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 136K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 98% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
Gainesville is the nearest base
Gainesville is 8 miles northeast, with 27 places to stay. 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, Overture places to stay, Census 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
- 136K a year
Where to stay near Lake Lanier
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Gainesville (27) and Cumming (11), and Atlanta has the most rooms in the area (207).
Gainesville
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
49,221 people
8 mi northeast of Lake Lanier
Atlanta
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
529,110 people
43 mi southwest of Lake Lanier
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From Lake Lanier | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | 8 mi northeast | 10 min | 27 24 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 49,221 | $382K | C− |
| Cumming | 11 mi west | 15 min | 11 9 hotels · 2 campgrounds | 12,494 | $383K | — |
| Oakwood | 4 mi east | 5 min | 4 3 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 7,245 | $307K | — |
| Alpharetta | 22 mi southwest | 35 min | 33 32 hotels · 1 motel | 66,921 | $649K | C+ |
| Buford | 9 mi south | 15 min | 6 6 hotels | 18,780 | $369K | — |
| Braselton | 12 mi southeast | 20 min | 9 9 hotels | 18,496 | $459K | B+ |
| Dahlonega | 20 mi north | 30 min | 24 11 hotels · 3 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 7,918 | $531K | — |
| Suwanee | 15 mi southwest | 20 min | 11 9 hotels · 2 motels | 23,034 | $481K | C− |
| Atlanta | 43 mi southwest | 1 hr | 207 173 hotels · 6 motels · 19 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels · 3 campgrounds | 529,110 | $440K | D |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Lake Lanier
Other well-known places within 48 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw42 mi Stadium & arenaMercedes-Benz Stadium
Big draw32 mi MountainStone Mountain
Big draw42 mi Stadium & arenaState Farm Arena
Big draw47 mi Theme parkSix Flags Over Georgia
38 mi Stadium & arenaTruist Park
42 mi Zoo & aquariumGeorgia Aquarium
130 mi MuseumChattahoochee Nature Center
39 mi Stadium & arenaSanford StadiumPhoto credits
Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Atlanta Falcons, CC BY 3.0 · Stone Mountain: KyleAndMelissa22, Public domain · State Farm Arena: Hermann Luyken, CC0 · Six Flags Over Georgia: hagerman, CC BY 2.0 · Truist Park: Thechased at English Wikipedia, CC BY 4.0 · Georgia Aquarium: Diliff, CC BY 2.5 · Chattahoochee Nature Center: muffinn from Worcester, UK, CC BY 2.0 · Sanford Stadium: The original uploader was Clio64 at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0
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°.
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?
Gainesville (8 mi, 27 places to stay), Cumming (11 mi, 11 places to stay) and Oakwood (4 mi, 4 places to stay).
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 · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.