Howard Finster's Paradise Garden Home (2 bedroom)

Paradise Garden Foundation operates, maintains & conserves this historic art site with overnight lodging offering FREE UNLIMITED ACCESS to Howard Finster's Paradise Garden. Paradise Garden is a non-profit and all our guests make a contribution by staying with us. We also have a pet friendly & 1 bedroom option: www.airbnb.com/p/sleepinparadise (*Please note: the neighboring "Howard Finster Museum Suite" & "Vision House Museum" is independently owned & has no affiliation or access to the garden.) The space Stay the night in this recently built UNIQUE two-bedroom Bungalow filled with interesting books and art from all over the world. It has an open floor plan living room with full kitchen, and double doors opening up directly into Howard Finster's Paradise Garden. There are 2 separate bedrooms, one featuring a KING size bed, the other a set of XL twins beds, and an extra "sleeper sofa" in the living room. The back patio has 2 chairs overlooking historic Paradise Garden, and a Smart TV and fun games for rainy days. Paradise Garden Foundation operates, maintains and restores this historic art site where guests have FREE UNLIMITED ACCESS to Howard Finster's Paradise Garden, including evenings. Paradise Garden is a non-profit supported by individual donors, collectors, businesses, gate admissions, gift shop, and revenue from our three Airbnb overnight lodgings, including a pet friendly suite: www.airbnb.com/p/sleepinparadise ( Please note: the neighboring "Howard Finster Museum Suite" & "Vision House Museum" is independently owned & has no affiliation or access to the garden.) Howard Finster is one of America’s most widely known & prolific self-taught artists of the 20th century, producing 46,991 individually numbered pieces of art and creating a 2.5-acre art environment known as Paradise Garden in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains located in Summerville, Georgia. Finster designed album covers for the rock bands R.E.M, Talking Heads and Adam Again, and R.E.M. and the country group Blackhawk filmed popular videos in Paradise Garden. Finster’s famous appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson further advanced his fame and audience for his evangelical message. Howard Finster “went home” in 2001 leaving behind his greatest legacy, Paradise Garden. Today Finster’s art can be found in museums worldwide, including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Library of Congress, Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, the Milwaukee Art Museum, New York’s Museum of American Folk Art, and Virginia’s Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Museum of Art. In 1984, Howard was selected to represent the U.S. in the prestigious Venice Biennale. The Smithsonian Museum of American Art alone boasts 16 Finster works in its permanent collection. Howard Finster’s children’s album was released by the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label. Finster has been featured in Smithsonian Magazine (2015) and on Smithsonian World TV show (1988), and is included in the Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Paradise Garden serves as the regional art center providing children art education, workshops, camps, tours for over 600 children a year in addition to providing monthly adult art programming including art classes, music concerts, film, and a two-day nationally recognized art festival. The Paradise Garden bungalow interior is designed by nationally acclaimed interior designer and Paradise Garden Foundation board member Summer Loftin of Summer Loftin Antiques & Design. PARKING: Driveway can accommodate two vehicles. OUTDOOR RECREATION: HIKE the Georgia Pinhoti Trail at Taylors Ridge (7.1 miles) or Cloudland Canyon State Park (34 miles). KAYAK or FISH in the Chattooga (Coosa) River or the lakes at James H. Floyd State Park (7.1 miles). Visit the outdoor art environments of neighboring The Rock Garden in Calhoun (30 miles) or Ava Maria Grotto (110 miles). RIDE TRAIN with the Tennessee Valley Railroad. During Spring and Fall, ride a special Summerville Steam Train from Chattanooga, TN, to historic Summerville Depot and watch the rare train turntable. MORE, visit Little River Canyon National Preserve (25 miles) and Rock City Gardens (44 miles). DINING: Sweet P's (1.8 miles), Willow Tree Grill (4 miles), The Vineyard Vegetarian Café & Juice Bar (3.3 Miles), Jim's Family Restaurant (3.5 miles), The Crushed Tomato (4 miles), Jefferson's (3.1 miles), Thatcher's Barbecue (3.1 miles), El Pueblito Mexican (1.8 miles), Burger Shack (3.4 miles), Canyon Grill (Cloudland 33 miles), Wildflower Café Mentone (22 miles) DAY TRIPS: Atlanta, Georgia (91.0 miles), Mentone, Alabama (22 miles), Chattanooga (42 miles): Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, Tennessee Aquarium, Southern Belle Riverboat, Hunter Museum of American Art. TRANSPORTATION: Chattanooga Airport (45 miles), Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport (101 miles). MEGABUS stop at Chattanooga is located at 2020 E. 23rd St., near Fourth Ave and I-24. From Atlanta and Chattanooga, we suggest you rent a vehicle. Uber, Lyft or taxi transportation is not available in Chattooga County Guest access Guests will have unlimited access to Howard Finster's Paradise Garden, located just outside the back doors. Other things to note Paradise Garden is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday 11am-5pm, and occasionally hosts evening events, some of which our guests are invited to participate in!