Looking for the absolute best things to do in North Georgia? Read on for all of my best ideas!
I’m just going to say it: North Georgia is a massively underrated destination, with the Blue Ridge Mountains, the start of the Appalachian Trail, numerous cute towns, waterfalls and viewpoints galore, and a rich history.
I’ve been absolutely delighted with the several trips I’ve made to North Georgia – there seems to be no end to interesting things to do here, whether you’re looking for adventure, culture, or relaxation.
North Georgia is also really conveniently located between major cities. Popular destinations like Atlanta and Nashville, and lesser-known cities like Huntsville, Chattanooga, and Birmingham are just a couple of hours away. Charleston and Savannah are both under 5 hours by car.
In this guide, I’m sharing some of my favorite activities, attractions, and places to go in the region!
Quick Look
Short on time? While I truly loved all the spots on this list, these are my personal favorite places in North Georgia:
- Duke Creek Falls – For its wide level path that followed the creek, and double waterfall
- Amicalola Falls – For the jaw-droppingly tall falls
- Bell Mountain – For its absolutely stunning views and cute staircase
- Tallulah Falls – For the adventure hike and the beautiful gorge
- Springer Mountain – To be at the south terminus of the AT
- Rome – A small town with a small town feel, yet had a bunch of interesting sites
- Helen – It’s cute, it’s gotta be on this list!
34 Exciting Things to Do in North Georgia
There are six categories of places to visit I want to highlight in this article:
- Beautiful Overlooks
- Gorgeous Waterfalls
- Epic Hikes
- Cute Small Towns
- Historic or Cultural Attractions
- Other Fun Activities
Additionally, for this article, I’m saying North Georgia is anywhere in the North Atlanta metro area and above (but does not include downtown Atlanta).
Now let’s take a closer look at each of these things to do in North Georgia, and see why they are the best for different types of visitors.
➡️Beautiful Overlooks
Thanks to the Blue Ridge Mountains, there are a lot of places to go in North Georgia for some really amazing overlooks.
1. Brasstown Bald
Brasstown Bald Observation Deck has a grand, 360-degree viewpoint at the highest point in Georgia!
From the parking lot, you can either hike up the 0.6 mile trail, or take a shuttle to the top for $2. Once you arrive at the top, you are rewarded with gorgeous 360 degree views over the North Georgia mountains from the observation deck.
Placards throughout the observation deck show you what you are looking at, with different peaks, cities, and features noted.
To the north, you can see Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and a little part of Tennessee. You can also see part of the Appalachian Trail. Ridge after ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains are visible wherever you look. It’s absolutely beautiful, and particularly so in fall when the leaves change color.
- Price: $7 per person, or a National Parks Pass
- Hours: 10am-5pm.
2. Drive the Richard B Russell Scenic Parkway
The Richard B Russell Scenic Parkway is a beautiful, winding, ~40 mile scenic road through the mountains just north of Helen, Georgia. There are many hikes and waterfalls accessible just off this road (some of which I’ll mention later), including a section of the Appalachian Trail (or AT).
There are also many unmarked pull-off spots where you can enjoy the view. In fall, this road is absolutely jaw-dropping, with the colorful fall foliage everywhere you look!
Exercise caution as you drive, as the road is winding and you are gaining quite a bit of elevation as you climb into the mountains.
3. Hog Pen Gap Overlook
This is one of the absolute best scenic viewpoints along the Richard Russell B Scenic Parkway. It’s high up in the mountains and offers a fantastic view of the Hog Pen Gap, which is essentially a little “canyon” or gorge between the mountain ridges. You can see line after line after line of mountain peaks in the distance.
This is a beautiful spot any time of day, but is particularly stunning at sunset, when the sky lights up with pinks and oranges behind the mountain ridges. If you fancy a hike, the Hog Pen Gap trail (part of the AT) starts from this spot as well.
