What a great place for a day outing or a week long stay on the clear waters of Lake Lanier…read more Facilities are what you expect from a Georgia State Park ..... excellent! Proximity to some of the islands makes it a great place to kayak from without to much worry from boats and jet skis. Although our time spent here is during the week I imagine the lake can be somewhat hazardous on weekends with boats everywhere. Regardless it is a great spot to spend time in the warm waters and just relax. One of our favorite Georgia spots.

As a desperation to get out, we decided to learn a new hobby - fishing. We specifically went to Van…read morePugh North Park. Park is nearby a couple of bait shops if needed and had plenty of boat ramps for use. No fees till October due to COVID. We've been fishing at various spots prior to Van Pugh. Finally lucked out when we were able to catch a couple of catfish and bass as big as my forearms. Tables and grill placements were spaced far away from each other as well. There is a beach area that's closed off, but the right side is open. Groups were respectful and kept their distance. Restroom were clean and park overall was well-kept. Great spot for fishing, camping, and playing in the water.

10/10!!!! GORGEOUS morning hike. Nicely maintained trail. AMAZING views. Well worth the drive.read more

Clean with plenty of parking. Trails and views. Great for a family outing. Grills. Pet friendly.read more

Great way to beat the heat this summer! Met up with friends from school and ate lunch in the shade…read more They even have private tables of we wanted them.

Great small outdoor venue. They get national talent. In the summer there's a splash pad and in the…read morewinter there's an ice-skating rink. Fantastic coffee shop with brunch,Indigo brewing with music. Tavern with dinner and cocktails. A pizza and sub shop. Ice cream shop and taqueria and Margarita bar coming soon ! Sugar Hill distillery with a beer garden across the street. Fantastic little area

Excellent park. My son plays rec soccer here and the fact they have lights allows for practices to…read morebe held at night. The park is clean and there are several soccer fields to play and practice on. The covered playground is also a plus. I give Gary Pirkle Park a much deserved 5 stars!

Love this park for nature walks. It's peaceful. Lots of parking options and pretty creek views.read more

really good people highly recommend especially if you're staying on Lanier Islands come here versus…read moreMargaritaville. Robert is amazing Kaylee We rented a pontoon for the day they were top quality I felt like it was my boat and they were here to make sure everything was perfect for us

Aqua sports made my day on the lake amazing! They are courteous and professional. Boat was clean…read moreand ready when I got there. Online booking was easy. They met me on the dock as I came back in. They had recommendations for restaurants on the water and showed a true interest in making sure I had a perfect day. I will definitely be back and really appreciate the crew there!

A hidden staycation opportunity that flies under the radar. Known for their boating and lake…read moreactivities but the other side offers a relaxed environment. Lodge/hotel lodging with spacious rooms with the treat of a Keurig in each room. A truly heated pool with poolside service or indoor or patio eating. Onsite restaurant with outdoor lake views offering buffet breakfast and menu dinners. A coffee nook offering fresh coffee/lattes along with patries. The topper is an onsite spa. Plenty of options on the property with golf, pickle ball, game room and water park.

