- Dawsonville, Georgia, offers attractions for varying tastes.Georgia state contour with Capital City against blurred USA flag image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
Dawsonville, Georgia, located roughly an hour north of Atlanta, is one of the small towns that cropped up in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains after gold was discovered in the area in 1828. Incorporated in 1859 with just a few households, Dawsonville's population was 815 in 2007. It is situated close to mountains, lakes and rivers. Dawsonville is home to antique shops, specialty shops and a large outlet complex, as well as historic places, museums, and state parks. Visitors will enjoy Dawsonville's quaint downtown area and its wide range of unique attractions. - Nearby Atlanta is home to more NASCAR sponsors than any other city, and North Georgia has a history of stock-car driving that dates back to Prohibition. The 40,000-square-foot Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Museum, which is housed in the same building as Dawsonville's City Hall, includes a film presentation of the history of stock-car racing in Dawson County Georgia, a display of vintage stock cars and exhibits about the Prohibition moonshine runners that became NASCAR's first drivers. Guests can refresh at the Champions Café, a retro-décor diner that offers snacks and drinks. Visitors may request guided tours in advance and groups are welcome. The museum charges no admission or parking fees, but visitors are encouraged to make a small donation toward its upkeep.
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Museum
415 Highway 53 E.
Dawsonville, GA 30534
678-283-6011
thunderroadusa.com - According to its website, the Dawsonville's Kangaroo Conservation Center houses the largest Kangaroo mob outside of Australia. Its focus is on public education and the protection of kangaroo species through captive breeding. The Center is also home to several other "Australian" species, in smaller numbers. Visitors enjoy exhibits, a butterfly garden, and an aviary, as well as a tropical garden and a bamboo maze. A 30-minute narrated tram tour of the 87-acre conservation facility allows visitors to view the kangaroos and other wildlife in their conservation habitats. The facility does not admit children under five years of age.
Kangaroo Conservation Center
222 Bailey-Waters Rd.
Dawsonville, GA 30534
706-265-6100
kangaroocenter.com - Visitors seeking an overnight adventure can schedule a stay at the Len Foote Hike Inn, operated by the Georgia Parks Department. This unique attraction can only be reached by hiking a 5-mile trail through the Chattahoochee National Forest. The trail is rated easy to moderate throughout and leads walkers through wildflower fields, across bog bridges and along streams. The eco-friendly lodge provides bare necessities such as pillows, mattresses, and sheets, and guests are asked to leave cell phones, laptops and other such devices behind. The Inn has no electrical outlets but does have hot and cold running water. A stay includes a home-cooked dinner and breakfast. While at the inn, guests can enjoy hiking additional trails that range from one-eighth mile to four miles, or playing horseshoes or board games, hearing educational programs or participating in trivia contests.
Len Foote Hike Inn
The Trading Post Visitors Center/Amicalola Falls State Park
240 Amicalola Falls State Park Rd.
Dawsonville, GA 30534
800-581-8032
gastateparks.org - Dawsonville boasts the oldest courthouse in Georgia. The Dawson County Jail and the Courthouse were among the first structures built in Dawsonville. Located in the downtown square, both appear on the National Register of Historic Places and both have been restored to original condition. Visitors can view a jail cell as it appeared in the 1850s, see history displays, and tour the courthouse by arrangement.
Dawson County Courthouse and Jail
54 GA Highway 53
Dawsonville, GA 30534
706-265-6278
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Museum
Kangaroo Conservation Center
Len Foote Hike Inn
Dawson County Courthouse and Jail
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