Shopping, motorsports, mountain pursuits and soul-soothing wilderness near Atlanta
Scroll down for April – December events
DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA–MARCH 2024–Want a weekend getaway that’s not far away? Dawsonville, in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains, is only about an hour north of Atlanta and two hours south of Chattanooga and is filled with things to do and places to totally relax. This getaway destination satisfies serious shoppers, wilderness adventurers and everyone in between. From power shopping at North Georgia Premium Outlets to power racing at Atlanta Motorsports Park, from heart-pounding whitewater and hiking to soul-soothing fly fishing and waterfalls, Dawsonville offers plenty of exploration.
Where to Stay
First, pick a place to stay that sets the mood. Northeast of Dawsonville, families and romantics prefer to be surrounded by 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 and one of Georgia’s Seven Natural Wonders (418 Amicalola Falls State Park Rd, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 706-265-4703)
Georgia’s only backcountry lodge, the Len Foote Hike Inn, 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. (accessed via Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge)
More lodging options: National Forest Service camping, campgrounds, family- and group-sized vacation rental homes, even a luxury treehouse with bath. Brand-name, convenient accommodations are also located near major highways and the Georgia 400 shopping corridor. https://www.destinationdawsonville.com/where-to-stay/
Art and Shopping
Dawsonville’s shopping treasures require more than a day trip. North Georgia Premium Outlets (800 Hwy 400 South, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; (706) 216-3609) features more than 120 discount designer [DH2] goods and luxury brand stores alone, but that’s just the beginning of the antiques, boutiques and local merchants treasure hunt. 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 John “Cornbread” Anderson. Spark your own creativity with pottery and canvas painting projects at The Pearce Creative, and visit the Bowen Center for the Arts, where you’ll find three galleries that display 12 art shows each year, fun classes, tea parties and concerts. It’s a former rock school developed during the 1930s as part of FDR’s Public and Civil Works Administrations. (334 Highway 9 North, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 706-216-2787)
For flower and garden aficionados, family farm outings and other outdoor spring through fall activities, go to Dawsonville: Pumpkin Patches, Haunting Tales, Family Farms in the North Georgia Mountains – Travel Media Press Room. Waterfall lovers will find their bliss here.
Guys getaways
Besides golf (two courses) and convenient access to Lake Lanier, Dawsonville is a down-to-earth guy getaway destination for hunting and fishing, whitewater rafting and lazy paddles. Etowah Valley Game Preserve is open for Quail, Chukka and Pheasant hunting October 1st through March 31st. (120 Leon Jones Road, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 678-410-0983), while Etowah Valley Sporting Clays is a year-round immersion in clays courses, trap, skeet and stand shooting, along with gun rentals and ammunition, lessons and a unique Amish-style clubhouse. (619 Sporting Hill Drive, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 706-265-1611)
Dawsonville is best known for its moonshine-to-motorsports history. Moonshine running during Prohibition nearly 100 years ago grew into today’s NASCAR racing, and the story is authentically told at The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, a sprawling and well-designed tribute to the early greats through Bill Elliott, better known as “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville,” and his son Chase Elliott. (415 Highway 53 East, Dawsonville, Georgia, 30534; 706-216-7223) It’s a dazzling audio-visual immersion with vintage videos, impressive stock and moonshine cars and tons of trophies and artifacts. Next door is the newest location of Grandaddy Mimm’s Distilling Co., where you can hear live music while sipping high-quality, small-batch five-year barrel-aged whiskey, handcrafted moonshine, vodka and beer. To complete the authentic experience, head to the town square’s unofficial auto racing headquarters, the Dawsonville Pool Room for breakfast, lunch or dinner and more eye-opening memorabilia, where Elliott victories are celebrated with a screaming “si-reen.” (9 Bill Elliott Street, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 706-265-2792). Watch the races or put your own pedal to the metal at Atlanta Motorsports Park, a world class, Formula 1 style venue for high performance cars, motorcycles and karts. (20 Duck Thurmond Road, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 678-381-8527) For more on racing and history, go to www.travelmediapressroom.com/2024/01/22/the-race-is-on-for-dawsonville
Dining
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. Try Blue Bicycle for inventive French cuisine with Southern touches. Centered around the Georgia 400 shopping corridor are plenty of tried-and-true restaurant chains and fast-food restaurants, from The Varsity Jr. to coffee stops.
