FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As summer sizzles, visitors along Georgia 400 - the "Hospitality Highway" - cool down with outdoor, cultural, and recreational activities- and all just moments from Atlanta's bustle
May 27, 2008 - With temperatures (and gas prices) rising and fluffy white clouds dotting the summer skies, Georgia's Hospitality Highway - the Georgia 400 corridor that leads northward from hectic Atlanta yet includes the quieter, more laid back communities of Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming/Forsyth County, Dawsonville/Dawson County, and Dahlonega - heats up with myriad fireworks displays, seasonal concerts, outdoor recreation, festivals, fairs, and cultural events, all paired with special hotel rates, packages, and more. For additional information about the pyrotechnics and razzle-dazzle of a sizzlin' Georgia summer and complete listings of accommodations and events that each community offers visit www.HospitalityHighway.com.
Outdoor adventure, festivals and living history in the Heart of Georgia's Wine Country
If visitors begin their Hospitality Highway journey from north to south, they'll hit the trail in Dahlonega and Lumpkin County (http://www.dahlonega.org/ ), site of America's first gold rush that began in 1828 when a hunter stumbled upon a rock striated with the precious metal. During summer, visitors can find a virtual "goldmine" of exciting events in Dahlonega, including:
- Seeing "A Day in a Miner's Life" living history exhibit at the Dahlonega Gold Museum on June 7, 2008, from 9:00 a.m., until 4:00 p.m. The event is highlighted with interpreters and park rangers demonstrating the daily lives of gold miners in the 1830s.
- Staying cool all summer long by kayaking, canoeing, tubing, fishing, boating, mountain biking, or hiking with Appalachian Outfitters amid the multitude of lakes, rivers, and streams of Dahlonega and Lumpkin County, including the Chattahoochee National Forest.
- Attending the 7th annual Georgia Fine Wine Festival during the first weekend in June to commemorate Georgia's wonderful and always burgeoning wine industry.
- Being amazed at the annual Fourth of July Celebration, an old-fashioned family event that takes place on the historic town square and which is followed by one of North Georgia's most impressive fireworks shows.
- Hearing the best of Georgia's bluegrass music at the Appalachian Jam, with live music on the square every Saturday from April 26 through October 28, 2008.
Summertime in Dawson County "hops" with fireworks, shopping, nature and even Kangaroos
If visitors hop on down Georgia 400, their next stop will be Dawsonville and Dawson County (http://www.dawson.org/ ), home of the Kangaroo Conservation Center, Amicalola Falls State Park, and the Bowen Center for the Arts. Among the host of summer activities visitors can enjoy are:
- Taking in the Fourth of July fireworks whose reflection turns the mountains into spun gold.
Hiking the multitude of trails that meander throughout Amicalola Falls State Park.
Spending the day fishing along the banks of the Amicolola River or Lake Sidney Lanier.
Taking a break from the great outdoors to shop ‘till you drop at the Georgia Premium Outlets
Visiting the outback - right here in Georgia - at the Kangaroo Conservation Center.
From steam engines to bluegrass to outdoor adventure and more - Cumming and Forsyth County is fun for all ages
Taking in the scenery farther down the Hospitality Highway, travelers will come upon Cumming and Forsyth County (http://www.cummingforsythchamber.org/) . For a bit of nostalgia, several events are planned for summer, including:
- Attending the Fourth of July Steam Engine Parade, the largest gathering of antique steam engines in the Southeast, a sight to behold as the engines chug and whistle through downtown Cumming under full steam around the town square.
- Listening to and seeing bluegrass jams, lively concerts, and homespun plays galore at the Cumming Historic 1923 School and Playhouse.
Mountain biking along the trails of Central Park
- Hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, rappelling, and more at Sawnee Mountain Preserve, which offers over 900 acres of outdoor adventure.
- Hunting for unique items at the monthly Lakewood 400 Antique Market.
