The town of Plains is quaint. Keep in mind you are in the south, so the only thing open on a Sunday morning was one trading post like store & the train station. The fellow at the trading post was enough entertainment though, never met someone with so many jokes to tell...some of them were actually funny. The peanut is silly, but if your in Plains, you kind of HAVE to go see it.
Just down the street from the old Plains High School (now the museum and historic site) is the giant, smiling peanut. It is located next to a gas station and convenience store, and is not gated or anything, so you can stop for a photo any time.
Whether you like Jimmy Carter or not, he is part of our Southern and national history. The smile is an icon of his governorship and presidency. Getting your photo take with the giant smiling peanut lets everyone over 50 know you have been to Plains.
Very entertaining to see. Fun to stop and get a picture. Not on the main road through Plains but the road between town and their church. Worth making a short detour for.
The whole town of Plaines is a microcosm of old rural America in the south, easy going and friendly.
Out of the blue, large and in charge, sort of a strange location but then again make sense where it is. A nice welcome mat.
Not the easiest place to find, and the convenience store where the statue is located does not look like somewhere I would like to shop, but it's still a great site! Well worth the hour detour when driving up to Atlanta.
I think any roadside statue should be seen and have your picture taken with. Most kids in South love Jimmy Carter and to go to Plains.
On our backroad trip to Plains, GA we passed through some beautiful countryside filled with cotton, peanut and cabbage fields. Beautiful old farmhouses still working and living the country life. Peaceful. So we come into Plains and it is very quaint. Filled with history of Jimmy Carter's life and the history of the area. So of course I wanted to see the smiling Peanut...found it!!! Not hard to do. LOL. While I am taking pictures of the Peanut, my partner in adventures goes inside the minute market where the Peanut is located. Went in for a coke and crackers but came out with a box of a dozen fried chicken livers for $4.00!!! Now if you love fried chicken livers like we do, I'll tell you these were THE BEST I have ever had. Perfect crust and seasoning. Just right. And the lady offered to even fry up some fresh ones (very nice Southern offer) but we took what was already cooked. OMG. You must try them. We were excited to see the Peanut but the livers were a winner.
This is a must if you are visiting the Jimmy Carter school and welcome center. After your visit there, simply turn right out of the parking lot and drive approximately a mile. The large peanut is about a mile down on your right at a gas station. It takes 5 minutes and great photo opportunities for everyone. This is free too!