Listen to the tour introductionA short audio preview of this tour
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Hi there and welcome to this UCPlaces Where-to-Live tour of Hartwell, Georgia! My name is Shelly and I’ll be showing you around this fun town on behalf of agent Travis Halbrook. With over 20 years of experience in new home construction, renovation, land development, and real estate investing, Travis can show you all the ins and outs of both home buying and Hart County as a whole! Also Travis is a full-time Hartwell Resident, so clearly he loves it here, just like you are bound to as well. After the tour, give Travis Halbrook a call at 706-949-1719. You can also visit his website travishalbrook.georgiamls.com. For now though, let’s get you acquainted with this historic American town!
We will be starting out in the historic downtown district of Hartwell so please meet me at the corner of Athens and Howell Street where we will be heading east.
Top landmarks and attractions included in this English self-guided 1h:07m driving tour in Hartwell
For the best experience, begin at the tour's recommended starting point and follow the stops in order.
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Need to detour or skip a stop along the way? Tap Tour Assistant () to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
Route Preview
Places (POIs) visited during this tour
Place 1
Welcome to Hartwell, Georgia! Recommended starting point
Distance: 0.25 mi · Attraction: Welcome!
10 E Howell St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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And here we go!
Named after Nancy Hart, a heroine of the Revolutionary War noted for her exploits against British Loyalists in the Georgia backcountry, Hartwell was built on the fiercely independent spirit of America. Incorporated in 1856, the historic town is now home to 4,200 hard working good hearted folks, and they’re all happy to have you here! With Lake Hartwell to the North, Hartwell Speedway to the Southeast, and the Hartwell Dam out East, there’s plenty to see and do here in Hart County!
For now though, let’s get a closer look at Hartwell proper. East Howell Street (the road we’re on now) goes right through the center of town.
Distance: 0.11 mi · Attraction: Restaurants
238 E Howell St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Taking a right onto N Jackson St., and then your next left puts you on Depot Street, a quintessential smalltown road lined with several shops and restaurants like Downtown Cafe and Chicago Steakhouse! If you hadn’t yet gotten that smalltown-feel, Depot St. is sure to evoke it from you! Cruise back on down to this idyllic part of town again when you get a chance!
Distance: 0.09 mi · Attraction: Directions
334 E Howell St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Take a left onto Carolina Street, and continue on up to East Howell, then take a right!
Place 4
Southern Hart Brewing/Sublime Axe Throwing
Distance: 0.28 mi · Attraction: Brewery/Axe Throwing
334 E Howell St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Taking a right back onto East Howell Street we have the first of two lively attractions here in Hartwell’s downtown: Southern Hart Brewing! Stop by for a craft beer and custom beef burger while watching a game!
Now, you probably shouldn’t mix craft beer and the main activity at this next location, but Sublime Axe Throwing offers one of the coolest activities for happy campers and frustrated travelers alike! Stop in and test your skills, or simply sit back and enjoy the multitude of sharp objects being hurled through the air!
After you are done checking out this quaint downtown area, please turn right on Benson Street.
Distance: 0.27 mi · Attraction: Library
110 Benson St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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On your right is the Hart County Library. It was founded in 1938 but check this out - in 2016 it was awarded the title of Georgia Public Library of the Year. Yup. This little library right here.
Please turn left on College Avenue so we can go see a… well, an Elementary School.
Distance: 0.56 mi · Attraction: School
52 5th St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Welcome to Hart County High School, home of the Bulldogs! This is where the school system’s motto “#OneHartBeat” really starts to come into focus. Stay on 5th until you can turn left into the parking lot. I want to take you past the football field, the tennis courts, the oval track and the baseball fields. This road will also take you to Hart County Middle School which is our next stop.
Distance: 0.57 mi · Attraction: School
173 Powell Rd, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Looking for more Bulldogs? Great! The Hart Middle Schools mascot is also the Bulldog! Let’s turn right on Fairview Street. I want to take you past a shopping center, to a dog park, a botanical garden, and a golf course. How about that?
Distance: 0.61 mi · Attraction: Shopping Center
716 Fairview St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Let’s turn left on Benson Street. Are you enjoying your drive? I am! After you turn left you will find “The Village” on the right. In there you’ve got a grocery store, a Mexican Restaurant and a few other shops as well.
Distance: 0.97 mi · Attraction: Garden and Dog Park
1277 Elberton Hwy, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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See the sign up on the left that says Hart County Recreation and Parks? Well that’s the entrance to the Hart County Recreation Complex. Notable attractions on the Complex grounds are two of Hartwell’s more calming points of interest.
