5+ Things I Love About Serenbe
The Georgia community takes a European approach to living your best life.
In June, I spent a few days at Serenbe, riding around in a golf cart, wine tasting, horseback riding, doing yoga and maybe even sneaking into the inn’s pool after hours. This neighborhood—Is it a cult? Is it a religion? Is it a community for celebrities?—just 30 minutes outside of Atlanta in Chattahoochee Hills feels straight out of a movie set and has everything you could ever want or need for a weekend, or lifetime, reset. Families live here. There is a school. They are building a senior center. There are restaurants and a spa and a very Wes Anderson-style pink pool.
When I told an Atlanta friend I was headed to Serenbe (it was my second visit, but my first staying at the inn), he was very excited to share that he went to high school with the founder’s daughters and a huge group of teenagers spent what would’ve been their prom on the property nearly 20 years ago. This was confirmed when I arrived and Steve—the founder, who is of Scandinavian descent and has implemented Scandinavian/European principles into the design of the community—gave us an hours-long golf cart/walking tour of the ever-expanding community and pointed out “prom fields” and what will be built there eventually (hint: there are new hotels, apartments, maybe a lazy river, and more coming to Serenbe in the next five years or so). I feel compelled to tell you we stopped for to-go cocktails because it was a very hot day and Steve was a total sweetheart. He has this mischievous sparkle in his eye, probably because he lives at and created the best place on earth (or maybe because he babysits his grandkids weekly and hanging with the kiddos keeps you young).
So let’s get into it. No, it’s not a cult or a religion or Beverly Hills, but I suppose it really is whatever you want or need it to be. There are countless things I fell in love with here, but for brevity’s sake I will share five-ish today:
Serenbe is super walkable and puts the community front and center. Everyone seems to be extremely laid back. The real estate isn’t insanely overpriced and neither are the rentals. People who have chosen to live here have made a commitment to the place which essentially is a commitment to their health, their relationships, their bodies and minds. Curious visitors can poke around and decide for themselves if it’s a place where they want to spend more time. There is a waterfall you can (take a short) hike to and plenty of trails to explore, day or night.
I really enjoyed all the food and restaurant options. Never had a bad meal and I dined at Halsa, The Hill, The Farmhouse, and The Blue Eyed Daisy. There is a 25-acre organic farm here that feeds the community. No pesticides. Everything at Serenbe serves a purpose and that is felt throughout the Inn, the general community and their dining establishments. Driving the golf cart to dinner nightly and then going for a joyride at dusk was one of the highlights of my stay.
The wildlife! Being able to see synchronous fireflies here this summer was such a treat. I know there aren’t many places you can view them other than the Great Smoky Mountains (NC), Grandfather Mountain (NC) and Congaree National Park (SC)—especially this far south. Deer roam the community as well as brightly-colored birds. Horses at Serenbe have the mildest demeanors (I rode one that used to be a therapy horse) and you’ll find pollinator, herb and medicinal gardens here, too. I got a massage at the spa and the therapist taught me that peppermint oil on the ankles keeps the bugs away and that swabbing peppermint oil in the nostrils helps clear your sinuses.
Serenbe feels peaceful, safe, quiet. There is no noise pollution. The Biophilic Institute is here. If you’ve never heard the word biophilia, it means to live in harmony with nature and community in order to achieve well-being, sustainability and prosperity. Serenbe does an incredible job of bringing nature indoors as well as fostering the connection between humans and nature on the regular. And while the community still feels too new to be categorized as a “blue zone,” its arrangement and ideology put blue zone principles, like these, front and center: Moving naturally and finding daily stress relieving activities like taking a nap, going to yoga or having a happy hour with friends. Knowing or at least exploring what your purpose might be. Eating better and implementing the 80% rule and drinking wine in moderation are just a few of the others.
The community is hidden in plain sight! You have everything you need at Serenbe without ever having to go into the city. There is a yoga studio, a veterinarian, a pediatrician, a pressed juice shop, a wine shop, a bookstore (some authors even live at Serenbe, which makes total sense), multiple restaurants, separate pools for those staying at the inn and those who live in the community. This is a rare gem in Georgia, let alone the US. But having lived in California for many years, I never thought I’d find a place like this outside of maybe Carmel or Ojai. Having Serenbe just half an hour from Atlanta is such a treat. Hoping to spend more time here soon.