Upcoming Events, 2024
April – December at Bowen Center for the Arts
From a gift shop, museum quality displays, juried art shows, luncheons and lectures, classes for adults and children, concerts, fundraising events and seasonal shows, there’s always something great happening at this non-profit. The building is even art: a former rock school developed during the 1930s as part of FDR’s Public and Civil Works Administrations. 334 Highway 9 North, Dawsonville; www.bowenarts.org
April 27 – April Car Show at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame from 8 a..m – 2pm.
April 27 – Farmers Market Opening Day
From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until sold out. Market held every Saturday through October 19. For more information, visit: www.destinationdawsonville.com/events
May 3 – October- select dates Food Truck Fridays from 5-8 p.m. at the Farmers Market Pavilion
May 11 – Gospel in the Park
Mother’s Day concert at Main Street Park in Downtown Dawsonville with food trucks, music and more. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy from 1-6 p.m.
May 25 – Memorial Day Car Show at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, visit: www.georgiaracinghof.com/events
June 22 – June Car Show at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, visit: www.georgiaracinghof.com/events
August 31 – Labor Day Car Show at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, visit: www.georgiaracinghof.com/events
October 5 – Fausett Farms Sunflower 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run
Open to walkers and runners, the day includes a 5K option, running through the fields around thousands of sunflowers. A one-mile fun run option for kids goes through and around the sunflowers. Afterward, take a walk and explore the sunflower fields to get the perfect family picture or selfie. Registered participants will receive an event T-shirt and finisher gift upon completion. For more information, visit: www.destinationdawsonville.com
October 18-19 – Ghosts of Racing Haunted House & Ghost Walk
Hop on a hayride tour of the Dawsonville City Cemetery, Town Jail, Old Courthouse, and the Dawsonville Pool Room with creepy stories at each stop. Start and end at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Museum, with a ghost story told inside the Museum. Four 30-minute tours each night starting at 7 p.m.; last tour begins at 8:30 p.m. Book early, always a sellout! www.destinationdawsonville.com/events/haunted-ghost-walk
October 25-27 – 57th Annual Mountain Moonshine Festival and Car Show
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Dawsonville City Hall’s Main Street Park
415 Highway 53 East
Dawsonville, Georgia 30534
Kare for Kids-706-216-5273
https://www.kareforkids.org/mountain-moonshine-festival
One of the longest running festivals in the U.S., the Mountain Moonshine Festival celebrates the history of Prohibition-era moonshining, the birthplace of stock car racing and the formation of NASCAR racing. The three-day event, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., includes a Moonshine Run, kids’ activities, a parade including vintage stock cars and more, live music, food trucks, arts, crafts and vendor booths. One of the highlights is the huge car show, featuring show cars, race cars and the largest gathering of moonshine hauling cars in the United States. The Festival is KARE’s largest fundraiser; all proceeds go toward the purchase of clothes, school supplies, medical needs and Christmas gifts for children in need in Dawson County. Visit the Website for each day’s full schedule, and the Facebook page for additional details: https://www.facebook.com/MountainMoonshineFestivalDawsonville
November 23, 2024 – Christmas in Dawsonville
Dawsonville City Hall and Georgia Racing Hall of Fame
415 Hwy 53 East
Dawsonville, Georgia 30534
706-265-6278
Race over to Dawsonville, Georgia, the birthplace of stockcar racing, to slow things down for the holidays. Located just an hour north of Atlanta, Dawsonville kicks off the season with the Annual Christmas Parade, Jingle Market and Tree Lighting in Downtown Dawsonville on Saturday, November 23 from 2-8 p.m. Find a perfect streetside spot to experience a true small-town parade as Santa makes his way through the town at 4 p.m. sharp. Sip warm cocoa at the Jingle Market and find perfect Christmas gifts (2-8 p.m.). As the sun begins to set, gather with family and friends around the Christmas tree and join in the countdown. Enjoy food trucks and live performances (4-8 p.m.), photos with Santa and more. The parade begins Downtown at the Dawsonville cemetery and runs through the historic downtown area and finishes around the Dawsonville City Hall. All other festivities take place at Dawsonville City Hall and the Farmers Market Pavilion For more information, visit DestinationDawsonville.com or call the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce at 706-265-6278.
Check the calendar for details and upcoming new events at www.destinationdawsonville.com/events