4. Bell Mountain
Bell Mountain overlooks Bell Creek (which is actually a lake) and the Blue Ridge mountains and offers breathtaking views.
The viewpoint is just a few yards from the parking lot, where there is a viewing platform with sweeping views over the many inlets and craggily coastline of the lake, weaving in and out of the trees.
Definitely head up the stairs to the top viewing platform. The view is even better higher up, and the staircase makes for a really great photo op.
This is a beautiful place any time of day, but I highly recommend it for sunset. The sun dips below the horizon exactly in front of the viewpoint, right against the mountain ridges – it’s spectacular. This was one of my absolute favorite spots in North Georgia.
Also…. unfortunately, be prepared for a lot of graffiti on the rocks at the base of the stairs, and some graffiti on the stairs and upper viewing platforms. Thankfully, when you’re at the top of the stairs, most of the graffiti is hidden from view.
- Cost: Free
- Hours: 8am-11pm
5. Point Park at Lookout Mountain
Okay, this one is just a little bit of a cheat – Point Park actually straddles Georgia and Tennessee, with the south end in GA and the north end in TN, overlooking the city of Chattanooga. While Point Park is technically in Tennessee, we’re calling it close enough, as the view over the city and the river is gorgeous!
Besides having some really stellar views, Point Park is also an important and interesting historical site. A major battle in the Civil War was fought on Lookout Mountain, and today several plaques, markers, and quite a few old cannons are set up around the site.
Whether you’re spending a few days in North Georgia or a weekend in Chattanooga, Point Park is not to be missed.
➡️Gorgeous Waterfalls
Georgia, and in particular, North Georgia, is a hotspot for lovely cascading waterfalls – there are literally hundreds of them throughout the region.
All of these waterfalls require some kind of hike to them, but they’re well worth the effort! These are some of my can’t-miss waterfalls in North Georgia:
6. Dukes Creek Falls
This is a beautiful, easy trail to a waterfall off the Richard B Russell Scenic Highway, along a lovely pathway through the woods and next to a stream.
The endpoint is a large, wooden viewing platform that offers views of the falls. And boy, it really took my breath away! There are actually two streams (Duke’s Creek and Dodd’s Creek) that meet and converge at the falls. The first waterfall is exceptionally tall, cascading down several points through the trees.
The second waterfall is not nearly as tall and has a more gentle descent over several ridges. The combination of them together is stunning, and sitting on the benches on the platform and listening to the crashing waves is very relaxing.
- Distance: 3 miles round trip
- Elevation Change: 600 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Day Use Pass is $4, or National Parks Pass
7. Cloudland Canyon State Park Waterfall Trail
Cloudland Canyon is a beautiful park with a deep gorge. There’s a rim overlook trail you can walk along, but for this post, we’re focusing on the Waterfalls Trail that takes you down into the canyon.
The Waterfall Trail gives you a lot of bang for your buck, as you get to see 3 different waterfalls in less than 3 miles, as you start from the rim and then head down into the canyon.
You’ll pass the smaller Hemlock Falls and Sitton’s Gulch Waterfall, and then the much larger Cherokee Falls, my favorite of the three falls on this hike. The waterfall came over a curved ridge that made the area kind of bowl-shaped.
The water drops into a nice, clear pool of water that is lined by big boulders to sit on. It was all around just a lovely spot. The water levels were pretty low when I visited in October – winter and spring are better seasons to visit for high water flow.
- Length: 1.8 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 561 feet
- Difficulty: Moderately difficult
- Cost: $5 for parking or a Georgia State pass
8. Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha Falls is a pretty waterfall with a short and easy hike near the beautiful and winding Lake Rabun. The water in these falls cascades over layers of shale steps of rocks and continues down a burbling creek out to the lake.
You can walk on the rocks at the base of the falls and walk along the stream a little bit after the falls. I saw several people coming up with a picnic – the flat, smooth rocks to sit on, and a gentle stream nearby does make it an ideal picnic location.
