Category: Atlanta

Welcome to the Georgia Tourist Guide’s focus on Gwinnett County, one of metro Atlanta’s leading and thriving communities.

Gwinnett has it all…from amazing shopping malls, family-friendly attractions, and world-class golf courses to a booming business community, sensational restaurants and hotels, and an electrifying nightlife.

And of course, Gwinnett offers easy access to all of Atlanta’s many attractions as well. The Gwinnett County Tourist Guide can help you plan your visit so that your experience is complete and enjoyable.

Let’s begin our Gwinnett tour with a look at some of the incredible shopping destinations. How wonderful it is to get lost for a day in the “Bermuda triangle” of shopping areas—the Mall of Georgia, Discover Mills, and Gwinnett Place Mall. All three of these must-shop malls are within a few minute's drive of each other.

The Mall of Georgia is the Southeast’s largest mall (1.7 million square feet!), including 225 stores, fabulous dining options, and entertainment galore. This amazing mall even contains the 20-screen Regal Cinema theatres, the unbelievable 3-D IMAX theater, a merry-go-round for the kids, the Checkered Flag Lightning featuring NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway, and seasonal fun including Holiday Ice Skating, Gwinnett’s largest 4th of July spectacular, and a free summer outdoor concert series.

The fun does not stop at the Mall of Georgia. The shop-till-you drop tour continues to the bargain hunter’s dream--Discover Mills Mall. The 200 stores at Discover Mills include some of the most well-known retail and factory outlets, off-price retailers, and specialty stores.

Popular stops include fun-filled Jillian’s with its restaurant, bowling alley, and arcade extravaganza, as well as the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, the 18-screen AMC theatres, OFF 5th Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman-Marcus Last Call.

Muggsy’s Meadow, the mall’s free Children’s Club is an adventure the whole family will enjoy! The triangle would not be complete without a stop at Gwinnett Place Mall. In the heart of Duluth’s busy hotel district, this 220 store mall is within walking distance of many hotels, restaurants, and exciting nightlife scenes.

Be sure to stop at the PGA Superstore nearby Gwinnett Place. It’s every golf and tennis player’s dream come true! Be sure to explore the “Shopping” option on the Gwinnett County Tourist Guide to discover the many great shopping opportunities in the various towns within this region.

For fun, the Malibu Grand Prix, a family, and entertainment center that features Indy and Spring style racing, bumper boats, batting cages, miniature golf, and Gameroom, offers countless hours of entertainment. Dave & Busters is fun for the family during the day and offers an exciting adult nightlife after dark.

With more than 55,000 square feet of billiard tables, racing games, virtual reality, restaurant, and lounge, the good times keep rolling! Wild Bill’s Dance Hall is the largest country music concert hall in the country.

Don’t miss out on a crazy night of fun in Wild Bill’s 3 VIP lounges, 16 billiard tables, restaurant, and cowboy store or enjoy a live performance in the 5,000 seat concert hall. The beautiful Gwinnett Arena hosts events, concerts, and shows. The Gwinnett Gladiators, the county’s minor league hockey team, also bangs around the ice at the arena.

Gwinnett County offers so many exciting things to do! County and city parks and trails preserve the county’s green space and provide opportunities for bike riding, jogging, taking a leisurely stroll through nature, and other recreational activities. You can easily make stops throughout the entire county or simply spend a day in one of the wonderful small cities. The city of Suwanee, for example, was recently named one of the top 10 places to live (population 7,500-55,000) in the country.

Suwanee’s Town Center Park is home to many concerts as well as large open spaces for kite flying and Frisbee throwing. The Big Splash, Gwinnett’s largest interactive water fountain, can also be found in the park. In Duluth, you can ice skate at the Atlanta Ice Forum or take in a concert or show at the Duluth Amphitheatre.

In Lilburn, your kids will really enjoy a visit to the Yellow River Game Ranch, which has over 600 friendly animals to enjoy. Be sure to use the “FLAG THIS” feature on your Gwinnett County Tourist Guide to add items of interest to your “My Travel Ideas” folder, so that you will not have to remember them and can quickly retrieve them.

Gwinnett is also perfectly situated for short car rides to many major attractions including Lake Lanier Islands, Stone Mountain Park, Chateau Élan, downtown Atlanta, northeast Georgia mountains, and more.

