Gainesville at a glance
- CountyHall County (county seat)
- Population, 2020 Census42,296U.S. Census Bureau
- Elevation1,242 ftUSGS elevation at the town centre
- From downtown Atlantaabout 1 h 4 minby road, no traffic
What to know about Gainesville
- Gainesville is the Hall County seat, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce
- After gold was discovered in Lumpkin and White counties in 1829, Gainesville became the trading and supply center for North America's first gold rush. Hall County Government
- The Gainesville Square downtown has restaurants and specialty boutiques. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Downtown Gainesville has boutiques, a wide range of restaurants, entertainment and nightlife. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Lake Lanier opened in 1957 after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed its construction. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Lake Lanier's 692 miles of shoreline touch five counties: Hall, Forsyth, Dawson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Gainesville hosted the 1996 Olympic canoe and kayak events at what is now Lake Lanier Olympic Park. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- The Gainesville Chicken Festival, billed as Georgia's Official Chicken Cook-Off, was held October 17, 2026 at Lake Lanier Olympic Park. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Jingle Mingle kicks off the holiday season in Gainesville, which calls itself the Poultry Capital of the World. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Christmas on Green Street, an annual City of Gainesville celebration, ends with a parade and the traditional lighting of the Rotary Tree. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- The Atlanta Botanical Garden's Gainesville Garden is at 1911 Sweetbay Drive. Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Gainesville Glows: Lanterns and Lights runs on select nights from mid-November into early January at the Atlanta Botanical Garden's Gainesville Garden. Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Elachee Nature Science Center is the gateway to 12.26 miles of Chicopee Woods hiking trails. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Engine 209 Park centers on Engine 209, a restored 1930s Gainesville Midland steam locomotive. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- Explore Gainesville, the city's tourism office and convention & visitors bureau, has its office at 300 Henry Ward Way, Suite 100, Gainesville, GA 30501. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
Coming up in Gainesville
Gainesville Glows: Lanterns and Lights
Organizer date for 2026The Atlanta Botanical Garden's Gainesville site returns with its holiday light display for a second year, open on select nights. Displays include luminarias, lighted woodland animals, a light tunnel, a model train, interactive candy canes and s'mores pits.
Add to calendar: Google Apple / Outlook (.ics)
Source: Explore Gainesville (City of Gainesville CVB), checked 2026-10-19
Jingle Mingle and the Lighting of the Chicken
Organizer date for 2026Main Street Gainesville's Jingle Mingle takes place on the downtown square and includes the Lighting of the Chicken in Roosevelt Square. It opens the downtown holiday season.
Add to calendar: Google Apple / Outlook (.ics)
Source: Explore Gainesville (City of Gainesville CVB / Main Street Gainesville), checked 2026-10-19
Christmas on Green Street
Organizer date for 2026The City of Gainesville's annual celebration closes Green Street for porch performances, historic homes, Santa, miniature train rides and food trucks. A parade of antique cars, floats and marching bands then runs from the Civic Center down Green Street, and the evening ends with the Rotary Tree lighting. A one-mile Green Street Santa Sprint starts before the parade.
Add to calendar: Google Apple / Outlook (.ics)
Source: Explore Gainesville (City of Gainesville CVB / Main Street Gainesville), checked 2026-10-19
Every North Georgia event in the finder
How far is Gainesville?
Drive times by road
| Town | Atlanta | Alpharetta | Marietta | Lawrenceville | Athens | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | about 1 h 4 min54 mi | about 52 min37 mi | about 1 h 14 min61 mi | about 38 min29 mi | about 56 min39 mi | about 2 h 49 min121 mi |
Computed 2026-10-19 with the OSRM router on OpenStreetMap data, town centre to town centre. free-flow driving time, no traffic
Visitor information
Explore Gainesville (Gainesville Convention & Visitors Bureau) office, 300 Henry Ward Way, Suite 100, Gainesville, GA 30501. Official visitor site
Gainesville's downtown square has a guide of its own: Downtown Gainesville.
Towns near Gainesville
- Flowery Branch about 10 mi straight-line
- Buford about 16 mi straight-line
- Dahlonega about 19 mi straight-line
Dates, times and rules can change. Each listing links the organizer or local government page it came from, with the date we checked it; confirm there before you go.
