Historic Athens Welcome Center
Welcome to the Historic Athens Welcome Center, your gateway to exploring the rich history and vibrant culture of Athens, Georgia. Located at 280 E Dougherty St, this charming center is not only one of the last remaining historic homes in the area, dating back over 200 years, but also serves as a hub for visitors looking to dive deep into what makes Athens unique. With a stellar rating of 4.7 stars, our center is dedicated to providing an informative and enjoyable experience for everyone who walks through our doors. Our knowledgeable staff is eager to guide you through Athens’ dynamic history, from its roots in music and arts to its significant landmarks. Join one of our popular shuttle tours, where enthusiastic guides like Kevin and Paul bring the city's stories to life, showcasing iconic spots related to renowned bands such as R.E.M. and The B-52’s. Visitors rave about our personalized tours, highlighting how our guides make every excursion not just informative but also entertaining and memorable. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a local exploring the city anew, the Historic Athens Welcome Center promises insights that will enrich your understanding of this vibrant community. Open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, we invite you to stop by and discover all that Athens has to offer. Our carefully curated resources and friendly atmosphere ensure that you leave with a deeper appreciation for this historic city. For more information, feel free to give us a call at (706) 353-1820 or visit our website at athenswelcomecenter.com. Come and see why countless visitors have rated us so highly – we can’t wait to welcome you!
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Reviews & Questions
Google Reviews
Nicole McGowan
Had an excellent time learning about the city of Athens during the shuttle tour. The guide was extremely knowledgeable about all things Athens. I see the city with a new perspective when I drive around now. I recommended the tour to my son who is a student there. Thank you for your time!
simonsbuddy
Kevin was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide who was able to field all questions and make the tour an amusing, entertaining and very personal experience for me on my first visit to Athens Georgia with more questions than we had time for in an hour and a half tour. I recommend this tour to all first time Athens visitors, although I will advise that it could be physically strenuous (especially in the heat of summer) for those who are not comfortable with a hike. The terrain is not demanding, but there are some hills (although this is not San Francisco!!) and there’s a lot of walking—of course because it’s a walking tour! It would be fun to do this on scooters or by bicycle, and perhaps cover some more territory around UGA. Finally, for those who are aficionados of the 70s 80s and 90s music scene in Athens and the bands that were spawned in that environment, I highly recommend Paul Butchart’s walking tour of Athens music haunts. Paul is a very knowledgeable tour guide, as he LIVED the scene. He was present from the beginning and personally knows all the players. He was at the house parties. He was at the initial 40 Watt Club. Paul was the drummer in one of the seminal Athens bands of the 70s—The Side Effects, who toured alongside REM and Pylon up and down the East Coast in the late 70s and early 80s. And while you’re here, be sure to go to the UGA special collections museum at Baxter and N. Newton streets for the exhibit of house party photos and art.
Karin Briller
REM and The B52’s tour of Athens, Georgia. On 7/2 I , myself, and my stepson took an amazing tour today with Paul. He took us around Athens to point out all the pertinent spots relating to the bands REM and The B52’s. He was very knowledgeable and the tour was very interesting.
Bryan O'Neal
I lived close to Athens for many years but this is the first time I visited the Historic Athens Welcome Center. This house is one of the last original houses in Athens and it is over 200 years old and you can walk though it. Plus they have a little gift shop and a lot of great brochures on things to do in Athens and other surrounding areas. If this is your first time to Athens, GA or if you’ve been before it’s worth stopping because you may learn something you didn’t know before.
Ileana Gonzalez
The guide was fairly knowledgeable and personable. The tour includes some interesting stories about Athens, hitting the highlights, plus the old campus of UGA. I found it worthwhile and worth the price.
LISA GANES
Our party of four took the walking tour of Athens last Saturday morning. Logan was awesome! Full of historical info, her enthusiasm and just her fun quirky self made the tour very enjoyable!! We saw many old buildings downtown and on the UGA campus. The home housing the welcome center was a treasure, too. Very reasonably priced tour! Thank you!!
Jill Fernandez
Visiting Athens for the first time, the Historic Athens tour was a great experience and easy way to see and learn about the town’s history. Our tour guide Chris was enthusiastic and friendly.
Robert Mol
We had a great host, and the house tour was informative and interesting. Unfortunately, the van tour was a bust. The van was full, the circulation fans in the back are loud, and we could only hear perhaps 20% of what was said. For at least some of us in the last few rows, the tour was a miss. My advice is to avoid the trip if there are more than 7 or 8 people going, unless management addresses the problem.
Mary Woodson
Quaint area with history. Many fliers on local goings on. Great info, a small offering of local wares, incredibly helpful staff. They provide tours, rain or shine. A must to stop in. Grab Athens Queer Map while you're in!
michele baker
So much history in Athens! It was so nice doing the tour and seeing and hearing about all the details. Very well done!
