Cruising the New Hospitality Highway, from the Banks of the Chattahoochee in Sandy Springs to the Rolling Mountains of Dahlonega

[ Written By Kathy Witt ]

Dahlonega’s historic town square is the perfect place to stroll from shop to shop for unique art and gift items. | Photo Courtesy of dahlonega-lumpkin county convention & visitors bureau

Traffic snarls and road rage may be par for the course on many highways and byways in and around Atlanta, but not so on Georgia 400. With a new cooperative venture funded by grant money from the Georgia Department of Economic Development/Tourism Foundation, driving on this thoroughfare just became a lot more hospitable.

The scenic Georgia 400 corridor, officially designated in July as “Hospitality Highway,” is like a welcome mat that unfurls from Sandy Springs in North Fulton County to the mountain town of Dahlonega in North Georgia’s Lumpkin County and linking Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming/Forsyth and Dawsonville along the way. And signs, warmed up with the state’s signature Georgia peach logo, proclaim with typical Southern good manners: “A ­Hospitality Highway Community.”

“This designation will help us make more people aware of all the many, many things happening in the 400 corridor — residents and visitors alike,” said Dotty Etris, executive director of Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau and spokesperson for Georgia 400-Hospitality Highway. “This is a true tourism promotion product and a cooperative effort by six different destination marketing organizations, all marketing the region with great opportunities for a day trip, a weekend, a week or even longer.”

Each community offers a plethora of recreational pursuits. As a matter of fact, Etris promises that, “at each turn along the way, something fun and interesting can be found.”

A Road by Any Other Name

The road to recasting Georgia 400 as the Hospitality Highway began three years ago at a conference attended by Etris and Janet Rodgers, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“We had been toying with a way to emphasize Roswell and Alpharetta and all the great things we have to see along Highway 9 ‘from historic downtown to downtown,’”

A sidewalk café in Historic Roswell | Photo Courtesy of the Historic Roswell convention & visitors bureau

Etris recalled. “We came upon the Hospitality Highway idea and, after much brainstorming, decided to focus on Georgia 400 because it is so heavily traveled and we wanted to get the word out that there is so much to see and do along that corridor.”

It is an idea that has been traveling through a few states. According to Etris, several states officially and unofficially adopted their own “hospitality highways,” including Highway 90 along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. “Georgia already had the Golden Isles Highway, the Wine Highway and the Wiregrass Trail. Georgia 400, with its exceptionally varied and almost infinite amenities, seemed the perfect choice.”

The Georgia Department of Economic Development/Tourism Foundation immediately came onboard as a partner in the campaign and provided a cooperative marketing grant to assist with the project. The venture earned the Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus’ “Best of the Best” Bill Hardman Sr. Marketing Professional Award.

“This initial project was so well-received that Janet and I decided we wanted to make this Georgia’s Official Hospitality Highway,” Etris said. “However, we realized that we would have to bring more of the communities onboard to get widespread support from the legislators in order to do so.”

The Kindness of Strangers

The two reached out to Dahlonega, Dawsonville, Cumming/Forsyth, and Sandy Springs (which had only recently become a city) and were met, appropriately enough, with open hospitableness.

“Now, instead of simply exits 6 to 11, we can say from ‘Metro to Mountains,’” said Etris, adding that they wanted an inviting tagline that would encompass the region’s history and sensibility. “Since we have historic sites in Roswell (magnolias) and North Georgia at one time had a reputation for moonshine and now the wineries are producing merlot, we decided to use ‘magnolias, moonshine and merlot.’”

Bill Hardman, Jr., president and CEO of the Southeast Tourism Society, calls the cooperative venture “a model promotion for the very thing we do as a region: ­collectively put our regions together. ­Getting six communities to market themselves as a destination under one consistent theme is one of the most unique and ­creative cooperative promotions I’ve seen in a long time,” he said.

Every single state lawmaker from the area strongly supported the plan and easily passed legislation recognizing Georgia 400 as the newly christened “Hospitality Highway.” Since the promotion crosses two of Georgia’s travel regions, Atlanta Metro and Northeast Mountains, it provides an opportunity to encourage residents to explore other areas and to present all of the attractions along the way to visitors as they travel to and through the area.

