Henry Daily Herald

By Valerie Baldowski

vbaldowski@henryherald.com

Visitors to Henry County have a new guide to help them find their way around.

The Henry County Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau has published a 2010 visitor's guide, replacing others printed before this year.

"We have hundreds of visitors to our lobby each year," said Laura Luker, director of tourism and communications for the Chamber. "Whether you are a visitor or a new resident, the guide can help you locate attractions, retail centers, hotels, restaurants, art and entertainment events that they may otherwise have never known about. [It's] a great way to find out about local restaurants that even longtime locals may be unfamiliar with."

The 31-page publication became available in February.

It lists restaurants in McDonough, Stockbridge, Locust Grove, and Hampton, complete with their addresses and phone numbers.

"The Henry County Visitors Guide provides a complete resource for anyone interested in all Henry County has to offer," said Luker. "All major attractions and points of interests are represented in the guide."

The booklet lists local shopping destinations and attractions, including Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Nash Farm Battlefield, the Cubihatcha Nature Center, Noah's Ark Animal Rehabilitation Center, the Starlite Skating Center and Panola Mountain State Park.

Luker said the listings are accompanied by a color-coded map with coordinates referencing the venue locations.

"Since Henry County is large and spread out, this map helps visitors get a sense of what is available in what areas of the county," Luker said.

The guide also lists attractions in the arts and entertainment community, including local acting and dance groups, and musical ensembles.

"The annual calendar of events is an extremely popular piece with both locals and visitors, as it provides a long list of local, inexpensive, family-friendly events," Luker said. "Through this guide, we encourage brides, meeting planners, businesses and family reunions to bring their groups to Henry County to celebrate, meet and stay at one of our wonderful conference centers or hotels."

For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at (770) 957-5786.