Spring Break in Douglasville! ☀️

Spring Break is almost here! Still trying to find something for you and the kids to do? Check out these local attractions to have the best Spring Break Ever!

Sweetwater Creek State Park

Sweetwater Creek State Park is a peaceful tract of wilderness only minutes from downtown Atlanta. A wooded trail follows the stream to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War. Beyond the mill, the trail climbs rocky bluffs to provide views of the beautiful rapids below. Additional trails wind through fields and forest, showcasing ferns, magnolias, wild azaleas and hardwoods. Park rangers lead informative hikes to these areas throughout the year.

The 215 acre George Sparks Reservoir is popular for fishing and provides a pretty setting for feeding ducks and picnicking. However, there is no beach and swimming in the Reservoir is not allowed. Fishing supplies are available in the adjacent bait shop. During warmer months, the park rents fishing boats, canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and pedal boats. Visitors can join the Park Paddlers Club, which challenges them to explore waterways in six state parks. An award-winning Visitor Center—one of the most environmentally responsible buildings in the country—features exhibits on the area’s history, wildlife displays, trail maps, snacks and a renovated gift shop. A window-lined meeting room that seats 40 can be rented for gatherings.

Thunderzone

Is the sun getting too hot for you? Cool off at Thunderzone!

Thunderzone is a family entertainment facility located in Douglasville, Ga. They offer activities such as bowling, arcade, laser tag and virtual reality. Their in-house restaurant and bar, JR’s, features indoor and outdoor seating with billiard tables and corn hole.

Hunter Park

There are so many outdoor activities to do at Hunter Park!

The newly renovated athletic complex includes seven ALTA certified tennis courts, ten multi-purpose ball fields, and twelve major league batting cages. Renovations also included over 650 parking spaces and over 1 ½ miles of sidewalks for walking and jogging. In addition, Hunter Park features 16,000 square foot Ike Owings Community Center and covered playground; a five-acre lake surrounded by a walking track and several picnic areas.

They also have an 18 hole disc golf course and 4 horseshoe pits! The disc golf course measures 5010 feet in length and is a Par 55. The course is a mix of open and lightly wooded holes. Moderate elevation comes into play on many holes. Course is on the shorter side with several holes over 300 feet and also including a long 485 foot par 4 tunnel shot. For horseshoes, you can bring your own shoes or rent a set at the park for $7!

L & R Alpaca Farm

L & R Alpaca Farm is an alpaca farm in Georgia raising natural, chemical and hormone free alpacas. They have been farming alpacas since July 2016, delivering crias (baby alpacas) every year. They also raise the alpacas for their fiber. They offer farm tours, events and birthday parties!

They currently have 19 alpacas on their farm and growing!

Six Flags Over Georgia

Schools out! Come have some fun at Six Flags Over Georgia!

One of their favorite seasons is spring: the sun is bright, school’s out, and their gates are open! From April 1 through April 10, Six Flags Over Georgia will be open daily with extended hours, so you can get out from behind those desks and onto the most thrilling rides in the Southeast.

Bring your friends or family and conquer all of the thrill rides and coasters Six Flags Over Georgia is known for! Grab a funnel cake to erase that cafeteria taste in your mouth, kick back and enjoy some live music and entertainment and hitch a ride on Pandemonium so you can raise your hands for something other than math class!

Save over 50% off your Six Flags Over Georgia tickets by simply going to WorkingAdvantage.com, click Become a Member, and enter the company code DCVBPERKS to create an account!

Fall festivities in Douglasville! 🍂🎃

Fall is here! Which means pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and so much more! Check out all these local events happening in Douglasville!

Fall Festival & Safety Expo

The 2021 Fall Festival and Safety Expo, sponsored by the Douglasville Police Department is happening on Saturday, October 09, 2021. This event will take place from 10 AM – 4 PM at the Douglasville Police Department, 2083 Fairburn Road, Douglasville, GA. 30135.
This is a FREE Event with vendors, touch-a-truck, K-9 demonstration, costume contest with prizes, kids activities, and more! This is a rain or shine event.

