NORTHEAST GEORGIA BLOG

If you can get to Gainesville, GA – you will be sitting at the doorstep of the beautiful north Georgia mountains.  You’ll be within an easy and short drive to some absolutely fantastic destinations.  Many of the people who read this blog live and work in and around the Gainesville area – we’re spoiled.  Those of you down in Buckhead, over in Cobb County, or even further south of Atlanta – you guys have to do a little work just to get over here to the Big G.

So where can you go from Gainesville?  Let’s start from the west and work our way around:

* Hwy 369 (Browns Bridge Road) – Travel southwest on this road, cross Lake Lanier, and you will end up over in Forsyth County in the Cumming area.  Cumming is yet another small gateway – you have GA 400 running south to Hotlanta and you can easily make your way over to the I-575 and Canton area.

* Hwy 53 (Dawsonville Hwy) – This road will also cross Lake Lanier as you head towards Dawson County and Dawsonville.  We cross GA 400 a little further north than Cumming and just south of Dahlonega.  This is the route you would take if you were headed over to Amicalola State Park and Lodge – which I HIGHLY recommend.  Eat lunch or dinner in their beautiful dining room.

* Hwy 60 (Thompson Bridge Road) runs north out of Gainesville, crosses Lake Lanier, crosses GA 400, and smack dab into the middle of Dahlonega.  It’s a relatively short drive from Gainesville – maybe 30 minutes – and poof – here you are sitting at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in one of the most scenic little towns in Georgia.  Lots to do here.  Shopping and eating top the list!

*Hwy 129 (Cleveland Hwy) runs north out of Gainesville, crosses Lake Lanier, goes thru Clermont, and into Cleveland, home of Babyland General and the Cabbage Patch Kids.  At Cleveland you have a decision to make: 1) Take a right at Ma Gooch’s Restaurant on Hwy 75 and head to Helen, or 2) Continue on Hwy 129 towards Blood Mountain and head to Blairsville.  Tough decision.  Sometimes we just make a loop – great Saturday road trip.

*I-985 / GA 365 – I-985 runs north out of Gainesville and quickly becomes GA 365.  This route takes you up past Cornelia and finally up into the Clayton area.  This is most likely how many of you would go if you were taking a trip to Highlands NC, Cherokee, Gatlinburg, or Pigeon Forge.  I’ll also mention that the Dillard House sits just off this road, a few miles north of Clayton.

So there you have it.  Quick routes to the mountains – all starting out of Gainesville – the Gateway to beautiful north Georgia!  Now – fill up with this cheap gas, pack an overnight bag, and hit the road.

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