Artisans, craftsmen, vintners add dimension to your Helen, Georgia getaway
Sautee Nacoochee is located just one-half mile south of the popular resort town of Helen in the Northeast Georgia Mountains and offers another dimension for visitors to the Alpine attraction. This unincorporated village sits along the banks of the Chattahoochee River in Nacoochee valley beneath Yonah Mountain. More and more visitors to Alpine Helen-White County are adding a day here to their itinerary.
Scenic beauty and outdoor activities bring many to Sautee Nacoochee, as Yonah Mountain is one of the top three rock climbing spots in Georgia. The valley, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is also home to the Nacoochee Mound, a burial site that pre-dates Cherokee Indians settlement in the area. The mound is now part the of the historic Hardman Farm, which features an 1870’s Italianate home and scenic nature trails. A visit to the valley, though, reveals even more adventure, indoors as well as out.
Shopping
Take shopping, for instance. In Sautee Nacoochee shopping is not your usual retail excursion. A stop at Nacoochee Village is a unique shopping experience among shops representing an extraordinary balance of traditional trades and contemporary appeal.
In keeping with that outdoor theme, Nacoochee Adventures (7019 S. Main Street, Helen, GA 30545) is located just outside of the Alpine Village of Helen and offers zipline and ATV tours, a three-level challenge course, giant swing, treehouse and even covered wagons for a unique overnight stay. Engage in memory-making adventures while guides tell stories about the rich history of the valley, from the Native American inhabitants, to the 1800s Gold Rush, to the Prohibition moonshine makers.
Nearby, Nora Mill Granary (7107 South Main Street, Helen, GA 30545) is an operational gristmill in the village, alongside the Chattahoochee River. Established in 1876, the granary now ships grits and other grain products to gourmet retailers, supermarkets and restaurants throughout the world. The mill offers samples and retail sales at its country store. Traditional and contemporary artisans can be found at The Willows Pottery (7275 South Main Street, Helen, GA 30545). It’s a working studio and gallery featuring handmade stoneware by more than 20 local artisans and crafts people. In addition to pottery, locally made jewelry, baskets, photography, fiber art and soaps can all be found here, also.
Explore arts and culture at the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association (283 Hwy 255 North, Sautee Nacoochee, GA), a thriving cultural and community center housed in a restored rural schoolhouse. The Association is dedicated to nurturing creativity and committed to preserving and protecting the natural and historical resources of the Sautee and Nacoochee Valleys and the surrounding area. Take a class, delight the senses with performances and visual arts presentations and visit the onsite Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia which showcases the handcraft skills of one of the South’s premier grassroots art forms and explores the historical importance and changing role of folk pottery in Southern life.
Those in search of antiques and nostalgia will love to browse the nearby Nacoochee Village Antiques (7091 S. Main Street, Helen, GA 30545) and the Old Sautee Store(2315 GA-17, Sautee Nacoochee, GA 30571). For a real treat, visit The Gourd Place, (2319 Duncan Bridge Road, Sautee Nacoochee, GA 30571) with its gourd museum, retail shops and a pottery with pieces crafted from gourd molds. The owners, the “Gourd Girls,” are happy to welcome visitors to the oldest gourd craft retail shop in the country.
Wineries
This North Georgia region is gaining a reputation for its wine production and Sautee Nacoochee produces some of the best. Habersham Vineyards and Winery (7025 South Main Street, Helen, GA 30545) is well-known to visitors of Helen and is one of Georgia’s oldest and largest wineries. The family-owned, local winery has been producing award winning Georgia wines since 1983.
Now, more wineries have come into their own here and are offering an expanding array of wines. Yonah Mountain Vineyards (1717 Highway 255 S., Cleveland, GA, 30528), Serenity Cellars (265 Laurel Ridge Road, Cleveland, GA 30528) are two notable additions, offering a variety of wines, as well as tasting rooms and special events venues. In all, seven wineries operate in the Helen area and each winery offers tastings and retail sales along with their own slate of special events throughout the year.
Adding a Sautee Nacoochee experience to your White County visit will lead you to find artists bringing the craftsmanship of the past, from tying flies to growing grapes, into the present. More and more visitors are browsing the shops, touring the vineyards and taking in the rich history and contemporary culture of this beautiful North Georgia region.
When You Go: Tasting tours with VIP Southern Tours (2276 GA-17 C, Sautee Nacoochee, GA 30571) is an excellent way to experience the wines of the region and take in the beautiful Sautee Nacoochee valley in comfort. They offer six-hour tours featuring four wineries, Sunday Fun Day trips and custom group and special event tours. For a true peaceful mountain getaway, try one of the Inns and bed and breakfasts or cabins that dot the landscape of Alpine Helen-White County.