This part of the Guide focuses on the downtown and midtown sections of the city of Atlanta. Here you will find the heartbeat of a modern international city – the “city too busy to hate”. Atlanta has such energy!

As a tourist, your problem will be deciding what to see and do and where to eat. The Atlanta Tourist Guide can help you plan your visit so that your experience is complete and enjoyable.

In downtown Atlanta, you should visit Centennial Park, which was built as a lasting symbol for the 1996 Olympic Games that Atlanta hosted.

The park has a large water fountain in which children can play and hosts a number of events and concerts. Near the park, you will discover several other neat attractions. The Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest aquarium, is unlike anything you might have seen before.

There are over 100,000 animals representing 500 species from all over the world and they swim and play in eight million gallons of fresh and marine water. Next door is the new World of Coca Cola, hosted by the most known company in the world and whose headquarters overlook the park.

You can also tour the CNN Center, which is on the opposite side of Centennial Park. Another great attraction is Underground Atlanta, which has a number of shops, nightclubs, and restaurants.

Since there is so much to do, be sure to use our “Flag This” feature in the Atlanta Tourist Guide to add items of interest to your “My Travel Ideas” folder, so that you will not have to remember them and can quickly retrieve them.

Atlanta has great professional sports teams and you can see them play in some of the most attractive parks and arenas in the country. There is something for every season - Braves baseball, Falcons football, Hawks basketball, Thrashers hockey, and Georgia Force arena football. For the true baseball fan, a visit to the Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum & Hall of Fame, located at Turner Field, will be a great experience. Of course, Atlanta also hosts the premier 10-K event in the world each Fourth of July, the Peach Bowl around New Years, and The Tour Championship at East Lake, the season finale for the PGA Tour.

If you prefer cultural activities and the arts, Atlanta has some incredible offerings.

The Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown is a campus center and cultural hub for the fine arts and includes: the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta College of Art, the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Young Audiences of Atlanta and the 14th Street Playhouse.

The High Museum of Art, through a unique partnership with the Musée du Louvre in Paris, has recently brought hundreds of works of art from the Louvre’s collection to the High.

Just down Peachtree Street, the incredible, grand old Fox Theatre hosts a variety of concerts and Broadway shows. Be sure to explore the “Cultural” option on the Atlanta Tourist Guide to discover all of the great cultural sites, exhibits, and activities.

For those that enjoy trendy shopping and dining, be sure to visit the quaint little neighborhood of Virginia Highlands. Nearby you will find the famous Atlanta Botanical Garden in Piedmont Park.

Atlanta was the scene for Margaret Mitchell’s famous book Gone with the Wind. In downtown Atlanta, you can tour the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum. Then you can go to Grant Park and visit the Atlanta Cyclorama, which houses the world’s largest painting, a masterful work of are depicting the Battle of Atlanta.

You will sit in the middle of the large, round room surrounded by the enormous painting. The theater then rotates as guests are treated to music, sound effects, and narration. A truly great experience! A Civil War Museum and the famous locomotive, “Texas”, can also be toured.

Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site and understand one of the great men in our country’s history. Another educational opportunity awaits you at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.

Getting around Atlanta is easy with MARTA. The rail line cuts through the heart of Atlanta and will stop at many convenient locations.

However, you should also check out the Atlanta Tourist Loop, the MARTA bus route that loops around to most all the major attractions and shopping areas. And for a real bargain check out the Atlanta City Pass, which offers a substantial discounted pass for six major Atlanta attractions.

Georgia has a lot to offer history buffs. There are a number of National Historic Sites as well as State Historic Sites scattered throughout Georgia. These sites pertain to colonial and civil war history as well as two American Presidents.

Since Georgia has been the home to many of the greatest civil rights leaders and produced many great African Americans musicians, politicians, and athletes, the state has a number of sites that will be of interest to those wanting to learn about African American heritage.

Please click on one of the following links for more information about these historic tourism sites in the state of Georgia:

1- Georgia National Historic Sites
2- Georgia State Historic Sites
3- Georgia African American Heritage Sites

The National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior operates twelve historic sites, parks, monuments, and trails within the state of Georgia. A brief description and a link to each is provided below:

Andersonville National Historic Site
Andersonville is the site of the infamous Civil War POW camp, Camp Sumter, where thousands of Union prisoners died. The National Prisoner of War Museum and the Andersonville National Cemetery are also here. This site is located in Andersonville, GA.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,175-mile-long path that stretches from Georgia to Maine. This is a wild and scenic route through the Appalachian Mountains that an estimated 4,000,000 people a year enjoy.

