About Our Tours
Meet our Tour Guides
Every Taste of Thomasville tour is led by guides who bring the city’s rich history and vibrant food scene to life. Their love for this community shines through in every story they tell, every hidden gem they reveal, and every warm welcome they offer along the way.
Sharon
I am Sharon born & raised in Thomasville, i am the proud mother of Julia & married to Jeff. I love horseback riding, fishing, spending time at the beach looking for seashells, and am a founding member of “Families for a CURE for Childhood Cancer”. The gold childhood cancer awareness bows, seen on Thomasville’s park benches, are tied and placed by my friends and me every September since 2010. I am also a member of Lady Banks Garden Club and First Baptist Church.
Betsy
I am Betsy and I love food! And talking! And as a theatre teacher, I have a flair for storytelling. Add it all up, and I was meant to be a Taste of Thomasville food tour guide. When I not touring folks around Thomasville, I love to travel with my husband and two boys, go on food tours, make sourdough bread, watch reality TV, teach, and direct plays.
Kim
Hello! My name is Kim Smith, and I’m proud to say I was born and raised right here in Thomasville, Georgia. I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 38 years, and together we’ve raised three wonderful daughters. These days, some of my greatest joys are my five grandchildren-who affectionately call me “Pixie.”
I’ve always loved traveling and meeting new people. After retiring from the YMCA four years ago, I knew I wanted to do something that combined my love of walking, talking, and (of course) eating.
That’s when I found my perfect fit as a food tour guide.
If you’re looking to have fun while discovering not just delicious food but also the charm and stories of our fabulous town, then I’m your girl!
Mike
I’m your tour guide Mike, a retired banker who visited Thomasville for decades. In 2015 I moved here along with my wife who opened a popular downtown shop. I have led hundreds of local tours and has been a Taste of Thomasville guide for eight years. I have spent many hours studying Thomasville history and interviewing local historians. I am passionate about my story telling and prides myself In educating my tour guests with both humor and fun. guide for eight years.
I’ve always loved traveling and meeting new people. After retiring from the YMCA four years ago, I knew I wanted to do something that combined my love of walking, talking, and (of course) eating.
That’s when I found my perfect fit as a food tour guide.
If you’re looking to have fun while discovering not just delicious food but also the charm and stories of our fabulous town, then I’m your girl!
Debra
I am Debra, owner of Taste of Thomasville. I started Taste of Thomasville in 2013 as my “something to do” job. I retired from teaching children with hearing impairments in the Thomasville City School System for 30 years. Never did I dream that Taste of Thomasville would have lasted over 13 years and have been recognized as Small Business of the Year in 2018, Georgia Travel Trailblazer in 2022, and #2 Best Food Tour by USA Today in 2025. It has been a true blessing. When I am not touring , I love playing pickleball, traveling with my husband and going on other food tours. I love spending time with my family, especially being Didi to my two grandchildren. I can’t wait to have you “taste your way around Thomasville “!
I’ve always loved traveling and meeting new people. After retiring from the YMCA four years ago, I knew I wanted to do something that combined my love of walking, talking, and (of course) eating.
That’s when I found my perfect fit as a food tour guide.
If you’re looking to have fun while discovering not just delicious food but also the charm and stories of our fabulous town, then I’m your girl!
Aleigh
Hi! My name is Aleigh! I am a local of Thomasville and one of the After Hours Guides for the Taste of Thomasville food tour! Being a guide is actually one of my few “side hustles.” I work for one of the local plantations taking care of and training the horses and dogs for hunting. I love working outdoors, even in the heat! I graduated from Florida State University (debt free!) with degrees in Communications and History. I am a total nerd when it comes to history, books and movies! (Shout out to my fellow Hufflepuffs and Marvel fans!) My favorite books are either dusty history tomes or spectacular fantasy, there’s really no in between.
I’ve always loved traveling and meeting new people. After retiring from the YMCA four years ago, I knew I wanted to do something that combined my love of walking, talking, and (of course) eating.
That’s when I found my perfect fit as a food tour guide.
If you’re looking to have fun while discovering not just delicious food but also the charm and stories of our fabulous town, then I’m your girl!
Debbie
I grew up in St. Mary’s on the lower South East coast of Georgia. Our back yard merged in the salt marsh on the St. Mary’s river. The mouth of the river was bordered by the northern-most island in Florida – Amelia Island and the southern-most island in Georgia – Cumberland Island.
As a child, playing in the marsh with my friends, we imagined Spanish Galleons and pirate ships coming into the river. One of our games we played was the “Battle of Bloody Marsh”. We built booby traps to keep the pirates at bay. Also huts and blinds to hid in.
This child’s play fostered an interest in history which I still have today. However, instead of becoming a History Major, I became a Dental Technician specializing in crown and bridge, orthodontic appliances, and gold and porcelain.
My husband and I have 2 wonderful sons, 2 daughter-in-law’s, and 4 grandchildren – one family living in Thomasville and the other in Pensacola. Over the years I have had the privilege to serve in leadership roles in Cub Scouts, PTA, various Church committees, Thomasville Entertainment Foundation, and the “Taste of Thomasville Food Tour”. As a guide, I enjoy being able to share some of the history of this unique town, along with highlighting various food venues, with guest to our area.
Hope
Hi I am Hope born and raised in Cairo, Ga. I attended Valdosta State University and got my degree in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations. After college I worked in marketing in the South Georgia area and fell in love with all things small town. In 2016, she married her high school sweetheart, Bradley. In 2017, she took a shift in her career and became a middle school teacher, teaching ELA, Social Studies, and Science. Bradley and I have two kids, Amelia and Deacon.
I joined the Taste of Thomasville crew in 2016, swearing that I was only going to do it for a couple months. Almost 10 years later, I still has fun introducing people to Thomasville’s good food and history.