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Short answer
These 78 Georgia gardens, parks, waterfalls and beaches sit in 9 regions; 41 are free to enter. Pick a region below. Trails have their own page, and Georgia’s 75 state parks and historic sites have theirs, linked at the end.
Places to go in Georgia
78
gardens, parks, waterfalls and beaches
9Regions
58Publish a price
41Free to enter
- North Georgia (26)
- Northwest Georgia (2)
- Atlanta Metro (16)
- Historic Heartland (9)
- East Georgia (2)
- West Georgia (4)
- Southeast Georgia (3)
- Southwest Georgia (1)
- Coastal Georgia (15)
Show
| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amicalola Falls State Park | Dawsonville | State park, about 75 min from Atlanta | Adult $0, parking $10 | Official site ↗ |
| Anna Ruby Falls | — | Waterfall, about 110 min from Atlanta | Adult $6 | Official site ↗ |
| Aska Adventure Area | Blue Ridge | Trail | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Brasstown Bald | — | Trail, about 120 min from Atlanta | Adult $10 | Official site ↗ |
| Bridal Veil Falls (Tallulah Gorge floor) | Tallulah Falls | Waterfall | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Chattahoochee River below Helen | Helen | River, about 90 min from Atlanta | Not published | Not Confirmed |
| Chattooga River | — | River, about 135 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Cohutta Wilderness | — | Nature preserve | Free | Official site ↗ |
| DeSoto Falls (Lower Falls Only) | — | Waterfall, about 115 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Dukes Creek Falls | — | Waterfall, about 105 min from Atlanta | Free, parking $4 | Official site ↗ |
| Fall Branch Falls | — | Waterfall | Free | Not Confirmed |
| Helton Creek Falls | — | Waterfall, about 125 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Horse Trough Falls | — | Waterfall, about 120 min from Atlanta | Free | Not Confirmed |
| Lake Blue Ridge | Blue Ridge | Lake or river access | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Lake Rabun Beach Recreation Area | — | Lake or river access, about 120 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Long Creek Falls | — | Waterfall | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Morganton Point Recreation Area | Morganton | Lake or river access | Adult $5 | Official site ↗ |
| Panther Creek Falls | — | Waterfall, about 105 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Preacher's Rock (Woody Gap) | — | Trail, about 110 min from Atlanta | Free | Not Confirmed |
| Raven Cliff Falls | — | Waterfall, about 105 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Sea Creek Falls | Suches | Waterfall | Free | Not Confirmed |
| Springer Mountain (Forest Service Road 42) | — | Trail | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Toccoa Falls | Toccoa | Waterfall, about 110 min from Atlanta | Adult $2 | Official site ↗ |
| Toccoa River – Deep Hole Recreation Area | — | Lake or river access, about 105 min from Atlanta | Adult $0, parking $5 | Official site ↗ |
| Toccoa River Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area | Blue Ridge | Lake or river access, about 105 min from Atlanta | Adult $0, parking $5 | Official site ↗ |
| Trahlyta Falls (Vogel State Park) | Blairsville | Waterfall, about 130 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: North Georgia.
Northwest Georgia
2 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolater Park | Cave Spring | City park with cave and spring | not published | Official site ↗ |
| Rome-Floyd E.C.O. Center | Rome | Nature education center | Free | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: Northwest Georgia.
Atlanta Metro
16 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve | Lithonia | Nature preserve, about 30 min from Atlanta | Free | Not Confirmed |
| Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta | Botanical garden | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Big Trees Forest Preserve | Sandy Springs | Nature preserve, about 20 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Centennial Olympic Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Center Hill Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Not Confirmed |
| Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area | Atlanta | National Park Service site | Adult $0, parking $5 | Official site ↗ |
| Cochran Shoals (Chattahoochee River NRA) | — | Trail, about 25 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Cook Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Not Confirmed |
| D.H. Stanton Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Historic Fourth Ward Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Island Ford (Chattahoochee River NRA) | Sandy Springs | Trail, about 25 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park | Marietta | National Park Service site, about 30 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Perkerson Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Piedmont Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Rev. James Orange Park | Atlanta | Park | Free | Not Confirmed |
| Stone Mountain Park | Stone Mountain | Park, about 25 min from Atlanta | Free, parking $25 | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: Atlanta Metro.
