Gwinnett County · The I-85 corridor
Buford City Guide
Search the Buford guide
142 entries in the Buford guide, indexed at build time.
Search all of GeorgiaThe Main Street city that grew a megamall.
The Buford City Guide covers the restaurants, events, parks, and things to do across Gwinnett's Main Street city that grew a megamall. Buford splits between historic Main Street downtown and the I-85 frontage around the Mall of Georgia. It is old enough for real street character and new enough to keep building, anchoring the north end of Gwinnett with the lake a short drive away.
Day trips from Buford
The mountains, one road at a time
Drives that genuinely start in or pass through Buford, with distances from published route sources. Each opens a full guide: numbered stops, real miles, parking notes, and a schedule that fits a day.
Train adventures
Day trips by rail
From Buford, the Blue Ridge Railway is the closest scenic train day trip, about 1 hour 40 minutes up US-19 toward the mountains and the Toccoa River run.
Read the scenic rail guideFarm feature
Compton Bell Farms, the agritourism stop on Lanier Islands Parkway
Compton Bell Farms is a family-run agritourism farm on Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford, a short drive from downtown Buford, from Flowery Branch, and from the lake. In the fall it runs a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, wagon and cow train rides, a super mega slide, and alien paintball; in the spring it runs U-pick strawberries. The same family has worked this land for generations, on ground first settled in 1843, and the farm posts its current season on its own site and social pages. The high-level picture is below; the current guide, with this season's hours, fresh prices, what changed since last season, and updates as we verify them, unlocks after a quick signup.
Every fact below was checked against the farm's own website, social pages, and listing profiles, October 2026
Rob Recommends
From his own visit, October 2026Rob recommends Compton Bell Farms as a great family fun place, with one honest note on accessibility: it is not very wheelchair friendly, being very steep and bumpy in places. The tractor ride does have a ramp or caboose for wheelchairs, but transferring is at your own risk.
The attractions
What is on the farm
Corn maze
The signature fall attraction. The farm's own site leads with the corn maze and calls its season family-friendly agritainment: a real walk through standing corn, and the reason most fall visitors come.
Pumpkin patch
Pumpkins picked straight from the patch, the classic October stop of the fall season.
Wagon rides
A tractor-pulled wagon ride around the property, low and easy, and the natural first stop for the youngest visitors who are not ready for the longer walks.
Cow train
A train of small, colorful cow cars that loops the farm, built for little riders and grouped with the wagon rides on the farm's own listing.
Super mega slide
A giant slide, described on the farm's own site as a highlight of the day, and a quick-repeat ride between the maze and the patch.
Alien paintball
A tractor-pulled ride where riders shoot at targets set along a wooded trail, the shooting ride of the season.
U-pick strawberries
The spring season, a picking visit of its own rather than part of the fall day. The published window and the picking details sit in the current guide.
Field trips and group days
The farm books field trips, birthday parties, and group events, with spring field-trip scheduling on its social pages. Booking details sit in the current guide.
Attraction list per the farm's own website, its Georgia Grown member profile, and its social pages, checked October 2026
The farm's history
A family farm on an 1843 land grant
This story begins with white oaks and chestnut trees, native orchards, creeks and hills that roll gently into the lower Appalachian mountains. There were no railroads or dirt roads passing through. Just a trail leading to the Chattahoochee River carved into these woodlands by the Creek and Cherokee Indians. And in 1843, Jonathan Beard, the son of a decorated Revolutionary War soldier, bought, settled, lived and died on 109 acres of a 240-acre land grant initiated by President Andrew Jackson.
In 1928, our granddad and grandmother, Clarence and Jennie Compton bought that same 109 acres, living in the same home on the same farm originally settled by Jonathan Beard, who was Clarence's great, great grandfather. Today the son and daughter of Clarence and Jennie and numerous grandchildren still live on the Compton farm.
And now, almost 200 hundred years later, a parcel of that farm has evolved into Compton Bell Farms, an agritourism park that will always hold a place of honor for our family-line of great grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles who have called the Compton farm home.
From the Compton family's own account of the farm
The fall season
The corn maze and the fall season
The maze is why most fall visitors come, and it is worth planning around. It is a walk through standing corn on farm paths, fully outdoors, so closed-toe shoes and water are part of the kit, and a clear day with a morning start gives the coolest walking.
Fall 2026 and posted hours
Fall 2026 opened Saturday, September 12, per the farm's own social posts. Posted hours are Friday 2-10 PM, Saturday 10 AM-10 PM, and Sunday 11 AM-8 PM, with the farm closed Monday through Thursday.
Seasonal hours have shifted within past seasons, so check the farm's current hours on its own site and social pages before you head out.
