There are several things to do in Buford, GA, you just have to visit the site to see how fun it is.
The lively Buford city is seated between Gwinnett County and Hall County in Georgia. As long as you’re in the city, you will never lack any new adventure or attraction from its valleys to its coasts and all that is in between.
Buford features numerous side attractions; you can tour the city’s streets to discover the vibrant community of friendly residents.
Even though Buford is small, it still carries a big city vibe, offering lots of opportunities for incredible and fun-filled adventures for everyone.
Buford is also home to some of the town’s most essential gems, such as the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, the popular Mall of Georgia, Lanier Islands, Corn Maze, etc.
Where is Buford, GA?
Buford is a small historic city in Gwinnett and Hall Counties, Georgia, United States. A large part of the city is in Gwinnett County, an area of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the 2020 American census, its population is approximately 17,150.
The Main Street in Buford features different artwork by Tannery Row Artist Colony local artists. Moving further, you’ll discover a broad group of décor shops and great dining eateries in turn-of-the-century buildings.
The town is also home to the Buford Community Center, Buford History Museum, and Town Park.
Buford is a tiny city located 35 miles to Atlanta’s northeast and overlapping two countries, yet offering too many outdoor attractions and activities near the Lake Lanier shores.
You cannot visit Buford without having some time and an enjoyable adventure. Below are the highlights of the best fun things to do in Buford, GA.
Things to Do In Buford, GA
1. Georgia Gun Club
Nowadays, so many people engage in different kinds of stylish sports, including gun clubs.
Buford has lots of these kinds of popular and fashionable games, but the best of the lot is target shooting at Gun Club in Georgia. This club teaches you how to aim ideally by targeting a particular item.
The gun club is not for game’s sake but also to relieve stress. Georgia Gun Club, consisting of a 100-yard indoor firing range, is the best shooting in Georgia and the southeast.
It is climate controlled, perfectly air-conditioned, and offers state-of-the-art firearms for high-level training and recreational practice.
This club also houses an 8,000-square feet retail store that deals on standard firearms, accessories, and ammunition, alongside a free training session for inexperienced or first-time gun owners offered by a full-time gunsmith.
Address: 1951 Braselton Hwy, Buford, GA 30519, United States
2. Paranoia Quest Escape
The escape room game is one of the games that is trending today, and one of the best places to play the game around Georgia is Paranoia Quest Escape.
Here, you will choose or be given teammates and select from many theme rooms where you will all be locked up.
You will be timed at 1 hour to escape or to complete a quest by searching for or using the clues you see in the room. Paranoia Quest Escape features a single virtual reality room and six standard escape rooms.
Rooms are available for booking if you want to host a private party, corporate events, exciting date night, family bonding, etc.
Address: Mall of Georgia 3333 Buford Drive, Buford, GA 30519
3. Margaritaville at Lanier Islands
Are you looking for something to do with your vacation period in Georgia?
We think it would be best you visit Buford to have fun in one of the most exciting attraction sites and Buford’s very best, Margaritaville at Lanier Islands. It features a wide range of fun exhibits for summer or winter and has no age limit.
The Margaritaville is also known as the Inland Beach of Georgia and is situated along the amazing Lake Lanier’s white sandy beach.
It features water activities, including water sports and boating, enjoyable water slides, and a water play site for little kids.
It also offers bars and eateries that serve tasty meals and drinks that you can take alongside live performances.
In the winter, you can partake in the yearly Magical Night of Lights and a traditional Atlanta holiday event hosted for the past 26 years.
You can join the License from November to February to cool off at Snow Island festivities.
Address: 7650 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford, GA 30518, United States
4. Buford Corn Maze
Suppose you are looking for a place to get your favorite family vacation in Georgia. In that case, you should consider Buford Corn Maze, which hasn’t stopped offering an escape with its challenging seasonal activities.
These exhibits are perfect for the entire family. The corn maze is a 5-acre facility that can only be accessible on the weekends of September to November.
You will also find the Haunted Forest here. The ticket prices begin from $15 for each person.
If you are coming with your family, you can buy combo tickets for $25 for limitless fun while free admission for kids.
Address: 4470 Bennett Rd, Buford, GA 30519, United States
5. Tannery Row Artist Colony
While in Georgia, you can schedule some free time to meet the Tannery Row Artist Colony artists in Buford city.
In this colony, you will be thrilled by the incredible artworks by famous artists. It is situated in Buford’s legendary Tannery Row Complex, which was initially a shoe factory owned by Bona Allen Company in 1919.
This company earned its popularity for the super quality and the number of shoes manufactured from this factory, thus earning Buford the nickname “Leather City.”
However, as it stands, the factory is now used as a campus featuring 21 private studios hosting different artists, painters, glass-blowers, sculptors, jewelers, woodcarvers, and photographers.
