If flying to Germany this summer doesn’t quite fit into your budget, then don’t dismay. Nestled in the northeast Georgia mountains about 180 miles from Jacksonville is Helen, and as soon as you lay your eyes upon it you will swear that you have been magically transplanted to an alpine village in Germany.
Helen is actually a re-creation of an alpine village. In 1969 retailers began to transform their businesses into the alpine look and over $1.2 million was spent creating the village as it appears today.
One can walk easily from one end of the quaint little town to the other, passing shop after shop of retailers that are catering to the tourists that have been drawn to this little alpine town with specialty shops.
More than 200 shops meet every need, from the famed German cuckoo clocks to glassblowing to wooden toys to moderately priced hand-stitched quilts.
Many candy shops are available to tempt your sweet tooth and the city boasts not one, but two, Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen’s.
And what would an alpine village be without the bakeries? Hofer’s of Helen offers authentic German cooking and a bakery that you will never want to leave. Tourists and townsfolk alike crowd the bakery each day for their delectable goodies.
Many restaurants such as the Old Heidelberg Restaurant and Pub feature such specialties as Kasseler Rippchen, Schweinebraten and Hungarian Goulash. Of course German potato pancakes and Bavarian Potato Salad are also served. Almost all of the restaurants feature trout, a specialty of the region which is in plentiful supply.
While the alpine village is a major draw in of itself, it’s what the surrounding areas have to offer that draw tourists year-round.
Many hiking trails are available, taking you to breathtakingly gorgeous waterfalls. The Anna Ruby Falls is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The hike to the falls is a relatively easy one. After parking your car you have but to walk only .04 miles on a paved trail to the falls. While the path can get a little steep at times, there are plenty of benches to stop and catch your breath and to enjoy the scenery.
Another relatively easy hike is to Dukes Creek Falls. While the hike to the Anna Ruby Falls took you on an upward trail, the path to the Duke Creek Falls is downhill, not quite a mile. At the bottom of the trail you are across from the 300-foot Dukes Creek Falls and it is breathtaking.
A more strenuous hike, but equally as rewarding, is that on top of Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia with an elevation of 4,784 feet. From the parking lot there is a .06 mile hike that is almost straight up (or you can take the shuttle if you prefer) and gives you a view of North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina.
While Helen is best known for, of course, Oktoberfest in the fall, which has the nations longest running Oktoberfest stretching from Sept. 9 through Oct. 31, in the summertime families flock to the area for the white-water rafting, tubing and fishing. The white-water rafting ranges from family friendly to the more adventurous.
Also in the surrounding areas are pottery museums, (one, the “Mark of the Potter”, was originally a mill and was built over a waterfall. You can feed mountain trout which are sitting in large schools waiting for the handouts!) and Indian mounds and artifacts.
Don’t miss the Sautee Bridge, Georgia’s smallest bridge that has been featured in movies. And really, don’t miss it, if you blink while you are going by you will be past it before you know it!
Located nearby in Cleveland is BabyLand General Hospital, where Cabbage Patch Kids are born and you can adopt one on site!
Many hotels are available in Helen, but there are also many cabin rentals and bed and breakfasts available.
If you don’t want to stay overnight, just get an early start and make a day trip out of it, there’s a lot to see and do!
Post a Comment