Known for its natural beauty and rich cultural history, the scenic village of Helen GA offers one of the tourist attractions in White County, Georgia. Made more enchanted by the Chattahoochee River and the Blue Ridge Mountains, it welcomes more than two million annual visitors looking for exciting and fun things to do in Georgia.
This community boasts of an alpine climate and a quaint Bavarian ambiance. Newcomers and repeat travelers are treated to a feast of old-world architecture painted with vivid colors and built on areas with cobblestone paths. It is located 75 miles away or a two-hour trip from Atlanta, GA.
Helen: A brief history
The picturesque Helen, GA, and its surrounding valleys of Nacoochee and Sautee used to be the turf of Cherokee Indians in the mid-Archaic period (around 2,500 B.C.). Around the 1800s, new settlers arrived; after a wagon road was constructed. Helen later became a source of income for miners during the period of the Great Gold Rush until the digging became too difficult.
In the early 1900s, a sawmill was built to capitalize on Helen’s wellspring of virgin timber, until its operations ceased in 1931. When the loggers left, its economy declined. During the mid-1950s, it ventured into manufacturing, but the town continued to struggle.
By the late 1960s, a group of local enterprising residents, led by Jimmy Wilkins and Pete Hodkinson, asked the help of artist and former soldier John Kollock to find ways to regain Helen’s prosperity. Kollock gave ideas based on his military stint in Bavaria, Germany. It was his proposal that inspired the lovely designs of today’s Alpine Helen town.
What to do for fun in Helen
As a haven for vacationers, the Alpine village of Helen has over 200 establishments, consisting of gift shops, specialty stores, galleries, and restaurants. There are also exceptional lodging and accommodations, such as those offered by Cedar Creek Cabin Rentals.
Besides its amenities, Helen offers memorable festivities throughout the year. It holds various events like the Winefest, the Hot Air Balloon Race and Festival, Volksmarch, and Independence Day fireworks. Music enthusiasts also flock to Helen for the three-month-long Oktoberfest (which runs from September to November). Christmas parades, the Alpenfest, and the Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas market) are organized during the holiday season.
Moreover, tourists can drop by the Helen Arts & Heritage Center, Helen Amusement Park, Charlemagne’s Kingdom, Dukes Creek Gold and Ruby Mines, Nora Mill Granary, Habersham Winery, and the Folk Pottery Museum. They can also spend time at Lake Burton, Unicoi State Park, Chattahoochee National Forest, and the Black Forest Bear Park.
Aside from shopping and sightseeing, Helen visitors can experience more outdoor fun by canoeing and river tubing on the Chattahoochee River. They can also hike at the Brasstown Bald Mountains. Golf lovers can play at the Alpine Helen Mini-Golf or the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf. They can likewise go horseback riding, camping, and fishing in nearby forests, rivers, and waterfalls. At the end of a busy day, tourists can relax in their luxury cabin, reflecting on a beautiful and fun-filled day!