“The Georgia 400 corridor has so many cars going by daily and our areas have a great ‘transient’ population with a 40-percent turnover in many areas,” Etris noted. “This will help folks new to the area become more informed about the opportunities in the region and those traveling from home to work along the corridor become more familiar with the things they are daily passing by.”

In addition to its “Metro to Mountains” campaign, the six-community partnership is currently promoting the area’s natural attractions: “Where Mother Nature is at Home.” Eventually, members plan to promote their folk-life heritage and abundant visual and performing arts opportunities. An arts trail and history tours may also be developed.

Individually, each community is a gold mine of recreational opportunities; ­combined, they yield an undulating ­montage of attractions, including dining, shopping, lodging and historic and natural sites that welcome unbridled exploration. And visiting each is now as hospitable as a drive in the park.

Mother Nature, Merlot and More

The six-community region is a paean to Mother Nature, from the forests and waterfalls of North Georgia to the lakes and rivers flowing in and along the towns to the metro areas’ parks and urban canopies — those great green swatches of manicured wilds that make the city feel more like the country.

Amicalola Falls State Park, the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Chattahoochee River each present a menu of opportunities for nature lovers and the Dahlonega Plateau, similar to that of some of the most famous wine-growing regions in the world, gives the area its distinction as “heart of Georgia’s wine country.” So resplendent in natural beauty is the region it almost seems, in some cases, that the cities were an afterthought, albeit charming ones, to nature’s overly generous bounty.

“We have parks at the lake, on the mountain and throughout the county with fishing, hiking, riding trails, athletic fields, indoor recreation facilities and walking and jogging paths,” said Kris Carroll, vice president of ­marketing and communications at the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce.

The Sawnee Mountain Preserve adds an additional 720 acres of scenic, passive greenspace to Cumming’s ­naturescape, with several miles of natural hiking trails, plus rock climbing, rappelling, backpacking, birding and environmental education. Recently completed here is Georgia’s first fully handicap-accessible tree house; currently under construction is a new environmental education center. And at the top of the mountain: a natural rock ­outcropping known as the Indian Seats.

“They are 2,000 feet above sea level and boast some of the most panoramic views of the North Georgia Mountains, Lake Lanier and the Atlanta skyline,” ­Carroll said.

Best-Kept Secrets Revealed

For a petite mountain community ­surrounded by the layered peaks of the Blue Ridge, Dahlonega surprises not only with its award-winning wines but with its remarkable number of unique restaurants: 52 eateries, one for each week of the year, include the finger-licking good Smith House, seafood-serving McGuire House, the coastal North Carolina-inspired Back Porch Oyster Bar, Crimson Moon that showcases acoustic performances almost every night along with its gourmet salads and organic coffees and the old-fashioned Connie’s Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop tucked right into Dahlonega’s historic square.

History is Roswell’s middle name. Its 640-acre historic district is rich in Civil War history and antebellum homes, including Bulloch Hall, former home of President Theodore Roosevelt’s mother, Mittie Bulloch; the Archibald Smith Plantation Home, a farm house filled with more than 14,000 artifacts belonging to the original family; and antebellum ­Barrington Hall, a living history lesson about the Roswell Mills. Still, the mill ruins along Vickery Creek Trail and the Faces of War Vietnam War Memorial remain its best-kept secrets.

Little known treasures await in Alpharetta as well. Famous for its parks, shopping and Big Creek Greenway, the city is home to two unique attractions. The Honda Rider Education Center, one of just a handful in the country, offers beginner, intermediate and advanced training courses for street and dirt bikes; and the Walk of Memories at the ­Veterans Memorial Park is a tribute to veterans of the Armed Forces created by the Alpharetta American Legion Post 201 and located on its 12-plus acre grounds. Sitting on 2 acres in the midst of pine trees and military artifacts is the walkway made up of 9,000 commemorative bricks that pay homage to Georgians who have served in every war since World War I.

“As you walk from the M60 tank to the Medevac helicopter on the walkway you’ll see sections set aside for Georgia boys in the different branches of the military in the wars and others who served in support positions and on the home front,” said Chief JR Wages of the American Legion, who noted that the Walk is the only one if its kind in the state. “It’s a walk of memories for all military people.”

