Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S.
A lake, 4 mi west of Oakwood
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 156K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 97% of the 2,009 attractions we track.
Oakwood is the nearest base
Oakwood is 4 miles east, with 983 hotel and restaurant jobs. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Atlanta
Atlanta is about 43 miles southwest (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Sep and Oct
March, April, May, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 63–81°. When to go ↓
Established in 1956
Lake Lanier dates from 1956. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Census job and town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Oakwood. Green months are the mild ones.
Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee River. The lake encompasses 38,000 acres (15,000 ha) or 59 mi2 (150 km2) of water, and 692 mi (1,114 km) of shoreline at normal level, a "full pool" of 1,071 ft (326 m) above mean sea level and the exact shoreline varies by resolution according to the coastline paradox. Named for Confederate veteran and poet Sidney Lanier, which has caused recent renaming controversies and public debate. It was built and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and water supplies.
- Type
- Lake
- Established
- 1956
- Wikipedia readers
- 156K a year
Towns near Lake Lanier
Towns within 30 miles, closest first. Hotel and restaurant jobs show how many places there are to stay and eat.
| Town | From Lake Lanier | Hotel & restaurant jobs | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakwood | 4 mi east | 983 | 5,862 | $307K | — |
| Flowery Branch | 5 mi south | 1,489 | 10,925 | $443K | B |
| Gainesville | 8 mi northeast | 3,694 | 45,032 | $382K | C− |
| Buford | 9 mi south | 2,912 | 17,997 | $369K | — |
| Cumming | 11 mi west | 1,974 | 8,469 | $383K | — |
| Sugar Hill | 12 mi southwest | 595 | 26,128 | $413K | — |
| Braselton | 12 mi southeast | 1,940 | 15,178 | $459K | A− |
| Talmo | 14 mi east | 8 | 369 | $300K | — |
| Suwanee | 15 mi southwest | 2,228 | 22,349 | $481K | — |
| Hoschton | 15 mi southeast | 26 | 4,534 | $386K | — |
| Pendergrass | 16 mi east | 1 | 3,435 | $330K | A− |
| Dawsonville | 17 mi northwest | 174 | 4,403 | $363K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Lake Lanier
Other well-known places within 61 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw60 mi📍 LandmarkGeorgia Guidestones
Big draw42 mi🐾 Zoo & aquariumGeorgia Aquarium
130 mi🏛 MuseumChattahoochee Nature Center
38 mi⛰ MountainCurrahee Mountain
45 mi⛰ MountainBrasstown Bald
43 mi🌲 Park & preserveAtlanta Beltline🌲31 mi🌲 Park & preserveBlue Ridge Wildlife Management Area
41 mi🏞 National Historical ParkMartin Luther King, Jr., National Historical Park647K visitors a yearPhoto credits
Georgia Guidestones: Dina Eric, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Georgia Aquarium: Diliff, CC BY 2.5 · Chattahoochee Nature Center: muffinn from Worcester, UK, CC BY 2.0 · Currahee Mountain: Wikilackey (talk), Public domain · Brasstown Bald: Unknown, Public domain · Atlanta Beltline: PghPhxNfk, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historical Park: Jet Lowe, Public domain
Visiting Lake Lanier
What town is Lake Lanier near?
Oakwood, GA, about 4 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Lake Lanier?
March, April, May, September and October, with highs of 63–81°.
How far is Lake Lanier from Atlanta?
About 43 miles southwest of Atlanta, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lake Lanier?
DeKalb Peachtree (PDK), about 32 miles away. The nearest big hub is Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta (ATL), about 50 miles.
Where should I stay near Lake Lanier?
Oakwood (4 mi, 983 hotel and restaurant jobs), Flowery Branch (5 mi, 1,489 hotel and restaurant jobs) and Gainesville (8 mi, 3,694 hotel and restaurant jobs).
Tips from people in Oakwood
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Oakwood’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.