Lawrenceville is a city in Georgia, on the outskirts of Metro Atlanta.
Understand
Lawrenceville came into being on December 15, 1821 and is the county seat of Gwinnett County, which was formed exactly 3 years prior. Lawrenceville was the second city founded in the greater Atlanta area. The location for the original town square was chosen due to its close proximity to multiple springs.
Lawrenceville was named after Captain James Lawrence who was commander of the frigate Chesapeake. During a battle with H. M. S Shannon on June 1, 1813, off the coast near Boston, Massachusetts captain Lawrence was mortally wounded. His dying words were, "Don't give up the ship."
In 1978 Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler Magazine, was shot on the Lawrenceville courthouse square allegedly by Joseph Paul Franklin.
Get in
By plane
- Gwinnett County Airport (IATA: LZU Briscoe Field), 33.978056°, -83.9625°. There is no regular passenger service into Lawrenceville but there is a large general aviation airport that charter flights can fly into. It has a 6,000 foot runway with two FBOs supplying both 100LL and Jet-A fuel.
- Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL) is 40 miles southeast of Lawrenceville in Atlanta. There are several ways to get from Hartsfield-Jackson to Lawrenceville:
- Take Interstate 85 North through Atlanta, taking exit 106 onto GA-316 E towards Lawrenceville.
- Drive east on US-78 through Atlanta and Decatur then take GA-124/Scenic Highway in Snellville north directly into downtown Lawrenceville.
- Take the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Gold line north to the Doraville station to transfer onto the Gwinnett County Transit Express Bus Route 103 to Sugarloaf Mills then head southeast on Sugarloaf Parkway.
By Car
Travel north on Interstate 85 from Atlanta taking exit 106 onto GA-316. Travel east on GA-316 to Highway 20 and turn right.
Get around
- Gwinnett County Transit is Gwinnett's public bus service. They provide routes around Lawrenceville and Gwinnett as well as express routes to MARTA stations closer to Atlanta.
More information on transportation in Lawrenceville and Gwinnett can be found at the Gwinnett County government's website.
See
- Fallen Heroes Memorial, 75 Langley Drive. On the grounds of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. +1 770 822-8000. 13 black granite markers immortalize Gwinnett residents who died in service to their country (both military and public safety service) as well as those who impacted American history, listing their names in no order and without rank.
- Gwinnett Historic Courthouse, 185 Crogan Street, +1 770 822-5450. Open Monday - Saturday 10AM - 4PM, closes at 2PM on Saturdays. Part of the National Register of Historic Places, the courthouse has erected in 1885. The exterior sports a clock tower and a turret with a balcony. The inside contains the Gwinnett Veterans Council War Memorial Museum open to self-guided tours. The courtyard and pavilion play host to weddings, the Annual Lighting of the Tree, and Moonlight and Music summer concerts.
- Gwinnett History Museum, 455 South Perry Street, +1 770 822-5178. Open Monday - Thursday, 10AM - 4PM. Registered in the National Register of Historic Places, the Gwinnett History Museum is hosted inside the Lawrenceville Female Seminary. One of the oldest buildings of Lawrenceville, the structure is over 150 years old.
Do
- Alexander Park 800 Old Snellville Highway. +1 770 822-5414. Open sunrise until sunset. Alexander park includes a playground, a 1.4 mile multipurpose trail, a small fishing lake with piers, and an 18-hole disc golf course (dead link: June 2020). The playground was built within the last five years and has swings, a boulder structure, two large structures, and multiple slides. The disc golf course has a practice putting basket and 18 holes with both beginner and regular tees adding up to 56 par depending on the current basket pin positions. The course has a mix of wooded and open holes. There are 3 pavilions, one of which is equipped with a grill. This is a very well-maintained and new park spanning over 91 acres.
- Aurora Theatre, 128 East Pike Street, +1 678 226-6222. The Aurora is located in downtown Lawrenceville and hosts shows and plays every weekend as well as classes during the week. Shows are performed by local actors. Show times and prices vary.
- Collins Hill Golf Club 585 Camp Perrin Road. +1 770 237-5647. Collins Hill Golf Club sports a driving range, pro shop, clubhouse, and 18-hole golf course. Non-resident walk-ins cost $35 a round or $29 if reserved online. There are many other cheaper rates depending on time, residency, and age.
- Collins Hill Park and Aquatics Center, 2000 Collins Hill Road. Info/rentals: +1 678 277-0855. Aquatics Center: +1 770 237-5647. Open sunrise until 11PM. On over 95 acres, this park has a collection of seven baseball/softball fields, a football field, sand volleyball courts, playgrounds, 1.5 miles of trail, a fishing lake, and an aquatics center with an outdoor leisure pool and indoor competition pools. Entrance and parking are free.
- Dave and Buster's, 5900 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Suite 441. Open Sunday - Thursday 11:30am - Midnight, Friday - Saturday 11:30am - 1:00am. Located in Sugarloaf Mills, D&B hosts a bar, grill, bowling alley, billiards room, and hundreds of arcade style games. Rates vary, budget around $25 for a day of games and food.
- Freeman's Mill Park, 1401 Alcovy Road, +1 770 822-8840. This park includes a large, modern playground, 0.5 miles of paved trail, and an intact historic mill.
- Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, +1 678 277-0300. Home of the Gwinnett Stripers, top minor-league team of the Atlanta Braves, Coolray Field is a minor league baseball stadium located north of downtown Lawrenceville towards I-85. Ticket prices range from $6 lawn seating to $170 anytime box tickets.
- Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation. Boasts 46 county parks and facilities, several of which are in Lawrenceville (and all are within a short drive's range). Do not leave your car parked in any park past dark. Free admission to all parks.
- Medieval Times 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway. Shows every weekend. Medieval Times provides dinner and a show for the whole family. Admission includes an old-style chicken meal and a medieval themed performance that includes jousting and sword-fighting. Adult tickets are $51.95, child tickets are $35.95.
- Painting With a Twist 178 East Crogan Street Suite 230. +1 678 226-4970. Varying times with private booking available. Here you can attend painting sessions in a relaxed studio. Visitors are encouraged to "bring your favorite people, munchies, bottle of wine or other favorite beverage" to be guided by artists and have a care-free painting session. Other events include family days, private parties, and days that benefit charity.
- Rhodes Jordan Park 100 East Crogan Street. Gym/info: +1 678 277-0890. Pool: +1 678 277-0892. Open sunrise until 11PM. Rhodes Jordan Park is over 162 acres and has 1.9 miles of multipurpose paved trail. There is a recreation center, gymnasium, indoor pool, outdoor aquatics park, seven baseball/softball fields, eight lit tennis courts, a football field, outdoor basketball court and large fishing lake. The playground and adjacent pavilion and grills was constructed in 2011 and is very large and well-maintained.
- Lawrenceville Ghost Tours. Tours begin at the Aurora Theatre, 128 Pike Street. +1 678 226-6222. Tours are every Friday and Saturday May through September at 8:30 PM. and every night in October at 7:30 PM. Explore Lawrenceville's haunted past on a ghost tour through downtown Lawrenceville. Adult tickets are $12, Children are $9.
Buy
- The Shoppes at Webb Gin (dead link: December 2020) 1350 Scenic Highway. +1 770 978-5692. The Shoppes at Webb Gin is a form of plaza/strip mall with a collection of eateries and stores. Parking is free. Shopping and dining are moderately upscale.
- Sugarloaf Mills, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway (between Duluth Highway and I-85, just off of Exit 108), 33.9808°, -84.0807°, +1 678 847-5000. The mall includes over 180 stores and kiosks as well as an AMC 18 movie theater. The mall is structured in a loop with the food court linking to two parts in the middle. There is parking surrounding the mall as well as a parking deck; all parking is free. 2018-08-20
Eat
- Biba's Italian Restaurant, 4850 Sugarloaf Pkwy, +1 770 277-3666. Fine Italian dining and full bar in a casual environment. Excellent and quick service. Every meal comes with the best rolls in Lawrenceville (citation needed). Entrees around $15, desserts around $5.
- Dominic's, 197 West Crogan Street, +1 770 277-8477. Lunch served Monday through Friday 11AM - 2PM. Dinner times vary, Monday - Thursday 5PM - 9:30PM, Friday 5PM - 10PM, Saturday 11AM - 10PM, Sunday 5PM - 9PM. Dominic's is an Upscale Italian restaurant located in the Rhodes Jordan building on the Courthouse Square in downtown. Dominic's serves lunch and dinner and has an extensive wine list. Free wi-fi is available. Entrees are about $15 - $25.
- La Cazuela, 179 West Crogan Street, +1 770 682-3481. Family restaurant that serves Mexican-style food. $5.95 lunch combos, dinner is around $10.
- Little Barn. 60 East Pike Street, between Rhodes Jordan Park and Buford Highway/US-20. +1 770 962-1367. Breakfast served Monday through Saturday 5:30AM - 11AM, lunch from 11AM - 2PM. This excellent family-run restaurant is housed in a large red barn. Little Barn boasts its large biscuits, Brunswick stew, and classic Southern gravy and sweet tea (available for purchase by the gallon). Drive-thru and dine-in options. If the main parking lot is full, there is a gravel lot just above the main lot. Biscuits are around $2 each, barbeque sandwiches $3.
- McCray's Tavern, 100 N Perry Street, +1 770 407-6754. McCray's is a classic American sports bar and grill in downtown. Dining options include regular seating, booths, a bar, and tables on the roof that overlook the town square. Expect to pay around $20 to $30 for a full meal.
- Oyster Bay Seafood Cafe, 125B Crogan Street, +1 770 910-7521. Open 11AM - 10PM weekdays, until 11PM Friday and Saturday, and closing at 9 PM on Sundays. This is a Florida-style seafood and oyster restaurant and bar in downtown with a seaside bar vibe. Oysters are around $11 a dozen; budget around $20 per meal.
- Peachtree Cafe, 50 South Clayton Street, +1 678 377-8745. Peachtree Cafe serves breakfast foods such as Belgian Waffles as well as specialty burgers. Breakfast is about $5; dinner is around $10.
Drink
The City of Lawrenceville's zoning laws designates that establishments that serve alcohol must be primarily restaurants. There are no typical "bars" or "clubs" in Lawrenceville.
Sleep
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