We came out this way for day camping, which I didn't know was a thing. The South Park is for day…read moreuse and North is for camping. It was July 3rd and 4th, so busy weekend. We had an issue with my son getting in due to the park rangers and police closing entry. It was full and they turned my son around by accident. However, I don't think he let them know he had a reservation. That's the reason for my star bump but both the police officer and ranger were apologetic, so much appreciated. Day camping is a new thing for me. For $15/day, you can rent a site from 8AM to 8PM. They have running water and electricity. There are also two bathroom facilities with showers. The day use spots are good for two vehicles and have a picnic table and trash bag hanger. Easy access to the water in most spots. They have two grills to cook at the sites. It's very much worth the money. They don't allow alcohol, pets or really loud music. The beaches are nice and water is pretty clear. The coves make it easy for swimming. I do recommend!

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.

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

Absolutely gorgeous park with a beautiful view of Lake Lanier. This place has a stranger history…read morebut it is a nice place to take the kids.

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.

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!

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.

The grounds keeper with the beagle is a great guy, I wish he ran the park but unfortunately the…read morepeople who run this place aren't very good at it. I tried calling this place around 5pm no answer and tried reserving a spot on their website but like the people who run this place its impossible to navigate. So because I wasn't able to reserve a spot on their site and they left a 6pm, when i arrived at 7pm I wasn't able to properly pay for my spot but the grounds guy said I could pay in the morning and I was happy with that. So the grounds guy brought me to lot 3 and there was only a table there so he and I thought it was empty but unfortunately later in the night there was a family that was occupying that lot. I apologize to them and offered to move but they said it was alright and I asked me if I found any camping chairs and I told them no, I only have the one I brought. Then I apologize and and they park two lots down. I thought we were good but she called security probably told them I stole there things and there lot. But security came to me later that night and told me because I was place in someone's else's lot when it was empty that I couldn't stay and had to leave, I explained everything to them and I was going to pay in the morning and there response was "that's what we usually do" but not for me I guess. Im always polite and respectful but unfortunately mexican Americans are going through a lot right now and because im the wrong color I feel like I was kicked out unjustified. This isn't the first time I've dealt with these issues and wont be the last time either. Grounds keeper thank you for your hard work and I wish more people were like you!

I had family come into town and decided to plan Thanksgiving dinner here with everyone, saving the…read moretrouble of cooking and cleaning this year. Darling was amazing to work with, she helped me coordinate and adjust our numbers since one family couldn't make it. We were very excited to have a great meal! Upon showing up, we parked our cars in the lot and went in. They had live music in two different areas, and in the main space a giant buffet that spanned the outside of the space. Carving station, oysters and shrimp cocktail, cheese and fruits, desserts galore, and special touches like a cotton candy machine for the kids and a fresh fried beignets station. There was a bar set up outside the meal areas so we could get cocktails and wine by the glass we ended up ordering a couple bottles at the table. There was a lot of people enjoying themselves. The drive to the lodge was beautiful, it was a colder day but the sun was out and everyone got to have some great food and still enjoy themselves and the day. Thanks again to the team here, from the servers and runners to the hosts. We had a great time. Special shout out again to Darling for her help with this. I appreciated her catching the little details as we got closer to Thanksgiving I'll be back! Would love to play golf here sometime.

Feel like it was time to write an update for Lake Lanier and must say now that I live closer it is…read moreabsolutely beautiful and a wonderful place to visit regularly. I bring my dog here pretty much daily and enjoy the walks, the views, the lake, the vibe, and occasionally the sun sets. The views are majestic and the land is well kept and truly a gem of Georgia. Doesn't seem like it really gets crowded during the week and the lake is truly something to behold. Doesn't get much better than this. Five solid Stars for Lake Lanier and two thumbs up. Thank you.

