Guys Getaway

Want a trip down memory lane? The historic square and the oldest courthouse in the state of Georgia at the gold museum along with various other antique stores will satisfy your history craving. Looking to relax? Men will find rest at one of the many day spas and retreats within the town. Men looking for great food and drink will be pleased with all the top-notch restaurants, vineyards, and eateries. Now that you know that Dahlonega is the perfect getaway for all men, grab your bros, and plan a man-cation to Dahlonega!

The perfect vacation with your bros could begin with a little cast of the wrist at the Chestatee River. Before you begin fishing, however, you should stop at Tritt’s Sporting Goods or Wal-Mart Super Center to be sure that you have all the needed supplies. If fishing isn’t up your alley, maybe a game of golf is. A great place to schedule your tee-time is the Golf Club at Achasta. With the backdrop of the beautiful North Georgia Mountains, Achasta is a one-of-a-kind place to play golf.

After exhausting yourself with fishing or a game of golf, it would be best to refuel. A delicious lunch is provided at Connie’s Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop in the form of burgers and malts. If Connie’s doesn’t sound up your alley, perhaps a cold, refreshing beer and exquisite cuisine sounds better. Visit Shenanigan’s Irish Pub or Spirits Tavern for a delicious lunch of this type.

Continuing on with the activities, you could start your hiking or walking tours by visiting the Dahlonega Visitor’s Center to pick up more information on routes. Then you could begin your hike or walk in the Chattahoochee National Forest or, if you’re up for a real challenge, at the Appalachian Trail. For a less challenging walk, you could contact the Dahlonega Walking Tour Company at (706) 429-6083 to set up your own personal tour through the square.

After this exhausting day, it’s time to start your busy night. Next, you and your bros would probably want to go back to the place of lodging to shower up for a night on the town. So what would be a good place to lodge? Two excellent choices would be 27 on Park or the Smith House. Both options would provide a relaxing and refreshing place to stay. As soon as your party is ready, a night on the town is in store. To begin the night right, a delicious dinner should be first on the list. If you are looking for a casual, fine-dining restaurant with all the wine choices your heart desires, look no further than the bistro-style 19 Degrees North. Perhaps you want down-home Southern cooking; the Smith House is your place. The Smith House serves fried chicken as its best with all the Southern sides you can handle. Trust me, you won’t leave hungry! Next it’s off to the Crimson Moon for all your musical entertainment. Come see regional and national acoustic touring artists and enjoy great drinks with your buds. Crimson Moon is sure to end your night properly.

After an exhausting day and long night, a good night’s rest is definitely in store—just don’t oversleep, because Dahlonega has much more to offer for you and your buddies. Day 2 could begin by touring the largest gold mining operation east of the Mississippi at the Consolidated Gold Mines. There you can pan for gold with your bros and maybe even strike it rich! While in the area, a must-see is the Crisson Gold Mine containing Georgia’s only working stamp mill, 124 years in the making. There, you can pan for more gold and even take a tour. After all this panning, a hungry appetite must be tamed and the perfect place to do so would be the Oar House. The comfy Oar House off the Chestatee River is a great place for gourmet food with some of the best steaks you’ll ever eat.

After panning for gold and lunch, it’s time to relax. The place to do this is at one of the many day spas within the town. Whether it be at Anidawehi Plantation Spa at Forrest Hills Resort, Dahlonega Resort & Vineyard, or Mountain Laurel Creek, Dahlonega is the place to go to relieve all your stresses. If you and your buds feel out of place at the spa, a great place to go is the historic square to relive all the pageantry surrounding the first gold rush in United States history. The gold rush, beginning in 1828 and drawing in many hoping to strike it rich, inspired the public square to be built in 1833. The citizens, realizing a courthouse needed to be built, built what is now the oldest courthouse in the state of Georgia right dab in the middle of the square in 1836. The courthouse, also called the Dahlonega Gold Museum, is an absolute must-see and should be on anyone’s itinerary when they visit Dahlonega. After visiting the gold-museum, a walk around the square is in store. There you will see shops like The Fudge Factory, the Dahlonega General Store, Massachusetts’ Bay Trading Company, Treasures Within, and The Glass Blowing Shop among many others.

After dinner, a real treat is in store at the Holly Theatre. Holly Theatre contains one of Georgia’s best-performing companies and is listed on the register of National Historic Places.

Sadly, it’s your last day in Dahlonega, but you still have so much more to do. You haven’t even had a chance to see all the beautiful vineyards and wineries. The Frogtown Cellars is unique with its underground, tri-level wine facility. The Cavender Creek Vineyards and Winery contains a barrel room waterfall and handcrafted wines. Three Sisters Vineyards and Winery sits in the shadows of the peaks that it is named for. Montaluce Winery & Estates has a Tuscan villa-style and a great view. Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery has a European style dining area and a sweeping mountain view. Each one has its own unique special feature, so it’s impossible to pick one over the other. The best recommendation is that you and your buds visit each one and decide for yourself which one is best.

If you have a chance, you should definitely try to visit the many beautiful waterfalls in the area or North Georgia Zoo & Petting Farm in White County.