Twenty years before the 1849 gold rush to California, thousands of gold seekers flocked into the Cherokee Territory of northeast Georgia, beginning the nation's first major gold rush.

The Dahlonega Courthouse Gold Museum offers visitors a look at the mining history of Georgia.

Hours:

Monday–Saturday 9 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

Dahlonega is known as the Heart of Georgia Wine Country and the Wine Tasting Room Capital of Georgia. Home to 12 wine tasting rooms and eight wineries, Dahlonega offers a variety of quality and award-winning local, regional, and international wines to locals and visitors from all over the world.