We were invited to a weekend out on Lake Lanier on one of Lake Lanier's houseboats. OMG - what a…read moreHUGE DISAPPOINTMENT! Their website proudly professes a $50,000 renovation to each of their 14 houseboats but I can tell you that no matter how much money you spend, if you don't keep it cleaned up it will always look worth a lot less. The walls were covered in a very dark brown paneling that made the boat feel small and cramped. The two upstairs beds (no bedrooms, as the bed went from wall to wall) were on a raised platform with the bed pad sitting on top and the two bedrooms downstairs the bed pad was on the floor. Their were 2 bathrooms, only 1 shower - but it was big enough for two (dirty looking though, icky things on the floor and on the top) and the bathroom floor, you know, around the toilet bottom were guys tend to hit when they miss the actual commode, yellow, brown, slimy, icky icky icky!!! Everywhere I looked the place was scuffed up, dirty, and had so many spiderwebs that I thought they had just decorated early for Halloween! I don't believe these boats actually go through an actual stripped down cleaning!!! When paying $600 a day, you would expect to have the houseboat in the same if not better condition than if you were staying in a hotel room. Right?!!!! There were 6 people in our party and none of us will ever rent again from Lake Lanier Harbor Marina. On Saturday night, the generator went out, we had no lights, no a/c, nothing. We managed to get back to the Harbor expecting to find the "on-call" tech waiting for us as we had put the emergency call in 30 minutes prior to our arrival, but no luck. We must have made 6 phone calls and finally he arrived. I found out that the "on-call" guy lives over an hour away. Wow, great management decision on that one guys! So after a 3 1/2 hour wait, we finally got up and running again, just in time to go to bed as by then we were exhausted, cranky, tired, and hot! The hot tub had crud and dirt swirling around in the bottom of the seats and floor, we didn't want to risk catching anything so we opted not to use it. Based on the money spent, this was the worst weekend get-away ever. Here are their details: All houseboats are complete with sleeping accommodations for 10, full kitchen, living area with entertainment center, bath-and-a-half, central heat and air, gas grill and Jacuzzi and waterslide on the top deck. Houseboats are available for rental on a daily and weekly basis. Guests can pre-order groceries to be stocked on your houseboat. Pricing In Season (April-Labor Day) / Off Season (Labor Day-March) Weekend Package $1,999 / $1,499 3 nights (Fri. 3p-Mon. 9a) Midweek Package $1,899 / $1,299 4 nights (Mon. 3p-Fri. 9a) Full Week Package $2,599 / $1,899 6 nights 24 Hour Rental $649 / $449 Monday thru Thursday 24 Hour Rental $699 / $549 Friday thru Sunday (Upon availability only)

Just came back from an amazing experience at this place. Employees were very friendly. Boat was…read morefresh and the price was amazing. Highly recommend.

First timer . Went to this park with the localities and my friends and it was awesome . Drive to…read morethis park was really good with some amazing views ! Lots and lots of parking .. we went in April and it was empty .. I'm sure this place would be packed in summer . Loved the views from the park .. Kids loved the small beach there . It was cold when we went and couldn't go inside water . I loved the way they had barbeque tables and it was spacious too. A good walk way next to the waters . Restrooms were a bit far but available . Wish they had few more restrooms . Lots of insects , especially during sunset and in evenings . Overall had a good experience

It's easy to access it from the only road at top of the dam. The entrance has a booth to collect…read morefee, I believe it's $3, there is no one there I'm not sure because it's late or the season. There are bathrooms, pavilions for parties, picnic tables, and trail at lakeside, it's good place to watch sunset. There's one magnolia tree and flowers are booming at the moment. To walk around the little island, there's combination of paved road and random trail, total is about 1.3 miles, takes about 30-60 minutes depending on how relaxing you want to be.

This is a great getaway spot if you are in need of a digital detox and some time in the great…read moreoutdoors. They have glamping RV and tent rentals. We enjoyed sitting by the fire and making s'mores with kits that are available for purchase. Everything was very clean. There's plenty of parking. Happy Glamping!

Aaahhhh! I can't say enough about Timberline Glamping! We stayed at the Lake Lanier location. It…read morewas gorgeous! The tent was beyond perfect. So comfy and everything you need you forget you're actually sleeping outdoors. I can't wait to go back!

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

What would you pay to get up close and personal with a concrete and earthen structure, well five…read morebucks per vehicle may seem reasonable, this ticket also gets you toilet privileges, bbq grills, and a picnic pavilion and some other intangibles. Dams are structures built to primarily obstruct the flow of water usually built across a stream or river constructed by man or beavers, yes there are many type of dams and in some cases provide a life-sustaining resource to people although some seem to obstruct the life of some - it's been rumored that salmon hate dams as do those that work to promote to protect the swimming right of fish. I guess one would have to weigh the pros and cons to pick a side being millions of each species are affected since humans eat fish the fish usually lose. Dams are an extremely important part of this nation's infrastructure--equal in importance to bridges, roads, airports, and other major elements of the infrastructure. They can serve several functions at once, including water supply for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and community use; flood control; recreation; and clean, renewable energy through hydropower. It's nice to know this dam has a revenue stream beside my five buck so the return on the investment is shortened. I came here at the right time on the right day - the generating stations were operating so the lower river was filled and the water was racing to its next destination so probably not the best time to float on a tube or kayak. I was somewhat surprised or maybe amused to see signage on the bank of this river that's designates the shoreline as a life-preserver zone, thankfully the government is providing this knowledge or we might have some people from the gene-pool wondering in to this massive deadly volume of rapidly flowing water, it seems the wildlife in the area understands the danger without barriers or communications. I wish I could of gotten closer to the structure so I could see the water boil from beneath the discharge of the generators but I was happy to see they do have a walk bridge a little downstream of the dam that allows you to cross over and experience the power of the release up close without a life preserver and only requires a little common sense sometimes a "danger sign" isn't needed for the obvious threat. I'm a fan of dams and understand I'm screwed if the dam burst during my visit even though I am parked in a designated paved parking lot far below the water level on the other side of this massive structure even though there is no signage inform me of this fact...