Where we stayed ....

We stayed at Blue Ridge Mountains, Alpine Ranch in Cleveland, GA which is only 15 minutes away from downtown Helen. It’s this cute little chalet that you get all to yourself. It has a full kitchen, washer and dryer, wood burning fireplace, and a small little balcony overlooking lake Qualatchee, and farm land. The horses were being cute when we took pics. This location was so perfect because it was so close to all the attractions. Since we went in the beginning of December our goals were to hike mountains, see waterfalls, ride the mountain coaster and the Christmas in the mountains and lighted parade.

Outdoor Adventures

I was looking forward to hiking and seeing waterfalls more than anything. I live in St. Petersburg, FL so this was an 8 hour drive. Coming from FL, I was so ready to see mountains and enjoy the cooler weather. We hit up 3 places. Duke Creek Falls Trail, Anna Ruby Falls, and the Highest mountain in GA, Brasstown Bald. NONE of these are more than a 2 mile hike.

Duke Creek Falls (website)

Anna Ruby Falls (more info)

Brasstown Bald Mountain (more info)

Duke Creek Falls Trail

The day we went to explore this trail it was REALLY foggy and it was raining on and off. We got some ponchos at a local Tractor Supply Store. We also brought a back pack with first aid supplies, warmer, flashlights, the basic in the woods essentials. I wore my new Dr Martens and that was not a good idea. I got gnarly blisters. The walk was a little muddy and slippery but it was nicely paved out, if you wanted to take a stroller, you could. It wouldn't be super easy but it is doable. Like I said before, it is a short walk, a little over 1 mile. I did not see anywhere to pay a fee but I did read somewhere that it costs 5$. Overall I would go again and it was a great experience.

Anna Ruby Falls

This one is another short walk, less than a mile, and takes maybe 30 minutes. It is fully paved so it is really nice for strollers and wheelchairs. When you first arrive there is a box to pay a fee but that one is for the lake near that same parking lot. Don’t pay it! Keep going towards Anna Ruby Falls and you will finally see the building that says “Anna Ruby Falls” It’s open from 9-5 and costs 5$ per adult (16+) This hike had more people than Duke Creek but it is a must. There is a gift shop at the visitor center too. I bought these T-Shirts that are black and white then fill in color with the sun. SO cool! The falls are so beautiful!

Brasstown Bald Mountain

The highest point in GA! (4,784’) It is in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Hiawassee; 5$ per person. There is a visitor center and gift shop, parking, concessions, and bathrooms but we were there too early for all that to be available. We decided to catch the sunrise for this one so we got there around 5am. It was quite the incline drive. I was terrified to wear my mustang's brakes out on the way down but no one was around after the sunrise on a Monday morning, we did just fine. Our hands were just numb because of how cold it was. Take hand warmers and all the warm layers. The actual incline while walking warms you up but we eventually got to the top and really had to suck up the bitter cold (wind). It took less than an hour to get to the observatory (leads to the top). You could also just drive to the observatory too.

Grub

Breakfast

The first morning we were there we were SUPER hungry and wanted food fast. We went to this teeny place in Helen “Hoochie’s River Basket.” When I go back I will 100% go back because it was so good. This is the place to go for a home cooked meal like meal. We got the food fast and the prices were great!

We went downtown this time to eat at one of the cafes. “Alpine Cafe” is a really cute one with outside seating and just a lovely vibe. I loved the atmosphere more than the breakfast pizza we got. I think there are much better options, next time!

Dinner

Since Helen is such a German town we absolutely had to try the German restaurant “Hofbrauhaus.” The wait was long but they are QUICK with their food prepping so the wait was not as bad as I thought it would be. There was a live band too so of course that amp’s up the vibe. No, it wasn't a German band. He performed mostly cover songs. We got chicken schnitzel, and a pretzel with beer cheese. The food was so good! There is definitely a lot of sauerkraut used in their recipes but it is manageable and plenty of other food without it.

We googled places that are “a must to eat at in Helen” and The Troll Tavern was one of them. It is right on the water, outdoor setting, and it is illuminated with pretty lights. It’s one of those restaurants more for the atmosphere than amazing food for us. It was worth a try.

Other Adventures & Shopping

Since we went in the beginning of December there were two Christmas events we wanted to go to but they were held at the same time so we had to choose one. Helen really bumps up the Christmas festivities, especially the first 2 weeks of December. It is so fun with all the lights, craft fairs, and live music. We went to the “Christmas in the mountains” parade in Cleveland. It was a community event that was lit. We also got to check out the annual Christendlmarkt. There were tents set up with German inspired market merchandise and treats.

The rest of the shops had a lot of almost flea market type items but my favorite was the fudge shop, Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen. I spent $60 on fudge, so worth it. I ran into another shop that I loved and bought a few items from, “Wildwood.” It's so eclectic, you can find something for everyone . Nest artisans, local works, and mainstream merchandise. We spent the most time shopping and spending in this one.

We also tried out the mountain coaster. It was only $17/adult & $14/child. It went by fast but it was fun. We went on one cart together, luckily we passed the weight limit for 2 people to ride together. You can’t really control how fast you go but there are breaks. Let’s get real, who uses those anyway? It is at the edge of downtown so it was super convenient, it was hard to not try it out.