Address: 554 W Main St, Buford, GA 30518, United States.
If you’re planning to visit other parts of Georgia, you may want to check out things to Do in Dawsonville (GA), and things to Do In Duluth, GA.
6. Bogan Park Community Recreation & Aquatic Center
If you are looking to go swimming without getting sunburned, we would recommend you to Bogan Park Community Recreation & Aquatic Center. It offers Buford’s purest and biggest indoor pool alongside a tall waterslide and water play amenities.
It is a large sports complex featuring a moderate-sized gym where you can work out, a dance studio to learn how to dance, and an indoor badminton and basketball court.
Outside the center, you’ll find a basketball court, kid’s playground, football field, 7 softball/baseball facilities, sand volleyball courts, grill area, etc.
Sports fans will undoubtedly pick interest in Bogan Park.
Address: 2723 N Bogan Rd NE, Buford, GA 30519, United States
7. Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center
Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, as its name implies, is not just a single-used facility but is a multi-faceted facility utilized for environmental, heritage, cultural, and historical reasons.
It is the result of the unique collaboration of its foundation and Gwinnett County’s Board of Commissioners, Education Board, and Georgia University.
Located not far from the Mall of Georgia, it is the first Gwinnett County LEED-certified green structure with the most enormous inclined vegetated roofs in the nation. The heritage center has raised the bars for ground-breaking green structure patterns.
Here, you’ll witness interactive exhibits, greenways and strolling trails accessible from morning to night, a gift shop, and fantastic renting areas.
Most of its features aim at teaching kids of school age the culture fields, science courses, and the environment.
Address: 2020 Clean Water Dr, Buford, GA 30519, United States
8. Buford Dam Park
Named after a poet called Sidney Lanier, the Buford Dam is renowned for having exceptional blue waters and incredible landscape.
Every year, thousands to millions of tourist visit the park to explore the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains’ woody foothills that give a beautiful backdrop to a designated beach.
This beach host exhibits like swimming, boating, kayaking, wakeboarding, fishing, and picnicking.
It is also open to Laurel Ridge Hiking Trail 3.5-mi a loop, which you can access from many parks and locations and provides terrific sights of Chattahoochee River and the lake.
Address: 1200 Saddle Dike #3, Buford, GA 30518, United States
9. Treetop Quest Gwinnett
Treetop Quest Gwinnett gives you a feeling of Tarzan or even a heroic monkey being chased by an animal as you hop from tree to tree with zip-lines and overcome challenging courses.
Lying just two minutes away from the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center and Mall of Georgia, the park is an opportunity for you to release your wild side.
Treetop Quest Gwinnett provides fun and challenges with safe and ideal exhibits for children and adults.
You will be presented with the gear and told about the excellent use of tools and safety procedures before starting your adventure.
Address: 2020 Clean Water Dr, Buford, GA 30519, United States
10. Lanier Park Beach
Arguably one of America’s best and most visited lakes, Lake Sydney Lanier earned its popularity for its unique features, including aquamarine waters, beautiful landscape, and incredible leisure activities.
It is situated at the foothills of Georgia Blue Mountains alongside a shoreline stretching for 690-mi.
The lake was part of over 460 lakes created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for many reasons, such as offering recreation, water supply, protection from floods, and more. Lanier Park is close to the dam on the south-facing part of the lake.
Its lush environment is perfect for picnic routines and barbecues with family and loved ones, but not pets.
Address: Lanier Park Rd, Buford, GA 30518, United States
11. Ivy Creek Greenway
Ivy Creek Greenway was constructed to serve as a multi-facet trail, which spans the Georgia cities of Suwanee, Georgia, and Buford.
The greenway stretches about 3.4-miles, and around 1.3-mi of the trail is paved and goes through Georgia Wildlife Federation Land and Mall of Georgia Blvd.
About 1.5-mi of the trail is presently undergoing construction and will be added to the greenway. It comprises a 270-feet cable bridge that spans the creek, two boardwalks, and an overlook.
The trail is accessible at dawn to every pedestrian and pet on a leash desiring to go for a leisurely bike ride or hike.
You’re not permitted to go with vehicles, weapons, or alcohol.
Address: Buford, GA 30519, United States
12. East Bank Park
East Bank Park is the most accessible among the numerous boat ramps on Lake Lanier and is found on the south side of the lake.
It is a centre for the U.S. Army Corps Engineers that features the largest parking lot on Buford Dam Road for trailers and trucks.
The park is home to the most accessible boat ramp, thus becoming the favorite of boaters locals of Atlanta and Lanier.
It’s accessible daily for midnight boat landings, launchings, and people participating in night fishing. It is among over 40 parks run by the Corps surrounding the lake.
Other features of the lake include picnics, swimming, hiking, boat launching, and camping.
