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
