Life in Northeast Georgia

Things to See & Do in Northeast Georgia

Lakes, waterfalls, historic main streets, and small-town traditions. Here's what makes everyday life in Northeast Georgia special.

Things to See & Do

Pick a favorite way to spend the day.

Lakes & RecreationTwo big Savannah River lakes and the parks around themOutdoor AdventuresWaterfalls, mountain trails, and a covered bridgeParks & NatureShoals, rivers, and quiet trailsSmall-Town CharmCourthouse squares and Main Street downtownsLocal Restaurants & ShopsFind local favorites through each town's official directoriesHistory & CultureMuseums and landmarks that tell the region's storyCommunity EventsOfficial calendars for festivals, concerts, and seasonal traditions

Lakes & Recreation

Two big Savannah River lakes and the parks around them

• Lake Hartwell
  A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake built between 1955 and 1963, with public parks, marinas, and campgrounds along its shoreline. Hart County alone counts 222 miles of it.
• Hartwell Lakeside Park
  The former Hart State Park, now run by the City of Hartwell: 147 acres on Lake Hartwell with boat ramps, docks, campsites, and trails.
• Richard B. Russell State Park
  A state park on Lake Richard B. Russell with a campground, cottages, a swimming beach, boating access, disc golf, and a golf course. A nature trail follows the shoreline to an old steel pin bridge.
• Bobby Brown Park
  A 665-acre Elbert County park on Clarks Hill Lake with campsites, yurts, boating, fishing, and disc golf, at the site of the old river town of Petersburg.
• Paynes Creek Campground
  A 399-acre Corps of Engineers property leased by Hart County, with lakeside campsites, two swim areas, and a nine-mile multi-purpose trail.

Outdoor Adventures

Waterfalls, mountain trails, and a covered bridge

• Toccoa Falls
  A 186-foot free-falling waterfall on the campus of the University of Toccoa Falls, reached by a short gravel path. The university charges a small entrance fee; check its site for current hours.
• Currahee Mountain and the Col. Robert F. Sink Trail
  An out-and-back trail up Currahee Mountain that follows the route World War II paratroopers used for their famous training runs, 'three miles up, three miles down.'
• Henderson Falls Park
  A City of Toccoa park with its own waterfall, an outdoor amphitheater, play areas, open fields, and reservable pavilions.
• Kettle Creek Battlefield
  The site of a 1779 Patriot victory southwest of Washington, with marked hiking trails.

Parks & Nature

Shoals, rivers, and quiet trails

• Watson Mill Bridge State Park
  Home to Georgia's longest covered bridge, built in 1885 and spanning 229 feet across the South Fork of the Broad River, plus hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails.
• Hurricane Shoals Park
  A Jackson County park near Maysville that preserves exposed granite shoals along the North Oconee River.
• Mulberry RiverWalk
  A 4.4-mile round-trip trail along the Mulberry River in Braselton, leading to the spot where four counties meet.
• Royston Wellness and Community Park
  A 44-acre park with walking trails, disc golf, picnic shelters, a playground, and an amphitheater.
• Toccoa City Loop Trail
  Two interlocking walking loops through Toccoa that together make a 5K route.

Small-Town Charm

Courthouse squares and Main Street downtowns

• Downtown Hartwell
  An accredited Georgia Main Street city since 1997, with a 12-block downtown full of buildings from 1879 to 1925.
• Downtown Elberton
  A Main Street city since 1997, centered on the granite-trimmed courthouse square.
• Downtown Toccoa
  Main Street Toccoa has worked to revitalize downtown since 1990 and was named one of Georgia's Exceptional Main Street communities in 2021.
• Downtown Washington
  A State of Georgia Main Street community with 1890s brick storefronts around the courthouse square.
• Downtown Jefferson
  A historic district centered on the 1879 Jackson County Courthouse.
• Historic Downtown Braselton
  Renovated buildings dating to the Braselton Brothers' early-1900s store.

Local Restaurants & Shops

Find local favorites through each town's official directories

• Main Street Toccoa: Downtown Businesses
  A directory of downtown Toccoa businesses, filterable by food and drink, retail, and more.
• Discover Hartwell: Dining
  Hart County's official tourism dining directory.
• Washington-Wilkes Chamber: Restaurants
  The chamber's guide to local restaurants and specialty shops.
• Elbert County Chamber: Shopping
  Shopping and dining directories for Elberton, Bowman, and the rest of Elbert County.
• Explore Braselton: Dining
  Dining and shopping directories for the Town of Braselton.

History & Culture

Museums and landmarks that tell the region's story

• Crawford W. Long Museum
  Jefferson's museum honoring Dr. Crawford W. Long, who first used ether for surgical anesthesia on March 30, 1842.
• Traveler's Rest State Historic Site
  A stagecoach inn built around 1815 near Toccoa and a National Historic Landmark since 1964.
• Currahee Military Museum
  Run by the Stephens County Historical Society in Toccoa's 1915 train depot, with exhibits on the paratroopers who trained at Camp Toccoa.
• Camp Toccoa at Currahee
  A nonprofit restoring parts of World War II-era Camp Toccoa at the foot of Currahee Mountain.
• Elberton Granite Museum and Exhibit
  Self-guided exhibits on the history of granite quarrying, with antique tools and artifacts. Call ahead for hours.
• Washington-Wilkes Historical Museum
  A house museum built around 1835 with period rooms and local history collections.

Community Events

Official calendars for festivals, concerts, and seasonal traditions

• Main Street Elberton Events
  Year-round downtown events, including the Granite City Fall Festival and First Fridays concerts.
• Main Street Toccoa Events
  Annual traditions such as Discover Toccoa, the Ida Cox Music Series, a Harvest Festival, and Christmas Fest.
• Discover Hartwell Events
  Hart County's official tourism calendar of downtown and community events.
• Washington-Wilkes Chamber Calendar
  Community events in Washington and Wilkes County.
• Explore Braselton Events
  Town-sponsored and seasonal events in Braselton.
• City of Jefferson Calendar
  The city's official community calendar.

Community Guides

Dig into each county's towns, history, and homes for sale.

• Elbert County
• Hart County
• Wilkes County
• Stephens County
• Madison County
• Jackson County
• Postcards from Northeast Georgia
• Theresa's Blog

Hours, fees, and event dates change. Please check each organization's official site before you go.

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Photos from Wikimedia Commons, cropped and, on postcards, color-toned; adaptations of CC BY-SA photos are shared under the same license. Lake Hartwell reservoir in Georgia and South Carolina includes parts of the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca rivers 01 by Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0; Toccoa Falls, Georgia by FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0; Watson mill state park by Diliff, CC BY 2.5; Washington (Commercial) Historic District by Blastoids, CC BY-SA 3.0; Shops in downtown Toccoa, Georgia, US 01 by Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0; CW Long museum by MallardTV, CC0; The Stephens County Courthouse in downtown Toccoa, Georgia 2 by Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0.