Address: 1250 Buford Dam Road, Buford, GA 30518, United States
13. Aqua Terra Bistro
If you are still unsure of your venue for a date night, it will help if you stop wasting any more time and head to Aqua Terra Bistro located on Main Street in Buford’s Historic Downtown and enjoy an unforgettable night.
The venue offers traditional American cuisine with an international touch.
The place does not only offer fantastic lunch, dinner, and drinks in a beautiful ambiance, but it also features rustic interiors of red brick walls and wooden flooring, exuding a comfortable casual ambiance.
In Aqua Terra Bistro, you can enjoy a local lunch or a romantic dinner date or host a private party.
Address: 55 E Main St NE, Buford, GA 30518, United States
14. Twisted Tavern
If you want to enjoy an unforgettable night in the city of Buford, then there are few better places than Twisted Tavern, as it always offers something fun to do every night.
You can join others in 55-cent Chicken Wings every Monday while playing billiards free from 7 to 10 pm.
You can participate in Texas Hold ’em Poker Games on Tuesdays to Fridays, and with only $100, you will be given a freeroll.
Meanwhile, entertainment is ongoing in the form of a featured live band of the night, while on other nights, feature Karaoke or a D.J. playing.
Address: 4450 Nelson Brogdon Blvd, Buford, GA 30518, United States
15. Glow Beauty Lounge
If you are looking for a place to relieve yourself from several stressful days at work, there are few better places than Glow Beauty Lounge.
Situated at South Bogan Road, this lounge possesses great spectacular treatments for body and skincare customized for any of your needs.
The place has everything you need, including world-class facilities to give you the perfect foot and body massages, a hospitable reception area, a retail outlet for purchasing specialty products, and calm, perfectly equipped cabins.
The Glow Beauty Lounge offers the best services thanks to its experienced beauty professionals who are always available to attend to you and offer you refreshing drinks for free.
With this beauty lounge, you will feel the glow in all body parts after every session.
Address: 3616 South Bogan Rd Suite 101 Buford, GA
16. Mall of Georgia
Mall of Georgia welcomes everyone to its extraordinary shopping facility with its hospitable services.
If you are looking for a place to have your weekend shopping spree, the Mall of Georgia is always at your service. The shop features more than 200 stores to shop from.
It comprises a three-floor indoor shopping facility with an incredible outdoor shopping village resembling a traditional Georgian town center.
The mall also houses retail stores of expensive brands and an extensive collection of dining options and entertainment sites.
It features façade and interiors that reveal the state’s heritage and past with its architecture.
Address: 3333 Buford Dr, Buford, GA 30519
17. 37 Main Buford
Entertainment enthusiasts will pick interest in this one.
Rock and roll at 37 Main Buford, an all-American bar and eatery offering traditional American cuisine with some southern touch and quirky rock and roll names.
Here, you will be inspired to bring show the rocker in you when you watch the nightly shows.
It offers tasty dishes and drinks as you’re being entertained by its featured live bands paying homage to iconic 80s rock stars such as Prince and INXS.
37 Main Road Buford is where the city hosts mini rock concerts, live band shows, benefit shows, music festivals, and so on. Birthday, bar mitzvahs, and wedding receptions are offered on reservations.
Address: 37 E Main St NE, Buford, GA 30518, United States
18. Buford Youth Sports Complex
If you are a sports enthusiast, you should consider Buford Youth Sports Complex.
Situated close to a high school, Buford Youth Sports Complex features a multipurpose field that hosts community football, lacrosse, and soccer games. The complex also features many tennis courts alongside bleachers on a hill for spectators.
Address: 2750 Sawnee Avenue, Buford, GA 30518, United States
19. Buford Variety Theater
For your favorite entertainment, visit the Buford Variety Theater. It is a perfect place for you to spend your vacation or relieve yourself from a stressful day at work. It was established in the former Presbyterian Church, dating back to the 1920s.
The Buford Variety Theater features several shows, including plays, music performances, and wildly hilarious comedy that will make you laugh away all your worries.
You can also help yourself with the drinks on offer while enjoying your show.
Address: 170 West Main Street, Buford, GA 30518, United States
20. Oasis Bowling Center
Oasis Bowling Center is one of the best fun places to visit in Buford. It is a bowling alley accommodating individuals, leagues, and parties and features a complete bar, giant arcade, and game room alongside the pool and air hockey.
The center also features poker and a D.J alongside Karaoke for some nights.
Address: 1601 Horizon Parkway, Buford, GA 30518
21. Silvercrown Farms
One of the best traditional farms you will ever find, the Silvercrown Farms features equine breeds and offers horseback riding trail rides.
It is also a home for lessons and camps. The center is available for you to host camps, pony parties, and horse shows. You should plan one of your visits to Silvercrown Farms.
Address: 2144 Rock Springs Road, Buford, GA 30519, United States