insomnia is a chain found in a lot of college towns, open until 3am most nights. If Insomnia is in your town, it's not a big deal. However, I would go if you're in the Boro and you've never been. I am here more than I should be.
I come here for Chicken biscuits all the time!! This is probably the only gas station where I would also buy their food.
I will occasionally eat sushi here instead of Tokyo. It is a fancier restaurant.
This is an awesome local brunch spot, I love it! I like this better than IHOP and other chains, plus it's cheaper. Fordham's offers a student discount.
Things to Do
This is also known as the S&S Greenway. I frequent my morning runs here, the main trail is 2 miles long. If you go off the trail, there are some great spots to
Kayaking at Black Water Preserve
For some reason, I have never taken a picture here, but it's awesome! Kayaking for students is $15 for 4 hours or $20 per day. You can also camp, hunt, and fish here. If you go camping, a kayak or canoe is included for your entire stay. Also, you can rent camping gear including a tent from the Georgia Southern RAC if you're a student.
The Clubhouse has mini golf, bowling, go-carts, laser tag, and a ton of arcade games. I'm not normally a huge fan of this kinda thing, but my friends love this place.
I've only been golfing here once, but my boyfriend plays all the time and loves it. The course is only 15 minutes from campus and offers discounts to students.
Ride a Dirt Road
This is one of my favorite things to do!! I love riding dirt roads to see where they go. It's also a great way to relieve stress. I am a big fan of long drives, and have found some of my best sunset spots from taking a random dirt road. If you like to go mudding, there ya go. I'm from Atlanta, so this is not an everyday thing I got to do before living in Statesboro.
Pick Cotton
This is kind of a joke, but also not really. My friends and I have gone to a random field and picked cotton around midnight. This started as a joke, but it was funny and we've done it a few times. One of my friends ended up getting enough cotton to stuff a pillow, and it'd be a fun thing to do to remember freshman year.
Abandoned Places:
Harville House, Meat Packing Factory
You can find lots of abandoned places from just driving along random roads in Statesboro. I really do love living out in the country. There's a ton, but the Harville House and meat packing factory are among some of the most popular. I do believe they are said to be haunted.
Go to a Petting Zoo at a Gas Station
There is a Chevron off of exit 98 on I-16 that has a ton of animals. There's lots of goats and various animals. In May, there was a baby goat, and they even have an emu. The animals are very friendly and love people. I recommend bringing food to feed them. This is on the way to Savannah and mostly any other beach, so you might as well stop by.
Pet Dogs at the RAC Field
I came to college and left my golden retriever at home (that dog would be at college with me in a heartbeat if my parents would let me bring her). Seeing a dog makes my day, and the RAC field is the best place to find them on campus. Pro tip: college students love to buy puppies!
Boutique Shopping
Statesboro has a ton of great boutiques, as most college towns do. Some of my favorites are Cheeky Bliss, Entourage, Dish, Walker's, Sole, and Maddie Bea.
Spiritual Health
This is the non-denominational church that I go to most Sunday's. How cute is this wall they have outside the main room?! I love Connection and 10/10 recommend. I've also heard great things about Stockbridge, which is a smaller church.
The Farmers Market is open every Saturday morning, and it's so cute! There's tons of great, fresh produce, and I really enjoy it.
Go See Baby Chicks
Ducks are one of my favorite animals and I am obsessed with baby chicks; they just bring me so much joy. Anderson's General Store often has baby chicks. I also just enjoy going in this store. It's right across form Fordham's Farmhouse.
Day Trips
Savannah
go to this waffle place
Tybee
Jekyll
Hilton Head
Charleston
St. Simmons
(I have posts up about my day trips to most of the locations above if you click the link.)
Seasonal
TMT Farms Christmas Light Display
This place is awesome. If you're here during the holidays, you must go! This is the biggest display of drive-through Christmas lights that I've ever seen, and it's absolutely phenomenal. The best part is that it's absolutely free, but I do encourage you to bring cans of food to donate. I really appreciate the kindness of people to set this up for the community each year.
The fair comes around every fall, and it's oh so fun. Statesboro does a great job, and it's one of the many things I'll miss when I transfer. I just go for the camels, Ferris wheel, and fried oreos.
Game Day
If you go to Georgia Southern or live in Statesboro, you've GATA be an eagles fan and rep blue and white. Game Day is one of the only occasions when you'll come across bad traffic in this town, and people take game day very seriously. If you're a student, you get in free with your student ID, and receive free guest passes.
xx,
Daria
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**this article was first posted on my blog, then altered for this article.