- Distance: 0.5 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 85 feet
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: No entrance fee
9. Helton Creek Falls
This waterfall gently cascades down and against a rock ledge into a pool of water – the pool is pretty shallow and the water isn’t too agitated, you could definitely wade in here during the summertime.
The lower viewpoint is just on the rocks by the pool of water, while the upper viewpoint is a wooden overlook looking down the top of the falls.
From the upper overlook, continue another 20 yards to the second waterfall. This cascade was much taller, and the viewpoint was further back from the falls. You cannot wade in the water here, but it’s a beautiful viewpoint.
- Distance: 0.3 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 29 feet
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Entrance fee: None
10. Anna Ruby Falls
Anna Ruby Falls is easily the most popular and well-known waterfall near Helen, GA, and it really does deserve the attention – a beautiful creekside trail leads to a stunning double waterfall.
The falls themselves are spectacular – with two tall waterfalls plunging down the cliff right next to each other and then converging at the pool at the bottom of the falls. There are several viewing platforms – I actually preferred the view from the farther platform the most.
- Distance: 0.9 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 219 feet
- Difficulty: Moderately easy
- Hours: 9am-4pm. Last entrance is at 3pm
- Price: $5 per person over 16 years old, or a National Parks Pass.
11. Amicalola Falls
Amicalola is truly jaw-dropping waterfall, as it is over 700 feet tall, making it the tallest waterfall in Georgia and the third tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi. Part of what makes it so gorgeous is there are many different drops and cascades as it descends into the valley.
This waterfall is the main attraction of the Amicalola Falls State Park, and is also the site of the Appalachian Approach Trail.
The waterfall is just one of those moments when pictures do not do justice – the sheer size and scale of the falls really took my breath away.
Multiple trails in the park lead to the waterfall, and from the base of the falls, you can climb the 175 stairs to the bridge that crosses in front of the waterfall.
From the bridge, it’s another 255 stairs to the top of the falls. Thankfully, there are about 14 different rest points/viewpoints along the entire staircase section to take a breather if/when you need it. Despite being a pretty steep hike overall, this was absolutely worth the effort.
- Cost: $5 per vehicle, or a Georgia State Pass
12. Vickery Creek Falls at Roswell Mills
There are a few different access points to the trails in this recreation area, with many taking you to the waterfall. I took the route from the Vickery Trails parking lot off of Riverside Road to the waterfall.
When you get there, there’s an overlook on the trail right to the falls, and there’s also a rougher, steep trail to get to the base. I would definitely go down to the base, as the views are really pretty here! Definitely a unique waterfall in North Georgia, as the water falls over a long, straight ledge to the base.
The stream – called Big Creek – feeds into the nearby Chattahoochee River. You can also park at “Vickery Creek Trail Parking” and walk by the old mill and covered bridge on your way to the waterfall.
- Distance: 2 miles RT
- Elevation Gain: 315 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
➡️Epic Hikes
With the Blue Ridge Mountains filling the landscape in North Georgia, it’s no surprise that there are a lot of excellent hiking trails to do in the area.
13. Springer Mountain Hike on the Appalachian Trail
The most popular and famous hiking trail in Georgia is the Appalachian Trail (or AT), which runs 2000 miles from Georgia to Maine. Springer Mountain is the official southern terminus of the entire AT.
While many people do big sections (or even the entire hike) of the AT, you can also hike Springer Mountain, see the official southern terminus, and call it good.
The summit is a clearing in the trees with two different markers. A picture is obligatory!
- Distance: 1.9 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 374 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Cost: None
14. Tesnatee Gap Trail to Cow Rock Mountain
If you are looking to do a small part of the AT to a beautiful viewpoint over mountain ridges and valleys, the Tesnatee Gap Trail to Cowrock Mountain is a great trail for you.
After climbing just over a mile on a fairly steep trail, the summit is a smooth rock overlook.
The trailhead is accessible from the Richard Russell Scenic Parkway near Helen, Georgia.
