Germany comes to Georgia in the Blue Ridge Mountains town of Helen, which recreates the look and feel of an Alpine mountain village with its architecture and cobblestone streets. Listen to polka music or get on your feet and dance during one of the town's many cultural festivals. Stop to rest at a local restaurant pouring German brews and serving up sausage-filled dishes. Explore the surrounding countryside to enjoy the babbling waters of the Chattahoochee River and the quiet serenity of the Appalachian forests.
Soak in the Culture
- Mid-September into October is an apt time to visit Helen, with its Oktoberfest celebrations of German culture through dance, song, food and drink. Wurstfest celebrates Germany's tradition of sausage-making, and local eateries serve up their best meats. A Bavarian festival is held each spring, summer and fall, with plenty of Bavarian music and polka dancing among the festivities. Shops in Helen offer the sort of knickknacks you might expect to find in Austria or Germany, with a variety of home furnishings and decor, food and gifts, including traditional German ornaments, nutcrackers and tapestries. Classics of Alpine yodeling and folk music play in the background as you peruse the wares.
Tasty Victuals
- For German dishes, head to Bodensee Restaurant in the heart of town. Try the weiner schnitzel breaded and fried in butter, or the baurenpfannle, a pork loin in sweet sauce mixed with bacon, cheese and ketchup. Helen's Country Cafe is the place to go for country cooking, especially at breakfast, with the eatery's homemade biscuits and signature coffee blend. Get your drink on at Hayloft Tavern, the town's oldest pub, with a mix of national and local favorites, or try Hofbrauhaus Restaurant and G.I. Germany Pub, with plenty of brews from the Old Country.
Appreciate Nature
- The most impressive nature views near Helen may be found at the Anna Ruby Falls Scenic Area, where you can watch falls cascade over rocks for about 200 feet in the Chattahoochee National Forest near Unicoi State Park. To visit both the scenic area and the state park you'll have to pay two fees; if you're just driving through the park to see the falls, pay only the nominal scenic area fee. The walk to the base of the falls is an easy half-mile stroll along a paved path from a parking lot. If you're feeling more adventurous, head to Cool River Tubing and Ziplines in Helen to arrange a tubing trip down the Chattahoochee River. Treasure hunters check out Dukes Creek Mines, where you can buy a bucket of dirt to search through for various naturally occurring gemstones, including rubies and sapphires.
Rest Your Head
- Stop in Bernie's Nacoochee Valley Guest House and Restaurant to dine on Southern staples while admiring the well-maintained garden. The bed-and-breakfast, built in 1920, will also host you overnight. This is one of literally dozens of hotel, cabin and B&B options in the Helen area. Alpine River Suites' three-story townhomes feature private hot tubs on decks overlooking the Chattahoochee River. Another top option is Sylvan Valley Lodge, offering rooms and rustic cabins located on 4 acres of lush gardens, with a micro vineyard and cascading waterfalls. Several public and private campgrounds offer tent and RV camping in the surrounding area, including a handful of campgrounds at Unicoi State Park, many with electrical hookups.
