We camped here and it was so fun! The park is beautiful and has many trails to check out. The camp…read morestore is stocked with everything you may need!

We had such a wonderful time camping here. The employees at the trading post are beyond friendly…read moreand helpful. And so very patient in assisting us. The campground itself is wonderful. The sites are well maintained and there are plenty of sites that accommodate our 43 foot camper. There are some premium sites that pull through. Just exercise caution with some of those because you could see where some campers dragged trying to get into those. The bath houses are very clean and modern. They also have 20 cabins you can rent. A fair number have been remodeled and those are really nice. We had a great time and are already planning our next trip.

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

This is the best lake, hands-down. The views are incredible and there is just the right amount of…read morecalm and action. Reynolds has beautiful neighborhoods that surround a lot of the waterfront homes.

I get emotional when I think about Lake Oconee for many reasons. Firstly, it was the site of my…read morefirst fishing trip with my two youngest sons, but also because of memories from my past. PERSONAL STORY You see, when I was 9 years old my dad took me on a fishing trip. It was my 1st fishing trip ever and it didn't go very well. I caught most all the fish and although he never said, it seemed to upset him and he spent the remainder of the trip intoxicated. I made a promise to myself that someday when I had a son I would take him fishing and give him a better experience. My father gave us a great life, but occasionally alcohol got the better of him. I was 30 years old when he died. My sisters and mother were too overwhelmed with grief to get up & speak at his funeral, so the delivery of his eulogy fell into my hands. Forced into overcoming my resentment for his years of drinking (and my years of embarrassment), it was only then that I realized alcohol was the one flaw in a genuinely likable and hard working guy that got along with everyone. To him providing a home, groceries, education and life's necessities was being more of a father than HE ever had... and I wept. I still weep to this day with sorrow over my young and foolish attitude. I know now the pressures of living up to not only others expectations, but your own as well (especially when you don't feel capable and sure of yourself). I often think about how he must have felt as a young father doing the best he could and not have his only son appreciate him. I never gave much thought to it before and unfortunately for me my appreciation came too late. I couldn't hug him or tell him I'm sorry for not valuing him. So instead I've try to honor him by being the best father I know how to be. THE EXPERIENCE I have a good friend whom owns a wonderful property on Lake Oconee with lots of lake frontage. He gave me a set of keys to go spend time at his cabin anytime we want and one weekend we decided to make use of his generous offer. It was our first family fishing trip and we caught a total of 6 catfish over three days of fishing. Pretty pathetic huh? LOL The highlight of the trip came on our last day at the lake house. After spending a day on the lake only having caught a few small fish, my son was determined to hook a 'big' fish all by himself. He stayed on the dock for over two hours patiently waiting for a nibble. We were sitting on the porch of the cabin when all of the sudden I hear "DAD, DAD!" As he walks uphill from the lake with a plastic container, he sets the container down and grabs his fishing rod (still attached to the fish). I could tell it was a significant sized catfish by the bend in the rod as he lifted. He was so proud to have caught the biggest fish and we celebrated by skinning all the fish and cooking them for dinner. We finished the evening under the stars eating ice cream (even though it was a little too cold outside). That was 4 years ago and still one of the best weekends ever. We've also spent summer days here BBQing and just enjoying the lake with our friends. Most of my pics are from one of the residential coves where the water is a little more murky and shallow. FINAL THOUGHTS Lake Oconee was created in 1979 when Georgia Power Company built Wallace Dam in Greene County, Georgia. It is a wonderful place to unwind and disconnect from the busy-ness of life. There are excellent opportunities for boating, fishing, camping, antiquing, dining, shopping and historic sight-seeing all around the lake. In addition you can go geocaching, rent lake charters, tubing, jet skiing, kayaking and attend festivals. I will forever be grateful for the fun times we've had as family building memories on this lake. Remember to take time and honor those in your life this Holiday Season, even if they haven't been the person you wanted them to be. Maybe, just maybe they did the best they knew how. For a calendar of events, use this link: http://www.visitlakeoconee.com/whats-going-on-overview.htm Be sure to click "watch our video"

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.