Hunters Harvest Fall Festival

The 5th annual Hunters Harvest Fall Festival and Arts & Craft show at Hunter Park will be held on October 16, 2021 from 11am-3pm at Hunter Park.
This event will feature over 40 vendors from all over West Georgia and Metro Atlanta with varying arts & crafts and food and beverage items. The festival will also include a children’s play zone featuring inflatables and other amenities for $5. Children 3 and under are free inside the play zone.
This events is free and open to the public. All festival attendees are encouraged to wear costumes.

2021 Chili Cookoff

The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/Douglas County is delighted to announce the 25th Annual Chili Cook Off competition in downtown Douglasville on Saturday, October 23rd from 6-9 p.m. This fun-filled fundraising event will be held in conjunction with the Rogue Runners Moonlight Run. All proceeds will benefit the CAC and its programs throughout the year.

OctoberFest

Join us for OctoberFest at the Hawthorne Center gymnasium (at Jessie Davis Park) on October 30 from 11 AM – 4 PM. Activities will include festival games, face painting, cotton candy, inflatables, and much more!

Stay up to date with these, and more exciting events with the Douglasville Calendar!

Something 𝕊𝕋ℝ𝔸ℕ𝔾𝔼 is coming to Douglasville

Calling all Stranger Things fans – Hawkins is making an appearance to downtown Douglasville on Saturday, November 6, 2021 from 6 PM – 11 PM!

Prepare yourself for a journey through a delightful gathering of iconic locations and fan-favorite moments, enjoying one-of-a-kind photo ops and uncovering plenty of thrills along the way. There may also be the occasional trip to the Upside Down. 

But don’t worry – it’s safe…perfectly safe…

Summer fun in Douglasville

Summer is still going strong, and there are still numerous activities in Douglasville that you can take part in!

Church Street Farmers Market

The Farmers Market is here! The Market will run through September 28 in the parking lot of 6730 Church St., Douglasville, GA 30134.

The market will operate Tuesday evenings 3:00 – 7:00 PM rain or shine (unless noted 24 hours prior). For more information, visit the Church Street Farmers Market page on Facebook.

Capture Outside the Lines Public Art Display

The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville | Douglas County (CAC) was proud to partner with the Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) in public art once again. Artists were invited to submit artwork of their explorations throughout Douglasville and Douglas County.

The 2021 “Capture Outside the Lines” Fence Gallery features over 50 works of fine art and photography from 14 local artists. Visit the Fence Gallery at O’Neal Plaza and Hunter Memorial Park!

Douglas County Museum of History & Art

The story of Douglas County, Georgia is deep and rich. From pioneer days to our innovative present, there is a fascinating story to tell.

The museum has multiple exhibit rooms, both special and permanent, that will genuinely surprise and inform. Admission is always free, however donations are appreciated!

For more information, visit their website!

Georgia County Film Trail

Did you know that over 700 movie and television productions have been filmed in Douglas County, GA?

By taking the SELF-GUIDED TOUR arranged by the Douglas County Film Trail, you can visit previously used filming sites that you may recognize from your favorite television and movie productions, like “The Hunger Games”, “Stranger Things”, “The Walking Dead”, “The Founder” and more!

Each marked film site is designated on the Self-Guided Tour Map and is also designated at each physical location with a Film Trail Tour stop sign!

Special Attraction Tickets

We still have many special offers going on for local Atlanta area attractions!

Zoo Atlanta – Whether you’re looking for behind-the-scenes Wild Encounters, a leisurely stroll though The Ford African Rain Forest, or a Scaly Slimy Spectacular experience, Zoo Atlanta offers something for everyone! The Douglasville Welcome Center has discounted Adult, Child and Senior Citizen tickets to Zoo Atlanta available for purchase online!

Use the following link to purchase your Zoo Atlanta tickets: zooatlanta.org/corporatetickets with Promo Code: CDVCVB. Enter the code on the shopping cart page and click “+Apply” button to receive the discounted rate.

Six Flags Over Georgia & White Water – Get your discounted tickets to Six Flags Over Georgia, a 100-acre park with thrilling rides, great shows, and incredible attractions! The Douglasville Welcome Center, which is located at 12385 Veterans Memorial Highway, in downtown Douglasville, now has discounted one-day admission Six Flags tickets, as well as 2 park season passes to Six Flags and White Water*, parking included available for purchase. *White Water tickets cannot be purchased separately, only available in combo passes.