Cost: Free
15. Tallulah Gorge State Park
Tallulah Gorge State Park has one of the most epic landscapes in the state – a river cuts through a 1000 foot deep gorge, which feels like you’re in a small mountain valley when you’re in it. It offers a chance to enjoy landscapes and terrain not usually available in the southern United States.
There are several trails in the Tallulah Gorge State Park, and most visitors do either the North Rim, the South Rim, the Hurricane Falls loop, or the Gorge Floor trail.
While the views from the Rim Trails and the Hurricane Falls loop are fantastic, if you want a bit of an adventure, do the Gorge Floor trail! (permit required)
To hike the Tallulah Gorge Floor Trail, you’ll hike along parts of the Rim trail and Hurricane Falls trail, descending over 500 stairs, crossing the suspension bridge over the river, until you reach the canyon floor.
The canyon floor is where the Gorge Floor trail starts, and it is definitely a challenging hike! The very first part of the hike is jumping between boulders in the river. Then, once you reach the other side, there’s no real “trail,” you’re just climbing on boulders along the shoreline, passing several waterfalls along the way.
- Hours: 8am-5pm
- Cost: $5 parking fee, or the Georgia State Pass
16. Swinging Bridge on the Toccoa River (Benton MacKaye Trail)
This fun swinging bridge crosses the Toccoa River near the towns of Blue Ridge, Ellijay, and Blairsville GA.
This trail is also the start of the Benton McKaye Trail, which ends at the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain. The real fun here is the swinging bridge that crosses the Toccoa river. It’s a short, easy hike down to the river, which is a relatively gentle and shallow river.
The views from the middle of the bridge are absolutely gorgeous, and you can go down near the water on both sides of the shore and relax for a bit.
You can continue on the Benton MacKaye Trail after the bridge, or you can just enjoy the bridge, river, shores, and scenery and head back.
- Cost: None
➡️Cute Small Towns To Visit in North Georgia
The cute small towns scattered around the region are definitely some of the best places to visit in Georgia. These are five of my favorite small towns in North Georgia:
17. Helen
Helen is a tiny little alpine town in the Georgia Appalachian mountains designed to look like a German Bavarian village.
All of the buildings are half-timbered and have some Bavarian architectural design. Most of the restaurants in town serve German cuisine, although there are some spots with American options as well. The area is just really cute and charming, and the Chattahoochee River runs right alongside the town.
Now, compared to actual Germany, Helen is a little kitschy and felt a little bit like Disney-style Germany. There was German style “polka music” playing through the loudspeakers in town (adding to the feeling of Disney-style Germany, ha!).
There are a lot of shops to explore in town, including one that sells wooden toys, one for specialty hats or specialty socks, and a few Christmas stores.
You can also find a lot of souvenir shops, a bakery that sells authentic German ingredients and souvenirs, a store selling Dutch products, and a variety of snack shops (donuts, ice cream, funnel cakes, candied nuts, chocolates).
Our favorite place, though, was the Hansel and Gretel Candy Shop for its delectable array of chocolates, caramels, and other candies. I also really enjoyed Haufbrauhaus restaurant, which had great Bavarian-style pretzels, schnitzel, and German potato salad.
Come to Helen in October for Oktoberfest, and back in December for the Christmas market, parade, and decorations!
18. Rome, Georgia
I was NOT expecting to love Rome, Georgia as much as I did. Seriously, this town had all the charm of a small town but also had a bunch of interesting sites to see as well. So, what is there to do in Rome?
First, explore downtown Main Street, with its charming historic buildings holding cafes, restaurants, and locally owned stores. I had a great time window browsing!
You can also walk by the clocktower that stands on a hill, cross the pedestrian bridge over the river, or stroll along the many pathways by the rivers in town. Stop by the Town Green or the Rome Area History Center, and admire the sculpture of First Lady Ellen Axson Wilson.