Edging the Appalachian Mountains, Dawsonville dazzles with “America’s Aussie Adventure” at the Kangaroo ­Conservation Center. This wildlife ­educational experience brings visitors ­

up-close to the largest kangaroo population outside Australia (250 bouncing ‘roos in eight ­species) as well as introduces them to African rodents, Dik-diks (tiny antelopes) and a variety of birds including the boisterous kookaburras.

Antiquing abounds in Sandy Springs, Georgia’s seventh largest city that hugs 20 miles of shoreline along the Chattahoochee River. First stop: Red Baron’s Antiques for everything from funky fabulous to first-class chic. The shop annually holds catered auctions in the spring, summer and fall that are attended by antique enthusiasts from around the world.

“A great café lunch and just a couple of hours to roam around Red Baron’s to see the most unique and exciting pieces absolutely gets you all revved up for some sport shopping,” enthused Kym Hughes, executive director of Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism.

Hospitality Grows Exponentially

Also found at the turns along the way: Appalachian music, arts and crafts in Dahlonega, along with a cozy clutch of bed-and-breakfasts made for romantic mountain getaways; the historical Poole’s Mill covered bridge in Cumming that spans Settingdown Creek; and the promise of top-notch performing arts at Roswell’s Cultural Arts Center, Georgia Ensemble Theatre and the Kudzu Playhouse.

A slew of art galleries and restaurants are there for the ­sampling in Alpharetta and, in Dawsonville, the North Georgia Premium Outlets just beg for enthusiastic poking about for ­bargains of prominent brands of clothing, furnishings and gift items. In Sandy Springs, turtles add an unexpected bit of whimsy on just about every street corner.

“Keep an eye out for those turtles,” warned Hughes of the playful statues replicating the Eastern box turtle indigenous to the region and designed by local artist Jack Elrod. “They are keeping an eye on you.” PN

Source: www.ptsnorth.com/html/200801/hospitality_highway.shtml

QUICK TRIP ROSWELL, GA.

Mittie Bulloch’s mother was the epitome of Southern hospitality. She even had ice brought to her Roswell, Ga., home from Savannah so that she could serve ice cream to the parents of the man her daughter was to marry.

The two – Mittie and Theodore – were married in the dining room of the house. The couple are less known for their love of ice cream and more for being the parents of a president of the United States – Theodore Roosevelt – and the grandparents of a first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.

That’s just one of the many stories about the 1839 structure that is one of three gems in Roswell’s historic crown. Barrington Hall, constructed in 1842, was home of the city’s founding father, Roswell King, and still is furnished with pieces belonging to the King family. The house, set on a hill, gave King’s son, Barrington, a view of the town and of the family’s mills, that helped fuel the city’s economy.

Smith Plantation Home, built in 1845, illustrates the life of a wealthy farm family in early Roswell. The home site today still has a parson’s room and 10 original outbuildings.

All three sites are open regularly for tours, but they also have been combined into a ”Southern Trilogy” tour that illustrates life in early Roswell.

”The story of the American South is the story of community and how each person fits into the fabric of that community,” said Dotty Etris, of the Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau.

All of the people who built and lived in these houses have stories to tell, she said. Together, she added, the homes, grounds and outbuildings paint a picture of the peoples’ lives and life in the South with its struggles and its accomplishments.

Lynn Edge is author of three books on travel in Alabama as well as other books. E-mail her at quicktrips@bellsouth.net

THE DETAILS

Bulloch Hall, Barrington Hall and Smith Plantation are open for regular tours on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $8 per house for adults and $6 per house for children (ages 6-12). The ”Trilogy Pass,” which is good for one year, lets the holder tour all three homes at any time during their regular hours. Cost for the pass is $18 for adults and $15 for children. They can be purchased at the Roswell Visitors Center.

