Travel Green in Dahlonega, GA

I gave my liver to save the river.

Carl and I were hanging out in Shennanigan’s bar in Dahlonega, GA when we saw the shirt hanging on the wall – “Save the Hooch“  with the SweetWater Brewing Company logo.  Since we were drinking some SweetWater we had to inquire about the shirt.  Our waitress informed us that the program engages beer drinkers, bar patrons, and restaurants throughout metro Atlanta in efforts to raise awareness and funds to support UCR’s river patrol and water quality monitoring programs and that all the proceeds go to the Upper Chattahoochee RiverKeeper’s efforts.

So we each bought a shirt and wear it with pride since by the end of the evening I did feel like a piece of my liver was left in Dahlonega.

What a great example of local product supporting a restoration effort and engaging travelers to contribute to the cause.

This is just one highlight of my trip last week to Dahlonega to teach Travel Green 101 to 66 3rd year students from the 12 southeast states at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College.  Here’s a few more highlights and why I think Dahlonega is a great destination for green travelers.

food and fun with friends at the Smith House

• Comraderie – you won’t find nicer people than the STS staff and students at Marketing College.  It’s great to spend a couple of days talking about sustainable tourism opportunities for the southeast and just hanging out and having fun.  Apart from hanging out with the other tourists all of the locals we met were very nice and engaging.
• Beer – there’s a handful of great local bars in Dahlonega where everyone congregates and you can sample some local brews like SweetWater and Terrapin -  Caruso’s, Shennanigan’s, and the Back Porch Oyster Bar are just a few.
• Cool Local Shops – like the Fudge Factory, upstairs downstairs, and Dahlonega General Store
• The Smith House is a one of a kind.  We were lucky to stay there in one of their beautiful rooms and enjoy their southern family style dinner.  And don’t forget to check out the gold mine they uncovered in the basement.
• The Dahlonega Gold Museum offers a glimpse into the site of the first gold rush in U.S. history.
• You’ll find the typical strip mall stuff including fast food and big box on the bypass on the outskirts of town but in the downtown commercial district which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places you’ll find brick sidewalks, locally owned and operated shops and restaurants, and wonderfully restored historic buildings with an ease of movement whether you’re on foot or bike.
• Outdoor Recreation – the mountains of North Georgia offer hiking, fishing, and canoeing in the mountains, lakes and rivers of the Chattahoochee National Forest.  Some phenomenal road and mountain biking just outside of Dahlonega.

Can’t wait to go back.  I’ll be looking forward to next July and the 2011 STS Marketing College.  That is if I don’t make it back sooner.   I hope you’re able to enjoy this beautiful part of N. Georgia someday.

Oh, and don’t forget to get you some boiled peanuts and fresh Georgia peaches.  Check out more photos on Flickr.

Tags: Dahlonega, GA, green travel, green travel Georgia, STS Marketing College

This entry was posted on Friday, August 6th, 2010 at 10:58 am and is filed under Blog, TGA's Travelogues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.