IDEAL DESTINATION Water babies will love summertime in Gainesville for all the aquatic fun you can wish for on Lake Lanier . Located just an hour north of Atlanta, the Queen City of the Mountains offers an abundance of warm-weather activities, ranging from relaxing to invigorating. Here you’ll have a blast stand-up paddleboarding, boating and Jet Skiing, before you head over to Lanier Islands’ Waterpark , where the family can enjoy a water-rific good time and the adults can sing the evening away with a beverage at Jimmy Buffet’s famous Margaritaville . Stop by Lake Lanier Olympic Park —a spot celebrated for its involvement in the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympic Games—for fishing, strolling, canoeing or a peaceful visit to the whimsy-filled Fields Memorial Butterfly Garden . And for one last thrill, visit Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in nearby Braselton, where summertime doesn’t end without a variety of auto races, including sportscars, motorcycles and even historical vehicles zipping around the 2.5-mile course. DON’T-MISS EVENTS The extended holiday feeling of summer is perhaps best experienced on July 4th , and Georgia has several ways to celebrate. At Centennial Olympic Park, don’t miss Look Up Atlanta , the spectacular Independence Day fireworks show over the city’s beautiful downtown green space. Park your car at Great Dunes or Oceanview beach parks, and watch an exciting water-front pyrotechnics display on Jekyll Island. Callaway Gardens ’ multiday party of American pride in Pine Mountain offers a nightly Fireworks Extravaganza , preceded by fun activities, including beach volleyball, watersports and putt-putt golf. The annual July 4th burst of colorful Fire in the Sky over Lake Blue Ridge in North Georgia makes for a magical celebration best seen from a boat or along the shoreline. 38 #EXPLOREGEORGIA FIREWORKS IN THE SKY OVER LAKE BLUE RIDGE/STEVE TUCKER
Official State Travel Guide 2023 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 38
