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 Water Park , where the family can enjoy a water-rific good time and the adults can sing the evening away with a beverage at the late 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 sports cars, 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 mini 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. 42 #EXPLOREGEORGIA FIREWORKS IN THE SKY OVER LAKE BLUE RIDGE/STEVE TUCKER
Official State Travel Guide 2024 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 42
