Stone Mountain, Georgia...
by wjsinga1
Stone Mountain, Georgia Horsepark, Helen, GA, Six Flags and White Waters.
Stone Mountain is incredible, I've never seen anything like it. Helen for Oktoberfest. Georgia Horsepark at Christmas. Six Flags and White Water for just plain fun.
Helen, GA tourism in the Blue Ridge MTNs
by AVG2319
Helen is a pretty tourist town located in a beautiful part of Georgia. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and on the Chattahoochee River. It is basically a re-creation of an Alpine village-tons of little shops expected to be in a tourist town and many sit down restaurants. No fast food here. They have many festivals here. The area is beautiful and it is a fun day trip, If you go here, go to Anna Ruby Falls-very pretty.
Alpine Village of Helen, GA
by AVG2319
Helen, GA is a beautiful secluded town in the Chattahoochie Forest and edge of the Blue Ridge Mtns. It has a touch of "Bavaria" all of the buildings in town resemble "The Alpine" The scenary here is gorgeous. A perfect day trip if visiting Atlanta. This is why Georgia is always on my mind. Incredible natural beauty. I love this state.
Welcome to Helen, GA or Alpine Helen as some say.
by tpangelinan
"A small Bavaria village"
Welcome to Helen Georgia, this is a small Bavaria village town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It wasn't always this Alpine village, the town has a long history back prior to 1800 the Cherokee Indian ruled this land. What is now hwy 17 & 75 was an old wagon trail that he Cherokee Indian approved to be constructed 1813 which ran from Savanah to Tennessee. Soon gold was discovered in 1828 and the Great Georgia Gold Rush was on in this area and the Cherokee Indian moved on. Gold mining was taking over the area all the way to Dehlonega, GA but by the end of the century all miners had left. Next came the lumber companies and railroads up the Chattahoochee River to Helen, the valley was named after the railroad survayors daughter in 1913. Lumber opperations ran until 1931, shut down and again the people left for opportunities eslewhere. By 1960 all that was left was a small town with one story concrete building that looked like every other mill town. In 1968 the town got together to see what they could do to improve the town to bring in more tourist and to boost the economy. They asked an artist friend for some help, he had been stationed in Germany and sketched out the buildings with gingerbread, more color and changing the faces of all building and recreate a old Bavaria village. In 1969 construction began, giving the whole town a facelift creating what you see now. If you like Octoberfest, well, here it goes on all year.
"Town Fountain"
Photos
Helen Ga
Alpine Village in Helen, GA
Flying high in Helen, GA
Festhalle Helen, Ga
Forum Posts
How to best get from Birmingham to Helen, GA on 11/21
by trbbhm
Hello all! My family and I will be traveling from Birmigham, AL to a cabin near Helen, GA on the day before Thanksgiving (the most heavily traveled day of the year). My concern is whether we should attempt the trip through the the nightmare of Atlanta traffic, or if we should re-route to bypass Atlanta altogether (like possibly going through Chattanooga).
I'm looking for some expert advice here.
Re: How to best get from Birmingham to Helen, GA on 11/21
by olddude
Are you a AAA member? They can give you routing to avoid Atlanta if you really must. Honestly, Atlanta is a lot easier to get around than Chatanooga; especially during the holidays. What nightmare? I don't think you drive "through" Atlanta, but around it (285) to get where you are going. The traffic may be somewhat heavy, but you will still cut an hour off that trip vice going up to Chattanooga and taking some back roads to avoid 285. Depending on the weather, that alternative could be no fun at all. Some of those roads up near Cleveland can be treacherous. If you really want to avoid Atlanta traffic at all costs, you will have to take 59N, then at Piedmont, head for Cedartown, GA, followed by Rome (my uncle used to live there), then over to Canton, followed by Cumming, Ga. (Lake Lanier area). When you get Cumming, you can take Ga 400 north to the end where you will pick up 115. You follow 115 all the way to Cleveland and you are practically there. Just take GA 75 north into Helen. It is 2-lane road most of the way and if it is raining, visibilty is poor. I think you are better off braving Atlanta traffic.
Re: How to best get from Birmingham to Helen, GA on 11/21
by TexasDave
I agree with Olddude. (In spite of my VT name I now live in Metro Atlanta) The route he mentions has more potential for traffic problems since those areas are becoming more and more developed and those roads are all two lane. I think that you'd be better to just take 285 N and then head up either 400 or I 85.