Day Trip to Amicalola Falls

Last month, a friend and I visited Atlanta to attend Imagine Music Festival.  Since the event was cancelled, we needed to occupy or time with something to do for the week.  Lucky I have friends that live in Atlanta and they suggested we do a road trip in their car to Amicalola Falls State Park.

Amicalola Falls State Park

Amicalola Falls State Park is located in Dawsonville, Georgia and is over 800 acres big.  It’s name means “tumbling waters” in the Cherokee language.  The main attraction at this popular state park is the Amicalola Falls.  It is 729 feet (222 meters) in length and is the highest waterfall in Georgia and is considered one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Georgia.  I don’t get out into nature often, so when friends were willing to help me experience this, it was a big YES! from me.

looking forward to visiting here

Getting There

We stayed at The Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel and it is about a 2 hour drive from our hotel to Amicalola Falls.  Our friends came to pick up the 2 of us a little bit later than planned.  With the 3 of them helping me transfer into the front seat of the car, it was easier to get in and out than if just my 1 buddy did it.

ready to start the road trip

One of the first things we did once we got on the road was to get some fast food through a drive thru because it will be a while until we get to the falls and explore the area before having dinner.  The 2 hour drive was great as we got to see some nature and trees and not just the city life.

quick stop for food

To visit this state park, there is a $5 fee per vehicle that we drop in the collection box.  Larger vehicles like tour buses pay a higher fee and this money is used to maintain and take care of the park.

great deal to visit

Exploring The Area

There are different viewing areas of the Amicalola Falls.  You can get out of the car and see the falls from the bottom, the top, or even the middle.  When we went, the middle stop area was closed due to the weather.  There is also the option to hike up and down the stairs to see the falls but that was also closed due to the weather.

certain areas were closed due to weather

I would not have been able to hike up and down the trail anyways, but was extremely happy to be able to get out of the car and see the views from the top of the waterfalls.  There is a nice big parking lot with a bunch of wheelchair parking spots for those who bring their disability placard.

lots of accessible parking if needed

The terrain was a little bit bumpy and rocky and it sloped a little bit but I was never scared or afraid to get closer to the viewing area.  It was pretty much flat and I was so happy to be out there to listen to the sounds of nature and the waterfalls.  The air was fresh and the 4 of us enjoyed ourselves and took a bunch of pictures of the scenery.

pathway to viewing area is a bit bumpy but doable

view of the falls behind us

viewing area was quite flat and easy to roll around in

The Lodge

Instead of transferring back into the car and driving uphill to visit Amicalola State Park & Lodge, my 2 male friends decided to push me uphill.  It was a little tough to do but they took turns pushing me so that the other can take a quick rest.

wheeling up a short slight hill to the lodge

The Lodge looked really nice and seems to be an expensive cabin.  People can rent out rooms or just visit the lodge to check out a great view at the back on their glass balcony.  We took a few minutes to relax and to just enjoy the views and take a few pictures before heading back into the lodge to eat a buffet at their restaurant.

great view at the back of the lodge

The buffet was only $20.99 per adult and it includes all you can drink fountain sodas.  The variety of foods wasn’t too bad as it featured items like fried catfish, Cajun grilled mahi, pasta and a few other choices.  I really enjoyed their clam chowder soup, catfish, shrimp, and their apple pie for dessert.  It was a self serve buffet.  After the delicious meal, it was time to get back into the car for the 2 hour drive back to our hotel.

buffet time at the lodge before driving back to hotel

I thought it was totally worth the 2 hour road trip to get to Amicalola Falls to experience some of the nature in Georgia.  I don’t do road trips often when travelling to big cities but was so glad that friends are able to help me transfer to a car and make it happen.  I would definitely do this again if given the chance.

more pics of the area