No matter where you might be visiting, the same questions are always asked upon arrival. Such as, ‘What are some good restaurants?‘ or ‘Where do I do some shopping?‘ or ‘Are their some sites I should see?‘ Visiting Gwinnett is no different.
So whether you’re just passing through or staying in Gwinnett for an extended period of time, this guide should make organizing your stay a bit easier.
About Gwinnett – Driving Directions – Where to Stay – What to See – What to Do – Where to Shop – Where to Eat
About Gwinnett
Gwinnett County is metro-Atlanta county located to the northeast of Atlanta.
It exemplifies the concept of a “Live, Work, Play” county.
Live
Over the past few decades, Gwinnett has experienced a massive population growth, due to its close proximity to Atlanta while still remaining a nice community to raise children.
The Gwinnett Public School System is one of the largest school systems in the US, and won the prestigious Broad Prize in 2010 for being an Outstanding Urban School System.
Work
Gwinnett remains a popular suburban county because many of its citizen can travel to their jobs in Atlanta on I-85. Even though many Gwinnett residents are Atlanta commuters, Gwinnett is also home to several types of business of all size. Several startups call Gwinnett their home, along with large corporations such as NCR, Primerica, Waffle House, and America Megatrends.
Play
Gwinnett County is set among beautiful scenery with rolling hills and forest covering its landscape. Lake Lanier, a 37,000 acre lake, sits in Gwinnett’s northwest corner providing plenty of lake activies, such as fishing, camping or water skiing. Just south of Gwinnett sits Stone Mountain, the world’s largest granite foundation, that can be climbed and provides ample entertainment from its Stone Mountain Park.
The Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation system maintains over 8,000 acres of parks. The parks in Gwinnett won the Gold Medal award from the National Recreation and Park Association. View and learn more about Gwinnett County Parks.
Many big city attractions, such as sporting venues, music amphitheaters, and large mall shopping centers can be found in Gwinnett, making it a popular living location for those wanting to live a suburban life without forgoing some the big event attractions often found only in larger cities.
This overview is just a small glimpse of what Gwinnett contains. Further information can be found by browsing the Gwinnett Information pages.
How to Get to Gwinnett
Gwinnett is accessible via several main road and one major interstate.
I-85 runs northeastward through Gwinnett and connects it to Atlanta and Greenville, NC.
Route 316 branches off of I-85 in the middle of Gwinnett and runs westward connecting Gwinnett to Athens.
I-985 also splits off of I-85 and run north towards the North Georgia Mountains.
HWY 78 runs along the southern portion of Gwinnett.
HWY 20 runs adjacent to I-85 and through the middle of Gwinnett. It connects with 400 in the north, and runs all the way down to I-20 in the south.
Get further driving directions to Gwinnett
Where to Stay in Gwinnett
Gwinnett’s hotels aren’t the architectural wonders found in most major cities. Most of the hotels are simple establishments meant to house road-weary travelers, not to be status indicators and social hubs.
However, there are a few resort locations if you want to experience the finest Gwinnett has to offer.
Lake Lanier Island Resort
The Lake Lanier Island Resort is a 1,100 acre facility on the lake that boasts of being the most visited lake resort in all of Georgia. The resort’s main facility is the Legacy Lodge & Conference Center that provides almost 300 guestrooms along with several meeting rooms for conference events.
Lake Lanier is also surrounded by cabins for rent of various sizes that make for either a romantic weekend or a fun family vacation.
Chateau Elan
Chateau Elan is a resort as well as the largest winery in Georgia. Along with the winery tours and tastings, the resort features a spa and golf course to help relax and rejuvenate its patrons. Although not located within Gwinnett, Chateau Elan is so close and easy to reach, visible directly from I-85 heading north, that I’d be remiss not to mention it.
If you’re going to need a place to stay, then check the Location Listing for all of the Gwinnett Hotels and Lodging currently listed.
What to See in Gwinnett
Historic Places
The city of Lawrenceville was chartered as the county seat of Gwinnett in 1821. The location was chosen because the land was geographically the closest to the center of the county.
Several of its buildings were originally constructed in 1890, and over time have been home to mercantile stores, livery stables, restaurants and churches and even a theatre.
For more than 60 years, Buford was the largest city in Gwinnett. While many small southern towns were characterized as sleepy agricultural villages, Buford was Gwinnett County’s industrial heart. The town became famous for its leather tanning and the manufacture of saddles, collars, harnesses, and other related goods. In the not too distant past, Buford was known internationally as “The Leather City”.
The 
The Scenery
Architecture
It’s not every day in normal suburbia that you come across an immaculate, $19 million Hindu temple directly across from a Subway. Even though the 
Well, maybe it isn’t too odd to drive past Asian worship epicenters if you live in Gwinnett. The What to Do in Gwinnett
Sports
- Watch the Gwinnett Braves play a minor league baseball game at Coolray Field
- Watch the Gwinnett Gladiators play an EHCL hockey game at the Arena at Gwinnett Center
- Watch the Georgia Force play an Arena Football game at the Arena at Gwinnett Center
Entertainment
- Enjoy a show and meal at Medieval Times in Discover Mills
- Attend a Concert or Event at the Gwinnett Arena
- Find a community theatre show in your area:
- - Aurora Theatre (Lawrenceville)
- - Red Clay Theatre (Duluth)
- - The Lionheart Theatre (Norcross)
- - The New London Theatre (Snellville)
- Watch an IMAX film at the Mall of Georgia
- Play some video games or go bowling at Dave & Buster’s in Discover Mills
Family Outings
- Go ice skating at the Ice Forum during a public session
- Meet all kinds of wildlife at the Yellow River Game Ranch
- View and ride in restored trains at the Southeastern Railway Museum
- Learn about the environment and out planet at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
- Spend an afternoon at Suwanee Town Center Park
Other
- Find a Farmer’s Market to visit
- Attend a trade show at the North Atlanta Trade Center
Where to Shop in Gwinnett
Where to Eat in Gwinnett
This is a condensed version of another guide that features the Best Restaurants in Gwinnett. Below you’ll see some the be best and most unique restaurants that Gwinnett has to offer.
Breakfast
Coffee
- Chocolate Perks in Duluth
- Caffe Stella in Lawrenceville
Deli
- Brown Bag Deli in Suwanee
- Rising Roll Gourmet in Lawrenceville
Burger
- Ted’s Montana Grill in Buford and Snellville
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Pizza
- Fini’s Pizzeria in Lawrenceville
- Luigi’s Pizza in Dacula
International
- Lin’s Bistro (Chinese and Thai) in Lawrenceville
- Green Tea (Chinese and Sushi) in Lawrenceville
- Cinco Mexican Catina (Mexican) in Suwanee
- La Madeleine in Duluth
Fine Dining
- Aqua Terra in Buford
Themed
- The Flying Machine in Lawrenceville
- Bahama Breeze in Duluth
About Gwinnett – Driving Directions – Where to Stay – What to See – What to Do – Where to Shop – Where to Eat
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