Area Activities

General information about our area and area activities can be found by visiting the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce.

Downtown Ellijay offers antique shopping, art shops and restaurants. The historic downtown area is a must see for those visiting the area. If you are here in the summer, visit the downtown Farmers Market on Saturday mornings for something fresh to add to your dinner.

In the summer months, if you tire of swimming in our lake, fun can be had for all ages tubing and/or kayaking on one of the nearby streams. Outfitters are available for tube and kayak rentals as well as drop off and pickup from various sites on the Cartecay, Ellijay and Coosawattee rivers. Contact one of the outfitters who will make this an easy and memorable adventure for you and your family: Cartecay River Experience, Cartecay Water Shed, Ellijay River Outfitters or the Coosawattee Tubing Company.

For those interested in hiking, mountain biking, picnicking and otherwise enjoying the wildlife and scenery of North Georgia we suggest visiting Amicalola Falls State Park and/or Fort Mountain State Park. Both are a short drive away and offer breathtaking scenery, hiking opportunities for all ages, swimming and fishing. Amicalola is located next to the terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Hiking, mountain biking, and fishing are also available in Rich Mountian Wilderness with access just a few miles from Diamond Lure. If mountain biking is a must do for your family, check out the North Georgia Mountain Biking Association's website.

For a hike of a different kind, consider a visit to nearby Gibbs Gardens. Activities and events throughout the summer, spring and fall plus the beauty of the gardens during each season make this a memorable day trip.

If hiking/biking seems less like a vacation and more like work, try visiting one of the many area vineyards. We feel sure you will find a new wine or two to take home with you. A few of the nearby vineyards include: Cartecay Vineyards, Ellijay River Vineyards, Chateau Meichtry Vineyards and Englheim Vineyards all of whom look forward to sharing their latest pressings with you.

Gilmer country is the center of Georgia’s apple country! Apple houses are open from July through December offering a wide variety of apples, peaches and vegetables. Many have activities specifically for families and small children. No visit to North Georgia is complete without a stop for fresh apple cider or a crisp fried apple pie!

The apple season is capped off by the Annual Apple Festival. For information on this year’s events and activities please visit the festival’s 2018 site.

The nearby Valley Farm offers grass fed beef, heritage pork and some of the best ice cream in the county. They generally have goats and bunnies for the children to interact with making it the perfect place to spend a few hours in the heat of the summer.

Gilmer County is a fisherman’s paradise. If you tire of fishing in Diamond Lure Lake, our private lake for campers only, you might wish to explore the many nearby trout streams. You can access most of them on your own and trout fishing is excellent. Check out the fishing-guide provided by the Chamber of Commerce. Need help finding the fish? Reel Em In Guide Service is located nearby and is an Orvis endorsed service. Streams or lakes, they can help you with both.

Blue Ridge is a thirty-minute drive from Diamond Lure. In addition to antique stores, art galleries and great restaurants, Blue Ridge is home to the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad. No matter what time of year you visit, the trip on this excursion line is sure to be enjoyed by your entire family.