Local Interests

North Georgia is home to so much! Hiking trails, waterfalls and scenic vistas are everywhere. Numerous lakes around the region offer great boating and fishing opportunities. Trout and Fly fishing are popular and can be done in many of the area's rivers, which include the Chattahoochee, Etowah, Chattooga, Chestatee, Hiawasee and Nottely, to name just a few. The Chattahoochee National Forest covers the North Georgia Mountains. State Parks, Conservation Areas and Historic Sites offer a wide range of activities and pursuits. The Southern Terminus of the 2,176-mile Appalachian Trail can be found at Springer Mountain in Dawson County near Amicalola Falls State Park.

Most towns have a walking or driving tour to help visitors learn more about the places and history of North Georgia.

For those that enjoy the challenge of a good round of golf with a scenic mountain view, there are over 30 courses in Northeast Georgia to take your pick from. Other activities include karting, sailing, birding, and rock climbing. Outfitters and guides offer their expertise to those seeking hiking, paddling, fishing and other outdoor activities. Tour de Georgia, a premier cycling event travels through the North Georgia Mountains each year in April. Whether it's easy or strenuous, your adventure in North Georgia is sure to lift your spirits and sooth your soul!

Enjoy the abundance at roadside stands filled with jams & jellies, fried pies, peanuts, sorghum,and pumpkins. Pumpkins and Corn Mazes dot the landscape from August to November. Tastings and tours at our wineries and vineyards can be found, as well as special events throughout the year.

Northeast Georgia offers a range of activities including gardens, Wildlife preserves and conservation centers, gold mining/panning sites. Airplane sightseeing and hot air ballooning trips, auto racing at a variety of racetracks and speedways and planetariums that offer free Friday night shows throughout the year!

The Factoids about Gainesville/Hall County

Gainesville is rated as one of the 50 Best Places to Live in America, according to the April 2007 edition of Adventure Men’s Journal. Based on small-town atmosphere and proximity to Atlanta.
Gainesville is recognized by Barron’s magazine as one of the Best Places to Retire in the United States.
Gainesville is one of “America’s Best Low-Tax Retirement Towns,” according to Where to Retire (Jan/Feb 2008).
Gainesville-Hall County was host to the rowing, canoeing and kayaking competition games of the 1996 Centennial Atlanta Olympics. Today, Lake Lanier Olympic Center continues to host national and international flat-water rowing and canoe/kayak events.
Gainesville-Hall County’s forward-looking community knows where it’s going under a long-term strategic plan. Through VISION 2030, the community is working together to accomplish 15 Big Ideas by the year 2030. www.vision2030.org
Lake Lanier, with over 38,000 acres of water and 7.5 million visitors a year, is one of the most visited U.S. Corps of Engineers-operated lakes in the country.
Gainesville-Hall County received the title, “Hospitality Capital of the World,” during international television coverage of the 1996 Olympic Games.
Gainesville-Hall County showcases more cultural opportunities than nearly any city its size. The community is home to its own symphony, two nationally recognized theater companies, a visual arts center, a history center, and a ballet company.
Gainesville-Hall County is home to Smithgall Woodland Garden, a botanical garden currently under development that is poised to become one of the largest woodland gardens in the country.
In the heart of Gainesville-Hall County is one of the largest nature preserves within any city in America, the 1,500-acre Chicopee Woods, which features the Elachee Nature Science Center and over 13 miles of hiking trails.
Hall County is home to an NFL professional football team - the Atlanta Falcons - which holds its practices within a world-class training facility in Flowery Branch, a fast-growing community in the southern area of the county.
The largest American Grand Prix road race in the United States (Petit Le Mans) is held every year in South Hall County at the world-class 2.5-mile Road Atlanta race track.
Gainesville’s Lake Lanier houses the world’s largest inland marina and the largest marina in the United States.
Gainesville-Hall County is well-connected. A “Central Hall Trail” is under construction to connect Downtown Gainesville to the southern end of the county via a walk-bike trail.
Gainesville-Hall County is home to one of the country’s oldest women’s colleges - century-old Brenau University - located in the heart of downtown Gainesville.
A true college town, Gainesville-Hall County is the site of Brenau University, Gainesville State College, and Lanier Technical College. Within an hour’s drive are the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and North Georgia College & State University.
This information courtesy of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce

Please contact me and I will gladly be your personal guide to this wonderful area.