"Go west, young man" might be good advice, but for family fun in Georgia, the best strategy is, "Go north."
The Northeast Georgia Mountains provide places to bond, explore and have rambunctious adventures, whether the kids are toddlers or edging into the easily-bored teen years.
This ultimate area guide for families will help you find the fun fast and maybe discover a few bargains along the way. Here are seven insider picks for the fam in the northeast Georgia mountains:
300 N.O.K. Drive, Cleveland. 706-865-2171, cabbagepatchkids.com
One of Travel Channel's "Top Ten Toylands," this is the place for old school and new wave fans of the Cabbage Patch kids. And admission is free! The site is a lavish Southern-style home on 650 acres, complete with Mother Cabbage below a Magic Crystal Tree, Bunnybees, licensed patch doctors and nurses and thousands of newly hatched (make that hand-sculpted) individual Cabbage Patch Kids.
Love BabyLand General Hospital even more: Visit for one of the special events, like a Cabbage Patch Tea Party.
Walk up to a waterfall in the Helen/Hiawassee area
The outdoorsy family will find multitudes of wonderful hiking opportunities throughout the northeast Georgia mountains, but the view of a waterfall (even from the car!) adds extra awesome. There are several paved trails and campgrounds throughout the Helen-Hiawassee area, including the steep .4-mile one at Anna Ruby Falls (Chattooga Ranger District) that showcases two falls that join together; the 1.2-mile hike to High Shoals Falls (Brasstown Ranger District) that leads to observation decks alongside five waterfalls; and Horse Trough Falls (Chattooga Ranger District), a .4-mile trail that even beginners can enjoy.
Love waterfalls in the Helen-Hiawassee area even more: Check out the .8-mile trail at Dukes Creek Fall (Chattooga Ranger District), which winds down the gorge and gives the kids a shot at gold panning!
Hit the North Georgia Farm Trail
Want a little bit of everything farm-related, and all of it fresh and fascinating? The North Georgia Farm Trail covers agritourism attractions in Pickens, Gilmer, Fannin, Union and Towns counties, generally running along the Highway 515 corridor and can be picked up at many access points. This is a great choice for the family that has a lot of get-up-and-go because you can see artisans and crafters, eat at a farm-to-table restaurant or saddle up for a horseback adventure and still only navigate a third of the trail.
Love the North Georgia Farm Trail even more: Download a PDF of the trail and its highlights, like the Dancing Meadows Alpaca Farm (376 Tally Mountain Road North, Jasper, 706-338-8987, dancingmeadowsalpacas.com).
Olin Hughes Sorghum Syrup Mill
2134 Olin Hughes Road, Young Harris, GA. 706-400-8420.
Here's the outing for the family of history buffs who love hands-on activities. Olin Hughes and family have been growing sorghum and making it into a heavenly sweet syrup since 1954. Each fall, visitors can watch the process and just sit and smell the sweetness.
Love the Sorghum Syrup Mill even more: Pick up some of the sweet stuff at the store and make homemade biscuits to serve it on when you get back home.
3856 E First St., Blue Ridge. 702-907-4372, folkapothic.com
Whether you want to delve into the Appalachian roots of the northeast Georgia mountain area or just eat and buy lots of tasty stuff, this eclectic mercantile and producer is fascinating and heart-warming. Just a few of the draws include organic produce, handmade textiles and wild-gathered herbs and extracts. You can sit on the couch with a cup of hand-blended tea or tap down at the all-ages Friday drum circle.
Love the Herbiary of Blue Ridge even more: Sign up for a hands-on workshop; some are for adults only, but others could involve the whole family.
Blue Ridge Treehouse Rentals
14 Spirit Mountain Road, Blue Ridge, GA. 813-679-0707, brtreehouses.com
Not a typo! If your family needs a weekend getaway, take to the trees! Blue Ridge Treehouse rentals have two options, one that's two stories tall. Both are near wholesome hikes and with fireflies, campfires and wildflowers, too, when in season.
Love a treehouse rental even more: Invite other families or the cousins to enjoy the hot tub and fire pit with you.
One-tank trips is an occasional series from The Atlanta Journal Constitution that highlights places you can visit on – you guessed it – one tank of gas. Contact Stephanie Toone at stephanie.toone@ajc.com with questions or ideas.
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