In the time it takes you to get through an episode of "The Voice," you could have head start on an adventure in Cartersville. This Georgia gem is only a short drive north of Atlanta on I-75, making it the perfect choice if you're in need of change of scenery.
Cartersville offers a vibrant, earthy scenery with a history-rich downtown area. Cartersville is most known for being the backdrop of the Tellus Science Museum, home to the site of the historic Etowah Indian Mounds and the city has the novelty of a Kroger shopping center with a bar.
If you've already marked those things off your Cartersville "to-do" list, here are 5 more reasons why you should explore Cartersville:
Allatoona Lae
Lake Allatoona isn't just the source of Cartersville's water; the lake offers an abundance of things to do. Once you've done all the swimming and sunbathing you can handle, it's worth checking out Red Top Mountain State Park - the views are exceptionally gorgeous. Red Top has plenty of hiking trails, a campground and plenty of nice picnicking spots. You can also put a kayak in just about anywhere.
The lake also has quite a few marinas for your boating or sailing needs. One particular marina has been seen on TV; if you catch yourself on the Canton side of the lake, Little River Marina's The Blue Cat Lodge doubles as a filming location for Netflix's "Ozark."
Credit: Courtesy of Ate Track Bar & Grill's Facebook page
Credit: Courtesy of Ate Track Bar & Grill's Facebook page
Historic Downtown Cartersville
There are several places within Historic Downtown Cartersville that reveal the tapestry of the city's' history, including the Grand Theatre, the Booth Western Art Museum and the Bartow History Center. The Grand Theatre is of special interest; one of the most noticeable landmarks in Cartersville, the theater first opened in the 1920s after the Greenwood Theater burned to the ground, and by the 1930s the Grand was renovated to better suit the showing of movies. That history of cultural arts has made the Grand Theatre a longtime anchor of the city center. Beyond the historic places to see downtown, there are no shortage of bars and restaurants, including The City Cellar and Loft and Ate Track Bar & Grill.
»RELATED: Google gear helps create virtual tours of Georgia sites
LakePoint Sporting Community
Though today the LakePoint Sporting Community - a 1,300 acre multi-sport venue near Lake Allatoona - is restructuring its business model in hopes of emerging from a recently announced bankruptcy, the business of sports at the complex is alive and well. The complex boasts eight baseball fields, 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, 10 beach volleyball courts, and a lake for wakeboarding, in addition to a 170,000 square-foot indoor pavilion. Together the facilities bring $100 million and about 1 million visitors to the park each year. LakePoint is easily accessible from I-75, and well worth checking out on any trip to Cartersville.
Pine Mountain Recreation Area
The 13,000 acres of land at Pine Mountain, including the Pine Mountain hiking trails and recreation area, are of geographic and historical relevance. Long before the two looped trails (the East Loop and the West Loop) were formed, the land at Pine Mountain belonged to Mark Anthony Cooper's Iron Empire, whose factories and mills were famously burned and destroyed by General Sherman's march to the sea. Today, the trails are somewhat rugged and challenging, reaching 1,562 feet above sea level, and placing those who reach Pine Mountain's peak at the highest point in the City of Cartersville. As a bonus, on nights with full moon, there are guided night hikes up the mountain.
Lively events
In Cartersville, there's never a shortage of fun events to go to; the spectrum of good times last just about all four seasons.
In the summer the city hosts a music concert series, Music by the Tracks, which is free for the whole family and features music from many talented artists like Babes Bayou. If you want a taste of local flavor, The Farmers Market runs May through October. Music strikes again in October with the Bluegrass and Folk Festival. And in the cold month of December, warm up with hot cocoa at Pettit Creek Farms; there's a magical holiday lights drive-thru among other fun activities.
