Bowmans Island at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is a nice little escape if…read moreyou're looking for a quiet hike with plenty of water views. Parking is easy to find, with enough space for at least 75 cars, including spots near what looks like a boat ramp. It costs $8 for the whole day, which isn't bad if you plan to stay a while. Fishing seems to be the main attraction here. There were plenty of folks (kids and adults alike) either in boats or lined up along the shore, casting their fishing lines off the bank. The trails are mostly easy to moderate, but there are a few steep, narrow spots where you'll need to watch your footing. I walked about 3.5 miles with a hiking group, following a loop that winds through the trees and offers a mix of open views and shaded paths. There are some benches along the way if you need a break. Bathrooms are available, which is always a plus, and there's a lot of green space. But honestly, I wouldn't recommend spreading out a blanket for a picnic as the ground is littered with dog poop, despite the big "no dogs" sign at the entrance. It's about an hour's drive from Atlanta, with the last few miles on Buford Dam Highway being steep and winding. The park wasn't overly crowded when I went, but there were a good number of people fishing or tubing. If you're looking for a peaceful walk by the water and don't mind stepping around a few messes, it's worth checking out.

Plenty of parking. Trails in plenty of places to explore . Replace to take the family for picnic…read moreand grilling.

Recently purchased some local flies from Big T. Great quality and the trout just loved them. I…read morecaught over twenty trout fishing a few hours over three days. My best was a 16" Brown. It's been many years since I've fly fished and now that I'm retired fish on! Big T gets a Hugh and his hand tied flies were a big reason for my successful return. Thanks a bunch Big T.

We came here to find some information on where we can fly fish and get some flies. They provided…read moreseveral different options for us. They have plenty of flies and other equipment to choose from. You can also buy supplies so you can tie your own flies. They were so incredibly kind and helpful. We will definitely be coming back here and going on a chartered trip next time.

Great little spot not too far away that's great for fishing. Pretty decent sized lake with plenty…read moreof fish to spare. Price is affordable and location can't get much better than this. I plan on coming back pretty often as my time allows. Ask for Rick or Rickie. Generally you need to bring your own gear, but the owner is quite friendly and accommodating and can help out with any questions or needs you may have. Very relaxed atmosphere with no real time limit. They allow overnight fishing, but no camp fires or alcohol which may be a negative for some. I can see why as they are trying to keep the area family friendly and clean and sometimes us drunken monkey bottom feeders can get out of hand.. oh well. ;) Excellent spot for family, young kids, and fishing right in the heart of metro Atlanta. Beware of Big Fish! 4.029111 stars rounded up for service makes this a 5 Yelp star review for me.

The guys in the store are very nice .. lined my poles for me and all.. I fished over night and…read morecaught 4 catfish .. using hotdogs and kool aid, corn, baby crawlers, snd nightcrawlers. Corked one line and 2 oz sink on another.

Great place! The guy at the visitors center was really nice and gave us information about the…read moretrails! The trails are very nice, and you can see lots of things along the way! 10/10

Venue Smithgall Woods State Park ( Smithgall Cottages) 5 out of 5 stars…read more After copious amounts of research and several venue tours, we decided on Smithgall Woods state park, and more specifically the cottages as the venue for our wedding on June 8th. We just have to say we loved the team we worked with at Smithgall, mainly Todd, Patty, and Art. Todd at Guestservices was simply fantastic! As he will be quick to mention "the venue sells itself", however having him as our man on the inside was a pretty huge selling point on its own. He was with us every step of the way to answer our plethora of questions, work with vendors, and generally keep our minds at ease. Honestly, I doubt the wedding weekend would have gone as smoothly and been as much of a success had it not been for Todd's guidance and cooperation. The venue is magical. I know how that sounds, but it's the truth. It's tucked away deep in the beautiful North Georgia mountains, surrounded by a lush forest teaming with wildlife. This majestic property consists of five "cottages", in quotations because they are more like log cabin style mansions. The two largest being; the expansive 4 bedroom 4.5 bathroom cottage called the Smithgall Cottage, and the even larger 5 bedroom 5 bathroom Dover cottage. The Creekside Cottage is 3 bedrooms, and The Laurel and Garden cottages are one bedroom cottages with hot tubs on secluded side porches. All the cottages were clean, modern, and a huge hit with our guests. We were able to house both our families, close friends and wedding party all on the same property. Which saved us a great deal on lodging. Which after factoring in the cost of rooms made this one of the more affordable wedding venues out there. Also you get it for the whole weekend!!! We used the Smithgall Cottage for our wedding location due to the large wrap around porch and decks, and also due to the picturesque, covered foot bridge under which flows a gorgeous champion trout stream. We had some difficulty deciding where on this property to hold our ceremony because it is simply lovely all over. Unfortunately, the record rainfall that weekend made the decision for us. Even though the storms limited our use of the enormous field in front of the Dover cottage, and the gardens next to Smithgall we still were able to comfortably host our 50 or so guests and dozen vendors, at the Smithgall Cottage and our ceremony and reception went along wonderfully. We would highly recommend this venue to anyone wishing to have a once in a lifetime event at a once in a lifetime location.

The kids and other parents had an amazing time! My…read moreexpectations were definitely exceeded, Thank you

Here fishy fishy fishy…read more.. I am so glad to have found this place and I hope you will take the trip out to enjoy this facility as well. This is a trout hatchery. It rears about 75,000 trouts for the rivers and lakes in Georgia. Try to come on a Saturday, as they have a tour starting at 1pm. The kids loved the tour. This is up and close to the fish and they even get to feed the fish. The fishes goes into a frenzy.. and so do the kids In addition, they have a family fishing pond. Its a small pond and its is stocked with a LOT of fish. A fantastic way to get little ones hooked on fishing. The fish will bite and you will catch a fish very quickly... there was a LOT of squeals of delight when a kid hooks a live one. You can bring your own gear, ( hook#6 , bread + hotdogs) or use their free loaner poles. The area is well shaded, with benches and picnic tables. Truly awesome for the little ones.. you can hook a fish in 15-20 mins..

We always stop here when we visit family. This place has everything from great views of the lake,…read moresunsets, if you are lucky enough you can see rainbows, trails, swimming to boats! Honestly, you can spend an entire day here and will be asking to return the next day.

Nice little park near Lake Lanier dam. Lots of pavilions, park benches and grilling stations. You…read morecan spend an entire day here. Plenty of parking, but you have to pay a small fee at the entrance.....I think it's $4.00 for cars. During summer time, this park gets really busy and crowded....obviously very noisy too, as kids are running around and having fun in the water. This place is not too far from my place, so early mornings, especially on weekends, I come over here, with my comfy chair, a nice cup of coffee and something to read. Nice, very clean and beautiful place. There are several boat rental companies, with small and large boats, ski jets and all other kind of fun stuff. Highly recommended!

My son and I had a great trip with Joe this morning. We highly recommend Big Ol' Fish Guide Serviceread more

Shane is an excellent guide and I would highly recommend him to anyone. Very reasonable price and…read morehe knows how to put you on the fish!

Very nice people with a great selection of baits, lures and all necessary equipment and supplies!…read moreA++++++++

Big Ernie's is my go 2 spot for live bait. The people here are very friendly & knowledgeable.read more

Best fly fishing supplies, and equipment I have ever seen in one place. Guides are very honest and…read moreknowledgeable

Great selection. Great service. Highly recommend. Located on the square. Orvis products.read more