We enjoyed our stay here. Clean, beautiful campsites on the water. Our site sat up a little high…read morefrom the water. No stairs to water but a marked trail allowed us access. Sites weren't too crowded together. Boat launch was very close to our site, but it wasn't terribly busy or loud. Comfort stations were clean. Staff was friendly. Would definitely camp here again!

We have done a number of golf trips for years at Richard Russell State Park. We always stay in the…read morecottages so I cant speak for the campgrounds. But the cabins are awesome and right on the lake. Very cheap per night also because you can sleep so many people in them. They also have full kitchens and bathrooms. Theres a frisbee golf course here too which I have yet to try. if you go here for the golf though you will enjoy yourself, the course is awesome. At&T has very weak if any service in the park so plan accordingly.

We camped in #9 (pull-thru) for three nights in March. The leaves were not on the trees yet so we…read morecould watch the sun set from our camping spot. This is a small campground with only 27 RV/popup campsites and 8 covered tent spots which were very cool. The campground was immaculate and the campsites are huge! So much room to spread out. There is a pool for seasonal swimming, a nice sized playground for the kiddos, golf course, and archery, but there is not a fun little putt-putt course that a lot of State Parks have. Very nice little park.

I really can't help myself when I see a brown sign indicating a state park is nearby... so I park…read morehopped a few! I get the feeling this park has been there a long time, had a very old-school charm. I enjoyed the walk near the stream on the Victoria's Path and liked seeing the different fishing ponds. The most amazing part was after the rain the steam rising from the ground from the new heat was other worldly, hadn't really seen anything like it! Check it out!! Get to as many in one day as you can, it's worth it!

First time staying here in the camper cabin. Absolutely loved it…read more WiFi, air and heat and power in cabin. Beautiful place to stay with kids. Didn't catch any fish but oh well. We loved the cabin and area and had a great time.

Camped here for 2 weeks and absolutely loved it Did get a lil crowded on weekends but hey it's at…read morethe lake also very dog friendly and really nice people working there have laundry room and bathrooms complete with showers and nice very hot water totally recommend

A hidden staycation opportunity that flies under the radar. Known for their boating and lake…read moreactivities but the other side offers a relaxed environment. Lodge/hotel lodging with spacious rooms with the treat of a Keurig in each room. A truly heated pool with poolside service or indoor or patio eating. Onsite restaurant with outdoor lake views offering buffet breakfast and menu dinners. A coffee nook offering fresh coffee/lattes along with patries. The topper is an onsite spa. Plenty of options on the property with golf, pickle ball, game room and water park.

I'm very surprised Lake Lanier has so few reviews. After all, it was one of the water sport venues…read moreof the 1996 Olympics, one of the most popular summertime destinations in the state. Most any warm season holiday is celebrated at Lake Lanier making it a popular place for vacation rental homes. Here you can go boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, golfing, as well as experience a fabulous fireworks show in the summer or Christmas lights and snow sleds in the winter. There is a spa, a beach, a waterpark, a luxury resort and good times @ Margaritaville. You can rent jet skis, go horseback riding, charter a fishing boat, rent a house boat, go camping or take a hot air balloon ride nearby. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and named for Confederate Army poet Sidney Lanier. Its primary purpose was for flood control and water supplies and has a water volume of about 1,049,400 acre-ft. The narrative will tell you its construction destroyed more than 50,000 acres of farmland and displaced more than 250 families, 15 businesses, and relocated 20 cemeteries along with their corpses in the process. But I want to pause here and dive a little deeper under the surface of its waters and introduce you to: [ OSCARVILLE, GEORGIA ] "The truth is rarely pure and never simple." ― Oscar Wilde Lake Lanier is partially located in Forsyth county. It is a county that prided itself on not having black residence so much that Oprah came to film an episode of her Emmy Award-winning talk show here in 1987 (trigger warning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WErjPmFulQ0 The show makes mention that "no black person had lived in the county for 75 years", which was a direct reference to a predominantly African-American community known as Oscarville. It was home to 1,100 black people prior to a racial conflict in 1912 which was so brutally violent that it caused blacks to flee the county... even those who were landowners. "According to Elliot Jaspin, a historian and journalist quoted by the Digital Library of Georgia and the New Georgia Encyclopedia, only about 24 of the nearly 40 Black landowners in Forsyth County at the time were able to sell their land. The other properties have no record of sale, and some believe the abandoned land was simply taken by White residents." - The Times Oscarville began as a small farming town around 1870, but after so many fled the county in 1912, it was practically a ghost town. Those still claiming ownership of their land either had it seized or were "asked" to to forfeit their land to build the Buford Dam by Newport Dam Development according to an article published on April 6, 2021 by The Signal. Prior to the violence, Oscarville was actually known for its agricultural prowess in fighting off the boll weevil infestation that hindered many farm crops and enriching the soil with chicken feces. A technique that has been duplicated to this day to revive poor farming/gardening soil. "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." ― Aldous Huxley [ MUST WATCH ] Link to Oscarville | The Town Submerged by Lake Lanier (Intrigued Mind): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifMKfBO_R6s [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Lake Lanier is a beautiful lake and a rich resource for Atlanta. It provides approx. 70% of the drinking water for Metro Atlanta as well as power, recreation and businesses. But there is more than what meets the eye as you look across its glistening surface. An entire town is buried by its waters and has been nearly forgotten, and the hard truth is this is not an isolated story. There are several other towns across the country who suffered the same fate. They include: Kowaliga (Benson), Alabama Seneca Village In New York City Susannah, Alabama and Vanport, Oregon The story of Lake Lanier and Oscarville will be featured in an upcoming TV series called Oscarville - Below the Surface. Here is the link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVux8Y96cok Thanks for reading. 2022 / 59 #BlackHistorySeries