Chattahoochee National Recreation Area
The Chattahoochee National Recreation Area is located in the Atlanta area in which hiking, jogging, casual rafting, and picnicking are enjoyed by thousands. This is a beautiful river that supplies water to much of the Atlanta area.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park commemorates two strategic Civil War battlefields – Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain – where, in 1863, Union and Confederate troops fought over control of Chattanooga and its key rail lines.

Cumberland Island National Seashore

Cumberland Island is a beautiful island at the southernmost end of Georgia’s coast in which nature has been preserved. A limited number of people are allowed access, but this makes the visit even more special. Hiking, swimming, camping, bird watching, and photography are among several of the activities to be enjoyed. The beaches are undeveloped and wild horses roam the island.

Fort Frederica National Monument

The town of Frederica was founded in 1736 by General James Oglethorpe to provide a defensive outpost for the Georgia colony. Troops from Fort Frederica defeated Spanish troops in 1742 during The Battle of Bloody Marsh, confirming England’s claim to the colony.

Fort Pulaski National Monument

Fort Pulaski National Monument is in the Savannah area on Cockspur Island. In April 1862 the Battle for Fort Pulaski marked the first real use of rifled cannon. Fired from over a mile away, they completely destroyed the fort, which surrendered.

This marked a point in military history when it was widely acknowledged that masonry fortifications would no longer be of use. Cockspur Island has 5,000 acres of saltwater marshes and natural habitat can be explored on the walking trails.

Jimmy Carter National Historic Site

The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site is located in Plains, Georgia where Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter grew up and lived. The site preserves the key parts of the community that shaped their lives. The Carter Presidential Center is in Atlanta and houses both the Carter Presidential Library and Museum and The Carter Center.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is located in Kennesaw, Georgia just northwest of Atlanta. In June of 1864 over 5,000 soldiers were killed in a two-week period in some of the heaviest fightings of the Atlanta campaign in which out of a total of 163,000 soldiers, 67,000 were killed, wounded, or captured. The National Battlefield contains three actual battlefields, and there are over 17 miles of walking trails.

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta preserves the legacy of the great civil rights leader. The site includes Dr. King’s birth home, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, and The King Center.

Ocmulgee National Monument
The Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon is a memorial that preserves a record of life in the Southeast and focuses on both people and natural resources.

Old Fort Jackson
Fort James Jackson, also known as Old Fort Jackson, has been a part of Coastal Georgia’s history for nearly two centuries. Named in honor of Georgia governor and Revolutionary War soldier James Jackson, the fort is the oldest standing brick fortification in the state.

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail is memorializes the trail that 16,000 Cherokee Indians took from North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia westward to Oklahoma after being forcibly removed from their homes. Hundreds died on the trail and thousands more after they got to Oklahoma. The Trail commemorates their survival as well as their journey.

Welcome to the Georgia Tourist Guide, your premier online source for travel ideas and vacation information about the great state of Georgia!

Our website has been designed to help you discover exciting and interesting places to visit, things to do, and places to stay and eat.

So what’s your pleasure?

If outdoor adventures excite you, then how about pristine beaches along Georgia's coast, scenic hiking trails, the refreshing scenery of the north Georgia mountains, gorgeous lakes, wildlife refuges, camping, freshwater, and saltwater fishing, one of the country’s best state parks systems, great year-round golf, or whitewater rafting?

How about family fun?

Georgia has some of the top amusement parks and attractions in the world!

Looking for that perfect Georgia wedding or honeymoon destination? There are plenty of great choices. You name it, and Georgia probably has it. That’s because of Georgia’s varied terrain and wonderful climate!

Perhaps you might enjoy the excitement of Atlanta or the history and charm of Savannah!
How about a relaxing week or weekend at a beautiful, world-class resort?

Come visit one of the delightful towns of Georgia, and discover the true hospitality of the South. History, adventure, pleasure, hospitality, beauty - all await you in Georgia.

So come for a visit and you might find out why so many have a hard time ever leaving. From the folks at Georgia Tourist Guide, “We’re Glad You Have Georgia on Your Mind!”.