With trails, history, Gainesville is worth own visit

GAINESVILLE — You’ve probably passed the Gainesville exit on I-985, headed to Lake Lanier or the mountains and wondered: What’s over there? Turns out, there’s plenty.

With about 35,000 residents, the seat of Hall County has a thriving downtown square, with fun places to eat and shop. You can walk miles of nature trails, turn the kids loose in a hands-on museum, enjoy a fine arts museum, a history museum and live theater or take a ghost walk on a college campus. You’ll find a slew of Tex-Mex eateries in “The Poultry Capital of the World,” thanks to thousands of Latino workers.

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William Schemmel

The Confederate in the square is actually a ‘Rebbed-up’ version of a Spanish-American War soldier.

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Rest up

• The Holiday Inn Lanier Centre, a block from the downtown square (400 E.E. Butler Pkwy., 770-531-0907, www.laniercentrehotel.com), has 122 recently modernized guest rooms and suites, a full-service restaurant and bar, pool and fitness center. Doubles, $129.95, plus tax.

Getting there

• Gainesville is about 60 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. Take I-85/I-985 to exit 22, and U.S. 129 into downtown Gainesville.

Information

• Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau, 117 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. 770-536-5209, www.gainesvillehallcvb.org.

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Close enough to have Metro Atlanta’s 770 area code, it’s far enough for a short-term adventure.

Don’t miss:

• A tornado in 1936 made a bomb-like direct hit on Gainesville’s public square, destroying virtually every building and killing more than 200 in one of Georgia’s worst natural disasters. Today, all is prosperous and peaceful. Start your visit with a stroll around the square, poking into antique and gift shops. Main Street Market, Main and Washington streets, is an indoor bazaar with a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, two restaurants, an art gallery, skateboarding, baby, flower and gift shops. Across the Pond, (115 Bradford St., 770-297-6446), is a purveyor of all things British. Popular restaurants are among the shops.

• The Northeast Georgia History Center on the Brenau University campus tells the story of the 1936, tornado with photos, film footage and a simulated tornado. The Ed Dodd Room honors the late Gainesville native who created the comic strip “Mark Trail,” featuring an adventurer and conservationist like himself. On the museum grounds, the American Freedom Garden is a tribute to American veterans, recognized by name and rank in the Circle of Honor. The museum, at 322 Academy St., is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Adults $5; age 65-over $4; age 6-18 $3.

• Elachee is a Cherokee word for “green woods,” so it’s fitting that the Elachee Nature Science Center is in the very green, 1,500-acre Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve. Hikers have eight trails, covering 13 miles of woodlands and streams and a 150-foot suspension bridge. The Geiger Trail is a gentle .5-mile paved loop with a scenic overlook, for strollers and the physically-challenged. The Ed Dodd Trail is a .75-mile loop, with some steep sections. The East and West Lake Trails are a moderately-difficult 4.4-mile round trip. Hikers and nonhikers can view the live birds and animal exhibits in the wood and glass Nature Center, do computerized ecological experiments, have picnics and attend classes and guided walks. The center is at 2125 Elachee Drive (770- 535-1976, www.elachee.org) and is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Adults, $3; age 2-12, $2. Hiking trails are free, daily dawn-dusk.

• The Interactive Neighborhood for Kids (INK) helps youngsters blow off some excess energy as they fly a simulated plane, blow the siren on a 1927 LaFrance fire engine, do some grocery shopping or banking and work in a 1950s soda fountain. INK is at 999 Chestnut St. (770-536-1900, www.inkfun.org), open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. All ages $8; Sunday, ages 1-5, $6.

• The Quinlan Visual Arts Center celebrated its 62nd birthday this year. The main gallery and smaller rooms showcase paintings, sculpture, photography and other media by local and regional artists. The center hosts several annual exhibitions and workshops conducted by nationally- and internationally-known artists. Quinlan is at 514 Green St. (770-536-2575, www.quinlanartscenter.org), open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 1-4 p.m. Sunday; free admission.

Where to eat

• Two of the square’s most popular restaurants are at each end of the price and style scale. Kathy Vitti’s Home Sweet Georgia Bakery Café opens early to serve blueberry muffins, peaches and cream strudel, croissants, eggs and pancakes and Gainesville’s own St. Ives Coffee. At lunch, many locals return for chicken salad sandwiches and fried chicken, meatloaf and barbecue plates. The upstairs Loft hosts nightly live entertainment. Open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday at 110 W. Washington St. 770-534-7151.

• Luna’s, across the square, is the city’s most refined dining. During Monday-Friday lunch, choices ($7.95- $12.95) include Waldorf and filet mignon Caesar salads; Cuban sandwiches, cheeseburgers; tilapia filet; Jamaican chicken, beef and pasta dishes. At dinner, Monday-Saturday, entrees range from $17.95 for a double-cut pork chop, to $47 for paella for two. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, live music plays in the Piano Lounge. At 200 Main St., (770-531-0808, www.lunas.com

• The Rabbittown Café, on Gainesville’s northside, is the “hoppin’ place” for a low-budget fill-up. You may want a photograph in front of the 20-foot stone rabbit in front of the café. The cafeteria line serves fried chicken, catfish, fried okra, collards, banana pudding and other Southern dishes. It’s at I-985 exit 24, 24l5 Old Cornelia Hwy. (770-287-3695, www.rabbittowncafe.com). Open everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.