I'm very surprised Lake Lanier has so few reviews. After all, it was one of the water sport venues…read moreof the 1996 Olympics, one of the most popular summertime destinations in the state. Most any warm season holiday is celebrated at Lake Lanier making it a popular place for vacation rental homes. Here you can go boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, golfing, as well as experience a fabulous fireworks show in the summer or Christmas lights and snow sleds in the winter. There is a spa, a beach, a waterpark, a luxury resort and good times @ Margaritaville. You can rent jet skis, go horseback riding, charter a fishing boat, rent a house boat, go camping or take a hot air balloon ride nearby. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and named for Confederate Army poet Sidney Lanier. Its primary purpose was for flood control and water supplies and has a water volume of about 1,049,400 acre-ft. The narrative will tell you its construction destroyed more than 50,000 acres of farmland and displaced more than 250 families, 15 businesses, and relocated 20 cemeteries along with their corpses in the process. But I want to pause here and dive a little deeper under the surface of its waters and introduce you to: [ OSCARVILLE, GEORGIA ] "The truth is rarely pure and never simple." ― Oscar Wilde Lake Lanier is partially located in Forsyth county. It is a county that prided itself on not having black residence so much that Oprah came to film an episode of her Emmy Award-winning talk show here in 1987 (trigger warning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WErjPmFulQ0 The show makes mention that "no black person had lived in the county for 75 years", which was a direct reference to a predominantly African-American community known as Oscarville. It was home to 1,100 black people prior to a racial conflict in 1912 which was so brutally violent that it caused blacks to flee the county... even those who were landowners. "According to Elliot Jaspin, a historian and journalist quoted by the Digital Library of Georgia and the New Georgia Encyclopedia, only about 24 of the nearly 40 Black landowners in Forsyth County at the time were able to sell their land. The other properties have no record of sale, and some believe the abandoned land was simply taken by White residents." - The Times Oscarville began as a small farming town around 1870, but after so many fled the county in 1912, it was practically a ghost town. Those still claiming ownership of their land either had it seized or were "asked" to to forfeit their land to build the Buford Dam by Newport Dam Development according to an article published on April 6, 2021 by The Signal. Prior to the violence, Oscarville was actually known for its agricultural prowess in fighting off the boll weevil infestation that hindered many farm crops and enriching the soil with chicken feces. A technique that has been duplicated to this day to revive poor farming/gardening soil. "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." ― Aldous Huxley [ MUST WATCH ] Link to Oscarville | The Town Submerged by Lake Lanier (Intrigued Mind): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifMKfBO_R6s [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Lake Lanier is a beautiful lake and a rich resource for Atlanta. It provides approx. 70% of the drinking water for Metro Atlanta as well as power, recreation and businesses. But there is more than what meets the eye as you look across its glistening surface. An entire town is buried by its waters and has been nearly forgotten, and the hard truth is this is not an isolated story. There are several other towns across the country who suffered the same fate. They include: Kowaliga (Benson), Alabama Seneca Village In New York City Susannah, Alabama and Vanport, Oregon The story of Lake Lanier and Oscarville will be featured in an upcoming TV series called Oscarville - Below the Surface. Here is the link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVux8Y96cok Thanks for reading. 2022 / 59 #BlackHistorySeries

I live next to the park. It's a hit or miss. I watch the…read morecity drive by daily but.... I still pick up glass and trash. Last summer i had to go out of my way and buy wasp spray it was that bad. Dont sit just anywhere in the grass. The ants here are vicious. Occasionally homeless sleep here or random cars parked here for days. Play town park in swanee is way better.

FLOWER BRANCH CITY PARK…read more This is an older park located just Southwest of town. It is located near the marina so you have a nice view of the water. There are picnic tables, a large pavilion and a nice play area for the kids. It is very tranquil and a perfect place to just take a walk, read a book or relax. There are numerous trees but it does appear old and a bit neglected so keep this in mind if you are planning events here.

It is a wonderful park with all the amenities to include a large playground area and dog walk…read morearea..an Amphitheater that is under used..party rooms you can rent out..an old historic log cabin..a fishing area..fantastic hiking and biking trails..small waterfalls..and of course the Indian Bluffs..not sure they were Cherokee though..I believe the Creek Indians resided there..Plenty of parking..clean bathrooms..shhh dont tell everybody!! PS keep your eye out for the occasional GeoCache!!

One of our favorite parks we to almost every other week/weekend. We discovered it in 2018 and have…read morebeen enjoying the trail and play area. The trail is a nice view of nature and it's a fairly easy trail to run/walk

A lovely park beach on Lake Lanier. The site features beautiful views of the lake as well as…read moreexcellent access to swimming, picnicking and boating. It's easy to remember Lanier Park. It's on Lake Lanier, just off Buford Dam Drive, which means it's near Buford Dam. Lanier Park is a scenic hideaway where you can rest or play, not far from Buford Dam. A beautifully groomed, sandy beach that's just right for swimming or laying out in the sun. Then, add in nearby picnic area with sturdy tables and grills, a boat ramp, and a half-mile walking trail. You can rent a pavilion area with its own dock and gorgeous views of the lake. The Lanier Park beach is open from late March through late September from 7 AM until 10 PM. Visitors can access the Laurel Ridge Hiking Trail from multiple locations and parks. The trail is a 3.5 mile loop that offers great views of the lake and Chattahoochee River. Fisherman can expect to catch a variety of species including bass, catfish and panfish. Activities include fishing, swimming, wake boarding, kayaking and hiking. Lanier Park offers access to a designated swim beach, picnic areas and restrooms. Alcohol is not permitted. Pets are not allowed. Arrive early, parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. Entrance fees to the park apply to all visitors. Fireworks prohibited. This location is available through advanced reservations only; no walk-ins. This location does offer first-come, first-served (walk-ins) availability on holidays only. All other dates are reservation only. Reservations cannot be made in person at the Park. Contact information is 1360 Buford Dam Rd., Buford, GA 30518. For any reservations contact 770-945-9531. Great spot to have a picnic lunch, watch the water and water fowl go by. I'll definitely be back many times.

