Family adventure in Dawson County includes visiting a kangaroo conservation center, hiking the trail, horseback riding in the mountains, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, as well as visiting the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame to learn about stock car racing and spending some time shopping at North Georgia Premium Outlet Malls.
Located 50 miles north of Atlanta, Dawsonville is in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains, near Lake Lanier with access to the Appalachian Trail. Dawsonville is home to Amicalola Falls, which has the highest water falls east of the Mississippi at Amicalola Falls, the nearly 800-foot cascades the Cherokee Indians named for their “tumbling waters.” Dawsonville is also home to Dawson Forest and the Etowah and Amicalola Rivers, which provide for plenty of outdoor adventure.
At the Kangaroo Conservation Center, visitors can take the "KangaRanger Ride and Wander," a narrated tram tour, or stroll along the "Wander DownUnder," a self-guided walking tour. There are plenty of kangaroos, including Red Kangaroos, Western Grey Kangaroos, Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Agile Wallabies, Dama Wallaby and Wallaroo.
The newest exhibit is "NightHoppers," a nocturnal habitat showing rarely seen tiny kangaroos called Brush-tailed Bettongs and even smaller Australian possums called Sugargliders.
Other exhibits at the center include the "Billabong Encounter," where guests walk among exotic colorful birds and friendly lizards in a tropical plant habitat. The "Wings Down Under" aviary houses rarely seen Blue-Winged Kookaburras and small brightly colored parrots called Mulgas. Fern Valley Trail, thru a Southern forest, includes opportunities to see free-roaming native animals and a fun bamboo maze.
All captive exotic animals at the center are indigenous to Australia and Indonesia.
As the center is primarily a captive breeding facility and safe haven for Australian animals, hours and days open to the public vary. The most up-to-date information on public access, tours, admission fees and answers to general questions can be found on the website www.kangaroocenter.com or by calling 706-265-6100. Children under age 5 are not allowed on the tours.
Shoppers will love Dawson County, home to the North Georgia Premium Outlets with 140 designer stores. For arts and crafts, go to Around Back at Rocky’s Place, a primitive folk art gallery, and Substantial Lion Glass, a working artists’ studio.
Lodging options include full-service resorts, including Forrest Hills Mountain Resort, and brand name chain hotels. For unique lodging, check out the Len Foote Hike Inn, a green lodge accessed by a five-mile hike through the forest at Amicalola State Park.
As for dining, the award-winning Blue Bicycle Restaurant and the family-friendly Dawsonville Pool Room, home of the famously delicious Bully burger, are local favorites.
For information on visiting Dawson County, go to www.dawson.org. For information on visiting the North Georgia Mountains, go to www.georgiamountains.org.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
