Helen

Helen is a tourist town that is a re-creation of an alpine village. It is located in Georgia's Northeast High Country.

Street in Helen

Get in

By car

From Atlanta, GA Approximately 1 1/2 hrs.

I-85 North. Go north to Gainesville Exit 113, which is I-985 and turns into Hwy. 365. Go 42 miles continuing on Hwy. 365 to Hwy. 384. Turn left, go 16 miles to GA Hwy. 75, turn right and go three miles into Helen.

From Atlanta, Georgia via GA 400 GA 400 North. Take 400 North until it ends. Continue ahead on GA Hwy. 115. Go 5 miles to the traffic light. Turn right on to Hwy. 115. Go 13 miles to Cleveland. At traffic light, turn left onto US 129 North. Go to the next traffic light and turn right on Hwy. 75 North. 9 miles to Helen.

From Chattanooga, TN Approximately 132 miles - 3 hrs.

I-75 South. Go South on I-75 to Dalton, GA. Take Hwy. 76 to Ellijay. From Ellijay continue south on Hwy. 52 to Dahlonega. At Dahlonega continue on 52/115 to Cleveland, GA. At 1st traffic light in Cleveland, turn left on Hwy. 129 North to next light and then right on GA Hwy. 75 and travel 9 miles to Helen.

From Birmingham, AL Approximately 3 1/2 hrs.

I-20 E take I-20 East to Atlanta, then I-285 by-pass north toward Chattanooga. Take GA 400 North to the end. Continue straight ahead on a county two-lane road (Long Branch Rd.) for 5 miles to a traffic light. Turn right on Hwy. 52/115 for 13 miles to Cleveland, GA. At traffic light turn left on Hwy. 129 North. At next traffic light turn right on Hwy. 75 and go 9 miles to Helen.

From Florida I-75 to I-675 to I-285 to I-85 and see above from Atlanta.

Get around

Most of downtown Helen can be seen on foot and there are several public parking lots that are convenient.

Pegasus Horse Drawn Carriages can take you throughout the city.

See

Anna-Ruby Falls

• Anna Ruby Falls. A waterfall located in the Chattahoochee National Forest. A trail to the waterfall is also provided for the visually impaired. 
• Babyland General Hospital - Cabbage Patch Kids. Where Cabbage Patch Kids are "born". Located in the neighboring Town of Cleveland. 
• Black Forest Bear Park & Reptile Exhibit. A "park" that is the home to many different species of bears and reptiles too. 
• Charlemagne's Kingdom. An Alpine Model Railroad. 
• Nora Mill Granary & Country Store. A Granary Mill built in 1876 on the Chattahoochee just 2 miles south of Helen. 
• Sautee Nacoochee Center. A museum/nature preserve/heritage site. 
• Sautee Store. An old store museum that carries Scandinavian gifts. 
• Scarlett's Secret. A Plantation style museum that contains memorabilia from the movie Gone With the Wind and of the Civil War. 

Do

• Unicoi State Park. The park offers camping, hiking and biking trails, trout fishing, a lodge with rooms and a restaurant and rental cabins. 
• Ana Ruby Falls. A hiking trail leads to a viewing platform at the base of two falls. 
• Unicoi Outfitters. Fly fishing. 
• Upper Hightower Trout. 
• Georgia Lake Trout. 
• Horseback Riding. 
• Southeastern Expeditions. 
• Wildwood Outfitters. 
• Helen Tubing. 
• Cool River Tubing. 
• Innsbruck Golf Club. 
• Helen Mini Golf. 
• Pirates Cove. Mini-golf. 
• Lake Cruises, ☎ [phone]. 

Festivals and events

• Fasching. Best described as a German Mardi Gras. It is held before Lent. 
• Annual Trout Tournament. A Trout fishing tournement held in Helen every year. 
• The Spring Volksmarch Walk. Volksmarch is a group oriented hike or walk that is not a contest. Volksmarch is very popular in European countries. 
• Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival. Held the first weekend in June every year. 
• Oktoberfest. Helen hosts one of the longest Oktoberfest in the South. Oktoberfest in Helen starts in September and lasts through November. 

Buy

• Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen. The owner of this "Candy Kitchen" knows how to make candy so well that he was asked to and did write Candy Making for Dummies.
• Scandinavian European Import Company. Selling handcrafted cuckoo clocks, Rhythm & Seiko Movement Clocks, Beer Steins, Russian Nesting Dolls, Amber Jewelry, Rare German Pewter, Nyform Trolls, as well as many other items. 

Eat & Drink

• Nacoochee Grill, 7277 South Main Street, ☎ [phone]. 
• Hofer's of Helen Bakery and Cafe, 8758 North Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Pauls Steakhouse, 8537 S Main St., ☎ [phone]. 
• La Cabana Mexican Restaurant, 8160 S Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Viele Margaritas, 8537 S Main St, ☎ [phone]. STE B. 
• Troll Tavern & Restaurant, ☎ [phone]. 
• Bigg Daddys American Tavern & Music Club. 
• Safari Steakhouse, 8717 N Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Cafe International, Main Street, [phone].
• Old Bavaria Inn Restaurant, 8619 S Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Jordano's Pizza, 11 River St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Sunflower Restaurant, 8252 S. Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Hofbrau Riverfront Motel & Restaurant, 9001 Main Street, ☎ [phone]. 

Sleep

Motels

• Alpine Village Inn, 1005 Edelweiss Strasse, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Baymont Inn & Suites, 8220 S Main Street, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Castle Inn, N Main St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Days Inn, 8288 South Main St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: +1-800-DAYSINN (3297466). 
• Econo Lodge, 100 Edelweiss Strasse, ☎ [phone]. 
• Sylvan Valley Lodge, 747 Duncan Bridge Rd, ☎ [phone]. Sautee, Ga 
• Hampton Inn on the River, 147 Unicoi St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Helendorf Inn, 33 Munichstrasse, toll-free: [phone]. The Helendorf River Inn and Conference Center is located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in downtown Alpine Helen, Georgia in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. 
• Hofbrau Riverfront Motel & Restaurant, 9001 Main Street, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Motel 6, 8171 S Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Quality Inn, 15 Yonah St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Riverbend Motel and Cabins, 134 River Street. 
• Rodeway Inn, 749 Brucken Strasse, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Super 8, 8396 S Main St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Unicoi State Park Lodge & Restaurant Hwy 356 Sautee, GA 30571 [phone] or [phone]

Cabins

• Cedar Creek Cabin Rentals. 

• A Blue Ridge Cabins. 
• Tanglewood Cabins. 
• Hooch Cabins. 
• Cabin Rentals of Sautee & Old Pilgrim House. 
• Chimney shadows Cabins. 
• Frances Lee Cabin. 
• Georgia Mountain Rentals. 
• Lazy Bones Mountain Cabins. 
• Pinnacle Cabin Rentals. 
• Sautee Resorts. 
• Helen GA Cabin Rentals. 
• Mountain Paws Cabin Rentals, ☎ [phone]. (updated Jul 2017)

Campgrounds & RV Resorts

• Sleepy Hollow Campground. 
• Yonah Mountain Campgrounds. 
• Jenny's Creek Campground. 
• Creekwood RV Park & Cabins. 
• Leisure Acres Campground. 

Go next

• The neighboring town of Cleveland where you my find Babyland General Hospital - Cabbage Patch Kids Where cabbage Patch Kids are "born".