Park is NOT open . Gate is closed and locked , but website states open along with hours listed…read more Update the hours so people don't waste their time driving to the Park only to find it closed

We had time to kill so decided to take a walk in the woods!…read more We paid our fee at the front office and parked to hike on the trails, Loved stopping by the creek and watch the kids fishing and a couple throwing fetch toys for their dogs in the creek. We walked some of the trails and it was so peaceful. There is something about walking in the woods that always brings inner peace. We circled back to the creek and watched the kayakers come through. Looks like a nice trip on the water! Would come here again it is really a nice spot to get away and enjoy nature.

I'm a yes and no kinda person when it comes to this campground. Yes, it's beautiful. Situated right…read moreon Lake Lanier this campground offers many beautiful views. No on that it's not a great campground. It needs A LOT of work. Sadly I don't think it's owner, Margaritaville, is interested in investing in it. It could be a wonderful place to spend a week camping but it has a long way to go. Luckily they have a great start in choosing the camp hosts that they have! Josh and Tessa were wonderful to us during our stay. You see...it snowed! This rarely happens but they were very helpful during this tragic event. This is Georgia. We don't do snow! Especially in a 30' Class A with a slide out! They had the perfect solution to protect our slide out awning from this hideous white powder substance that has no business traveling south of the Mason-Dixon Line - beach balls! Ok the campground. That's what your here for after all. So there are a lot of great spots to camp here but it truly is hit or miss. You can't choose a good site from their terrible website. It lies. We started out at site #56 which we chose off of said terrible website. Do not chose this site. It is a broken ankle or back waiting to happen. The asphalt is all chewed up and stepping out of your camper is an accident waiting to happen. Honestly it's like this on many, many, many of their sites. We immediately asked to move. Not only was this site a hospital visit in the making but our Rig didn't fit. We would've been filing a claim with our insurance when someone came around the bend too fast. That would have been quite the rude awakening! I wanna go in my sleep but not THAT way! So we moved to site 67 which was WAY better. Still needed a lot of work but I could sleep! We initially booked here for one week. This one week turned into 4 weeks due to snow, our granddaughters's birth, a dead battery in our Toad and a flood in the house we own in FloweryBranch. So....Josh and Tessa....Angels here on Earth! They helped us with the costs by recommending weekly rates, Sams Club discounts and much much more! I seriously can't tout them enough! They were great! We ended up spending the majority of our stay here on site #78. We had a beautiful lakeside site with a picnic table, fire pit and lantern hook. We didn't use any of these since it was even too cold to sit by a fire! The site itself is in need of repair but it was level and quiet and the campsites are really spaced out well. You have plenty of privacy! This site needed new railroad tie steps and the asphalt the camper sits on needs to be redone. This is pretty much true of every site here. The bathhouse near us wasn't working due to a tree falling on it. There are a LOT of downed trees here. There are also a LOT of deer! And the deer aren't super shy either. Maybe it was the weather....who knows. I'm giving this campground 3 stars because of the staff. There was another couple there running the campground who we didn't get to know but were friendly and helpful as well. But here's my overall opinion on just the campground: Uncared for. This could be a wonderful retreat if only the owners cared just a tiny little bit. All of the sites need new drives. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Every site needs new railroad tie steps. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Trees are down EVERYWHERE making the campground look unkept. The roads to the campsites are all in terrible shape. I seriously think the owners have just turned a blind eye to this gem on Lanier. They are all about Lake Lanier Islands "Margaritaville " overpriced cookie cutter campsites. I hope they don't eventually turn Shoal Creek into that crap but they could at least wave a few dollars at it. I hate to say it but I actually think the Government did a better job running this campground. Pick site #80. Best site on the grounds! (Still needs work!)