GA 347 extends 13 miles through Hall and Gwinnett Counties with the vast majority of the mileage in Hall County. Originally a spur to Lake Lanier Islands, the route today extends much further than the original route, extending from GA 211 north of I-85 in Braselton to I-985 in Rest Haven on the way to the islands. GA 347 terminates where the roadway enters the islands.

GA 347 is known by several local names. On the western portion, the route is known as Holiday Road. The section from GA 13 (Old U.S. 23) east to Thompsons Mill Road is known as Friendship Road and the remainder is known as Thompsons Mill Road. The only unnamed portion is the section from GA 13 to where Holiday Road (Old GA 347) rejoins the route.

The once mostly rural highway is feeling the effects of suburban sprawl with significant development along the Thompsons Mill Road and Friendship Road portions of the route near I-985. GA 347 also carries significant resort and recreational traffic to the Lake Lanier Islands, which includes a major beach and water park.

GA 347 first appeared on the state highway system in 1963. Extending from then U.S. 23, the highway was a mere 3.4 miles long extending along Holiday Road ending at the islands. The western terminus is a bit vague, because maps show it dead-ending, but the road shown is a gated community and the end signage is posted as the main road enters the islands.

The original GA 347, locally known as Holiday Road, was a very short route extending off of U.S. 23 and ending at Lake Lanier Islands (1964 GHD Map).

In 1968, GA 347 was extended east to the then under construction GA 365 (present-day I-985). Although the freeway was not yet complete, the highway was still designated in advance of its opening. The extension created a short overlap with U.S. 23 to get to Frienship Road, which was the route GA 347 was designated to follow to the then new GA 365.

By 1969, GA 347 was already extended to GA 365 (present-day I-985), which was still only partially completed. Note that the map displays the very short overlap with U.S. 23/GA 13 (1969 GHD Map).

GA 347 remained static for almost three decades after, but it was the changes made in 1997-98 that were the most drastic. In 1997, GA 347 was tripled in length, taking over the remainder of Friendship Road and part of Thompsons Mill Road to end at GA 211 near Braselton. State takeovers of county roads in the past 20 years have been very rare, and the logic for this extension is not easily understood in a county that already has excessive state highway mileage. Regardless, new route and warning signs were installed, completing the transition from Hall and Gwinnett County roads to state route.

In 1997, GA 347 was extended east for 9 miles to GA 211. This took over two separate county roads and tripled the length of the highway (2005 GDOT Map).

Meanwhile, the original route of GA 347 was undergoing substantial changes of its own with work well underway on GA 786, which upon completion in 1998, became a new alignment for GA 347 from the western end of Friendship Road westward back into Holiday Road near the western end. The goals of the new alignment were to eliminate the dogleg along GA 13 and to create a railroad grade separation over the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The previous highway crossed over the railway, and was permanently closed from the crossing to McEver Road when the new route opened. As a result, most of original GA 347 has been decommissioned, but is still known as Holiday Road on both disjointed sections.

Sprawl along GA 347 will ultimately lead to further improvements, and a section of new four-lane roadway connecting to Hog Mountain Road from the existing Friendship Road suggests a future realignment of the route north of the crossroads. At present, no action has been taken on that stretch, but it will be the next major project on the roadway.