One Of National Geographic’s ‘100 Must-See Getaways’ Is A Tiny Georgia Gem Just 1 Hour From Atlanta — Known As America’s First Major Gold Rush Town

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Susan Swavely

 –  Staff Writer

 ·  April 30, 2026

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When it comes to exploring small towns around the ATL, there’s definitely no shortage of cool spots to check out. From a small city with a nearly 1000-year-old tree to a secret Lotus garden that will make you feel like you’ve stepped into Vietnam, to the tiny Georgia town where Martin Luther King Jr. made his first-ever speech, Georgia is FULL of amazing small towns. And now, one Georgia small town is being recognized by National Geographic as one of the 100 must-see small town getaways in the U.S.: Dahlonega, Georgia. Keep scrolling to learn more.

About Dahlonega, Georgia

If you’re from Atlanta, then you know that Dahlonega is a well-loved tourist destination, just to the north of the city. From the famous Dahlonega Chocolate Crawl to their iconic Gold Festival and beyond, there are so many thing things to do and see in Dahlonega.

So why does Nat Geo think you should visit? They focus on the gold rush of it all… and can ya blame them? It’s some pretty interesting history!

When you think of the gold rush, (after the Taylor Swift song), you surely think of California. But actually, in 1828, decades before the California gold rush, a Georgia farmer named Benjamin Parks found gold in the North Georgia hills. Dahlonega was the site of the country’s first gold rush.

And according to National Geographic,

Georgia gold is thought to be some o fate highest quality in the world, with a 98 percent purity rate that easily beats that of California and Colorado gold.

What can I do in Dahlonega now?

Now, Dahlonega is the storybook small town that looks like it’s straight out of a Hallmark movie (and… it is. They’ve shot many a Lifetime holiday movie there). It’s a big film town, with its most recent credit being ‘His & Hers’ on Netflix.

You can wander their charming small town, enjoying local cuisine, artisan shops, and gold memorabilia.

Don’t miss out on Dahlonega! And if you wanna check out the other 99 small towns that Nat Geo calls ‘must-see getaways’, then check out their new book, Small Towns, U.S.A., now available on Disney Books!