Pick up some pastries from the Honeymoon Bakery (their display cases are insane!), and then go across the river to Myrtle Hill Cemetery, a historic cemetery with great views over the town.
19. Berry College
While not a town, Berry College is large enough by acres (27,000! – the world’s largest college by acreage) and historic enough to be included in this list of small towns to visit in North Georgia.
Check out the Ford reflecting pool by the Ford Dining Hall and Auditorium for some great architecture! This square was one of several spots in Berry College used as a filming location for the movie Remember the Titans. Also of note – the Martha Berry Museum on campus was used in filming Sweet Home Alabama.
20. Cave Spring
Just 20 minutes from Rome, GA is the truly tiny town of Cave Spring. While there is a cute town square and a historic Van Cherokee cabin in the town, the main attraction is the actual cave spring, found in Rolater Park.
The cave is open to visitors every day during the summer and on weekends in the off-season ($2, cash only), but anyone can come fill up their water jugs for free from the spring, as shown in the picture above. Apparently, the water from the cave spring is 99.999% pure!
21. Blue Ridge
This small town in northwest Georgia is really adorable. The main draw of this town is the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, which offers 2 hour or 4 hour scenic train rides through the rolling Georgia countryside. The downtown area is small but cute, and you can walk right along the trains and train tracks set smack dab in the middle of the city.
You can’t visit Blue Ridge without stopping at the Sweete Shop, a bakery and cupcake shop that was a Cupcake Wars winner. I tried a couple of their cupcakes and can confirm they are delicious!
➡️Historic and Cultural Sites
This next section is full of interesting and important historic sites or cultural sites throughout Georgia. There’s a wide variety of types of sites here, but I really enjoyed them all and thought they all merit a visit!
22. Nacoochee Indian Mound
Just south of Helen is the Nacoochee Indian Mound. This mound was a burial site for an ancient group of Native Americans, and over 75 graves have been found on the mound. Much later, in the 1500’s, the Cherokee Tribe used the mound as a site for their rituals and townhouses.
Today, a cattle pasture surrounds the mound, but you can still admire it from the intersection of Highway 75 and 17 – there’s a spot you can pull off to admire and take pictures.
Cost: There is no fee or hours
23. Dahlonega Consolidated Gold Mine
The story of the Consolidated Gold Mine is an interesting one. Gold was found in Georgia in 1828, 20 years before the California Gold Rush. At first, miners could literally pick up chunks of gold off the ground. After that, they panned in the rivers and tried other methods of above-ground mining.
Eventually, though, miners began drilling in the earth for gold and in Dahlonega, gold was found in a massive quartz vein. This quartz vein and then the area surrounding it was drilled, excavated, and mined for about 25 years and was shut down in 1906.
Today, you can take a guided tour of the mine, descending into the Old Mine Shaft to learn about how the mine operated, and different equipment that the miners use.
You also get the chance to go on a guided mine tour, which start every 30 to 40 minutes throughout the day and last about 45 minutes. With a guide, you descend the stairs into the Old Mine Shaft and learn about
Down in the mine, you’ll see different types of hammers and drills on display, such as the 15 lb hammer and handstills used to painstakingly dig out the rock, and you can see the leftover holes created by the miners to put dynamite in and blast out the rock.
At the end, you get to learn how to mine for gold yourself.
- Cost: $22 adults/ $15 kids
- Hours: 10am-5pm daily
24. Chickamauga Battlefield
The Chickamauga Battlefield is a historic Civil War site located about 15 minutes south of Chattanooga. The battlefields at Chickamauga cover over 9,000 acres (!!!) and there is a 7 mile predetermined driving route you can take through the fields, with plenty of pull-off spots.
As you drive, there are different plaques, markers, and monuments set up everywhere you look, marking the locations of cannons, infantry, and cavalry, where generals died, and more. Many markers were in blue or red, indicating Union or Confederate emplacements.