MORE TO SEE AND DO

Cell Phone Tours. Cell phone tours are available of the grounds of all three historic homes. There are 10 stops at each property. This tour works well for those with unlimited cell phone minutes. They simply go to the property and dial the number indicated on a sign there. After that, prompts lead visitors around the grounds. The minutes used for the tour are charged to the cell phone, so the tour isn’t designed for those with limited minutes. These tours are available any time the grounds are open. Historic District. Stop by the Visitors Center for a map of the district. Stops include historic sites, homes, monuments and cemeteries. The Visitors Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

HOW TO GET THERE

To get to Roswell, take I-20 East to I285 North. Take I-285 North to I-75 North. Take I-75 North to Exit 263. From that exit, take the Highway 120 Loop to Georgia Highway 120 East. Continue on Georgia Highway 120 East until it dead-ends at Georgia Highway 9. Turn left onto Georgia Highway 9 and continue on that road to downtown Roswell. It is about 166 miles from Birmingham. The Convention and Visitors Bureau is only a few blocks from the intersection of Highway 120 and Highway 9 (Atlanta Street) on the right at 617 Atlanta St.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

About Roswell and the Southern Trilogy tour, call 800-776-7935.

From arts and cultural festivals to the outdoors and nature, Georgia 400′s communities are resplendent in spring color and buzzing with activities

February 2008 – When winter’s winds begin to soften, when slumbering buds begin to wake, and when birds burst into song and wildlife emerges from lairs, these are sure signs that spring in Georgia is not far behind.  In celebration of this most glorious season, the garden-and-green-space communities along Georgia’s Hospitality Highway – Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming/Forsyth County, Dawsonville/Dawson County, and Dahlonega – offer an array of arts, culture, recreational, and outdoor activities to enjoy.  With special hotel and inn rates and packages, endless dining choices, and shopping opportunities galore, a visit along the Hospitality Highway is just the catalyst for seasonal transformations.  For more details and information on all there is to see and do for spring along the Hospitality Highway, visit www.HospitalityHighway.com.

Spring brings outdoor activities, festivals and events – all aflame with lots of seasonal color

As Mother Nature metamorphoses the North Georgia corridor of Georgia 400 into a landscape of pastel blossoms and greenery, a host of ongoing events and special activities tempt travelers into staying for a few days.  In Sandy Springs (www.visitsandysprings.org), visitors can enjoy the best of nature at Big Trees Forest Preserve and explore the history and gardens of the circa-1869 Williams-Payne House.  Spring in Historic Roswell  (www.visitroswellga.com ) beckons with gardens, trails, and marshes, plus the added incentive of canoeing or rafting the Chattahoochee, hiking the Vickery Creek Trail, or simply enjoying the 640-acre historic district filled with antebellum homes, restaurants, tea rooms, shops and galleries.  Alpharetta (www.awesomealpharetta.com) celebrates its 150^th birthday with a year-long celebration in 2008, but in special honor of spring, the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau is promoting getaways for girlfriends and guys, including package giveaways for two.  Open year ’round in Cumming/Forsyth County (www.cummingforsythchamber.org) and ideal for a spring explorations are the Heritage Village and Indian Village at the Cumming Fairgrounds and the Bell Research Center at the Historic Cumming School, which houses a museum and library dedicated to researching the history and culture of the American South. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the chance to explore the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area.  Throughout Dawson County (www.dawson.org) spring driving tours take visitors to Amicalola Falls at Amicalola State Park, renowned for spectacular mountain beauty and wildflowers, but the acclaimed Kangaroo Conservation Center, home of the largest concentration of kangaroos outside of Australia, is worth the hop.  In Dahlonega (www.dahlonega.org), mountain festivals, fairs, and wineries highlight the Dahlonega/Lumpkin County area in the spring.  This Appalachian town, the site of America’s first gold rush, is the gateway to the North Georgia Mountains, with seasonal events focusing on warmer weather, canoeing, kayaking, and the outdoors.

Exciting springtime festivals and events abound along the Hospitality Highway

March

March 2 – Alpharetta:  Competitors in the 2008 Alpharetta Marathon and Half Marathon run through some of the finest scenery in all of North Fulton County.  Additionally, entertainment will be provided every three miles along the course and at the finish line.

March 8 – 16 – Roswell:  Antique quilts join with new quilts at the Great American Cover-Up Quilt Show at the antebellum Bulloch Hall.  Special programs and demonstrations also highlight the show.