If you’ve got a furry friend with you, the Hartwell Dog Park will surely get their tail wagging! Dog parks are among the happiest places in the world, and Hart County’s version is no different. Heartwarmingly, in 2019 the park was dedicated to Dan Reyen, a late Hart County Commissioner who had a soft spot for dogs.
At the same address you’ll also find a tranquil pocket of natural beauty: The Hartwell Botanical Gardens. Covering almost 7 acres of curated landscape, the Botanical Garden is bespeckled with bridges, water features, an outdoor pavilion, and multiple different gardens. Open free to the public year-round from dawn to dusk, the Botanical Garden is an enjoyable retreat for folks of all ages! We haven’t arrived at the Golf Course, so keep driving.
Distance: 3.32 mi · Attraction: Golf Course
2159 Elberton Hwy, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Continuing the natural theme that permeates Hart County is the serene Cateechee.
Pull into the parking lot to our right and you'll see the expansive grounds of the lodge that include various amenities and venues for both indoor and outdoor events, such as a rentable Lake House, gyms, conference rooms, and more!
Certainly not the least of what Cateechee has to offer, is its extremely spacious golf course. Where most courses are developed on less than 250 acres of land, Cateechee is framed by the 420 acres of forests and meadowland upon which the lodge stands. Architect Mike Young purposefully designed the course to make use of its space, and its features include dramatic elevation changes, and stunning panoramic views of the natural landscape.
Pretty awesome, right? Let’s head back north on Elberton Highway so I can show you the Hartwell Marina. We are going to go back through the downtown area so if you need to make a pit-stop, that would be a great time to do so. Then we will keep heading north.
Distance: 1.04 mi · Attraction: Pop Quiz
1016 N Forest Ave, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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It’s time for a pop quiz.
We visited the Hartwell Public Library earlier in the tour. What award did it receive in 2016? Georgia Public Library of the Year
Next question. What is the mascot for Hart High School? Bulldogs
Bonus question - What is the mascot for Hart Middle School? Also Bulldogs
Final Bonus Question - What is the mascot for Hart Elementary School? If you said Bulldogs you would be incorrect. It is actually the BullPUPS. Thanks for paying attention.
Keep heading north. We are almost to the marina.
Place 13
Hartwell Marina
Distance: 2.51 mi · Attraction: Marina
Forest Ave, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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A significant contributor to the natural beauty of Hart County, Lake Hartwell up ahead is where a bunch of the fun in Hart County is had. The entryway to all of your lake life dreams is here as well: the Hartwell Marina!
A full service marina complete with boat slips, experienced technicians, boat sales, and more, you don’t even need to own a boat as there are plenty of powered pontoon boats you can rent! Coming to spend the day? A store full of snacks, soft drinks and marine supplies along with heated and cooled restrooms are there to ensure your comfort during your outing!
Stop by for a cruise, or, if you’re here between Memorial Day and Labor Day, head to The Boathouse Grill for one of their signature bird dogs or other sweet treats!
Ok, I’ve got one more pretty neat thing to show you so let’s head back toward downtown where we will then be making our way to East Franklin Street and then heading east out of town.
Distance: 3.58 mi · Attraction: Directions
370 E Franklin St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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You might be wishing you had some ice cream right about now. Good thing there’s a Dairy Queen up ahead. Just saying.
Place 15
Watsadler Campground/Big Oaks Recreation Area
Distance: 2.86 mi · Attraction: Campground
3941 Anderson Hwy, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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It won’t be long now until we reach our final destination. I do want to point out though, that there is a great campground and recreation area coming up.
Watsadler Campground is open year round and is Hartwell’s most popular camping destination. It’s right on Hartwell Lake, so of course it has a great boat launching facility. You will also find playgrounds, docks, restrooms, picnic areas, swimming features, etc etc etc. It’s a great campground!
Just past Watsadler is Big Oaks Recreation Area, and this is the place to be. The area hosts many special events throughout the year, like the Pre-Fourth Fireworks and the Hartwell Dam Run. That reminds me. The last stop on our tour is the Hartwell Dam and we are almost there. Stay tuned!
Distance: 0.44 mi · Attraction: Dam
US-29, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA
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Our final stop on our tour of Hartwell, the Hartwell Dam is the conduit through which the town’s growth was spurred. Take your next left and you will find a parking lot and recreation center for you to stop at and take it all in!
Authorized for construction by the Flood Control Act of 1950, the Hartwell Dam and Reservoir was built in large part for the purpose of flood control in the Savannah River Basin. Along with its construction came the creation of Lake Hartwell, and hundreds of megawatts of clean energy! How much energy, you ask? It has an installed capacity of 421 MW, which is like if you had 84,200,000 hamsters running on exercise wheels!