Historic Heartland
9 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amerson River Park | Macon | Lake or river access, about 85 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Ben Burton Park | Athens | Park, about 75 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Carolyn Crayton Park | Macon | Park, about 85 min from Atlanta | Adult $10 | Official site ↗ |
| Lake Tobesofkee | Macon | Lake or river access, about 85 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park | Macon | National Park Service site, about 85 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Sandy Creek Nature Center | Athens | Nature preserve, about 75 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Sandy Creek Park | Athens | Park, about 75 min from Atlanta | Adult $2 | Official site ↗ |
| State Botanical Garden of Georgia | Athens | Botanical garden, about 75 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Third Street Park | Macon | Park, about 85 min from Atlanta | Free | Not Confirmed |
More in the region: Historic Heartland.
East Georgia
2 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phinizy Swamp Nature Park | Augusta | Nature park with trails run by the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences | not published | Official site ↗ |
| Savannah Rapids Park | Evans | 33-acre canal-side park with trails and a visitor center | not published | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: East Georgia.
West Georgia
4 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Callaway Resort & Gardens | Pine Mountain | Public gardens and resort | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Carrollton GreenBelt | Carrollton | Multi-use trail loop (about 16.3 miles) | not published | Official site ↗ |
| Columbus Botanical Garden | Columbus | Botanical garden | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery | Warm Springs | Federal fish hatchery grounds | Free | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: West Georgia.
Southeast Georgia
3 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (Chesser Island Boardwalk) | Folkston | Trail, about 300 min from Atlanta | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (Suwannee Canal Recreation Area) | Folkston | National wildlife refuge | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Stephen C. Foster State Park | Fargo | State park, about 270 min from Atlanta | Adult $0, parking $10 | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: Southeast Georgia.
Southwest Georgia
1 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise Park | Thomasville | City park preserving old-growth longleaf pine forest | not published | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: Southwest Georgia.
Coastal Georgia
15 places| Place | Town | What it is | Cost | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland Island National Seashore | St. Marys | National seashore, about 300 min from Atlanta | Adult $15 | Official site ↗ |
| Driftwood Beach | Jekyll Island | Beach, about 306 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| East Beach | St. Simons Island | Beach, about 300 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Forsyth Park | Savannah | Park | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Fort Frederica National Monument | St. Simons Island | National Park Service site, about 300 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge | — | National wildlife refuge | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Johnson Square | Savannah | The city's first square, laid out in 1733, with the Nathanael Greene Monument at its center | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Massengale Park | St. Simons Island | Beach, about 300 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Mid Beach (Tybee Island) | Tybee Island | Beach, about 255 min from Atlanta | Free, parking $4 | Official site ↗ |
| North Beach (Tybee Island) | Tybee Island | Beach, about 255 min from Atlanta | Free, parking $4 | Official site ↗ |
| Reynolds Square | Savannah | City square on Abercorn Street between Congress and Bryan Streets, named for Royal Governor James Reynolds | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| Sapelo Island | — | Barrier island | Not published | Official site ↗ |
| South Beach / Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion | Tybee Island | Beach, about 255 min from Atlanta | Free, parking $4 | Official site ↗ |
| St. Simons Public Beach | St. Simons Island | Beach, about 300 min from Atlanta | Free | Official site ↗ |
| Warren Square | Savannah | City square laid out in 1791 on Habersham Street between Bryan and Congress Streets | Not published | Official site ↗ |
More in the region: Coastal Georgia.
Where this comes from. Each row comes from our Georgia attraction dataset (attraction transparency index, updated ), which records admission only when the place publishes it. “Not published” means the place does not say, not that it is free.
Each row has an “Official site” link where we could confirm the place’s own page, and a link to our guide or place page where one exists. Rows where we could not confirm an official page say “Not confirmed”. Links checked .
Download CSVQuestions About These Places
How many georgia gardens and nature spots are in this list?
78, across 9 regions. North Georgia has the most with 26. Georgia’s 75 state parks and state historic sites are listed separately in the state parks directory.
Which of these publish their prices?
58 of 78 publish an admission price, and 41 of those are free to enter. For the rest, check the place’s own website before you go.
Browse the rest of the directory
Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Gardens and Nature in Georgia: 78 Places by Region”, itsgeorgia.com/places-to-go-in-georgia/gardens-and-nature/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.