Blake Walsh

16 Best Things to Do in Dawsonville, GA

  • Published 2021/10/14

Are you looking for a gorgeous place in Georgia to visit?

Head over to the city of Dawsonville.

Here, you can witness majestic natural landscapes that will take your breath away.

From beautiful state parks to fantastic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, Dawsonville serves as a haven for lovers of the outdoors.

However, the city’s attraction options don’t stop at “outdoor activities.”

With its rich heritage, the city also features attractions focused on folk arts and the region’s history.

Are you heading over to this fantastic Georgia city?

Here are the best things to do in Dawsonville, GA:

Discover the Amicalola Falls State Park

Scenic View of Amicalola Falls State Park

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

Start your trip to Dawsonville, GA, by heading over to one of its most popular attractions.

Here, you can find the fantastic Amicalola Falls State Park.

Many consider this place as one of the state’s most famous state parks.

When you come here, you will find some of the most majestic nature views and exciting trails that you can explore.

Scenic View of Amicalola Falls State Park

Globalaura / Shutterstock.com

Additionally, you can also witness the incredible Amicalola Falls, which has a 729-foot drop.

While at the park, you can choose from a variety of ways of viewing the breathtaking waterfalls.

Visitors can go to the site via an easy pathway or a more challenging trail.

Apart from heading to the falls, you can also find other trails from here; one of them is an 8.5-mile trail that lets you go to Springer Mountain.

Scenic View of Amicalola Falls State Park

Kelly vanDellen / Shutterstock.com

Other than the amazing outdoors, you can stay the night at the park’s numerous accommodations.

You can either stay at the lodge if you want to feel like staying in a hotel.

Meanwhile, if you prefer a more rustic setting, cottages and campgrounds are also available.

Stay at Toto Creek Campgrounds

Enjoy nature in the best way you can by pitching a tent at a campground.

In Dawsonville, you can do this and have fun at Toto Creek Campgrounds.

This place features areas where you can launch a boat and take part in many different water-based activities.

Additionally, the campsites here each feature a picnic area and firepit, among other convenient amenities.

If you plan to bring pets with you, do note that they need to be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Spend time with your friends and family in the great outdoors at Toto Creek.

Try Hunting at Etowah Valley Game Preserve

Many people consider hunting for games as a thrilling and exciting activity.

You can also try out this unique sport while in Dawsonville, Georgia.

At Etowah Valley Game Preserve, you get the opportunity to go to a hunting field and find game birds like pheasant, quail, and chukka.

The game preserve features rows of plants serving as natural covers.

Etowah Valley Game Preserve spans 650 acres, with nine different hunting areas.

The facility also boasts providing everything you need no matter how old or how skilled you are, as it aims to keep this tradition alive.

Curious about how responsible hunting works?

Don’t hesitate to check this place out.

Spend Time at Etowah Valley Sporting Clays Park

If hunting isn’t your cup of tea, but you also want to try out shooting clay discs instead of game bird, check out Etowah Valley Sporting Clays Park.

You can find this 150-acre part at the foot of the North Georgia Mountains.

It features a couple of 13-station courses and a couple of 6-station courses.

It also has a 5-stand and wobble trap.

Here, the entire family can try out targeting clay discs shooting out from behind the foliage and obstacles.

It’s a unique activity that many would enjoy.

Include this on your to-do list for your trip to Dawsonville.

Have Fun at Burt’s Farm

If you want a more laid-back and relaxed type of family fun, head over to Burt’s Farm.

Here, you can go on hayrides and explore a pumpkin patch during the fall season.

It never fails to keep both adults and kids entertained.

Apart from the two activities, you can also find a store here, where the farm sells its wide array of products.

Stop by and check out the apparel, cosmetics, food, and souvenirs you can find here.

Don’t hesitate to stop by Burt’s Farm and have a fabulous time with your family.

Visit Dawson County Historic Courthouse

Outside View of Dawson County Historic Courthouse

Thomson200, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

If you want to learn more about the background and history of Dawsonville, Dawson County Historic Courthouse is the place to go.

The building, which has been standing since 1859, features architecture designed in the Greek Revival Style.

Apart from the historic building itself, this courthouse features a collection of items significant to the city’s history.

Its collections include historical documents, relics, and Indian artifacts that share the history of Dawsonville for anyone visiting.

Discover the region’s past by viewing the exciting exhibits of this impressive courthouse.

Find Respite at Jungle Paradise Daylilies

If you love spending time relaxing and finding respite in an outstanding garden surrounded by flowers, then remember to visit Jungle Paradise Daylilies.

Here, you can stroll through their vast garden filled with many different species of plants.

What’s more, is that you can buy the plants displayed here.

Alternatively, you can also ride the buggy this place has on-site to explore the area.

You can also catch tours of the garden to learn more about the featured plants here.

Also, you can attend classes that will help you care for the plants and flowers you may want to take care of.

It’s a peaceful place to visit when you’re in Dawsonville.

Follow the Fausett Farms Horse Trails

You can find Fausett Farms Horse Trails at the heart of the city.

It features a trail 20 miles long, which traverses across the foothills of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

The trails you can find here are all cut and marked, so you can easily find your way as you go through them.

At the end of these trails, you can find amenities perfect for picnicking with the entire family.

Explore the excellent terrain in Dawsonville on horseback and have a fantastic time spent outdoors with your friends and family.

Discover Folk Art at Around Back at Rocky’s Place

Are you looking for local art?

