Posted on March 10th, 2010 by Dennis
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One of our favorite places to visit is Clayton. Clayton is located in the northeast corner of the state in Rabun County. Tens of thousands of people from the Atlanta area pass through Clayton each weekend headed to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Cherokee, or Highlands.
Well – next time you are headed up to the mountains – don’t just pass through. Clayton and Rabun County is well worth visiting. In fact if you don’t have anything planned for this upcoming weekend I’d highly recommend loading the car up and taking a road trip up to Clayton. From here in Oakwood we can be in Clayton in about an hour.
If you are coming up I-85 just take the I-985 exit towards Gainesville and keep on trucking. I-985 will turn into GA 365 which in turn becomes Hwy 441 somewhere around Cornelia. You never have to make a turn – unless of course you want to check out one of the many sites along the way or maybe grab some good food at one of the many restaurants along this route.
So what’s around Clayton? Here is a short summary – and I’m sure I’ll leave something out:
- State Parks: Black Rock Mountain / Moccasin Creek / Tallulah Gorge – all are close by or on the way.
- Foxfire Museum
- Georgia Wine Highway
- The Dillard House – If you have never eaten here before – you have to. It’s an experience.
- Tiger Mountain Vineyards
- KingWood Resort
- Sky Valley
- Shopping in Clayton
In addition to the links above you can check out this site: Rabun County Chamber of Commerce for tons of information.
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Filed under: RoadTrips
Posted on February 24th, 2010 by Dennis
Northeast Georgia is loaded with scenery. We have everything from quaint town squares to beaches on Lake Lanier to mountains and trails to rivers and wildlife. If you like to take pictures – either as an amateur or a professional – northeast Georgia should be one of your favorite locations.
Here are Five locations throughout the area for all of you shutterbugs:
1) Dahlonega. You can take shots on the square (in more ways than one) – you can photograph the surrounding area with beautiful mountains in the background – the campus of North Georgia College – or the rafters on the river! Dahlonega is a photographers paradise.
2) Blood Mountain. Hwy 129 between Cleveland and Blairsville offers spectacular scenery in and out of the car. There is the famous Walasi Yi Mountain Crossing store where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road at Neels Gap – some fabulous views right next to the store. You can drive about 1/2 a mile towards Blairsville and stop at the Byron Reece parking area and hike the access trail up to the Appalachian Trail – all camera buffs will love this little hike.
3) Hiawassee. Maybe the most spectacular views in the state of Georgia. Lake Chatuge at the base of the mountains is irresistible to anyone with a camera. Hwy 76 skirts the lake and there are several areas you can pull off and snap some gorgeous pictures. One of the best views is from the Ramada Lake Chatuge Lodge overlooking the lake.
4) Tallulah Gorge State Park. From the Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center to the spectacular canyon itself – this place is hard to beat when it comes to taking pictures. If you are tough enough and in good shape – take the Hurricane Falls staircase down to the gorge floor – you will wear out a good digital camera – not to mention your heart rate will get a workout too!
5) Richard B Russell Parkway. This 13.5 mile scenic drive is without a doubt the most spectacular photographers paradise during the fall leaf season. But don’t forget about the other three seasons. Plan to spend about 2-3 hours on this little drive with the pull-offs and trails along the way – you could actually spend an entire day if you wanted to. The Parkway is Hwy 348 just south of Helen – it travels north to Hwy 180.
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Filed under: RoadTrips
