Locate It: Gainesville

Gainesville, Georgia: Gardens, Golf, Parks and a Boaters’ Paradise

Nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, Gainesville is perfectly located an easy half hour from Atlanta. A magnet for outdoor activities, the home of Georgia’s famous Lake Lanier is open for skiing, boating, wakeboarding, picnics, fishing, and more water sports, as well as hiking and camping along the shore.

Nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, Gainesville is perfectly located an easy half hour from Atlanta. A magnet for outdoor activities, the home of Georgia’s famous Lake Lanier is open for skiing, boating, wakeboarding, picnics, fishing, and more water sports, as well as hiking and camping along the shore.

Gainesville’s Lanier Island Resort has a stunning view over 1,500 acres and has accommodations to match any vacation style from campgrounds to lake houses, villas and luxurious legacy lodge rooms. With eight on-site walking trails, horseback riding, and golf, you are just getting started on the outdoor activities available. At the newly opened Margaritaville at Lanier Islands you can slip down a water slide, catch some rays on the sandy beach, pick up an energizing game of beach volleyball, rent a boat, and even fly up into the air on a flyboard. After all the awesome activities, eat at a great restaurant or enjoy a cool drink at the tiki bar.

Nearby Don Carter State Park also offers a beautiful sandy beach for swimmers, boat ramps for quick access to the lake, and 12 miles of beautiful hiking trails meandering through the woods along the lake. There are eight cottages to rent and a large camping area with more than 50 sites settled in the beautiful pines. Perfect for biking through the 1,300 acres, the state park also offers kayak, paddleboard and aquacycle rentals for the lake.

While visiting Gainesville, plan to include three hours for one of the state’s longest zip line tours at North Georgia Canopy Tours. This

tour flies over three ponds, the North Oconee River, and you can even race a friend on the dual zip at the end.

The 1996 Olympics legacy lives on at the Lake Lanier Olympic Park and today even the amateurs can kayak and canoe on this phenomenal championship outdoor facility. You can rent a kayak or canoe through the Lake Lanier Rowing Club or the Canoe and Kayak Club.

Golfers can enjoy premier golf experiences at Lanier Islands Resort and the public Chattahoochee Golf Course which was touted by Gary Palmer as one of the best public golf courses he has ever played.

With more than a dozen gardens in Gainesville, everyone can enjoy the options. The Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville is nationally recognized with a phenomenal array of plants, whimsical plant sculptures, a model train garden, and events such as cocktails and concerts in the gardens. There are also easy hiking trails and, of course, flowers galore.

A fun walk in downtown Gainesville is the Solar System Walking Tour, a scale model of the solar system where you can walk from the Sun to each of the planets. The tour, once completed, is 1.8 miles and goes from the Downtown Square to Rock Creek Park, the Rock Creek Greenway, Ivey Terrace Park, Wilshire Trails Park and Longwood Park.

For more ways to explore Lake Lanier, download the Official Lake Lanier Destination Guide, SlipAway.

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Gainesville - Locations

Don Carter State Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
5000 N. Browning Bridge Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
678-450-7726

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Lake Lanier

Northeast Georgia Mountains
Northeast Georgia
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-297-5499

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Lake Lanier Olympic Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
3105 Clarks Bridge Rd
Gainesville, GA 30506
855-536-1996

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Upper Lanier Water Trail

Northeast Georgia Mountains
Chattahoochee River Water Trail
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-297-5499

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Allen Creek Soccer Complex

Northeast Georgia Mountains
2500 Allen Creek Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30501
678-450-6502

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Bolding Mill Campground – Lake Lanier

Northeast Georgia Mountains
4044 Chestatee Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
877-444-6777

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Candler Fields

Northeast Georgia Mountains
525 Prior St. NE
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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Chattahoochee Golf Course

Northeast Georgia Mountains
301 Tommy Aaron Dr.
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-532-0066

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Chicopee Woods Golf Course

Northeast Georgia Mountains
2515 Atlanta Hwy.
Gainesville, GA 30504
770-534-7322

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City Park – Gainesville

Northeast Georgia Mountains
549 Glenwood Dr. NE
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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Cool Springs Blueberry Farm and Nursery

Northeast Georgia Mountains
5975 Smith Mill Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-535-7350

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Cool Springs Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
5579 Cool Springs Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-535-8280

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Cummins Power South – Gainesville

Northeast Georgia Mountains
1765 Construction Dr.
Gainesville, GA 30507
678-450-8700

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DeSota Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
1142 DeSota St. SE
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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Duckett Mill Campground- Lake Lanier

Northeast Georgia Mountains
3720 Duckett Mill Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
877-444-6777

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East Hall Community Center and Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
3911 P Davison Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30507
678-450-1540

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Elachee Nature Science Center

Northeast Georgia Mountains
2125 Elachee Dr.
Gainesville, GA 30507
770-535-1976

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Frances Meadows Aquatic and Community Center

Northeast Georgia Mountains
1545 Community Way NE
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-533-5850

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Gainesville Marina

Northeast Georgia Mountains
2145 Dawsonville Hwy.
Gainesville, GA 30501-1005
770-536-2171

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Gainesville Skate Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
636 SW High St.
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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Holly Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
2603 Old Thompson Bridge Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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INK (Interactive Neighborhood for Kids Inc.)

Northeast Georgia Mountains
999 Chestnut St. SE, Ste. 11
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-536-1900

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Ivey Terrace Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
607 Ridgewood Terr. NW
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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Keith Bridge Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
9720 Old Keith Bridge Rd
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-945-9531

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Kenwood Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
725 Kenwood Dr. SW
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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Kinsey Family Farm

Northeast Georgia Mountains
7170 Jot 'Em Down Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-887-6028

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Lanier Point Park and Athletic Complex

Northeast Georgia Mountains
1579 Lee Waldrip Dr. NW
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-287-0208

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Laurel Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
3100 Old Cleveland Hwy
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-535-8280

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LCKC Kayak and Canoe Rentals

Northeast Georgia Mountains
3105 Clarks Bridge Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-287-7888

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Linwood Nature Preserve

Northeast Georgia Mountains
415 Linwood Dr.
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-531-2680

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