Last weekend, I had planned to visit my grandparents on my dad's side of the family in Kathleen, which is a smaller area of Warner Robins, GA. I hadn't seen them since Christmas, and it so happened that that same weekend, my dad was coming up to visit them as well, whom I also haven't seen since then. I honestly didn't have any particular "gem" in mind to check out during my visit, but I knew that the timing was perfect to see both my dad and grandparents, and figured there had to be a cool gem near where they lived, considering that Kathleen is an area few Georgians know about, and Warner Robins as a whole is briefly discussed in conversation or visited by most people I know.
I ended up discovering Go Fish Education Center in Perry, GA, which is "operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division and is core to the Go Fish Georgia Initiative," and basically helps support the Initiative's mission to promote boating and fishing tourism in Georgia. [1] This center has multiple components to it, including an indoor and outdoor section. The outdoor section has various kinds of fish exhibits with various facts about each type of fish. Glass panels allowing visitors to look inward to see the different kinds of fish and their environment. What's especially interesting about these is that they aren't quite manmade "aquariums," or at least do not appear to be. Most of the outdoor fish exhibits seem to have been built around the pond that the fish would typically live in, which really helps showcase the natural environment that the fish live in and feels more personal and authentic than say, looking into a glass aquarium. The outdoor section also includes an alligator exhibit.
Go Fish's interior consists of more educational content, including a fish hatchery, theater, and a collection of rods, reels, and lures. There is plenty of information given about the different regions of Georgia and how their bodies of water differ and what kinds of wildlife (particularly fish) are found in them. In addition to this, the interior section also leads to another outdoors area, which has a pond and allows guests to catch and release fish. While I didn't participate in this myself, this seems like a great hands-on experience for families and children.
Go Fish Education Center was certainly a gem in my eyes, not just to me, but also my grandparents. They have lived in Kathleen for decades, and they are only a 15 minute drive from Go Fish Education Center, and have gone to and from Perry and its neighboring cities many times and never heard of this place. Considering that my grandparents, who have been local residents in the area for years, have not heard or visited this place, it really supports how much this is a gem in Georgia. Go Fish is also tucked away geographically, which makes it feel even more special when visiting it.
I had a great weekend getting able to see my dad and grandparents again, and it was equally as great getting to experience one of Georgia's gems, with all of us taking this in for the first time. For those travelling through Perry or who are nearby residents, I highly recommending checking it out!
[1] https://gofisheducationcenter.com/about-gfec
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