Race over to Dawsonville, Georgia, the birthplace of stock car racing, to rev his engines, chase waterfalls and shop to your hearts’ content. In the foothills of the North Georgia mountains about an hour north of Atlanta and two hours south of Chattanooga, this less-traveled area is full of outdoor activities, quirky finds, romantic views and great places to stay.
Dawsonville’s moonshine runners took up stock car racing, which led to the founding of NASCAR. The story is authentically told at The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, a well-designed tribute to the early greats through Bill Elliott, better known as “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville,” and his son Chase Elliott. To complete the experience, head to the town square’s unofficial auto racing headquarters, the Dawsonville Pool Room, which serves up an impressive array of memorabilia along with its legendary “Bully Burgers,” sweet tea and fresh-cut fries. Watch the races or put your own pedal to the medal at Atlanta Motorsports Park, a world class, Formula 1 style venue for high performance cars, motorcycles and karts. Serious and beginner sport shooting enthusiasts come to Etowah Valley Sporting Clays, the premier spot for clay, skeet, trap and five stand shooting in the greater Atlanta area.
Shopping and art aficionados know Dawsonville for discount designer goods and luxury brand stores at North Georgia Premium Outlets and the quirkiness of one of North Georgia’s largest folk art galleries. Around Back at Rocky’s Place Folk Art Gallery is a garden and gallery of one-of-a-kind pieces from hundreds of sought-after Southern artists, including face jugs not found in museums and the largest-anywhere collection of art by Cornbread.
Rugged Romantics love Georgia’s only backcountry lodge, the Len Foote Hike Inn, which is accessible to day and overnight guests only by a trail etched in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Starting from the top of the falls at Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, the five-mile hike has its rewards: mountain high country, forested ridges and valleys and on a clear day, a view of the Atlanta skyline from one of the lookout points. The Hike Inn is an eco-beacon of rugged comfort and sustainable practices where bunkhouse beds, rustic baths, delicious communal meals, Appalachian Trail memorabilia and camaraderie await.
Luxury romantics are partial to the spectacular mountain terrain at Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, where almost every room has a view and other accommodations include cabins, campsites and four completely furnished Safari Tents for glamping. A nature lover’s wonderland, it’s only eight miles from the Appalachian Trail and within the Chattahoochee National Forest. Some never leave the property, as there’s on site dining, zip lining, archery, hatchet-throwing and guided hikes to Amicalola Falls – a magnificent 729-foot waterfall that’s the third-highest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. For a secluded hideaway, there’s Bed+Bough, a luxury treehouse with full bath, kitchen and living room with lots of amenities nestled among five acres of beautiful trees.
Dawsonville has dining covered, from juicy steaks to succulent BBQ ribs, sushi to down-home Southern cooking, pizza to Mexican. Big D’s BBQ for, of course, Barbecue but also much more, and Papa’s Place for down home Southern. Have a softly-lit, art-filled, white tablecloth experience at Blue Bicycle, serving inventive French cuisine with Southern touches. Stop in at DaVinci’s Donuts and Coffee for gourmet mini donuts, build your own donuts and some great specialty coffees. DestinationDawsonville.com
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