Accolades
First, Best, Only
Site of the First Major U. S. Gold Rush – 1829
One of Georgia’s seven Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses at Achasta Golf Club
8 Wineries & Vineyards with award-winning vintners and chefs
One of Georgia’s Oldest remaining Historic Courthouses – 1836 Lumpkin County Courthouse
Second most visited Georgia State Historic Site - Dahlonega Gold Museum
Largest Annual Bicycle Ride in the Southeast - Six Gap Century & Three Gap Fifty Rides
Second-oldest public institution of higher education - 1873 North Georgia Agricultural College
One of six Senior Military Colleges in the United States – University of North Georgia
12 Listings on National Register of Historic Places
Designations
"Great American Main Street Award® Winner" - National Main Street Center, Inc. 2016
"Appalachian Trail Community" - Appalachian Trail Conservancy 2010
"Camera Ready" Community - Georgia Department of Economic Development 2010
"Wine Tasting Room Capital of Georgia" - Georgia State Senate 2015
"Georgia's Premier Sports Cycling Community" - Georgia General Assembly 2005
"State's Official Center for Study of Appalachia" Historic Vickery House - Georgia General Assembly 2005
"Preserve America Community" - Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
"National Main Street City" - National Trust for Historic Preservation
“Military College of Georgia & a State Leadership Institution” – University System of Georgia
“Entrepreneur-friendly Community” – Georgia Department of Economic Development
A 13-Year "Tree City USA Community" 2014 - National Arbor Day Foundation
Accolades
The South’s Best Mountain Towns of 2022 – Southern Living
“30 Small Towns in America That Are *Perfect* for Your Next Getaway” – Cosmopolitan 2022
“The Prettiest Small Towns in Georgia” - Southern Living 2022
Ranked in The Top Ten Best Small Towns for Shopping by USA Today 2022
“11 Prettiest American Mountain Towns to Visit This Summer” – World Atlas 2022
“The Most Majestic Mountain Towns in America” – Reader’s Digest 2022
“The 30 Most Charming Small-Town Downtowns in America” – HGTV 2022
“The 10 Best Christmas Towns in America” – Fox News 2021
“25 Most Stunning Mountain Towns in America” – Readers Digest 2021
Best of Atlanta 2021: Readers’ Choice for “Best Georgia Winery” (Wolf Mountain Vineyards)
“30 Charming Mountain Towns to Visit This Fall” – Southern Living
Named one of the “Best Wine Regions” in USA Today’s 10 Best list
Named one of the “Best Mountain Towns” by Southern Living 2021
“The Best Small Towns in America” – Oyster 2021
Ranked in The Top Ten Best Wine Regions in the United States by USA Today 2021
“25 Best Small-Town Main Streets in America You Need to Visit ASAP” – Country Living 2021
"One of The South's Best Mountain Towns" - Southern Living 2020
“8 Places to go Leaf Peeping in the Mountains” – AJC 2019
“Best Fall Couple Getaways” WSB-TV 2019
Named one of the "10 Most Beautiful Mountain Towns in Georgia" - Trips to Discover 2017
One of the "South's Best Small Towns" - Southern Living Magazine 2017
One of "America's Prettiest Small Town Vacations" - TripAdvisor 2017
Named one of the "Top Destinations to Retire" - Where to Retire Magazine 2017
Georgia, with special mention of Dahlonega, named "Best Trips: Places You Need to Visit in 2017" - National Geographic Traveler Magazine 2017
Dahlonega wine scene named "Best Budget-Friendly Vacations" - Southern Living Magazine 2017
"50 Undiscovered Places You'll Love in the South" - Southern Living Magazine 2017
Featured on show "Hometown Georgia" - Georgia Public Broadcasting 2017
"Celebrity Recommendations for Tourism Destinations" by Shawn Mullins - Blue Ridge Country Magazine 2017
"The 12 Best Places to Go in North Georgia in 2017" - Wander North Georgia 2017
"Go, See, Do: Six Getaway-Worthy Southern Destinations" - Southern Hospitality Traveler 2017
Featured on list of "10 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains From Fall into the Holidays" - Atlanta Journal Constitution 2016
One of 5 "Best Places in Georgia to Celebrate Christmas and New Years" - Atlanta Journal Constitution 2016
One of 21 "Best Small Towns in America" - Architectural Digest 2016
"Smithsonian's 20 Best Small Towns to Visit" - Smithsonian Magazine 2016
"4th Best Underground Attraction - Consolidated Gold Mines" - USA Today 2016
"6th Best Small Town Weekend Escape" - USA Today 2016
"10th Best Historic Small Town" - USA Today 2016
"4th Best Southern Small Town" - USA Today 2015
"4th Best Summer Weekend Escape" - USA Today Travel 2014
“Dahlonega: Small-town Escape” - Southern Living Magazine 2012
“Best Wine Town Runner Up, Southern Dream Towns” – Garden & Gun Magazine 2012
"23rd Best Small City in America" - Charles Anderson's In Search of Eden
"10th Best Course You Can Play in Georgia - Achasta Golf Course" - Golfweek Magazine
"Downtown Development Award of Excellence" - Georgia Downtown Association 2010
“Tourism Partnership Award” – Georgia’s Official Hospitality Highway GA Hwy 400 2008
“1st Place National Performing Arts Festival in DisneyWorld” Holly Theater Children's Theatre 2008
National Champion Precision Drill Team, UNG Blue Ridge Rifles 2001, 2002
“Award of Excellence” Hospitality Highway - Governor’s Tourism Conference 2007
"Dahlonega Downtown Square" - Georgia Magazine Readers' Choice Awards 2007
“3rd Most Economical Retirement Community” - U.S. News & World Report 2007
"Local Favorite" - U. S. Travelocity Local Secrets, Big Finds 2005
Top 20 Events - Old Fashioned Christmas – Southeast Tourism Society 2004
Top 20 Events - Annual Family 4th of July – Southeast Tourism Society 2002
“Shining Example Award” – Dahlonega-Lumpkin Co. Chamber – Southeast Tourism Society 1996
