Living the Lake Life

Living the Lake Life
Words by Elizabeth Sturgeon

Four communities and two lakes, located just over an hour from Atlanta—that’s Georgia’s Lake Country. With your favorite activities on the water and historic downtown areas to explore, Georgia lake life can turn a couple of sunny days into the perfect summer getaway.

Each of the four communities—Milledgeville, Eatonton, Greensboro and Madison—has its own personality, history and experience to offer, and you can easily fit all of them in a two-day trip. Plus, your days at the lake become much more than time by the water with so many restaurants, shops and hotels to choose from.

So, what exactly does a trip to Georgia’s Lake Country look like? Well, let’s start with the most important part about your trip and the thing that brings all four of these communities together—the lakes.

The lake country surrounds both Lake Oconee and its cousin Lake Sinclair, and you can find all the boating, swimming and fishing experiences you could ask for on both. Together, the two lakes create nearly 800 miles of scenic shoreline to explore by day as you hop from town to town.

There is no shortage of outdoor activities to keep you busy. Spend time trekking through Georgia nature in Rock Hawk Park in Eatonton. The park has 15 miles of trails and various educational displays that all lead to the Rock Hawk Effigy, Bartram Forest in Milledgeville is also a great spot for hiking or biking. If you are wanting something a little more adventurous, Durhamtown Off Road Park in Greene County is the place for you! It holds the title for largest off road park in the US with over 6,000 acres of riding trails. 

Time outdoors pairs well with learning about the place you’re visiting, which you can do with various museums and historic districts throughout the lake country. Downtown Eatonton is home to museums like the the Old School History Museum, where visitors can relive the small-town classrooms from years ago. Take a walking tour of Downtown Greensboro and stop along the way to listen to the history of the town via solar boxes placed around the city. Madison’s Heritage Hall is also a great architectural gem to discover.

Between your outdoor adventures, historic tours and shopping, you have to stop for a good meal. After eating your packed lunches out on the lake or the trail, the downtown districts of each community present casual and fine dining options with local produce and innovative concepts.

Stay in one community for the day or move between the four and grab a bite in each place. Order a farm-to-table breakfast at Farmview Market in Madison, soups and sandwiches at Ripe Thing Market in Greensboro, and margaritas at Bollywood Tacos in Milledgeville—to name just a few of your options.

So, downtown dining and shopping meets the lake just like that, with each community a short drive from the next. Find something for everyone in your family or group of friends as you start to plan your summer visit.