Hidden Near Lake Lanier's Tree-Lined Shores Is A Historic Beauty Called 'Georgia's Most Underrated City'

Sometimes, the best way to get the charm and friendliness of a small town combined with all of the amenities of a big city is to look at areas that surround a major metropolitan area. In the case of Atlanta, that charming little city can be found 45 minutes to the north, in Oakwood, Georgia. Located about an hour south of the beautiful mountain town of Helen, Oakwood isn't simply attractive for its proximity to the more widely known city. A visit there reveals a wealth of natural beauty due to its closeness to Lake Lanier, lovely communities with homes to fit any price point, and its prioritization of education with access to a well-regarded college in the University of North Georgia.

Founded in 1873 as "Odell's Crossing," a fuel stop on the railroad, the town was renamed after the sort of fuel it was known for providing locomotives: oak wood. It expanded into a railway depot while welcoming the industries of bottle making and brick making. Today, the town only boasts a residency of about 3,000, but the city plans on greatly expanding in the coming years. A plan called "Vision 2030" has been designed by local volunteers to elevate the Gainesville-Hall counties into top-of-the-line communities. They have their sights squarely fixated on Oakwood, with plans for an outdoor amphitheater near the water and innovations throughout the downtown area. There's never been a better time to get on the ground floor of an already delightful yet slept-on community.

Oakwood is filled with natural beauty and wildlife

While Northern Georgia is known for its unique attractions near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake Lanier is an idyllic reservoir that has become a prime vacation destination for Georgians as well as an ideal location for luxury homes, marinas, and resorts. One of the best entry points into Lake Lanier can be found on Oakwood's northwestern shores at Balus Creek Park. An ideal spot to launch your boat into Georgia's largest lake, Balus is a great spot for boat watching and fishing for bass, catfish, and crappie. It also offers one of the most beautiful spots to watch the sunset over Lake Lanier.

If one were to travel northeast from downtown Oakwood, they would find the Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve, a gorgeous 1,400-acre woodland protected by the Elachee Nature Science Center. Its sumptuous forest contains a variety of trees like tulip poplars, hickories, and large oaks, with some dating as far back as 150 to 200 years old. The area also offers unique birdwatching opportunities, as a number of rare species populate the area, such as the Red-cockaded Woodpecker.

One of the best hiking trails one can take to best get acquainted with all of this nature would be the Bridge Loop to Lake Loop Trail. Listed as "Moderate" on AllTrails, this route features wooden bridges that extend over Walnut Creek and a trip around the main reservoir. Camping at the nearby Chicopee Agricultural Center is available, as well as access to the Chicopee Woods Golf Course, which features 27 holes split into three nines.

There is a strong presence of higher education in Oakwood that serves many benefits to the public

The town has a history of being an educational hotspot in Northern Georgia, once being the home of the Oakwood Academy and now home to the University of North Georgia. Located within Oakwood, UNG is not only the sixth largest public university in Georgia but also one of only six senior military colleges in the country, thus its nickname of "The Military College of Georgia". In addition to providing enviable nursing and ROTC programs, the campus itself is lovely and worth a visit. There are desirable hiking trails near the campus, such as Gainesville Biking Trail, which encompasses 3 miles and is listed as "Easy" on AllTrails. They also offer gym memberships not only to their alumni but to the greater community, which includes access to their large gym, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, and a pickleball court.

With access to nearby Atlanta, the town is also situated neatly between the bustling lakeside resort destination of Gainesville and the more expensive Flowery Branch, offering the amenities of both cities in terms of its housing options and cuisine. For authentic Southern food, a meal at Loretta's Restaurant is essential, with one Yelper exclaiming, "For folks visiting Lake Lanier, Loretta's is a place for great country cooking." And if you decide you like it so much you want to stay awhile? With a plethora of new construction and resale homes in large neighborhoods that are much less than that of a big city home, Oakwood has become a very desirable place to live.

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