Tickets can only be purchased Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., with cash, check or card.

Georgia Aquarium – View the special savings available on admission, memberships and Swim & Dives! This offer is good for all ages. To receive the discount, all tickets must be purchased from the weblink provided and the discount will be applied at the time of checkout.

Visit Douglasville’s own celebrated with prestigious award.

Samantha Rosado has worked in the hospitality industry since she was 18. She started as a server and worked her way into management. Each of the she’s had taught her aspects critical to growth in the industry.

Rosado currently serves as the Tourism Program Manager for the Douglasville Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).

She said she’s always heard the saying that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.

“I can say that I truly do have a career that I love to do,” she said. “I know that when many enter the tourism industry that they do not leave it. I am confident to say that I find this true for me as well. While I would like to continue to grow in my current position, I am satisfied with my current role as well.”

Rosado said serving on the CVB Advisory Board for several years helped prepare her for her current role with the city.

“I was able to serve under several that were before me, and I think I’ve been able to leverage that experience to my advantage,” she said.

In addition to working full-time, Rosado also has two side businesses. She has owned Imprint to Impress for five years, creating custom items in both large and small quantities. She is also a Color Street Stylist where she leads a team of 13 ladies “as we share 100% real nail polish strips.”

Her favorite technology tool is her Silhouette desktop cutting machine.

“I think it’s fascinating all of the endless possibilities that it can be used for,” she said.

Another tech tool she likes is Procreate, noting that she has seen “many masterpieces drawn out on that iPad with an Apple Pencil.” Her business Imprint to Impress has benefited “immensely” from both tools, she said.

Rosado is also very active in her community. She is currently the president of the Douglas County Rotary Club. She is also the meetings co-chair for the Atlanta Metro Travel Association, which recently gave her the 2020 Board of Directors Award.

She volunteers with Shop with a Cop at Christmas, which she calls “one of my favorite activities that I am involved in.”

She serves HighView Church by working in the nursery. And she has with Keep Douglasville Beautiful.

Rosado has been married for 13 years, and she and her husband have three children.

Douglasville featured in the 2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide

The Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau announced on Monday it is featured in the 2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide. Explore Georgia, the state tourism office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), recently released the new guide to increase visitation and support tourism recovery in the state.  Douglasville, GA is included on page 71.

In time for summer travel planning, the 2021 Explore Georgia Official Travel Guide includes trip ideas for exploration throughout Georgia. Designed by Blue Sky Agency in Atlanta, the guide’s cover features a call to action: EXPLORE. Within each letter, a photo – taken by actual Georgia travelers – provides a glimpse of the state’s most beloved, inspiring, and unexpected destinations. The 2021 Explore Georgia Official Travel Guide is produced in partnership with Atlanta Magazine Custom Media. The guide’s modern, clean design uses the colors within the imagery to offer an engaging visual experience and highlight the wide range of travel experiences across Georgia.

“Georgia’s ‘open for business’ approach and success with vaccinations has given the travel industry the license to operate, meeting a steady increase in demand as travelers convert a year’s worth of pent-up demand into solid travel plans,” said Mark Jaronski, deputy commissioner of tourism at GDEcD. “The 2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide will help us capture this demand and ensure that we provide inspiration and travel planning tools to begin welcoming visitors back to Georgia.”

Explore Georgia promotes the guide via ExploreGeorgia.org, as well as its monthly consumer e- newsletter, social media channels, at each of the nine state-run Visitor Information Centers, and various paid and earned media opportunities. The guide’s editorial content was informed by listening to visitors, input from state tourism partners, leveraging data from the state’s travel website ExploreGeorgia.org, social media performance, as well as traveler sentiment research.

2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide is available for free and can be found at the Douglasville Welcome Center, 12385 Veterans Memorial Hwy., Douglasville, GA 30134.

Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau Awarded Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant

The the Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced it has been awarded a Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant from Explore Georgia, the state tourism office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant program supports marketing efforts to bolster the recovery of Georgia’s tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Douglasville CVB was among 34 tourism entities across 27 counties who received a combined total of nearly $1.5 million in recovery marketing funding as part of this one-time grant program.

