Helen, Georgia

My wife and I recently visited the small town of Helen, located in the northern Georgia mountains about a hour north of Atlanta. We booked a short stay at a mountain top bed and breakfast and were looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. We actually did everything but rest. The town of Helen is a Bavarian town modeled after the alpine communities of Germany. It is a small town that survives on tourism and seasonal events like Octoberfest. The surrounding area features state parks, hiking trails, historic landmarks, and a ton of wineries. Helen has several fine restaurants, eateries, and pubs, most of which are locally owned and operated. My wife and I spent our mornings in the woods hiking trails to the waterfalls and our afternoons tasting local wines at the wineries. There are craft stores, antique shops, fishing and camping opportunities and a lot more to keep you busy. Helen even has activities for the kids like mini golf, go carts, gem mining, obstacle courses, even a small water park.

So rather than sleeping in and enjoying our stay at the bed and breakfast (and spa), we were up with the sun and didn’t return each night until after 10pm. Not what we expected but somehow so much more.