Hello, lovelies. We had a one-week sweet escape and decided to visit Suwanee, Georgia.
We spent our valentines day at Helen, Georgia. For 3 days, we enjoyed several activities in the beautiful small town, an Alpine village in North Georgia. It's a great vacation spot year-round. The three days at Helen, Georgia was too short for me. We were wanting to see more and have more fun but we have to go back home because of work. I must say that we did enjoy our stay there.
If you and your friends are wanting to visit Helen, Georgia, here are some things you can do there. I am sure you will enjoy the place.
Things to do in Helen, Georgia:
1. Enjoy the Cool River Tubing. This is one of the most popular things to do in Helen, GA. This is a very fun activity but you can't enjoy this much during the winter season, the water will be way too cold. You can have a very relaxing and exciting time floating down the scenic Chattahoochee River for one or couple of hours. The Chattahoochee River runs through downtown Helen. In fact, many restaurants have decks over the rivers, people can enjoy dining and the view of the river. You can check out more about this at http://www.coolrivertubing.com/main.asp
2. Visit Unicoi State Park.
Unicoi is one of Georgia's most beloved state parks. It is located two miles from the Alpine village of Helen, where we stayed.
If you're an outdoor person, you will surely enjoy hiking and biking on the scenic mountain trails. During autumn, the park gives very colorful views. There are numerous picnic tables located throughout the park. We paid a pass good for one day that cost $3 at the self-pay ticket booth.
The park pass payment is per vehicle. You can find great information about Unicoi at http://www.gastateparks.org/info/unicoi/
3. Head on to the beautiful Anna Ruby Falls.
Located just north of the Unicoi state park, you'll find the rare double falls. You will enjoy some pleasant and clear mountain scenery and have your camera ready for these awesome falls.
You can also enjoy picnicking, or go more hiking for more nice views to watch. There is a parking fee for cars. If I remember right, it cost $3 also. It's well worth visiting. The fee and pass for Anna Ruby Falls are not valid for Unicoi State Park. Please check for the updated fees.
4. Reach the summit of The Brasstown Bald.
You can drive to up to the Brasstown Bald and walk a couple of steps to reach the summit. The scenic overlook is just amazing. Different season gives different views. Whatever season it is, the view is just wonderful. It would be better if you go there on pretty days so check the weather forecast so you can really enjoy the view but, if you're in Helen, Georgia be sure to really visit this site because even if you go there during foggy days, reaching the summit will still be unforgettable. Brasstown Bald is Georgia's highest mountain. It is rising 4784 feet above sea level.
5. Enjoy panning at Dukes Creek Gold and Ruby Mines. Yes, you can pan for gold and screen for gems like rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The mine is run by extremely nice and helpful attendants. They know a lot about gems and precious metals and the industry. They'll show you how to pan for gold and gems. You pick a bucket that is reasonably priced according to what types of stones are in there. You sift through it and pick out the stones. Take a peek at their website's photo gallery at http://www.dukescreek.com/gallery.htm and see what treasures some of their customers found.
6. Enter the Charlemagne's Kingdom. You will see the largest model railroad in Georgia. I enjoyed watching it myself. The scaled miniature Alpine model landscape and railroad layout are amazingly beautiful. You'll love the railroad track, and the tiny electric trains running around and the tiny hot air balloons floating, the cute ring circus, mountains, lakes, rivers, and villages populated with replicas of buildings that can be found in Germany. When you're done watching the beautiful railroad model, you can buy nice gifts at the gift shop.
7.
Have fun to play mini-golfs. You can visit Alpine Helen Mini-Golf, an 18-hole miniature golf course located at the south end of Helen. We really enjoyed our visit here. We played miniature golf at night and there are not many people during that time. There's an ice cream parlor beside this mini-golf place called Scoop De Scoop Ice Cream Parlor. You can visit their website at http://www.helenalpineminigolf.com. Another fun place to play mini-golf is at Pirate Cove Adventure Golf. The place is also beautiful, a good place to take pictures too under cascading waterfalls. It has some huge pirate statue around the golf course. We did not enjoy our games here because there were a lot of people playing. We were actually in a hurry to finish every course because there were other people waiting for their turn. It was crowded but other than that, the place is really nice. I guess we had a bad timing, maybe playing mini-golf during daytime was a bad idea. There are many Pirate Cove Adventure Golf around the country. The one in Florida is really nice too. Beautiful landscape. We enjoyed playing there during our vacation last year. You can learn more about Pirate Cove Adventure Golf at http://www.piratescove.net.
8. Visit the historic Nora Mill Granary. I learned that this grain mill and shop first opened in 1876. Did you know that the original water mill is still in operation? Interesting. You can tour the facilities and see the water-powered process. You can also purchase a corn mill, grits, and biscuit-and-gravy mix. There's an on-site gift shop where you can purchase some gift items for your loved ones and friends.
9. See the Bears at the Black Forest Bear Park. It's interesting. The bears are adorable.
10. Enjoy the specialty shops in Helen, GA. There are a lot of awesome shops around. You can also relax in a beer-garden, enjoy German bands, food, and more fun.
11. Don't miss the Horses. You can ride on the horse and carriage around. I miss this one and some other things. It was so crowded last Valentines week but I'm definitely hoping to visit Helen, Georgia again. Hopefully in another season, maybe Spring or Fall.
12. If you want to witness the Oktoberfest, make sure to visit Helen, Georgia starting middle of September.
I learned that the entire town participates in the Oktoberfest. You'll love the cold beer and hot off the grill German-style wursts (sausages). The fun and memorable parade is an awesome attraction.