This is a well-equipped, family friendly facility, owned by Clayton County. There are two boat…read morelaunch ramps, two public toilets, many picnic tables and benches, a few small pavilions, and a bunch of accessible fishing spots. If you want to catch a decent string of good-sized bass or crappie, a boat is a must. Otherwise, you can just chill on a lake bank and wait for catfish to grab your chicken liver offering, or try your hand at catching bream. Non-county residents are required to pay a $5 parking fee. They DO CHECK, so don't try to cheat, and end up paying a large fine. I have met many nice fisherfolks here. The most charming are a pair of Vietnamese women, who are there at least once a week, swaddled in sun-proof clothing and wearing wide brimmed straw hats. They are plenty savvy at catching fish. They use hotdogs for catfish and meal worms for bream. Each of them can cast a bait 100 feet or better. I've never seen them leave without a full cooler of fish. Me, on the other hand...............

First time visiting and I must say it's so peaceful and serene. Plenty of parking spaces and areas…read morewhere you can enjoy a tasteful picnic with the family. Clayton Co. Residents pay 5.00/day to fish and everyone else pays 10.00/day. We will be back. Hey, maybe I'll get a fishing pole myself. lol

This is such a beautiful area. You can fish and boat in the lake (no swimming though). They have…read moreareas where you can eat, you can sit off of the bank and enjoy the view and you can also sit under the trees and look at the water. The trees are so beautiful! I love it here. It's $5 for residents of Clayton county and $10 if you live outside of the county.

This park is so cute! There's a long winding road to the parking lot and there's two options: a 1…read moremile loop or a 4 (?) mile loop. Super cute lookout point on the river. Didn't go into the bathrooms but there's bathrooms at the trailhead. It wasn't super crowded on MLK day but would highly suggest checking it out. It's like a hidden gem

By far my favorite park so far! After visiting nine parks in a month, this one truly stands out as…read morea gem. The park offers everything--picnic benches, grills, bridge access, a playground, walking trails, and multiple stairways leading right to the river (seven in total!). The water access is perfect for relaxing by the river, and the Canadian geese make the experience even more enjoyable. A must-visit spot for anyone who loves the outdoors.

Closest thing to a beach. The kids love it. Want to go back…read moresoon Jsjjsjsjsisksnsksiisjsisjsj

August 16, 2020…read more There is a 5$ fee to get in. This is our third park on Lake Lanier. Perhaps due to recent showers but I thought the water clarity was superior here compared to War Hill or Shoal Creek. You could see schools of fish sized 2-3 inches in length right there with you on the shore. The fish are used to being fed which is why they don't venture far from shore. The beach front is large and there is plenty of parking too. I liked that the park had trash cans right where you park. Good thinking. The water was in the low 80s and very refreshing. I went for a half mile swim by the buoys and played for a couple of hours with our little one in the water. The beach does have a few rocks at the shoreline and if you don't have water shoes you might stub your toe. Just tread carefully. So far this was a winner but there are other parks we have yet to explore.

We came and stayed at Pine Lake while our daughter was participating in the UGA Softball camp. We…read moreabsolutely enjoyed our stay at the campground! The site we stayed in was shady and convenient to both fishing ponds. Any need we had the front desk was super helpful in meeting it. We look forward to visiting again!

Beautiful, level campground. Bathhouse is extremely clean, great pressure and plenty of hot water…read more our site is so large, gravel base and privacy fence. we have been on the road for about 7 weeks and this is the absolutely nicest campground. I want to come back for a longer stay!

A hidden gem in Cumming right by the lake! A friend of mine told me about this park a few years…read moreago, and it's become a favorite of mine to visit, especially in the Fall! Heads up, you will feel like you're driving into a neighborhood but rest assured, you're in the right spot! It leads you right to the entrance, and there is tons of parking available. There's a trailhead sign as well which is helpful. Gorgeous views of the lake on every side of the park, with plenty of trails in and around the park. Every time I visit, it's always very quiet and serene, and there's a little beach/island that is all dried out now that you can go walk out on which is cool. Anytime I need to destress, a walk around here instantly does the trick!

Here are some new pictures of the park. There the coolest tree bench (as I call it) for pictures…read more It's so relaxing and good to be in nature. I love that the paths are not concrete. They are natural forest floor. Can't wait to come back.