Gainesville was a fun place to grow up and has even become a destination to visit because of the lake! We made a list of the top 10 things we think outside visitors should do to get the "true Gainesville experience". Click (or tap) the links for more information about each option.

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1. Go play on the lake! We grew up on the lake and it's a special place to both of us. Hopefully the weather cooperates so that you're able to enjoy it as well. You can rent a pontoon boat, a kayak or canoe, or a paddleboard and spend time on the water around LCKC. There's also lots of parks available for picnics and walking on the shoreline.

2. Visit Jaemor Farms. Jaemor Farms is owned by a local family and they've been in the same place for 6 generations. They grow peaches and strawberries in the summer (among other things) and turn them into the best  ice cream. They also have their fall festival from September to November where they have a corn maze, apple cannons, pumpkin trains, and more.

3. Wander around the Square! Gainesville's downtown has grown so much in the past few years. There's a ton of new shops and restaurants to walk around and try. Rahab's Rope is Sara's grandmother's favorite place to get beautiful, handmade items and support a good cause!

4. Visit the Gainesville Botanical Gardens. The Atlanta Botanical Gardens has a second garden in Gainesville. It's beautiful at all times of the year. It has a model train garden as well!

​5. Visit the Northeast Georgia History Center. The museum is just the right size for you to get a lot of interesting history about the city and state without being so large you need to spend your entire day there.

6. Hike some trails at Elachee Nature Center. As kids, we went to summer camps at Elachee and enjoyed the nature museums (with live animals!) and getting to play in the creek. There are trails of all lengths and types so everyone will have a good time.

7. Take your kids to INK! INK (or, the Interactive Neighborhood for Kids) is a museum, playground, and tiny city run entirely by children all in one. Kids under 2 are free. You can also paint pottery and they'll ship your pieces when they've been fired!

8. Visit Helen! Helen, GA is a 45 minute drive from Gainesville to the "improbable alpine village", as they call it. You can go ziplining, ride a bobsled, pet capybaras, visit a lavender farm, do wine tastings, or walk around downtown and enjoy "authentic German food".​

9. Head underground to mine for gold in Dahlonega. Dahlonega, GA is 30 minutes north of Gainesville and has a rich history of gold and mining. You can take an underground mine tour to learn about it and at the end, you pan for your own gold (and gems, if you'd like). You can keep anything you find!

10. Of course, visit the Chicken Statue. Gainesville is the poultry capital of the world, so it would be a disgrace to not include paying a visit to the famous Chicken Statue on this list! (It's right off the Square so you don't even have to make a special trip for it!)