There are a lot of things to do in Helen, Georgia that I have not mentioned yet. I'll write Things to do in Helen, Georgia 2 and more pictures soon.
We spent our valentines day at Helen, Georgia. For 3 days, we enjoyed several activities in the beautiful small town, an Alpine village in North Georgia. It's a great vacation spot year-round. The three days at Helen, Georgia was too short for me. We were wanting to see more and have more fun but we have to go back home because of work. I must say that we did enjoy our stay there.
If you and your friends are wanting to visit Helen, Georgia, here are some things you can do there. I am sure you will enjoy the place.
Things to do in Helen, Georgia:
1. Enjoy the Cool River Tubing. This is one of the most popular things to do in Helen, GA. This is a very fun activity but you can't enjoy this much during the winter season, the water will be way too cold. You can have a very relaxing and exciting time floating down the scenic Chattahoochee River for one or couple of hours. The Chattahoochee River runs through downtown Helen. In fact, many restaurants have decks over the rivers, people can enjoy dining and the view of the river. You can check out more about this at http://www.coolrivertubing.com/main.asp2. Visit Unicoi State Park.
Unicoi is one of Georgia's most beloved state parks. It is located two miles from the Alpine village of Helen, where we stayed.
The park pass payment is per vehicle. You can find great information about Unicoi at http://www.gastateparks.org/info/unicoi/
3. Head on to the beautiful Anna Ruby Falls.
Located just north of the Unicoi state park, you'll find the rare double falls. You will enjoy some pleasant and clear mountain scenery and have your camera ready for these awesome falls.
You can also enjoy picnicking, or go more hiking for more nice views to watch. There is a parking fee for cars. If I remember right, it cost $3 also. It's well worth visiting. The fee and pass for Anna Ruby Falls are not valid for Unicoi State Park. Please check for the updated fees.
4. Reach the summit of The Brasstown Bald.
You can drive to up to the Brasstown Bald and walk a couple of steps to reach the summit. The scenic overlook is just amazing. Different season gives different views. Whatever season it is, the view is just wonderful. It would be better if you go there on pretty days so check the weather forecast so you can really enjoy the view but, if you're in Helen, Georgia be sure to really visit this site because even if you go there during foggy days, reaching the summit will still be unforgettable. Brasstown Bald is Georgia's highest mountain. It is rising 4784 feet above sea level.
5. Enjoy panning at Dukes Creek Gold and Ruby Mines. Yes, you can pan for gold and screen for gems like rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The mine is run by extremely nice and helpful attendants. They know a lot about gems and precious metals and the industry. They'll show you how to pan for gold and gems. You pick a bucket that is reasonably priced according to what types of stones are in there. You sift through it and pick out the stones. Take a peek at their website's photo gallery at http://www.dukescreek.com/gallery.htm and see what treasures some of their customers found.
6. Enter the Charlemagne's Kingdom. You will see the largest model railroad in Georgia. I enjoyed watching it myself. The scaled miniature Alpine model landscape and railroad layout are amazingly beautiful. You'll love the railroad track, and the tiny electric trains running around and the tiny hot air balloons floating, the cute ring circus, mountains, lakes, rivers, and villages populated with replicas of buildings that can be found in Germany. When you're done watching the beautiful railroad model, you can buy nice gifts at the gift shop.7.
Have fun to play mini-golfs. You can visit Alpine Helen Mini-Golf, an 18-hole miniature golf course located at the south end of Helen. We really enjoyed our visit here. We played miniature golf at night and there are not many people during that time. There's an ice cream parlor beside this mini-golf place called Scoop De Scoop Ice Cream Parlor. You can visit their website at http://www.helenalpineminigolf.com. Another fun place to play mini-golf is at Pirate Cove Adventure Golf. The place is also beautiful, a good place to take pictures too under cascading waterfalls. It has some huge pirate statue around the golf course. We did not enjoy our games here because there were a lot of people playing. We were actually in a hurry to finish every course because there were other people waiting for their turn. It was crowded but other than that, the place is really nice. I guess we had a bad timing, maybe playing mini-golf during daytime was a bad idea. There are many Pirate Cove Adventure Golf around the country. The one in Florida is really nice too. Beautiful landscape. We enjoyed playing there during our vacation last year. You can learn more about Pirate Cove Adventure Golf at http://www.piratescove.net.
8. Visit the historic Nora Mill Granary. I learned that this grain mill and shop first opened in 1876. Did you know that the original water mill is still in operation? Interesting. You can tour the facilities and see the water-powered process. You can also purchase a corn mill, grits, and biscuit-and-gravy mix. There's an on-site gift shop where you can purchase some gift items for your loved ones and friends.
9. See the Bears at the Black Forest Bear Park. It's interesting. The bears are adorable.
10. Enjoy the specialty shops in Helen, GA. There are a lot of awesome shops around. You can also relax in a beer-garden, enjoy German bands, food, and more fun.
11. Don't miss the Horses. You can ride on the horse and carriage around. I miss this one and some other things. It was so crowded last Valentines week but I'm definitely hoping to visit Helen, Georgia again. Hopefully in another season, maybe Spring or Fall.
12. If you want to witness the Oktoberfest, make sure to visit Helen, Georgia starting middle of September.
I learned that the entire town participates in the Oktoberfest. You'll love the cold beer and hot off the grill German-style wursts (sausages). The fun and memorable parade is an awesome attraction.
There are a lot of things to do in Helen, Georgia that I have not mentioned yet. I'll write Things to do in Helen, Georgia 2 and more pictures soon.
