From mountain biking to Main Street, boating to breweries, Blue Ridge offers something for everyone…and every day of the week
About 90 minutes north of Atlanta via Interstate 575, Blue Ridge, Georgia, is a destination worthy of week-long relaxation. Read on to find the best ways to spend a solid seven in this cool North Georgia mountain town.
Day 1
Rise and shine with a visit to Mercier Orchards (8660 Blue Ridge Drive). No North Georgia mountain escape is complete without affordable fresh farm produce. U-pick begins in May, followed by apple picking in August. Stay for lunch or come early for a breakfast fit for a king, complete with local sausage, grits, apple fritters and more. The 21-and-over set will love the fact that this orchard is the only apple orchard in Georgia that grows and makes their own hard apple cider and farm wines, including Fall Harvest Apple, Blackberry Winter and Summer Sweet Peach. Mercier also has tastings of some of the best North Georgia regional wines. New to downtown Blue Ridge, the orchard added a location where visitors can savor breakfast and lunch (BR2-168).
Later in the day, rent a pontoon boat at Lake Blue Ridge Marina (335 Marina Drive) and explore or fish Lake Blue Ridge. For a guided tour of the lake or fishing charter, head to Capt’n Joe’s Lake Adventures on Lake Blue Ridge.
Hike the Ridge with an expert and explore the area’s local beauty via trails that range from easy to difficult and optional customized treks, including overnight stays. Or, take it to two wheels with mountain biking excursions along the area’s vast trail systems, including treks through the Cohutta Wilderness and along the Tanasi Trail System. Find routes, here. For a unique experience, Pedego Electric Bikes (757 East Main Street) can traverse gravel and dirt backroads and helpful employees provide maps and suggestions on where to bike.
For dinner, try Blue Jeans Blue Ridge (11 Mountain Street C) where you’ll find everything you need for a family-pleasing feast, including hand-tossed pizzas, fresh, daily-made pastas, salads and more.
Day 2
Spend a refreshing day hiking or biking to local waterfalls on forested trails in the Chattahoochee National Forest–without making a dent in the budget. Find a hiking map here. Restock hunger-quelling supplies at Chester’s Provisions (733 East Main Street), which features unique food and beverages, including craft beers and wine, as well as an assortment of entertainment accessories.
Hike to Fall Branch Falls, where the upper portion is a series of cascades that lead to a single major drop of some 30 feet, with the water plunging into a deep pool at the base of the falls.
Mine for gems, go fishing, take a hike or play a round of mini-golf, all at Blue Ridge’s destination for family fun–The Lilly Pad Village (24 Adelaide Drive). Pets are welcome, too. Don’t let Mother Nature rain out your adventure. Check out Blue Ridge’s new indoor putt putt course at Second Story Entertainment (733 East Main Street), which features a variety of themes throughout nine rooms in addition to games like giant tic-tac-toe, darts and checkers that guests can play as they move throughout the course.
End the night with a sweet treat from the famed Sweet Shoppe of the South (576 East Main Street, Suite D). There you will find owners Nikki and Susan, who appeared on Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.” Ditch the diet and indulge on gourmet cupcakes, cheesecakes and Double Doozie cookies.
Day 3
Make Blue Ridge home base for exploring area attractions. In nearby McCaysville, stand in two states at one time as you straddle The Blue Line. Check out the Ducktown Basin Museum (212 Burra Burra Street, Ducktown) which details the copper mining industry that established the town and, later, explore Main Street and shops like Painted Pony Trading Company (108 Ocoee Street, Ste. B). Sip suds at Copperhill Brewery (105 Ocoee Street) and then end the day with a picnic, relaxing in Horseshoe Bend Park on the Toccoa River. Don’t miss Pickin’ in the Park, May through September.
Day 4
Also May through September, pack a picnic and try tubing, kayaking the Toccoa or an Ocoee River whitewater rafting adventure. Plenty of outfitters can provide everything you need, including transportation. Try Toccoa Valley Campground Tubing and Rafting and spend the day on the river by taking advantage of onsite rental options for tubes, rafts and kayaks. In search of a thrill? Head to the Ocoee River where the waters come alive in the warmer months. Rapid lovers travel from far and wide to paddle these white waters. Choose a local guide company to help you steer the wild currents aboard a raft.
In the evening, talk about the day’s adventure over mouth-watering bites at Masseria Kitchen and Bar (67 Roberts Way), featuring Mediterranean fare, with a nod toward Southern Appalachian ingredients, including fresh vegetables, roasted chicken and seafood, handmade pastas and pizza, along with cocktails featuring crafted syrups. Or, in nearby McCaysville, check out newly opened Burra Burra Seafood (100 Blue Ridge Drive), offering oysters, clams, crawfish, shrimp and more, or Twisted Tomato Restaurant (100 Blue Ridge Drive, McCaysville, Georgia 30555) opening in September, serving brick-oven pizza and Italian food with a view overlooking the banks of the Toccoa River.
Day 5
Plan a rest day and retreat to a spa setting to splurge on soothing massage therapy, holistic facials or therapeutic body treatments at Teatrees Boutique Spa (3293 East 1st Street) or Serenity in the Mountains (59 McKinney Road).
Afterwards, savor a sip on the large covered outdoor seating area which stretches behind Bear Claw Vineyards & Winery (2281 Tennis Court Road, 706-223-3750). It’s an ideal tasting room to relax and purchase a glass or bottle to enjoy.
Day 6
Go horseback riding at Blue Ridge Mountain Trail Rides at Hell’s Hollow (319 Hell’s Hollow Road). Or, get hearts pounding with two feet off the ground at Blue Ridge Adventure Park (2087 East First Street), featuring an in-air obstacle challenge course with suspended bridges, tight ropes, climbing walls, zip lines and other fun obstacles for every age and ability.
Make memories at Expedition Bigfoot (1934 GA-515, Cherry Log), a 4,000-square-foot family attraction that is home to the country’s largest permanent display of genuine Bigfoot artifacts, life-sized exhibits, photos, sketches, up-to-date sighting maps and the World’s only Bigfoot Research and Tech Vehicle on display. Discuss possible Bigfoot sightings over pizza at La Pizzaria at Cucina Rustica (76 Forge Mill Road), an extension of the popular Cucina Rustica, featuring New York-style pizza, calzones, wings, subs, draft beer, wine and more.
Day 7
End the trip with a highlight! Take a train ride and chugga-chug down the 13-miles of rails comprising the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (241 Depot Street). The 45-minute (each way) excursion is a generation-bonding adventure that starts at the historic 1905 depot in Downtown. Vintage climate-controlled rail cars or open air rail cars host more than 70,000 passengers each year for a ride that winds alongside the Toccoa River, with a stop in the twin border towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee. Copperhill/McCaysville is one town with two names because it is split by the GA/TN state line. Here, visitors have a two hour layover with plenty of time to eat lunch, shop for unique crafts and antiques, snack on ice cream or walk around.
After returning to downtown Blue Ridge, take the kids to Huck’s General Store (500 E Main Street) to pick out a souvenir. Step back in time with an authentic general store experience in downtown Blue Ridge, complete with barrels of candy from yesteryear.
In the evening, catch a movie the old-fashioned way at the Swan Drive-In (651 Summit Street), one of Georgia’s four remaining drive-ins. Established in 1955, the Swan Drive-in features a full concession stand, including funnel cakes and fried Oreos.
Where to stay
At the end of the day, rest easy in a cabin, with options for mountain and lake views, or choose from cottage-like accommodations nearer to downtown, www.BlueRidgeMountains.com/where-to-stay, 1-800-899-MTNS.