March – Cumming/Forsyth County:  The Sawnee Mountain Preserve Visitor Center (www.sawneemountain.org), on Spot Road opens with stunning exhibits related to eco-history, biodiversity, and history.

April

April 12 & 13 – Cumming/Forsyth County:  Saddle up for the seven-event IPRA World Championship Spring Rodeo (www.iprarodeo.com)  at the Cumming Fairgrounds.  With barrel racing, calf roping, and more, the Wild West comes to Georgia.

April – Cumming/Forsyth County:   Savor the sumptuous flavors of Cumming/Forsyth County during “A Taste of Forsyth” festival, featuring the cuisine of local chefs and restaurants.

April 17 – May 17 – Sandy Springs:  The annual ARTSSpring is a month-long celebration of art in the city featuring art, music, drama, poetry, gardens, bicycling, dining, and dancing.

April 18, 19 & 20 – Dahlonega:  The 12^th annual Bear on the Square Mountain Festival (www.bearonthesquare.org) showcases bluegrass and old-time music and authentic mountain crafts with events including a country auction, storytelling, jam sessions, hollering and pie contests, and much more.

April 19 – Alpharetta:  Children can see, touch, and explore their favorite big trucks at the “10^th Annual Touch a Truck” event at North Park.  Featured vehicles include a fire truck, dump truck, school bus, 18-wheeler, limousine, police vehicles, and more.  This is food and fun on a grand scale.

April 19 & 20 – Alpharetta Arts StreetFest:  Presenting the work of artists from throughout the U.S., Arts Streetfest is a yearly celebration of the arts in Alpharetta. The downtown streets close and fill up with original high-quality art from artists throughout the U.S.  This colorful festival features live jazz and acoustical music, cultural arts performances, theatre in the park, and creative cuisine.

April 19 – Dahlonega:  The annual World Open Gold Panning Championship commemorates the discovery of gold in California in 1842.  Also visit www.worldopenpanning.homestead.com.

April 26 – October 28 -  Dahlonega:  The well-known Appalachian Jam, an event where North Georgia’s “pickers” and singers gather for music-making, is held every Saturday from April 26 through October 28 from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the Dahlonega Gold Museum Sate Historic site.

May

May 3 & 4 – Sandy Springs:  The Sandy Springs Society Garden Tour leads visitors through some of the area’s most beautiful gardens for spring color.  Also visit www.sandysprings.org/society.

May 3 & 4 – Dawsonville:  Arts in the Garden Festival is a quality arts and crafts garden show held at the Dawsonville City Municipal Complex in downtown Dawsonville.  The festival features plants, garden-related crafts, and fine art.

May 4 – Sandy Springs:  A “Taste of Sandy Springs” is a day-long event that features a huge variety of fun, food, and dishes from local restaurants and businesses.

May 10 – Dahlonega:  The U.S. Army Mountain Ranger Run & Open House (www.5thrtb.org) offers the most challenging and scenic cross-country trail course in the north Georgia mountains.  The run is held in conjunction with the 5th Ranger Training Battalion’s Open House.

May 10 – Sandy Springs:   A preview gala fundraiser for “ARTSS in the Open” will be held at Paul Brown’s Gallery 63.  Although an invitation-only event, invitations are offered to anyone who is interested in attending.

May 10 & 11 – Roswell:   Roswell’s town square is filled with artists from Roswell and the entire Southeast as the town celebrates the Colors Festival of the Arts with visual and performing arts, children’s activities, and food vendors.

May 15 – Alpharetta:   During the annual “Taste of Alpharetta,” visitors can sample foods from Alpharetta’s finest restaurants, enjoy children’s activities and rides, visit arts and crafts shows and businesses showcasing their products, and enjoy live entertainment.

May 17 – Sandy Springs:  The unveiling of the “ARTSS in the Open – Sculptures in the Garden” at the Sandy Springs Library includes free hot dogs and ice cream, live music, and the chance to meet local dignitaries and artists.

May 17 – Sandy Springs:  The artists participating in “ARTSS Paint the Town” create charming works and express themselves by splashing color on bare walls to create one-of-a-kind murals and mosaics.

