A vacation at the state of Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains provides your family with the opportunity to rest, relax, and experience nature. As part of the Appalachians, the Blue Ridge Mountains offer access to the initial paths of the Appalachian Trail, a famous hiking route that stretches up the East Coast from Georgia to Maine. The mountains stay true to their name as they actually appear blue from a distance. For your family’s getaway, stay at a cozy cottage tucked away in the woods, or a log cabin nestled beside a stream. Book your Blue Ridge Mountains vacation rental today. Check out the most beautiful cities and towns at the Blue Ridge Mountains.
1. Helen
Helen is one of the most popular and well-known towns in the Blue Ridge Mountain area for its Bavarian-themed atmosphere. This includes most of the building in town and its dedication to throwing Georgia’s best Octoberfest each year. Choose a vacation rental along the Chattahoochee River for easy access to fishing or rent tubes and enjoy a lazy afternoon bobbing down the river. Enjoy strolling around the town visiting the unique stores with all their Bavarian imports and eating in the locally-owned restaurants.
2. Blue Ridge
Slow down and enjoy life in the friendly mountain town of Blue Ridge with its town square and mom and pop stores. While away the days hiking, fishing, rafting and biking around the area. For a unique experience, hop on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway for a train ride through the mountains that your kids will always remember. At the Blue Ridge Adventure Park, show off your courage when you climb four stories to tackle this ropes course.
3. Ellijay
Aim to time your mountain vacation to Ellijay during apple picking season or the weekend of the apple festival. You’ll find many pop-up Apple stands to sell locally grown and picked apples by the side of the road. Visit Mountain Valley Farms to see what farm life is really like and let the kids pet some domesticated farm animals, including cows, sheep, and chickens. Stop by the Blue Ridge Olive Oil Company where you can taste the different olive oils they produce and buy a couple of bottles to enjoy back at your vacation rental.
4. Spring Place
Nestled between Johns Mountain Wildlife Management Area and the Fort Mountain State Park, Spring Place offers your family hiking, fishing, rafting and rock climbing. Escape all the crowds with a vacation rental tucked away in the woods just outside of town with its slower pace of life. After a day at one of the state parks, stop for dinner at one of the local BBQ joints or a mom and pop restaurant.
5. Cornelia
Enjoy life in a small southern town, when you and your family visit the mountain community of Cornelia. Make your way over to the town square and check out The Big Red Apple, a statue that celebrates the area’s apple crops. Step back in time and listen to the King of Rock and Roll with a stop at the Loudermilk Boarding House & Everything Elvis Museum.
6. Tallulah Falls
Step out onto the deck of your vacation rental, breath in the fresh mountain air, and take in the stunning sights in the Tallulah Falls area of Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountain. Spend your days hiking around the Tallulah Falls and the Tallulah Gorge areas. In the summer and fall, you and your family can catch a live music concert at the Tallulah Falls Opry House. If you want to explore the area in a new way, book a trail ride at one of the local stables.
7. Clarkesville
Half between Cleveland and Helen is the Clarkesville community with friendly local and southern charm. Take the kids for a day trip to one of the other areas or get everyone in the car for a drive along Scenic Highway 197. Make sure to bring your camera and stop for lots of pictures of the gorgeous scenery. One of the best features of this area is the Clarkesville Greenways. It’s a system of trails around the town for biking, hiking, and jogging.
8. Chatsworth
In the charming town of Chatsworth, you and your family can pass the days hiking, fishing, swimming and reconnecting with each other in Fort Mountain State Park. Stop by the town square and take some pictures for social media of the Murray County Courthouse. The courthouse has a silver dome and a red-brick facade. Another great place to visit is the Chief Van House. Locals refer to this two-story mansion as the “Showplace of the Cherokee Nation.”
9. McCaysville
McCaysville has a vacation rental for your family with rustic cabins and logs cabin homes it’s easy to settle on a place. This town sits close to the start of the Appalachian Trail, making it a great day of hiking for you and the family to do a small piece of this iconic trail. Visit Horseshoe Bend Park on the River for some fishing and then end the day with a picnic.
10. Cleveland
Stay in the town that’s famous its births, Cabbage Patch Kids births that is. At Babyland General, you and the kids can visit the hospital where these dolls began. Watch in awe as a new baby arrives at the cabbage patch. You can adopt a one-of-a-kind doll or buy a less expensive doll from the gift shop. Enjoy days filled with hiking, biking, shopping and dining at the local restaurants.