Thankfully, no hamsters are working within the Walls of Hartwell Dam, so walk out to the edge of the water, breathe in the fresh air, and take in all that Hart County has to offer!
And just like that our tour-time together is done. Give Travis Halbrook a call at 706-949-1719 and let him know what you liked! You can also visit his website travishalbrook.georgiamls.com
I hope you enjoyed this tour as much as I did, and I hope you have the best day ever. So long!
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What's included?
A self-guided audio tour taken via the UCPlaces app [iOS (iPhone) / Apple CarPlay / Android / Android Auto].
Tour route map and in-app GPS navigation (via the UCPlaces app).
Audio stories for places visited during the tour.
Apple CarPlay connection (iOS users) and Android Auto connection (Android users); for a seamless driving tour experience.
What's NOT included?
Earphones (highly recommended).
Smartphone.
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Tickets to the attractions on your tour.
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Have any questions about this tour? Or a general travel / self-guided tours question? That's completely natural
How long does this tour take?
Most travelers complete this tour in approximately 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on pace, time spent at each stop, and optional detours. Having said that, please remember that self-guided tours are extremly flexible (you can start, pause, continue anytime) and everyone has their own pace.
What does this tour include?
This self-guided driving tour includes 16 stops, covering top attractions such as Welcome to Hartwell, Georgia!, Downtown Restaurants, Directions, Southern Hart Brewing/Sublime Axe Throwing, Hart County Library.
Where does the tour start?
The tour starts at Welcome to Hartwell, Georgia! (Address: 10 E Howell St, Hartwell, GA 30643, USA). You can begin the tour there or join from any stop along the route.
What type of tour is this?
This is a self-guided driving tour designed to be completed by car, covering scenic routes, city highlights and optional key stops.
Can I do this tour at my own pace?
Yes, this is a self-guided driving tour, so you can start anytime and explore at your own pace. You can pause, skip stops, or spend more time at places that interest you. You can even split it into multiple days. Explore however feels right for you. The only vaiables that might affect your pace are speed limits and traffic congestion.
Do I need a car for this tour?
Yes, this is a driving tour, designed to be completed by car, with stops spread across different locations connected by a driving route.
Do I need anything in order to take the tour?
There are two things that you need - 1. A mobile phone (with the UCPlaces app installed and active location services, and a cellular data plan with a decent signal for downloading the tour). 2. A car. Here are some recommendations for a great experience: 1. Make sure your phone is fully charged and bring a charging cable for your car. 2. Connect your phone to the car speaker system via bluetooth or use our CarPlay/Android Auto option for the best experience.
How will I navigate from point to point during the tour?
The tour uses GPS-based navigation through the UCPlaces app, with automatic audio playback and step-by-step directions between stops. This works great either directly from your phone, or while connected to your car's multimedia system and using our CarPlay or Android Auto options. Just follow the route and listen to the audio guide. Use the resume feature to continue from where you recently stopped (or closed the app). Easily skip or go back to stops.
What known landmarks and main sites does this tour have?
The top landmarks and main sites on this tour include Hart County Botanical Gardens & Hartwell Dog Park, Catachee-Lake Hartwell, Hartwell Dam, Hart County Library, Hartwell Marina and Watsadler Campground/Big Oaks Recreation Area. In total, the tour has 16 points of interest along the route.
Is this tour suitable for families or groups?
Yes, self-guided tours are ideal for families and small groups, allowing everyone to explore comfortably without being tied to a fixed schedule.
What makes a self-guided tour better than a guided tour?
Self-guided tours are more flexible, affordable, and personalized. You can avoid crowds, choose your pace, and focus on the stops that interest you most.
I installed the app and it's now asking for GPS and media access permissions, why?
The app is your tour-guide, it needs to know where you are located on the map to be able to trigger the points of interest. It also needs access to audio and media files to provide you with this experience.
What happens if there are unexpected roadblocks or navigation issues?
We have been working hard to deliver a great experience. Though you may run into unexpected obstacles (the world is constantly changing), our app has multiple features and mechanisms in place to help you overcome them, including: AI assistance, force play an audio if you can't reach the stop, skip or return to stops, automatic rerouting and more.
Can I take the tour in my language?
Though all of our tours are primarily in English, many tours are multilingual (including: Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Hebrew, French, Arabic and more...). The tour language options depend on the specific tour - You can easily check which languages are available in the tour screen!
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) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