May 17 – Alpharetta:  The 12^th Annual Mayor’s Challenge 5K/10K Road Race is a Peachtree Road Race qualifier and is perfect for the serious runner.  A Fun Run/Walk is also offered and is great for the entire family.  Additionally, a runner’s pancake breakfast is offered at the finish line.

May 17 & 18 – Dahlonega:  The annual Mountain Flower Arts Festival (www.dahlonegaarts.org) presents two days of fine art, crafts, and wildflowers with celebrations focused on local and area mountain wildflowers abundant in North Georgia.

May 26 – Roswell:  Each Memorial Day, the Faces of War Memorial is the site of “Roswell Remembers,” Georgia’s largest Memorial Day ceremony and picnic.  For additional information, visit www.roswellmemorialday.com.

Georgia’s Hospitality Highway, a stretch of Georgia 400 that meanders from Fulton County to Lumpkin County and includes the communities of Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming/Forsyth County, Dawsonville and Dahlonega, contains a fusion of restaurants, shopping, historic sites, outdoor activities, and much more, all amidst some of the most dazzling scenery and green space in all of the state.  For more information, including links to additional websites and photography, visit www.hospitalityhighway.com .

#    #    #

Media Contact:
Dotty Etris, Executive Director
Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau
1.770.640.3253; 1.800.776.7935
info@visitroswellga.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October, 2007 – Just in time for the holiday season, here comes Santa Claus – along with frosty snowmen, red-nosed reindeer, merry gentlemen, little elves, herald angels, and even jingle bells – and they all transform North Georgia’s “Hospitality Highway,” the verdant, tree-lined Georgia 400 corridor that winds it way from Sandy Springs to Dahlonega, into a winter wonderland of endless Christmas and Hanukkah festivities and shopping opportunities.  Each community along the Hospitality Highway, which includes Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming, Dawsonville, and Dahlonega, will be jam-packed with myriad exciting activities during the upcoming holidays.  While a few samples of holiday-themed festivities are listed here, visit www.hospitalityhighway.com and the individual community websites for an entire parade of endeavors and amusements during this season of warmth and giving.

From “Metro to the Mountains”, Communities Celebrate the Holidays in Style
Silver bells and jingle bells ring and ting-a-ling in the North Fulton city of Sandy Springs, the closest community to Atlanta along the Hospitality Highway.  Brimming with glittering lights and lots of glamour during the holidays, this side of Sandy Springs is balanced by a visit to the circa-1869 Williams-Payne House, a homespun and historic restored farmhouse and community center that is the heartbeat of the city.  Sandy Springs, with both cosmopolitan and natural components, encompasses part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area for plenty of outdoor activities; yet it also offers just about everything from gourmet dining to finger-lickin’ good barbecue and from specialty shops and boutiques to bustling department stores.  For a look at all that Sandy Springs has to explore during the holidays or any time of the year, visit www.visitsandysprings.org or call toll-free 1.866.511.7742.

Sleigh bells ring during Christmas in historic and charming Roswell with a long wish list of things to do during its month-long celebration, Christmas in Roswell that simmers with the magic and wonder of the season.  Amidst this place of red brick, white columns, small town charm, crisp winter skies, and the glow of candlelight, visitors can enjoy strolling the beautifully decorated Roswell Historic District, attending musical performances and theater productions including a reenactment of Mittie Bulloch’s 1853 Christmas-time wedding to Theodore Roosevelt, and touring notable history-laden homes like Barrington Hall, Smith Plantation Home, and Bulloch Hall, all decked out in the splendor of the season. Roswell’s many galleries, boutiques, antique shops and restaurants all celebrate the holidays with true Southern hospitality; offering shoppers warm greetings and treasures galore.  For more information, contact the Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.visitroswellga.com  or telephone 1.770640.3253; toll-free 1.800.776.77935.