It was really, really crazy driving through the battlefields – the area is just huge and it felt like we passed never-ending battle sites. 150,000 soldiers were involved in the battle at Chickamauga, and notably, Abraham Lincoln’s brother-in-law died here.
- Hours: The visitor’s center is open 8:30am-5pm, and the park is open sunrise-sunset
- Cost: Free
25. Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site
Etowah Indian Mounds is the site of a Native American village from 1000-1300 AD.
While I had thought that Indian mounds were mostly burial sites, at Etowah, the main mound was for the chief’s home and was also like a temple The second biggest mound was for the priest and the third mound was a burial plot for the chiefs. Most regular people were buried under their homes.
You can walk through and around the perimeter of the site, and just beyond the mounds is a river, which is lovely. You are also allowed to walk up to the top of the mounds as well!
I enjoyed this site a lot more than I was expecting – the placards around the site were interesting and gave a lot of context to the historic village, and the ancient mounds themselves are just really impressive!
- Cost: Adults are $6, Children are $4
- Hours: 9am-5pm, daily
26. New Manchester Mill Ruins
The New Manchester Mill Ruins are part of Sweetwater Creek State Park. There are several trails you can walk on throughout the park, but the main attraction here is, of course, the mill ruins.
After an easy walk through the woods and along the river, you’ll arrive at the mill ruins. This was a 5 story mill that produced thread, yarn, and cloth from cotton in the 1800’s. This mill was burned during the Civil War in 1864.
The ruins are actually behind a fence, so you can only see them from the outside. However, the park does offer guided tours of the mill ruins, where a ranger will take you inside the ruins and give you a history lesson about the building and area. These tours cost $5 and usually happen on the weekends.
Even if you aren’t able to join a tour, I think it’s still definitely worth a visit, as the outside is pretty interesting to look at. Ruins like this aren’t super common in the US (unlike Europe, where I feel like you can find cool ruins in a lot of places!) so I quite enjoyed this site.
- Hours: 9am-5pm
- Cost: $5 per vehicle parking pass, not including the $5 per person fee if you do the guided tour
27. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple
This mandir is a Hindu place of worship located just outside of Atlanta. It is an incredibly stunning piece of religious architecture! There are over 34,000 pieces of hand-carved marble, limestone, and pink sandstone, and the building is absolutely covered – inside and out – with intricate and gorgeous carvings.
Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed close to the building or inside the building, so you’ll just have to take my word for it when I say the inside was just absolutely STUNNING.
Literally everything except for the floor in the main room (columns, arches, ceiling, walls) was covered in carvings. Everything was white, except for the murtis (sacred images of the gods) set in alcoves around the perimeter of the room.
It’s a truly gorgeous place to visit.
- Hours: 9am-6pm daily
- Cost: Free, small fee for audioguides
28. Booth Western Art Museum
Was I expecting to add a Smithsonian-affiliated museum to my north Georgia itinerary? No, but I was very impressed with what I found!
The Booth Western Art Museum is a lovely museum with a sprawling Western Art Gallery, a sculpture gallery, and a Presidental Hall.
The landscapes of the West featured prominently in the pieces, highlighting the mountains and deserts of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming heavily, as well as Native Americans and white settlers.
- Cost: $13 for adults
- Hours: 10am-5pm Tuesday- Saturday, 1pm-5pm Sunday, closed Mondays
➡️Other Attractions and Attractions in North Georgia
The final section in this list includes fun activities in the North Georgia region.
29. Tubing on the Chattahoochee
Tubing on the Chattahoochee River is a popular summer activity right outside of Helen. This river is calm, relatively shallow (although water levels can vary quite a bit), and really beautiful, and is an excellent activity between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Choose from two companies: Cool River Tubing or Helen Water Park. As the name suggests, in addition to tubing the river, you can also enjoy a full-on waterpark at Helen Water Park (this is a separate cost).