I recently arranged a boat rental with Big Water for an assorted group of family members. Some of…read morethese people can be pretty vocal about their feelings, and NOBODY had anything bad to say! From the first employee we encountered at the gate (very nice young lady who gave good directions) to the last everyone was friendly, professional and helpful. The boat (pontoon) was clean, in good repair, and powered by a Mercury engine. I mention this because Mercury engines have a longstanding reputation for reliability. So, one less thing to worry about. I should also mention that my wife is disabled, so getting into the boat was a little more difficult for her. The employees at Big Water didn't hesitate to come to her aid and make the process as easy as possible. It was a small thing, but it meant a lot to us! Lake Hartwell was beautiful, and I would absolutely rent from Big Water again!

Lost a toe nail on the dock and Just had to pay 18 freaking dollars 6oz of sunscreen do betterread more

Great State Park campground! Georgia has yet to disappoint on the state campground front. Enjoyed…read morethe camp site we selected, great view of the river and South Carolina shoreline. The main hiking trail, Sassafras Loop, is a good hike. The trail is well marked and has some nice variations in elevation. The park staff was super friendly and very knowledgeable.

Tugaloo State Park-Georgia…read more A large state park near Lavonia and Toccoa, Georgia off of I-85. Pronounced "Two-ga-low" according to locals we asked. Located on Lake Hartwell, this state park features 105 campsites and 4 bath houses. Cottages and yurts are also available to rent. All rv sites are well shaded and many have nice lake views. Each site has water, electric and cable tv hookups(although our cable hookup did not work). No sewer hookups but there is a double lane dump station near the campground entrance. The park staff we met were friendly and helpful. The park has a rec area with a swimming beach, a mini-golf course, tennis courts and several picnic shelters. There are two boat ramps in the park but we saw many people just beaching their canoes and kayaks on the shore behind their campsites. We also saw people fishing from the shore and from boats. We were in site 7, a lakeside pull through. The gravel drive was sloped some but relatively level midway in where we set up. The pad area with the fire pit and grill and large table was somewhat smaller than we have found in other Georgia state parks, but it was just a few steps down an incline from our back door to the lakeshore. This was a pretty quiet park but the low rumble from I-85 could be heard from across the lake from where we were. There were a few hiking trails but bikes were not permitted on the ones we saw. However, the paved roads inside the park made for nice e-biking. Toccoa is about a 20 minute drive. It is a nice small town and has just about anything you might need(groceries, pharmacies, restaurants, a WalMart, etc.). Lavonia is a bit smaller town but its also a bit nearer to the park. went into Toccoa and toured the Currahee WWII Museum downtown. Toccoa and nearby Mount Currahee were the home of the 101st Airborne Division's training operations during WWII. There are also some waterfalls in that area but we did not get to visit those. Should you go into Toccoa, if you enjoy country cooking, don't miss the M&J Home Cooking Country Buffet for tasty lunch or dinner. The weather was great when we were there in mid-October and the public areas in the park were not crowded at all.