Dahlonega, Georgia

Gold turned up here in 1828, about two decades before California, and thousands of prospectors poured into Cherokee land. The most-told version credits Benjamin Parks, a deer hunter who tripped over a gold-bearing rock a couple of miles south of today's town. The town's name comes from a Cherokee word for yellow or gold. The rush put heavy pressure on the Cherokee Nation's territory and fed the removal that followed.

So much gold was coming out of the ground that Congress opened a branch of the U.S. Mint here in 1838. It coined more than $6 million in gold before the Civil War ended it in 1861. The University of North Georgia's Price Memorial Hall now stands on the mint's site, topped by a steeple gilded with local gold.

The visitors bureau counts eight wineries and 12 tasting rooms in the Dahlonega area, with seven tasting rooms downtown. Hours change by season, so check each winery before you drive out.

Everything radiates from the square, a National Register historic district around the old courthouse. The Smith House, at 84 South Chestatee Street, has served family-style Southern meals since 1922 under the same family; its September hours were Tuesday to Thursday 11 to 3, Friday and Saturday 11 to 7:30 and Sunday 11 to 3, so call (706) 725-8148 for fall hours. Live music happens at Canopy + the Roots, 53 West Main Street, with a fall schedule that runs through December.

Dahlonega is about 27 miles and 45 minutes from Helen, through Cleveland. Past the square, the Appalachian Trail's southern terminus at Springer Mountain is in the national forest to the west; see our Appalachian Trail page. For the full rundown, see our Dahlonega visitor guide.