30. Yonah Mountain Vineyards & Winery
The rolling hills of North Georgia are practically bursting with vineyards – and is a hidden gem wine destination in the US. Seriously, I passed SO many as I was driving around. These wineries generally all offer wine tastings with views overlooking the vineyards.
I stopped by Yonah Mountain Vineyards, which offers a beautiful view of Yonah Mountain behind the vines. There’s an indoor tasting room and an outdoor patio where you can enjoy wines and charcuterie boards.
A few other highly rated vineyards include:
Recommended Vineyard Tour: If you’re coming from Atlanta and don’t want to worry about drinking and driving, then a vineyard tour is a great option! On this excursion, you visit three different wineries, sampling up to 13 different wines. You’ll also have the chance to explore Helen for a while!
31. BJ Reece Orchards + Market
The area around the town of Ellijay is known for its high abundance of orchards and farms; indeed, Ellijay is known as the apple capital of Georgia.
While there are several orchards and farms in the area, BJ Reese was of particular note to me because you can go apple picking in September and October, but there is also a large, covered market that is open year-round, not just in the fall.
Inside the market, they sell all sorts of fun food items, including fresh honey, farm fresh vegetables, a large variety of apples and pears in season and a huge selection of locally made jams and ciders.
A big draw is the bakery counter, with many drool-worthy baked goods on display, and the strawberry hand pie I got was insanely delicious. The crust was perfectly flaky and tender, and the filling was sweet but not too sweet and creamy and flavorful. I practically licked the bag clean.
32. Faussett Farms Sunflower Fields
Located in Fawsonville, GA, not far from Amicalola State Park, is Faussett Farms, a 60 year old farm offering 30 acres of sunflowers for people to come and enjoy throughout September and October.
Entrance is $6/person (kids 5 and under free) and is only $35 for a photography session.
There are also miles and miles of horse trails open year round and are open to the public to bring their horse and enjoy the trails for just $10/day.
33. Hamilton Gardens
The Fred Hamilton Gardens is located at the top of the parking lot for the Georgia Mountains Fair Grounds in Hiawassee, not far from Brasstown Bald. This park features a lot of native plants and rhododendrons and has several nice, mulched paths weaving throughout the grounds.
As the garden is right on the lakeshore, some of the path goes very close to the water. It’s a pretty spot, and is a short and easy stroll through.
- Cost: None, this is a public park
- Hours: 8am-sunset
34. Fred’s Famous Peanuts Store
Fred’s Famous Peanut Store is a long time fixture outside the town of Helen and is a cute shop selling a Southern favorite: peanuts. Try boiled peanuts, fried peanuts, candied peanuts, pralines, peanut brittle and more.
Or, wander through the shop for more local delicacies. There are craft goods made by the owner and local artisans, and a dizzying assortment of hot sauces, jams, and jellies. Fresh produce is also available in season.
Stopping at Fred’s is definitely a must-do when in the area!
What to Do in North Georgia When It’s Raining
Looking for the best things to do in North Georgia when it’s raining? These attractions are all great rainy day activities:
- Consolidated Gold Mine
- Booth Western Art Museum
- BJ Reece Orchards Market
- Shop in the small towns
- Wine Tasting at the Vineyards
- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Things to Do in North Georgia for Free
Trying to figure out what to do in North Georgia for free? The following things from this list cost zero dollars – score!
- Russell Scenic Parkway
- Hog Pen Gap Overlook
- Bell Mountain
- Minnehaha Falls
- Helton Creek Falls
- Vickery Creek Falls
- Tesnatee Gap Trail to Cow Rock Mountain
- Springer Mountain
- Swinging Bridge on the Toccoa River
- Wander small towns
- Cave Springs
- Nacoochee Indian Mound
- Hamilton Gardens
- New Manchester Mills Ruins (the exterior)
- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Final Thoughts on What to Do in North Georgia
There are really so many interesting and exciting places to visit in North Georgia, and I was truly blown away by the beauty of the state and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Choose your favorite thing from this list and get out there and explore!
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