Want to take your Resort Girl or Guy sweetheart on a sweet afternoon vacay? Roll into the historic district of Flowery Branch, Georgia. The train depot was big business back in the early days, now the city is big in the business of sweet treats. 
My first stop, (after stopping for the train to go by) was at the Liberty Candy Shop. The sweet aroma was even in the air on the outdoor shopping square. But once the Liberty’s doors opened, the delicious fragrance of chocolate and hard candy intensified. The store’s decor was retro in design, in keeping with its home – a 1906 building, even down to the shelves of hard candies and black and white tiles. I loved the pink and black store logo and the hand painted entrance floor showcasing the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty.
But most of all, it was the wide variety of hand-made candy that caught my eye and made my mouth water. There were so many choices; it literally took me 15 minutes to even begin to choose. But the regular customers who came in and out chose quickly, as they had their favorites down (this Resort Girl listened to their choices – it was the best way to discover the most popular products).
The owner was behind the counter this day and was energetic and friendly. You could feel her passion for her products by the way she explained the ingredients in each and every candy choice. I noticed this quote from the Liberty Candy’s Facebook page which does an excellent job in explaining the passion for their sweet treats:
“Busy day in the Candy Kitchen today! A sea of sea salt caramels, Caramallows, Coconut Sins, Chocolate Covered Oreos and Nutter Butters, Caramel & Chocolate Pretzel Rods and Caramel & Chocolate Apples (plain or with salted peanuts or toasted pine nuts). Restocking and making some of your favorites!”
Yes, this Resort Girl did feel like she was swimming in a sea of chocolate. So, after making my selections, I ventured back on to the historic Flowery Branch square. And to my delight, there sat another sweet shop – Calliope Sweets. Upon entering this quaint shop, I noticed all of the fresh baked goods that are their specialty. My choice was a key lime pie cupcake which was to die for. The cake mix was infused with tart lime flavors and, as a Resort Girl who appreciates design, the lime colors and topping swirls made this cupcake not only good to view but eat as well.
So, I was off with lots of sweet treats in hand. Then, I made a quick hop into the local craft beer store to see what what brews they had for sale. They have a nice selection and even offer growlers. There are also many other fine shops, and the popular Contemporary Southern “Antebellum” restaurant offering fine dining.
But with my limited afternoon vacation time, I wanted to do a quick historic tour of the Flowery Branch Train depot. 
In the old days, the depot was a hub of activity for commerce in Georgia. I stood back and imagined what it must have been like back then when the train pulled in, filled with goodies. We take that for granted nowadays with a local shop filled with everything we need on almost every corner. They did move the historic depot across the street from the actual train tracks and it is now used for social events. And then, my sweet afternoon vacay ended with taking a quick look at the cute red train caboose.
Choo-Choo! It was a sweet afternoon for this Resort Girl on the historic square of Flowery Branch, Georgia.
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