In the foothills of North Carolina, between Asheville and Charlotte, resting at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the city of Hickory. This artsy community is the perfect road trip destination for those looking to explore North Carolina’s major cities and...
At Explore Gwinnett, “Local Love” is one of our favorite things to write, blog, post or chat about. Unearthing a hidden culinary gem, marketing a female or Black-owned hospitality venture and feeling assured our shopping and dining dollars are returning to our...
Just a quick trip down the road, Savannah makes a perfect getaway anytime that little bit of wanderlust pops up and demands a vacay. Savannah is known for its delicious food, Riverwalk, Historic District and proximity to beautiful beaches. We think it should also be...
The Holidays can be a whirlwind. Often, we find ourselves surrounded by joy while also feeling a sort of heaviness for our neighbors. We eat so well, yet we know many do not. We gift so hard while so many go without. We gather with family enough to need an extra...
A popular holiday book (and movie- Tom Hanks fans) by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express tells the story of a magical train ride on Christmas Eve, taking a young boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa himself. The story comes to real life when...
Florence, Alabama is filled with small town charm and a huge appreciation of art and history. The town is known as 'Alabama's Renaissance City' because of the annual Renaissance Faire hosted each October featuring artists and live musicians. This among many other...
With fall knocking on the door, outdoor festival season is beginning to slow down. As we head into winter, here’s what is on my arts/culture calendar as events I do not want to miss (and think you shouldn’t either...) Just on the outskirts of Gwinnett, minutes away...
For those who aren’t familiar with one of Netflix’s most streamed series, Bridgerton takes place in England during the Regency Era. The series revolves around eight siblings searching for love and happiness among the elite families in society. Combining romance,...
Festival season is upon us. Gwinnett and surrounding cities will soon be taking to the streets to celebrate just about anything you could think of these next few months. Whether beer or wine, crawfish or BBQ, grape stomping or gourds, there’s a festival for it. The...
Photo courtesy: Explore Gwinnett Time to pack your sunscreen and load up the car. We get many questions from locals on what to do and where to go when friends and family come into town. Here are a few of our favorites! Lots of folks may not realize that the...
This is the perfect day trip for any film junkie! Located about 30 miles south of Gwinnett County, lies the charming Covinting, Georgia. Covington has an extensive history in the film industry. Covington is famously known as the backdrop of Mystic Falls in the hit ...
Atlanta Atlanta Marriott Marquis - Futuristic tribute headquarters in Mockingjay International Clayton County Park - The shoreline within the park is used for beach scenes in the Quarter Quell arena Chestatee Wildlife Preserve - This is where the scenes of elk...
As 2022 rolls into spring, it is time for us to roll out year three of the Gwinnett Creativity Fund, Gwinnett’s first-ever arts and cultural grant fund! Created in early 2020, our first grant cycle was a challenge, but ultimately a success in terms of supporting arts...
Sure, we all have Yosemite, Zion, Joshua Tree and The Grand Canyon on our bucket lists, but what about something a little more under the radar of US national parks? Something like Congaree National Park, one of the least visited national parks in the country? Don’t...
These days everyone is looking for a unique, Instagram-worthy getaway. If you’re looking off the beaten path for your next overnight destination, you may be surprised to find options not far from home. Thanks to Airbnb and VRBO it’s not as far-fetched as you may...