In Alpharetta, families can zoom in race cars, cool off on the Greenway and bond together with lots of family activities
The heat is on in Alpharetta (http://www.awesomealpharetta.com/ ), the next stop southward along Georgia 400. Alpharetta offers incredible shopping and dining opportunities, but the real draws are nature and the outdoors. Big Creek Greenway offers a cool respite from the summer sun with six miles of soothing shaded, wooded pathways for walking and cycling, while Autrey Mill Nature Preserve & Heritage Center keeps visitors entertained with old plantation buildings and rich forests. The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau also suggests these seasonal pastimes:
- "Destination: Alpharetta, Mission: Family Fun," highlights all the exciting activities that make Alpharetta the perfect family-friendly vacation destination. While visiting Alpharetta from June until August of 2008, travelers can drop by the Welcome Center and register to win a family prize pack that's full of great surprises.
- Visitors to Alpharetta on the Fourth of July can take in Alpharetta's annual fireworks extravaganza for an evening of entertainment.
- The Old Soldiers Day Parade and Race in August features floats, marching bands, military units, clowns, and classic cars.
- Enjoy a mother-daughter outing at the new American Girl store in North Point Mall while dad and brother are learning to safely drive ATVs at the Honda Learning Center.
Historic Roswell combines the arts, patriotic celebrations and outdoor adventure for an eventful summer
Whether visitors are shopping for antiques, eclectic gifts, or the latest fashions, Roswell (http://www.cvb.roswell.ga.us/) , the next stop along the Hospitality Highway, beckons with galleries, boutiques, and specialty stores. But there is much more to see and do during the warm summer months in Roswell, including:
- Kicking off summer on Mother's Day Weekend with The Colors Festival of the Arts on the Historic Town Square
- Celebrating Memorial Day with "Roswell Remembers" ceremony and picnic at the "Faces of War" memorial that honors military veterans
- Hiking or easily strolling the historic Vickery Creek Trail
- Lazily canoeing and rafting the spectacular Chattahoochee River
- Exploring the 640-acre historic district, including the Greek Revival-style Barrington Hall, the antebellum Bulloch Hall, and the beautifully built farmstead of Smith Plantation.
- On June 27 and 28, the award-winning Roswell Magnolia Storytelling Festival will be held on the grounds of Bulloch Hall, with nationally-known storytellers
- Donald Davis and Barbara McBride Smith, both of whom will be joined by an array of local and regional talent. More than 24 performances and six workshops are to be presented.
A forest in the city...in Sandy Springs experience outdoor concerts and fun in the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area
Cooling down is fast and easy in Sandy Springs (http://www.visitsandysprings.org/ ), just inside Fulton County line. Summer in Sandy Springs includes stops at the Big Trees Forest Preserve, a plant and wildlife sanctuary covering more than 30 acres; or for a bit of history and nature, the Williams-Payne House, an 1869 "plain style" home, combines gardens and natural springs. Celebrating a Sandy Springs summer is made all the better by these events and activities:
- Dropping by the Williams-Payne House for "Museum Week" in July.
- Enjoying outdoor "Concerts by the Springs" in June, July, and August.
- Participating in the evening family programs offered at the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area.
- Tubing, canoeing, kayaking or wildlife watching and fishing along the Chattahoochee River.
- Biking along the Brookhaven or Vinings Loop.
Georgia's Hospitality Highway, a stretch of Georgia 400 that meanders from Fulton County to Lumpkin County and includes the communities of Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming/Forsyth County, Dawsonville and Dahlonega, contains a fusion of restaurants, shopping, historic sites, outdoor activities, and much more, all amidst some of the most dazzling scenery and green space in all of the state. For more information, including links to additional websites and photography, visit http://www.hospitalityhighway.com.
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Media Contact:
Dotty Etris, Executive Director
Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau
1.770.640.3253; 1.800.776.7935
info@cvb.roswell.ga.us
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