Tickets and cost
Tickets go through the farm's own Get Tickets page, and the farm has not published a fixed 2026 price list we could verify. For context, the 2025 season appeared on MazePlay, a United States maze directory, at $18.50 general admission; that is a 2025 third-party figure, not the farm's current price. Expect a per-person admission with paid add-on rides, and confirm the total on the farm's ticket page before you go.
Opening date and hours per the farm's social posts; ticket process and the 2025 comparison per the farm's site and MazePlay, checked October 2026
The spring season
Spring: U-pick strawberries
U-pick strawberries are the spring season, and they are not part of the fall visit. In 2026 the farm's published picking window ran Saturdays, May 2 through June 20, 9 AM to 3 PM, and later in the season its social pages narrowed the weekend windows as the berries thinned out. As of October 2026 the farm says the strawberry season is finished and it is expanding its fields for spring 2027.
How to time a picking visit
Berry windows depend on the crop and the weather. When berries are ready, the farm announces the weekend hours on its social pages, so the best move is to follow the farm there in the weeks before you plan to pick, then confirm the day before.
2026 window per the farm's published spring picking listing; season status and the spring 2027 expansion per the farm's own website, checked October 2026
Getting there
Getting there from the Buford area
From downtown Buford
Head north on Buford Highway (US 23 / State Route 20) and turn onto Lanier Islands Parkway. The farm is a few minutes down the parkway, roughly 3 to 4 miles and about 7 to 10 minutes from Main Street.
From the Mall of Georgia
Take I-85 north to the I-985 split, then I-985 to Exit 8 (Friendship Road), turn left at the light onto Friendship Road, and merge onto Lanier Islands Parkway. Roughly 6 to 7 miles and about 12 to 15 minutes from the mall interchange.
One road leads to the lake
The farm sits on the same parkway that continues about 1.5 to 2 miles further on to the Lake Lanier Islands entrance gate, which makes the drive easy to find: it is the road to the lake, and the farm arrives first.
Getting around Buford: roads, commutes, and the interstate junctionRoute context per the routes published by Lake Lanier Islands and standard driving directions, checked October 2026; distances approximate
Families
Visiting with kids
The farm calls itself family-friendly agritainment, and in practice the attractions split naturally by age. There is no official age list, so the split below is an honest guide for planning, not farm policy.
What suits which age
The cow train and wagon rides suit the littlest visitors, usually toddlers through early elementary. The corn maze and alien paintball tend to work best for older kids and adults who want the full route. The super mega slide sits between the two and draws every age.
Practical notes for a good visit
- Wear closed-toe shoes. Most of the walking is field, dirt, and corn rows.
- Carry water and sunscreen. The outdoor areas sit open to the sun.
- Start early. Saturdays open at 10 AM and Sundays at 11 AM, and the first hours are the calmest.
- Do the maze first, then the rides and the patch, while the legs are fresh.
- Recheck the farm's posted hours the morning you go; the fall schedule has shifted within past seasons.
Age and timing notes are practical guidance, not farm policy; the farm publishes no official age or height guidance, checked October 2026
Straight answers
Quick answers about Compton Bell Farms
When is strawberry season?
Spring. The 2026 window ran Saturdays, May 2 through June 20, and the farm is expanding its fields for spring 2027.
When is the farm open in the fall?
Fall 2026 opened Saturday, September 12. Posted hours are Friday 2-10 PM, Saturday 10 AM-10 PM, and Sunday 11 AM-8 PM, closed Monday through Thursday. Hours shift within the season, so check the current week before you go.
Do we need tickets in advance?
Tickets go through the farm's own Get Tickets page. The farm has not published a verifiable 2026 price list, so confirm the day's availability and total on that page.
What ages is the farm best for?
It is a family farm and the rides are sized for children. The cow train and wagon rides suit the youngest, the maze and alien paintball suit older kids, and the slide draws every age.
Are pumpkins and strawberries available at the same time?
No. Strawberries are the spring season and pumpkins are the fall season, so each visit gets one of the two.
Is this the same as Buford Corn Maze?
No, they are different farms. Buford Corn Maze is a separate operation nearby, so confirm which farm you are heading to before you navigate.
Answers per the farm's own website, social posts, and published listings, checked October 2026
Contact
The farm's phone, website, and address
Compton Bell Farms
Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford- Phone
- (770) 561-0754
- Website
- comptonbellfarms.com
- Address
- 5351 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford, GA 30518
When you call, tell them you found them on CityGuideGA.
Sources and verification
- Farm's own website and its Get Tickets page: attractions, hours, field trips and group bookings, and the spring 2027 field expansion. Checked October 2026.
- Farm's social pages: fall 2026 opening date and posted hours, and the narrowing spring picking windows. Checked October 2026.
- The farm's Georgia Grown member profile: corn maze, wagon rides, cow train rides, pumpkin patch, super mega slide in fall, U-pick strawberries in spring.
- The farm's published spring picking listing: 2026 window, Saturdays May 2 through June 20, 9 AM to 3 PM.