Head over to Around Back at Rocky’s Place.

Here, you can find an array of folk artworks made by self-taught artists.

The artists featured here are mainly from the Southeast and from anywhere in the state.

The art pieces here are not limited to paintings.

You can also find pottery works, wood carvings, and fabric art pieces here.

It serves as a haven for masterpieces in the folk art genre.

Around back at Rocky’s Place is a must-see for any art enthusiasts visiting Dawsonville.

Let Your Creativity Out at the Bowen Center for the Arts

Another fantastic place for artsy people to visit in Dawsonville is the Bowen Center for the Arts.

A historic building with a 5,000-square-foot area serves as the home of this attraction at the city’s heart.

The said building itself was constructed after the Depression Era, and today, it houses an impressive collection of fine artworks.

It organizes exhibits all year-round that showcase works of prominent and budding artists from the state.

Apart from exhibits, the center also holds classes and events that your entire family can enjoy.

If you want to let your creativity out or appreciate the skills of artists, head over to the Bowen Center for the Arts.

Explore Dawson Forest

A Sign in Dawson Forest

Thomson M, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dawsonville enjoys being surrounded by beautiful nature.

You can enjoy the most beautiful things nature can offer by heading to the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area.

A Road in Dawson Forest

Thomson200, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

This area spans over 25,000 acres made up of a myriad of terrain – from mountain valleys to gorges.

It also features a couple of rivers, along with other major stream systems that go through it.

Here, you can explore and discover the five sections of the Wildlife Management Area, where you can witness diverse wildlife and gorgeous flora.

Apart from the numerous trails that you can follow, you can also find sites for hunting and fishing.

When you’re in this part of Georgia, check this place out.

A Clearning in Dawson Forest

Thomson M, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Experience a Thrilling Ride at Atlanta Motorsports Park

Motorsports has become a significant part of the history and culture of this region in Georgia.

In Dawsonville, you can find Atlanta Motorsports Park.

It is the first green and sustainable motorsports park that caters to performance cars, motorbikes, and karts.

This motorsports club features amenities that provide opportunities for family fun.

Anyone aged 12 and above can rent a cart to experience how exciting riding a vehicle running 60 miles per hour can be.

Visitors can also go on a ride in a luxury car on the motorsports park’s track.

Going here is a must-do for anyone who wants to experience a thrilling adventure.

Learn About the State’s Racing Heritage at Georgia Racing Hall of Fame

With Georgia’s deep connection to racing, visiting the state’s racing hall of fame may interest you.

The Georga Racing Hall of Fame serves as the venue for special events throughout the state’s rich racing background.

Outside this place, you can find vintage race cars and learn more about them.

You can also find a garden made up of bricks as well as a winner’s circle.

This attraction’s museum features the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Room and a legacy room dedicated to the Elliott Family.

It also features exhibits connected to the state’s racing heritage.

The site also hosts car shows every month that you can check out.

Consider adding this to your Dawsonville itinerary.

Go Paddling at Thompson Creek Park

Do you like spending time on the water?

Located at the northwestern end of Lake Lanier, you can find Thompson Creek Park.

This park may be small, but it can provide you and your entire entourage with a myriad of choices for water-based fun.

Here, you can find a boat ramp to launch hired boats and canoes to paddle across the lake.

On land, you can find a picnic pavilion where you and your group can hang out.

There is also a vast area where you can barbecue.

Other amenities like a bathroom are also found here for your convenience.

Try Kayaking at River Park Canoe Launch

Another haven for water sports is River Park Canoe Launch.

From here, you can go launch kayaks and canoes on the Etowah River.

This river also passes through the impressive Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, so you can witness awe-inspiring nature views as you sail across the river.

The river also features a few easy rapids, giving visitors enough time to take in the beauty of the surrounding nature.

From the launch, you can pass by the ruins of the Old Iron Bridge, an essential part of the area’s history.

You also get to witness high canopy trees over you as you lazily paddle across the river.

Many tourists also say that birdwatching here is a must-do.

To get to the River Park Canoe Launch, you can head over the Kelly Bridge, take out and find the launch nearby.

Check Out Dawson County Historic Jail

Outside View of Dawson County Historic Jail

Gwringle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Another important historic site in the city is the Dawson County Historic Jail.

The building was constructed in 1881 and is included in the National Register of Historic Places.

You can find this attraction at the heart of the city.

Here, visitors can come and see the old prison cells in the building.

You can also go on tour to learn more about the cells and visit the former living space of Dawson County’s sheriff.

Get a glimpse of Dawsonville’s pasts by visiting this interesting attraction.

Learn About Moonshine at Dawsonville Distillery

Dawsonville is considered to be the Moonshine Capital of the World.”

Are you wondering how the city got this monicker?

Head over to Dawsonville Distillery to find out.

The place currently features historic recipes dating back from 150 years ago, which have been passed down through multiple generations.

While here, try out their hand-made Corn Whiskeys, along with other recipes.

You can also tour the site and learn about the distillery’s history, renowned products, and the place’s mission.

You can even taste samples of the distillery’s iconic creations.

After the tour, don’t forget to head over to the in-house gift shop and check out their merchandise and products.

Final Thoughts

Get ready to be blown away by Dawsonville.

This charming city charms visitors from all over with its fantastic landscape and rich heritage.

Looking for an awesome place to visit for your next holiday?

Consider choosing Dawsonville, GA.

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