‘Tis the season to celebrate even more with a visit to Alpharetta, a holiday shopper’s paradise (or any time of the year, for that matter!) with seven distinct shopping districts including antiques at Queen of Hearts, folk art at Matilda’s, and culinary delights at Harry’s Farmers Market.  Into the shopping mix, add the town’s 30th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Milton Avenue and Main Street on December 2 at five o’clock in the afternoon.  Named a “Top 20 Event in the Southeast” by the Southeast Tourism Society, the ceremony commences an evening of music, dance, and children’s activities.  Additionally, Alpharetta’s annual hometown holiday celebration, now in its second year, is a blend of trendy and traditional festivities, all beginning on November 1 when visitors can log on to www.AwesomeAlpharetta.com  and register for a “Holiday Gift Extravaganza” for a chance to win gift certificates and merchandise valued at more than $1,500. Alpharetta is more than shopping, though!  With gourmet dining, top-of-the-line spas, and hotels galore, Alpharetta adds sparkle and shine to the holidays.  For more holiday details, visit the website or call the Alpharetta Welcome Center at 1.678.297.0102 or call toll free 1.800.294.0923.

Jingle all the way to Cumming and Forsyth County, where the stage is set for their annual Christmas Parade and Festival, followed by the Celebration of Lights on Saturday, December 1, beginning at 3:30 p.m., on Marketplace Boulevard.  Reminiscent of small-town pageantry and complete with marching bands, floats, and Santa Claus riding in on his sleigh, the parade ends on the campus of Northside Hospital-Forsyth, where the spectacular Celebration of Lights begins and the pinnacle event is the lighting of the magnificent tree perched atop the hospital.  Visitors can also catch a few falling stars from November 23 through December 21 at the Cumming Playhouse (www.playhousecumming.com) for concerts, festivals, and productions including the time-honored “A Christmas Carol.”  Located in the historic and beautiful Old School House, visits to the Playhouse are complemented by meals at Tam’s Backstage Restaurant (located at the Old School House).  For more information on Christmas in Cumming, visit www.cummingforsythchamber.org  or call 1.770.887.6461.

For a “most wonderful time of the year”, visit downtown Dawsonville during the holidays.  There is more to Dawsonville than its being the home of the North Georgia Premium Outlets, one of the finest shopping experiences in Georgia, and the inspiring-yet-fascinating Kangaroo Conservation Center.  Come December, visitors can get into a hoppin’ good spirit of the season with the “Ye Ole Fashioned Christmas” and tree lighting ceremony, which kicks off Christmas in Dawsonville on December 7, at 6:00 p.m.  Moreover, from December 1-21, visit the Bowen Center for the Arts for the “Home for the Holidays National Fine Art Exhibit.”  Since its inception more than a dozen years ago, the event, a mixed-media art exhibit containing juried artwork from local and national artists, has drawn guests from across the world and has helped make Dawsonville a cultural focal point for North Georgia.  Contact the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1.706.265.6278; toll-free 1.877.302.9271 or visit www.dawson.org.

Dance into Dahlonega with the sugarplum fairies for their month-long Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration. The mountain town truly lights up for the holidays on Saturday, December 1 with the enchanting Lighting of the Square celebration and a real hometown Christmas parade. Festivities continue almost daily through New Year’s with lively venues including caroling, music and entertainment, wine tastings from area wineries, holiday readings by Mrs. Claus, and visits by Old St. Nick himself. For an added touch of nostalgia, the historic Holly Theater will have a live performance of Annie November 30th – December 16th; and Celtic Christmas, a Celebration of the Season with Song, Music, Dance and Poetry, December 22nd at 8:00 p.m.  www.hollytheatre.com. A more detailed schedule of holiday events and information on packages offered by local innkeepers are easily found at www.dahlonega.org  or by calling the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1.706.864.3513 or toll-free 1.800.231.5543.

Georgia’s Hospitality Highway, a stretch of Georgia 400, that meanders from Fulton County to Lumpkin County and includes the communities of Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Dawsonville, Dahlonega, and Sandy Springs, contains a fusion of restaurants, shopping, historic sites, outdoor activities, and much more, all amidst some of the most dazzling scenery in all of the state.  For more information, including links to additional websites and photography, visit www.hospitalityhighway.com.

