With summer rolling around, now is the time to start planning your favorite things to see, do and experience, especially if you are hosting friends and family.
Gwinnett is home to new, high-profile attractions, but even for families on a budget, there are plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors without breaking the bank.
Here is my Summer Top Ten “Must-Do’s”
When accessibility matters most, Rabbit Hill Park is the place to be. With a fully paved, 10-foot-wide smooth path, it is ideal not only for walkers and bikers but for locals and visitors who are in wheelchairs, using mobility equipment or just pushing a stroller. With a three-mile loop and a quiet elevation, it is an effortless way to explore (we recommend bringing binoculars to check out the unique bird species at the popular birder hangout).
Kids will love Double Durango Farms, located in Loganville. They offer kid-friendly farm tours featuring Nigerian dwarf goats, as well as monthly goat yoga. Tours are by appointment only.
For those looking for cardio, pack up your bikes and head to the Suwanee Creek Greenway, adjacent to Town Center Park. The six-mile round-trip trail takes cyclists through wildlife-rich wetlands and forests. With numerous boardwalks and just one road to cross as it winds through 400 acres of parkland, it’s a great fit for novices as well. Park at the main trailhead, located at Suwanee Creek Park.
There are dozens of reasons why Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation (GCPR) facilities are consistently named the best in the country. These facilities feature hiking, biking, disc golf, equestrian trails, sports fields, mountain biking, disc golf, tennis facilities, pickleball, bocce ball and more.
GCPR’s extraordinary Aquatic Centers are full of water features, bubble benches, giant slides and even lazy rivers. A new park favorite is Maple Creek Park in Dacula, which boasts a nine-hole disc golf course as well as a brand-new, interactive playground.
My favorite ‘secret’ park activity is the Tribble Mill Waterfall, where water flows slowly over giant granite plates, allowing even the youngest to explore the water, tube and just enjoy the great outdoors at one of Georgia’s best parks.
For budget-minded adventurers, even Georgia’s busiest attraction: Stone Mountain Park, offers adventures that will not break the bank. A hike up Stone Mountain affords gorgeous, 360-degree vistas across metro Atlanta’s tree canopy, spanning from Gwinnett to the downtown skyline to the North Georgia Mountains. The walk-up trail seems short—just a mile—but with a 700-foot elevation gain, your heart will be pumping.
If zipping through the trees (or just watching your kids do it) is your idea of fun, spend a summer day at Treetop Quest in Buford, located on the campus of the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center (also recommended). Whether you are an apprehensive or experienced zipliner, they have an adventure for both the novice and the bold, the young and the old. Do not miss their ‘bonus’ adventure, Spider Quest, a harness-free course above a giant safety net!
After-hours, don’t miss the new TopGolf. Located at the Exchange at Gwinnett, TopGolf offers indoor and outdoor fun. It features 72 climate-controlled hitting bays, a full-service restaurant and bar, a rooftop terrace with a fire pit, and over 200 HDTVs for your enjoyment. If pickleball is more your jam, head over to the newly opened Pickle & Social, also featuring indoor/outdoor pickleball courts, a rooftop bar, a full-service restaurant and outdoor green space.
If time is on your side, consider day wiling your way down the Chattahoochee on a tube or kayak. With single-tube pricing starting at $10, it is a budget-friendly, adventurous way to spend the day. Chattahoochee River Tubing, located on Abbotts Bridge Rd in Duluth, will take single tubers, group tubers, kayakers and paddleboarders down the busy Chattahoochee starting in May.
Visit exploregwinnett.org for more details. We highly recommend buying online tickets for all attractions in advance to ensure availability (and check out our deals page for any discounts offered).