- MazePlay, a United States maze directory: $18.50 general admission for the 2025 season, a historical third-party figure, not a 2026 farm price.
- Lake Lanier Islands published directions: route context from the Buford area, distances approximate.
We keep this guide current and update it as we verify changes. Bookmark this page and check back before your visit.
The Buford guides
Restaurants
Where people actually eat in and around the city. Only open, real places get named.
4 picks in the guide
Explore Restaurants in BufordThings to Do
The anchors of a local week: squares, markets, racing, and the lake.
3 picks in the guide
Explore Things to Do in BufordParks & Outdoors
The green minutes from the city: neighborhood loops to county showpieces.
3 picks in the guide
Explore Parks & Outdoors in BufordBest Pizza
The verified pizza rooms in the city, by name and address.
5 picks in the guide
Explore Best Pizza in BufordThe Buford information shelf
The practical pages for Buford
Buford's questions start with the address check: which county, which school district, who provides the services. These pages answer that directly, with verified facts only.
About
What the city is and how it is governed.Moving to
The practical checklist before you pick an address.New residents
Utilities, registration, and the city services.Government
The mayor, the council, and the public meetings.Schools
The school districts and clusters, by address.Healthcare
The hospitals, urgent care, and clinics.Churches
Real congregations in the area, verified.Libraries
The library branches that serve the city.Jobs
The honest employer map for the city.History
The founding and the story of the city.Senior resources
County and regional services for older residents.The living guide, by category
Play, eat, shop, and get things done
The restaurants, things-to-do, and parks cards above are the category spines. Everything else a routine week touches lives on these pages, each one linked here and every name inside it verified.
Coffee & breakfast
The cafe counters and breakfast tables, verified.Date night
The evening rooms, verified.Business directory
Every verified local business in one place.Home services
The honest trades picture for the area.Farmers market
The market picture, seasons confirmed.Weekend events
The confirmed calendar, with dates.Kids activities
The rooms and parks for the under-12 crowd.Sports
Fields, courts, gyms, and leagues.Swimming
The pools, the lake, and the honest note.Golf
The courses and practice rooms.Shopping
The stores, the grocery, and the centers.Playgrounds
Where the swings actually are.Tennis & pickleball
The verified tennis and pickleball courts.Family fun
Afternoons that work with kids in the car.This weekend
Only confirmed events, or the plain truth.breweries
The downtown taphouses and the corridor pours.Lake Lanier
What locals love
- · Main Street at dusk, when the tables spill onto the sidewalk.
- · Bogan Park pool for a hundred summer afternoons.
- · The downtown store frontage that keeps getting better, year after year.
Straight answers
Questions people actually ask about Buford
Is downtown Buford worth a drive?
Yes. Main Street now holds two steak rooms, a bistro, several taco bars, and coffee late into the evening. Dinner downtown is the county's north-end weekend default.
How far is Lake Lanier?
Fifteen minutes to the top of the lake at Buford Dam, which makes Buford the natural base for aboating and lake dining.
On the calendar
4 events in Buford
Magical Nights of Lights, Buford Holiday Festival & Parade, Halloween Fest at Bogan Park, Fall Festival at The Village at Mall of Georgia
Latest from Buford
Field notes about Buford
New Openings
Living Spaces Buford: Georgia's Largest Furniture Store Now Open
Living Spaces opened June 26, 2026 in Buford off I-85 near the Mall of Georgia, the retailer's first East Coast store and Georgia's largest furniture store.
Fall Guide
Fall festivals across Gwinnett and nearby counties
Gwinnett's fall festival season runs hard from late September through late October: the county fair, the town festivals, the corn maze, and the pumpkin runs.
Fall Guide
Buford and Lake Lanier fall guide
Buford sits where Lake Lanier begins: the corn maze season, the fall weekends at Lanier Islands, and the color drive to Buford Dam and back.
New in the Area
What opened in Gwinnett in 2026: the freshness list
The openings that changed the county's map in 2026, from a first Brazilian steakhouse to a first-in-the-state fashion anchor.
Eat & Drink
A first night out on the I-85 corridor
Downtown Buford, a Suwanee green, and a Braselton square: one honest evening across Gwinnett's north end.
Thinking about moving to Buford? Explore Rob Dietrich's Buford real-estate guide.
This is an editorial guide, not a listings site. Updated September 17, 2026. Real-estate guidance on this page is provided by Rob Dietrich, REALTOR® with eXp Realty, LLC.
City comparisons
Buford vs the surrounding cities
Verified side-by-side pages: commute, schools, cost of living, taxes, home prices, recreation, and local character, each with a straight verdict on which one fits you. Every fact carries its source and verification date.
Other city guides
Every covered city runs its own guide: orientation, real picks, parks, and the rhythm of a week. The full A to Z list, with the coverage map, lives on the cities page.