# # #

Media Contact:
Dotty Etris,
Historic Roswell CVB;
1.770.640.3253; 1.800.776.7935
info@visitroswellga.com

For Immediate Release – July 2007 From Sandy Springs in North Fulton County to the mountain town of Dahlonega in North Georgia’s Lumpkin County, Georgia 400, one of the state’s best known and well-traveled highways, offers a virtual showcase of towns brimming with restaurants, shops, boutiques, lodging from bed-and-breakfast inns to sparkling hotel resorts, historical sites, scads of events and festivals, and perhaps best of all, incredible scenery found nowhere else in the South. Recently designated as Georgia’s “Hospitality Highway” by the state legislature, in part because of the incredible array of activities to see and do, Georgia 400 is all about welcoming visitors with genuine warmth and southern hospitality along this incredible stretch of road. For more information and to download the Hospitality Highway’s aptly-described brochures entitled “From Metro to Mountains: Magnolias … Moonshine … Merlot” and “Where Mother Nature is at Home,” visit www.hospitalityhighway.com .

The Hospitality Highway is a cooperative marketing program consisting of the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Cumming/Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, the Dawsonville Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Dahlonega Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism, and is funded by grants from the Georgia Department of Economic Development/Tourism Foundation. The Hospitality Highway is not only simply a great, relaxing drive for an afternoon or even for a few days to explore in its entirety, but it’s also a tool for drawing visitors off the significantly less scenic and far more congested north/south arteries of Interstates 75 and 85.

“I think the Hospitality Highway is just the grandest idea,” says Mary Ann Anderson, an internationally syndicated travel writer with McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and more locally with Georgia Backroads Magazine. “Every time I visit the mountains or anywhere north of Atlanta, for that matter, I take Georgia 400. Without fail, I’m always amazed at tourism opportunities that are available within a short drive of one another. This is truly where Georgia’s hospitality industry begins.”

Each community along the Hospitality Highway has been afforded eye-catching and attention-getting signs that display the quite appropriate Georgia peach logo for the state’s most famous crop, as well as the wording “A Hospitality Highway Community.” And the best part is that these towns offer something wonderful and unique for the leisure tourist and the intrepid traveler. If visitors begin their journey along Georgia 400 in Sandy Springs, for example, they’ll find the heartbeat of the city is the mighty Chattahoochee River that brings plenty of outdoors opportunities. Dahlonega, at the other end of the Hospitality Highway, offers all the wonders of a mountain town, including Appalachian music, arts and crafts, haunting beauty, and even chances to pan for gold. The spectacular North Georgia Premium Outlet Mall is located in Dawsonville, while Roswell has history and charm galore. Alpharetta is chockfull of parks and green space (and plenty of shopping, too!), while Lake Lanier in Cumming/Forsyth County awaits boaters, swimmers, and anglers of all ages.

During the past several years, several states officially and unofficially adopted their own “hospitality highways,” – Highway 90 along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast is but one illustration – but Georgia, already resplendent with fittingly-named roads like the Golden Isles Highway, the Wine Highway, and the Wiregrass Trail, hadn’t yet made such a designation. Georgia 400, with its exceptionally varied and almost infinite amenities, seemed the perfect choice. Originally initiated as a partnership between the Georgia 400 communities of Alpharetta and Roswell, the idea gained in popularity to include most of the towns along Georgia 400. With marketing support from Georgia’s Tourism Foundation and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Hospitality Highway has been an incredible success. Indeed, every single state lawmaker from the area strongly supported the plan and easily passed legislation recognizing Georgia 400 as the newly christened “Hospitality Highway.”

Future marketing efforts for the Hospitality Highway may include an arts trail, history tours, and more focus on outdoor activities. More information will be added to www.hospitalityhighway.com  as it becomes available.

Georgia’s Hospitality Highway, a stretch of Georgia 400, that meanders from Fulton County to Lumpkin County and includes the communities of Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Dawsonville, Dahlonega, and Sandy Springs, contains a fusion of restaurants, shopping, historic sites, outdoor activities, and much more, all amidst some of the most dazzling scenery in all of the state. For more information, including links to additional websites and photography, visit www.hospitalityhighway.com .

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Media Contact:
Dotty Etris
Historic Roswell CVB
info@visitroswellga.com
Local: 770-640-3253; Toll-Free: 800-776-7935

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE