Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Duluth, GA

While often characterized as one of Atlanta’s northern suburbs, Duluth, Georgia, located 35 kilometers away, possesses a unique atmosphere. It is recognized as a city with a small-town charm that is within convenient reach of major urban attractions.

Founded in the early nineteenth century as Howell’s Crossing, the city was renamed Duluth in 1871. Its growth remained limited until approximately a hundred years later. Bordered on its northern edge by the Chattahoochee River, Duluth presents visitors with a diverse array of natural, cultural, and entertainment offerings.

Here are the 15 premier activities to explore in and around Duluth, Georgia.

1. Southeastern Railway Museum

Embodying the city’s motto of ‘Pride in Old and New,’ one of Duluth’s foremost attractions is its heritage museum. The Southeastern Railway Museum serves as Georgia’s official transportation museum, showcasing an extensive collection of rail and road transport artifacts in the southeastern United States.

The 14-hectare site features nearly 100 pieces of historic rolling stock, including steam locomotives, Pullman carriages, and President Warren G Harding’s private rail car from 1921 to 1923. Exhibits also allow visitors to ride on select displays, such as the amusement train relocated from the zoo in Birmingham, Alabama.

2. Hudgens Center for Art and Learning

As a central hub for community arts, the Hudgens Center hosts between four and six exhibitions annually, while also offering extended visitors the opportunity to participate in fine art classes. The Al Weeks Sculpture Garden, which features a picturesque lily pond, is also noteworthy.

The center encompasses 3,200 square meters of diverse gallery spaces, where various art forms including collage and contemporary photography coexist with the highly regarded juried members’ exhibition, which showcases the best submissions from across Georgia.

3. Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf

Enhancing the miniature golf experience, Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf offers 27 exciting holes designed to challenge your golfing abilities. Recognized as one of the area’s finest miniature golf venues, it features impressive landscaping, including towering waterfalls and an authentic pirate ship.

The experience provides an opportunity to channel your inner golfing champion or perhaps embrace the adventurous spirit of an eighteenth-century pirate.

4. Strickland House

This charming cream clapboard structure, built in 1898, served as the residence of Duluth’s first female mayor, Alice Strickland, for many years, and it is said to still echo her presence. Elected in 1921 at the age of 62, she became the first woman in Georgia to serve as a city mayor. Additionally, Strickland House functioned as the city’s first hospital.

Currently, the house is home to the Duluth Historical Society, where artifacts and exhibits narrate the city’s history from the time it was inhabited by Cherokee Native Americans to its establishment as Howell’s Crossing by an industrialist.

5. Chattahoochee River

Flowing through the northern and western suburbs of Atlanta, the Chattahoochee River is readily accessible from Duluth. One of the premier locations to experience the river’s offerings is the Abbotts Bridge unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

This riverside area features expansive fields for recreational activities, picnic spots with numerous tables and public grills, and plenty of natural beauty. The adjacent Abbotts Bridge Recreation Area provides a 1.6-kilometer walking trail, popular with birdwatchers and those seeking light physical activity.

6. XtremeHopp

Situated across the Chattahoochee River in Johns Creek, approximately ten minutes from Duluth, XtremeHopp is an indoor trampoline park featuring a ninja warrior course, multi-meter warped walls, a smash room for stress relief, and even an escape room.

However, the primary attraction here is undoubtedly the multitude of trampolines, offering a unique experience of aerial freedom, while also hosting extreme dodgeball games and various bounce-related activities.

7. Duluth Depot

Conveniently located near the Southeastern Railway Museum, Duluth Depot is an old passenger station repurposed by the Duluth Historical Society. This elegantly constructed building exemplifies southern railway architecture and was once a gathering point for neighbors upon the arrival of the evening train from Atlanta.

The depot ceased operations in the early 1950s and was redeveloped in 2014 as an additional exhibition space to showcase the city’s history.

8. Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain, a notable quartz monolith, emerges from the surrounding woods as part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Formed millions of years ago from lava activity, it ranks among the largest single outcroppings globally.

The rocky summit of Stone Mountain offers panoramic views spanning the region, including Atlanta and extending toward Kennesaw Mountain on the opposite side of the state capital. Those who prefer not to hike can opt for the Skyride cable car to reach the summit.

For history enthusiasts, the site houses the world’s largest Confederate memorial bas-relief carving, making it significant in the context of American Civil War history. Stone Mountain is located just 26 kilometers south of Duluth.

9. Lake Sidney Lanier

Lake Sidney Lanier lies approximately 40 kilometers north of Duluth, named after the notable Georgia poet. This artificial lake, created in the 1950s, showcases breathtaking landscapes that meander between the region’s hills.

Renowned for its natural beauty, Lake Lanier hosted the rowing and sprinting events at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, attracting up to ten million visitors annually. Many are drawn to the Lake Lanier Islands, a resort area characterized by its pristine white sand beaches and a popular water park.

10. Red Clay Music Foundry

This music venue provides an exceptional opportunity to enjoy an evening in Duluth, featuring a variety of singers and songwriters, with a special emphasis on country music. Given its proximity to Nashville, the heart of country music, the venue has hosted performances from notable artists such as Jason Isbell and Patterson Hood.

A frequent stop for emerging bands, the Red Clay Music Foundry also organizes other events, including comedy nights, enhancing its appeal.

11. Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center

Autrey Mill is a historic grist mill located along Sal’s Creek, where waterflow was used to power heavy grinding stones. Spanning several hectares of scenic woodlands and wetlands, visitors can traverse a three-kilometer boardwalk that winds through these beautiful environments.

Along this route, visitors may observe 100 recorded animal species, identify 30 types of native trees, and seek out orchids such as the Pink Lady’s Slipper. Additional structures on the grounds include a farm museum. Autrey Mill is situated approximately ten kilometers west of Duluth, in Johns Creek.

12. Good Word Brewing and Public House

Good Word represents a combination of brewery and taproom, allowing guests to sample innovative craft beers created by dedicated artisans. Its diverse offerings include traditional German pale ales, Italian-style pilsners, English bitters, Irish stouts, and American pale ales, catering to a wide range of tastes.

For those who prefer other beverages, Good Word also boasts a selection of classic cocktails and wines. This casual venue is well-known for its Southern cuisine infused with Latin flavors.

13. Lawrenceville Ghost Tours

Located 18 kilometers from Duluth in Lawrenceville, visitors can exchange a night at the pub for an intriguing exploration of the city’s mysterious and paranormal occurrences. Lawrenceville Ghost Tours, a program associated with the local Aurora Theatre, features professional actors recounting chilling tales.

Each tour lasts 90 minutes and guides participants to some of Lawrenceville’s most haunted locations, including the historic jailhouse, reputedly a hotspot for ghostly sightings. Along the way, stories of inexplicable events from the city’s past are shared, including legendary accounts of walking dead observed downtown.

14. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Similar to Stone Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain attracts visitors seeking a refreshing outdoor experience. Rising several hundred meters above the surrounding terrain, it not only offers a picturesque escape from the metropolitan area but also holds significant historical importance.

This site was pivotal during a major Civil War battle, with Confederate forces utilizing the mountain for natural defense. Many remnants of trenches and artillery positions remain visible, complemented by informative display boards that provide context to the historical events that transpired here. Kennesaw Mountain is situated about an hour west of Duluth.

15. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

The significance of Martin Luther King Jr. in American history is underscored by the national holiday established in his honor, a distinction not bestowed upon figures such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. The park dedicated to his legacy comprises several historical buildings linked to his life and the broader Civil Rights Movement, which he led until his assassination at the age of 39 in 1968.

Among these structures are his childhood home and his adult residence, as well as Ebenezer Baptist Church, where his father served as pastor. The park is home to the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, which houses King’s remains.