Driving north from Atlanta, there’s a point about ninety minutes into the trip when the horizon fills with zigzagging, slate-blue peaks. You could keep on driving—or better yet, walking—along this ridgeline all the way to Maine; the 2,197-mile Appalachian Trail begins on Springer Mountain in the heart of North Georgia. Or you could pull off into a quaint little town and find your fill of whatever mountain goodness you seek: a bag of hand-picked honeycrisp apples, a paddleboard skim across a clear lake, the sudden roar and chill of a waterfall in the woods.
These seven towns aren’t the only character-rich communities in the region, but whether you’re planning an overnight trip or a quick pit stop, they’re sure bets.
Blue Ridge: Well-Rounded Wonder
On Saturdays in fall, downtown Blue Ridge can feel a little like an extension of Atlanta, but who can blame folks for wanting to grab a from-scratch Cuban sandwich at the Rum Cake Lady, a fireside perch at Copper Fox Books, or maybe an antler-handled handbag at Canoe? The magic of Blue Ridge is how easy it is to drive up a small mountain and dip into the woods—perhaps on the rugged Benton MacKaye Trail—for a gulp of unadulterated Appalachian air. Trout-filled waterways like the Toccoa River and Noontootla Creek have helped anoint the town as a fly-fishing hub, while forest-lined Lake Blue Ridge lures pleasure boaters. Families have their choice of folksy excursions: apple picking at Mercier Orchards, a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, a movie under the stars at the Swan Drive-In, maybe even a trip to Expedition Bigfoot, a Sasquatch-themed museum in neighboring Cherry Log.
Clarkesville: Understated Appeal
Clarkesville sometimes falls in the shadow of nearby Dahlonega and Helen, but its downtown square offers circa-1823 charm—plus wood-fired pizza at the Copper Pot, an explosion of Jellycat stuffies at Lake and Laurel Company, and ice cream and candy bins galore at Scoops. The Soque River, one of the state’s bucket-list fly-fishing destinations, runs through town, and Toccoa Falls, the tallest free-falling waterfall east of the Mississippi, is an easy drive away. (At 186 feet, Toccoa just edges out Niagara in height.) For an atmospheric dinner with or without a room reservation, drive about twenty minutes north of downtown to the 1875-built Glen-Ella Springs Inn. Consider leaving with enough daylight for a pre-meal visit to Minnehaha Falls, a cascading gem up a winding gravel road from the inn (.4-mile round-trip walk required).
Clayton: Main Street Magic
Over the last decade or so, Clayton’s mountain-fringed Main Street has blossomed into one of the quaintest little strips in North Georgia, complete with two boutique hotels in historic buildings: the White Birch Inn and the Bridge Creek Inn. Wake up to coffee and a cheddar-bacon scone at White Birch Provisions. Lunch on a fig and prosciutto pie at Fortify Pizza & Burger Bar. Take a turn through century-old Reeves Hardware, and pick up a wearable souvenir from Wander North Georgia. Clayton is also one of the nearest towns to Lakes Burton and Rabun, two of the state’s most scenic reservoirs (with some of its most covetable lakehouses), and to Tallulah Gorge, a thousand-foot canyon into which six waterfalls pour. The gorge area “has a little bit of everything: hiking, rock slides, paddleboarding, biking, and fishing,” says Bridge Creek Inn owner Tyler Caswell. “Combine that with a stroll down Main Street and a bite at the new Henri’s Bakery or our own Vandiver, and you have an awesome day.”
Dahlonega: Hallmark Set IRL
Established during the 1830s Georgia gold rush, Dahlonega’s Dickensian town square has provided the backdrop for a handful of TV Christmas movies. Perched atop a hill that rolls into the campus of the University of North Georgia, it also projects a certain college-town artsiness, especially during the Bear on the Square Mountain Festival each April. Start at the top with a spin through Dahlonega General Store, Paul Thomas Chocolates, and other shops, then make the steep descent—two hundred feet underground, in fact—into the historic tunnels of the Consolidated Gold Mine. Finish with a gut-busting Southern meal at the Smith House (there’s a gold mine shaft beneath that restaurant, too). Despite Dahlonega’s gilded history, the town is firmly in its grape era, and you can throw a rock and hit a winery or tasting room. Wolf Mountain and Montaluce are among the town’s most scenic vineyards, with the fall Saturday crowds to prove it.
Ellijay: More than Apples
Home to a bushel of U-pick orchards and October’s Georgia Apple Festival, Ellijay has also hung its tourism hat on a fruit, but its strollable downtown may put other things on your mind: juicy local-beef burgers at River Street Tavern, the stocked pastry case at A Little Baked Bakery, hand-poured candles and cozy pillows at Artful Ellijay. All of this makes the town an ideal refueling station after visiting Amicalola Falls, a 729-foot cascading stunner, or Fort Mountain State Park, where one of Georgia’s best easy hikes awaits on the West Overlook/CCC Stone Tower trail. (Both destinations are about a twenty-minute drive away.) Ellijay is also a beacon for mountain bikers; the Pinhoti is a designated “epic” trail according to the International Mountain Bicycling Association, while Mulberry Gap Adventure Basecamp draws two-wheelers from across the country.
Helen: More than Schnitzel
Even if you’re not big on beersteins and Bigfoot statues, downtown Helen’s Bavaria-meets-Appalachia vibes are worth experiencing once, especially if you’ve got kids, who will love ducking into the many sweets shops or zipping down the tracks of the Georgia Mountain Coaster. If the weather’s nice, it’s hard to beat the big stone patio of the Hofbrauhaus, where you can watch river tubers float by on “the Hooch.” Helen is also a great adventure launchpad, whether that entails fly-fishing in Smithgall Woods, ziplining over the lake at Unicoi State Park, trekking to one of many waterfalls in the area, or sipping Sauvignon Blanc at Yonah Mountain Vineyards under the shadow of its namesake peak. The pastoral community of Sautee Nachoochee is close by, too, and home to a gazebo-topped Native American mound that’s something of a regional landmark, a nationally recognized folk pottery museum, and the darling Sweetwater Coffeehouse.
Hiawassee: Such Great Heights
Spring blossoms, summer pontoon rides, or autumn leaves? Hiawassee does them equally well. In April and May, native shrubs burst into bloom at Hamilton Rhododenon Gardens, where wooded trails wind along the shores of sparkling Lake Chatuge. When the leaves change, you won’t find a loftier lookout than Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s highest peak at 4,784 feet. You might spot an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker restocking at Trailful Outdoor Co.; the downtown gear shop is owned by the founders of Atlanta Trails and Asheville Trails, making it a great spot to get recommendations on area footpaths. Here’s one: “Hike a local-favorite stretch of the AT from Unicoi Gap to the summit of Rocky Mountain, climbing through a scenic, boulder-filled forest that lights up in autumn leaf color,” says Trailful co-owner Eric Champlin. “Then descend to Indian Grave Gap, where the trail dips through a valley filled with mountain laurel, rhododendron, vibrant green moss, and wildflowers.” And for post-hike fuel, “visit the locally loved Hiawassee Brew for a tasty bite and a cold brew.”