Governor Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly approved $1 million in the amended FY21 state budget for tourism recovery. Because of the substantial number of grant applications – from 58 organizations totaling nearly $2.5 million in funding requests – Explore Georgia contributed an additional $1 million from the state tourism marketing budget to fund as many grants as possible. The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing program also includes $500,000 in co-op matching funds, for a total of $2 million in recovery support. 

Douglasville’s recovery marketing campaign consists of several components – including, but not limited to, promoting Douglasville as a destination for Group Travel, using paid social advertising and marketing Douglasville as the premier destination for Sports Tourism.

“Due to the coronavirus (COVID) pandemic, Douglasville saw a decrease in bed tax of 23%. While these numbers are small in comparison to other Destination Marketing Organizations across the state, they’re still substantial,” stated Tourism Program Manager, Samantha Rosado. “It’s time to move forward because the desire for experiences and connections has not changed. The pandemic has only heightened those trends. Traveler expectations may have changed, but the desire to visit new places and explore familiar favorites has not. We are ready to welcome visitors back into our community.”  

“Georgia is a beautiful state and as we continue to recover, I look forward to working alongside our industry partners to promote the state’s incredible tourism assets to travelers across the globe,” said Pat Wilson, commissioner of GDEcD. “These grants are an important tool for our industry organizations, the majority of which are small businesses, to begin their recovery efforts. We are dedicated to rebuilding travel and tourism across our state because Georgia’s diverse economy cannot fully recover until our tourism and hospitality industry is thriving once again.” 

The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant program was designed to provide relief to areas of the state most impacted by the drop in tourism and will fund promotional efforts to aid the travel industry’s recovery in 2021. The grants awarded have prioritized organizations and communities that have experienced the greatest impact from the loss of visitors and subsequent tourism spending during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“As we head into a summer when we expect to see a tremendous reemergence of domestic tourism and the economic prosperity that travel brings, the funding of these grants recognizes the importance of communicating the diversity of visitor experiences across Georgia that are close to home for so many Americans,” said Mark Jaronski, deputy commissioner of tourism at GDEcD. “Thanks to a great working relationship with our destination marketing partners across the state, we believe that we can be most effective in what’s expected to be an incredibly competitive landscape by marketing Georgia to the American public together and complementing the state’s tourism recovery campaign Ready. Set. Georgia.”

The applications were evaluated based on need, quantified by the year-over-year loss in Hotel-Motel Excise Tax collections for the organization, and the change in unemployment in the organization’s county. Grant recipients received 100% of the award amount requested on their applications.

Douglasville celebrates the Power of Travel

National Travel and Tourism Week 2021 (May 2-8) spotlights the collective strength of the U.S. travel industry.

This National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), there is more reason than ever to celebrate the collective strength of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and its dynamic workforce.

The 38th annual NTTW, taking place May 2-8, recognizes the Power of Travel and the critical role our industry will play in bringing back our vibrant communities, restoring the economy, rebuilding our workforce and reconnecting America.

Prior to the pandemic, the travel industry was a powerful economic engine, supporting jobs and driving local economies in every pocket of America. The industry had experienced 107 straight months of growth, generated $2.6 trillion in economic output, supported 17 million American jobs and delivered a $51 billion trade surplus to the U.S.

Here in Douglas County 2,275 jobs were supported within the travel and tourism industry in 2019. Douglas County was directly impacted by $272.47 million in tourist spending. While the unemployment rate was low, at just 3.5%, without the jobs supported by the tourism industry, it would have been 6.6%. Each Douglas County household would need to be taxed an additional $399 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism economic activity.

Unfortunately, that strong growth trend plummeted last year due to the pandemic. Travel spending in the U.S. declined 42%, costing the economy $1.1 trillion, while hardworking Americans supported by travel made up a staggering 65% of all U.S. unemployment.

However, Douglasville – and the travel industry – is resilient.

While we faced extraordinary challenges in the past year, our industry united like never before, lifted each other up, aided one another, and devoted ourselves fully to the task of supporting and restoring all sectors of travel. This year’s NTTW is an opportunity to turn the page to a new chapter in our industry’s story and celebrate its collective power by spotlighting the innumerable ways travel will drive recovery, bring Americans together again, and help define our country’s path forward.

