The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Your Lake Oconee vacation awaits
School’s nearly out: It’s time to plan your family summer trip.
It’s a place that was made for those long days when cool water offers a break from rising temperatures, and where evenings give way to a boundless night sky dotted with stars. Lake Oconee is never more sun-splashed, inviting and just plain fun than in summer, when all its diversions and amenities are fully available to visitors, and the crown jewel of Greene County offers the makings of an ideal family vacation spot just an hour outside of Atlanta.
Indeed, it’s easy to pile everyone into the family car once school lets out, and in no time arrive at a summertime paradise famous for its clean lake water and 374 miles of shoreline. There are docks and pools and watersport options, golf and fishing and other pursuits to try, s’mores ready to roast over a fire or a local brew enjoyed with live music. Summer brings festivals in downtown Greensboro, camping under the stars, berry picking and leisurely sunsets that seem to melt into the rippled waters of Georgia’s second-largest lake.
And for families, the clock is ticking — soon enough, it will be time to get ready to go back to school once again. While the days may be long, summer itself is fleeting. Here’s your guide to a summer vacation on Lake Oconee that your family will never forget.
Family fun on the water
Lake Oconee is at its most irresistible in the summer, and Young Harris Watersports helps visitors make the most of the reservoir’s cool waters. Greene County’s top choice for boat and water scooter rentals, Young Harris offers three area locations, including one at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, the region’s only luxury resort. They offer pontoon boats — including double-deckers with a waterslide! — and water scooters, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, and all you need for the kids to learn wakeboarding or tubing. Young Harris’ array of watersport options will help anyone of any age or skill level enjoy summer on the lake.
Guests of The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds have a full array of lakeside amenities available to them — including a new kid-friendly family pool, complete with features like geysers and a splash pad, and zero-entry to accommodate even the youngest guests. The resort’s beach offers lounge chairs, cabanas and umbrellas, as well as food and beverage service. Mom and Dad can escape to the infinity pool with private cabanas and unobstructed views of Lake Oconee, and the whole family can gather for the resort’s evening tradition, s’mores by the lake.
Looking for other ways to enjoy the waters of Lake Oconee? Steer your vessel to Jumping Rock, a 10-foot-tall outcrop accessible only by water, and the ideal spot for a photo-worthy plunge. Contact Capt. Mark Smith at Reel Time Guide Service to learn how to hook the lake’s bounty of stripers and crappies. Or take a ride in a timeless wooden Hacker-Craft boat with Oconee Classic Boats, the lake’s only captain-driven, classic boat tour company, which will pick you up at any location south of I-20 and add yet another enduring memory to your Lake Oconee vacation.
Land activities and live music
Of course, the family summer fun in Greene County extends beyond the lake. The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds recently opened a new Ritz Kids Clubhouse, complete with an interactive play floor and arcade games where kids can take part in programs focusing on nature, adventure or the seasons. Kids ages 5 through 12 can also participate in Ritz Kids Lake Adventures, where children are taught outdoor skills such as fishing and tent-building, learn about local wildlife, and take part in friendly sports competitions with other children.
For kids big and small, the Ritz-Carlton offers access to five championship golf courses as well as The Kingdom, an unparalleled instructional facility. Guests can also access the Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds, a 100-acre complex offering activities such as clay shooting, air rifle, archery, fishing, canoeing and hiking for guests of all ages. Ritz-Carlton guests also receive complimentary bicycle rentals — ranging from adult mountain bikes to kids’ bikes with training wheels — so families can explore the property’s 8-mile network of trails.
Family adventures also await in downtown Greensboro, which hosts the Pickin’ on the Greene festival that brings musical acts from across Georgia to Lake Oconee country each June. Live music is also a regular weekend feature at Oconee Brewing Co., which offers nearly a dozen local brews in addition to a large outdoor patio. If you’re looking for a break from the summer sun or inclement weather, the Parkside Main 8 theatre offers first-run films and is open seven days a week.
Blueberries and buttermilk pie
Whether enjoying the refreshing waters of Lake Oconee or exploring the streets of Greensboro, Greene County allows families to leave the bustle of the real world behind — at least for a little while. Stop and savor the buttermilk pie — the most famous pie in Georgia — at the timeless Yesterday Café on Greensboro’s Main Street. Linger over pastries and coffee at Café 44, or devour fish tacos and burgers at Gaby’s by the Lake at the Ritz-Carlton. Marvel at The Old Gaol, unchanged for two centuries. Pick handfuls of fresh blueberries and muscadine grapes at HEMI Blueberry Farm. Or just gaze at Lake Oconee, enjoying the view and the peace and quiet.
The kids will be back in school before you know it, after all. And after that, there’s only one thing to do: Start planning your Lake Oconee family vacation for next year.