Alpine Helen in Georgia is a unique destination and promotes itself as the ‘charm of Bavaria in the heart of Blue Ridge Mountains’. The town resembles a picturesque Bavarian village – with gabled roofs, pastel shutters, cobbled streets, and a festive atmosphere. Here's your epic guide on the best things to do.
You will see many gems including the working windmill in front of Heidi motel and other buildings built in the chalet style of architecture.
The menus feature schnitzels, pretzels, wursts, smoked pork chops, German potato salad, and apple strudel. King Ludwig’s Biergarten is a family-friendly bar and nightclub that serves great German beer.
The river is a foot or so deep and about 15 feet wide – you can float along the shallow calm water for as short as an hour or even spend an entire day floating on the river.
Helen has a distinct bohemian artists’ colony vibe to it. You will find arts and crafts stores, handmade goods stores, antique stores, and boutique stores located next to each other.
The area has several hiking trails, an old gold mine shaft, and the Watson Mill covered bridge, the longest covered bridge in Georgia.
When walking on Main Street, the smell of candy and chocolates will hit you. This store has lots of free samples of fudges to try that will make you want to buy loads to take home.
The bridge was built in the 1890s by a Fred Dover, a Georgia local and is still structurally sound. At one time Georgia had 200 covered bridges out which only 20 remain.
It displays a variety of artwork from artists in the north Georgia mountains. Their collection includes jewelry, hand-blown glasswork, sculptures, pottery, paintings, photography, Christmas ornaments, and much more.
Museum of the Hills is a small art museum dedicated to Helen and the surrounding areas. It has exhibits on the area’s humble beginnings, transformation, and related history. They also feature local art pieces.
The hot air balloon ride is especially spectacular in fall when the countryside turns a beautiful shade of orange-red. You will even see views of the Atlanta skyline from the hot air balloon.
Located in a historic house called the Martin house, this three-story mall is filled with treasures, antiques, and collectibles of every kind and is a shopper’s paradise.
Helen has excellent zip lining facilities and zipping through the beautiful forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains is one of the most fun things to do around Helen.