Villa Rica hosted the first gold strike in the state of Georgia - in fact, that's how it got its name. Today, the city's bustling downtown, landscaped residential areas and prosperous business districts offer few clues to the fact that it was once at the center of a gold rush. That said, if you look a little closer - as, invariably, you will if you're in the market for local homes for rent - there are some telltale signs of Villa Rica's past. For instance, drive down Industrial Boulevard and you'll pass Gold Dust Park, and if you find yourself at The Mill amphitheater on New Year's Eve, you can expect to witness the annual Gold Nugget Drop.
A former gold rush city wouldn't be complete without a museum paying homage to that time in its history, and for Villa Rica, that's Pine Mountain Gold Museum - complete with authentic miner trails. Meanwhile, the Main Street area of downtown is the place to go for shopping, dining and congregating with the community.