If you’re heading to Helen, Georgia for a weekend getaway with the family consider a stay at Valhalla Resort. Maximize your family fun in style in the heart of the Northern Georgia mountains. With concierge-level service, champagne upon check-in, a spa and local winery tours available, this is the ideal spot to experience Helen.
Another nearby option is the Loreley Resort, though a bit more rustic and in line with the towns’ Bavarian-style theming. Loreley Resort rooms feature a full kitchen, a loft bedroom with two twin beds, a pull-out sofa, a separate master bedroom and a washer and dryer in the condos. Resort activities occur throughout the day and there is both an indoor and outdoor pool and sauna. If you prefer to stay a bit closer to the action in downtown Alpine Helen, the centrally located Country Inn and Suites by Radisson puts most shops, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Here is how to spend 48 hours in Helen, GA.
How to Spend 48 hours in Helen, GA
Where to Get Groceries and Snacks Near Helen, GA
When you first arrive in Helen, head over to Betty’s Country Store for some snacks and provisions. You can grab a few pre-made meals, beverages, items for your cooler, beer, wine or snacks for the kids. You can also find basic health and beauty items at this charming country store. If you’re staying in accommodations with a kitchen, Betty’s also has a complete selection of groceries.
While you’re there, relax on Betty’s porch. Sit back and watch the game or set up a picnic with the kids on the lawn. It’s a family reunion setting with weekend live entertainment, burgers, hotdogs, daiquiris and wine! If you’re looking for more specialty groceries, or travel with vegetarians or vegans, Helen GA may prove challenging in terms of finding options for those family members. A quick trip to Ingles in Cleveland GA, about 6 miles down Route 75 will provide you with everything you need for special diet items.
Tubing on the Chattahoochee River
In warmer months tubing down the Chattahoochee River is a must. Both Cool River Tubing and Helen Tubing and Waterpark offer this service. The latter spot features waterslides and a lazy river for less adventurous, adventurers. Families can hook their tubes together and ride safely as a group.
Hiking the Northern Georgia Mountains
A hike to Anna Ruby Falls at the top of Tray Mountain is the perfect family hike. Anna Ruby Falls consist of the Curtis Creek and York Creek which fall parallel to one another down the mountain. They travel through Georgia and Florida, finally trailing off into the Gulf of Mexico. This is a paved quarter-mile trail that’s easy enough for young kids.
The twin waterfalls at Anna Ruby Falls were named for the daughter of John H. Nichols, a Civil War navy captain. His former home, The Hardman Farm State Historic Site, is another popular Helen tourist attraction. Adjacent to the twin falls trail is a trail designed for blind or visually impaired visitors. It features Braille signs along a paved path. The signs interpret the flowers, trees, sounds and smells found along Smith Creek. Avid hikers will enjoy the nearby, challenging 4.6 mile Smith Creek Trail.
Downtown Shopping and Dining in Helen, GA
Be sure to factor in some time walking the downtown area of Helen. As the recreation of a Bavarian Alpine village, the area technically doesn’t have any German history at all. Its history is linked to the Cherokee; a portion of the Trail of Tears is located on nearby Hardman Farm Historic Site. To boost tourism, the Bavarian theme was implemented in the sixties. The downtown area includes a host of specialty shops, handcrafts and traditional German food and Southern staples.
One popular spot is Bodensee Restaurant where you’ll find authentic German cooking, traditional music and a plethora of German beer options. (try the Schofferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweizen) Another must-try is Muller’s Fried Cheese Shop and of course a quick drive up the road to Hofer’s of Helen, a German restaurant and bakery in a cozy alpine setting.
Things to Do on a Rainy Day in Helen
If traveling to Helen, GA in cooler months there are a host of indoor family-friendly options. The Alpine Fun Factory features indoor go-karts, an arcade, and a bounce zone. Charlemagne’s Kingdom is an Alpine Model Railroad Museum with a scaled 50-foot exhibit of German Model Railroads. Finally, if you’re a child of the eighties, located a few miles away in Cleveland GA (on the way to Ingles grocery store) is Babyland General Hospital, an entire Toyland dedicated to all things Cabbage Patch Kids. The free self-guided tour will have you feeling nostalgic about your childhood while simultaneously annoying your kids, so win/win!
A weekend family getaway to Helen, GA is one your family won’t soon forget. The fun German-themed downtown, hearty food, chocolate, and desserts are sure to please and the outdoor activities will create lasting memories, laughs and opportunities for bonding and reconnecting that won’t soon be forgotten.
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