Douglasville is participating in NTTW by having our annual Travel Rally, participating in a Downtown Scavenger Hunt, and hosting a 50/50 raffle.

From West Pines Golf Golf Club to the Douglasville Conference Center, Douglasville’s travel and tourism industry contributes so much to our local economy and our community’s unique character. From all of us at Visit Douglasville, we are so excited to share the full power of our industry – and the strength and spirit of Douglasville – this NTTW.

Explore Georgia Awards Grants to Support Tourism

Explore Georgia, the tourism division within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), announced today that it has awarded $20,000 in tourism product development grants to four new and expanding projects across the state.

“Georgia is an incredibly beautiful state. From the mountains to the coast, and from small towns to metropolitan cities, Georgia has destinations and experiences to satisfy the needs of every traveler, and we’re eager to welcome visitors who are ready to get out and explore,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Safely welcoming more tourists to Georgia will make a significant difference in our economic recovery from COVID-19. We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide our partners with this additional funding.”

Recipients and projects receiving tourism development grants include:

• Food Truck and RV Park, Claxton – A Food Truck Park will be developed in downtown Claxton. Existing greenspace with mature oak trees will have new benches and lighting added to create a pleasant outdoor dining experience. The venue will host a food truck festival and serve as a stop on the 25th annual Cruisin’ in the Countryside bike tour. The 2021 bike tour will be held on November 13. The space will also offer electrical and water hookups for short-term RV visitors, creating lodging downtown.
• “Love Where You Live” Hearts public art, Douglasville – The “Love Where You Live” heart public art project invites local artists to create designs on fiberglass heart sculptures placed around the community. The artists will install painted heart sculptures in high-traffic areas to create photo opportunities for visitors. 
• South Georgia Food & Wine Festival, Jeff Davis County – South Georgia Food & Wine Festival grew from three smaller food truck events in Hazlehurst. The event will feature Georgia Grown foods, craft beer, wine, and music. The 2021 event will be held April 16-17.
• Alleyway Restoration, Toccoa – The Alleyway Restoration project will include restoration work in accordance with historic preservation standards to two alleyways in downtown Toccoa. The alleyways will have bistro lighting added to make the space an outdoor entertainment and event area.

“It’s as important as ever to create and grow tourism products to help aid the recovery of our tourism industry and the broader economy,” said Deputy Commissioner of Tourism Mark Jaronski. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help communities expand and boost their appeal as a destination for tourists, encourage spending in local businesses, create jobs, and restore economic activity.”

The grant’s review panel consists of members from the public and private sector, as well as fellow professionals who are experienced in the tourism industry or the type of grant being reviewed.

About Explore Georgia

Explore Georgia, the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development is the state’s official destination marketing organization. Through its home office in Atlanta, nine visitor information centers, and a network of representatives across the globe, Explore Georgia inspires travel to and within the state. The division works to advance Georgia’s $68.96 billion tourism industry that supports more than 484,000 jobs. Learn more at ExploreGeorgia.org.

About GDEcD

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Visit www.georgia.org for more information.

Georgia’s Tourism industry delivers economic impact to Douglas County in 2019

The Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced today that the Georgia tourism industry generated $274.47 million in direct, domestic traveler expenditures in Douglas County in 2019, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

The study made available through Explore Georgia, the tourism division within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), reported travel and tourism created $11.14 million in state tax revenues and generated $8.48 in local tax revenues for Douglas County and its cities in 2019. Each household in Douglas County would need to be taxed an additional $399 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism activity. The industry also supported more than 2,275 jobs and created $54.87 million in payroll for the county. In 2019, the unemployment rate in Douglas County was 3.5%. Without the jobs supported by the tourism industry, it would have been 6.6%.

“These record-breaking figures from 2019, when Georgia’s tourism generated $68.96 billion in economic impact and supported more than 484,000 jobs, demonstrate the enormous impact the tourism industry has on our economy,” said Mark Jaronski, deputy commissioner for Tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Travel has been important to economic recovery after past recessions. As the state’s tourism office, our goal is to not only rebuild Georgia’s tourism industry back to where it was in 2019, but also beyond by working with our partners statewide to ensure that Georgia is positioned better than ever before across a very competitive, global tourism marketplace.”