Like a mini Leavenworth, Southern
Helen: 48-Hour Escape from Atlanta
A Bavarian alpine village in the North Georgia mountains, with Oktoberfest and Chattahoochee River tubing.
Helen: A Bavarian alpine village in the North Georgia mountains, with Oktoberfest and Chattahoochee River tubing.
At a glance
Helen, Georgia is a 1 hr 30 min drive from Atlanta, best visited April-June or September-October. Like a mini Leavenworth, Southern. Top things to do: Anna Ruby Falls, Chattahoochee River tubing, Helen Oktoberfest. Where to eat: Bodensee Restaurant, Hofer's Bakery & Cafe, The Heidelberg. Stay at Valhalla Resort Hotel or Unicoi State Park Lodge.
73
of 100
Escape score
A solid 48 hours
A modest weekend: reasonable rooms, plenty to do.
- Drive
- 1 hr 30 min from Atlanta
- Best window
- April-June or September-October
- Typical stay
- ~$153/night
Escape score: what there is to do and eat (40%), typical weekend lodging cost (30%), drive time (25%), rounding (5%). Computed from our own guide data, never from paid placement.
Why here
Helen is a town of 500 that in 1968 redid its entire downtown as a Bavarian alpine village, half-timbered buildings, cobblestone alleys, and all. It worked: Helen is the third-most-visited town in Georgia. It sits on the Chattahoochee River, which is tube-able in summer, and the surrounding mountains have Anna Ruby Falls and Unicoi State Park. Oktoberfest runs September through October and is one of the longest in the US.
The Bavarian makeover was an act of economic desperation. Helen was a logging town, and when the timber ran out in the 1960s the downtown was dying. In 1968, a local artist who had been stationed in Germany suggested the shop owners repaint the storefronts in half-timbered Bavarian style, and they did, block by block. Today it is one of the most unusual main streets in the country, gingerbread trim and balconies on what are otherwise 1960s commercial buildings, and it pulls 2 million visitors a year. The Chattahoochee, which starts just north of town, is the reason for the tubing, and Anna Ruby Falls, where two creeks drop side by side to form the river, is the short hike everyone does.
A weekend in Helen is a tube-and-pretzel weekend. Tube the Chattahoochee through town, hike to Anna Ruby Falls, eat schnitzel at Bodensee, and if you come in October, hit Oktoberfest in the Festhalle. Come April through June or September through October. Oktoberfest weekends bring gridlock, arrive by 9am.
The plan
48 hours in Helen
Same town, two different weekends. Pick the arrival that matches your Friday.
Friday, on arrival
Check inValhalla Resort Hotel
From ~$180/night
Bavarian-themed hotel on a hill above town. 46 rooms, a great German restaurant, and views of the mountains. The closest thing to a German inn in Geor...
Leave Atlanta after work: the 1 hr 30 min drive lands you here in the evening.
Friday night
Dinner, then the main streetBodensee Restaurant
German in the center of town. The jägerschnitzel and the spätzle are the orders. The patio faces the river. Reservations for Oktoberfest weekends.
Eat first and walk it off after. Most small-town kitchens stop seating by 9.
Saturday morning
First stopAnna Ruby Falls
$5. Two waterfalls on a 0.4-mile paved trail. The falls are 150 and 50 feet, where Curtis Creek and York Creek meet to form the Chattahoochee. 45 minu...
Saturday midday
LunchHofer's Bakery & Cafe
Austrian bakery since 1969. The pretzels, the apple strudel, and the linzer cookies are the moves. The line forms early, arrive by 9am.
Saturday afternoon
Second stopChattahoochee River tubing
$15. Tube the Chattahoochee through town, 1.5-hour float. Cool River Tubing is the operator. Water is cold, best July-September. Reserve summer weeken...
Saturday night
DinnerThe Heidelberg
German beer hall with 20 taps and a large patio. The bratwurst and the pretzel are the orders. Live polka on weekends.
Sunday morning
Last stop, then homeHelen Oktoberfest
$10 entry. September and October, the longest Oktoberfest in the US. Polka bands, bratwurst, and beer in the Festhalle. Weekends are packed, arrive ea...
1 hr 30 min back to Atlanta still leaves you the afternoon.
Timings are a suggestion, not a schedule. Shift the whole plan by how late you leave.
The Basecamp
Where to stay in Helen
Valhalla Resort Hotel
Bavarian-themed hotel on a hill above town. 46 rooms, a great German restaurant, and views of the mountains. The closest thing to a German inn in Georgia.
Unicoi State Park Lodge
State park lodge 2 miles from town. 100 rooms, a lake, and trails to Anna Ruby Falls. The budget-friendly option. Book ahead fall weekends.
Alpine Village Inn & Cabins
A Bavarian-themed inn on the edge of the village, walkable to the river and the shops. The mid-range, in-town Oktoberfest base.
What to do
Anna Ruby Falls
$5. Two waterfalls on a 0.4-mile paved trail. The falls are 150 and 50 feet, where Curtis Creek and York Creek meet to form the Chattahoochee. 45 minutes round trip.
Learn more ↗
Chattahoochee River tubing
$15. Tube the Chattahoochee through town, 1.5-hour float. Cool River Tubing is the operator. Water is cold, best July-September. Reserve summer weekends.
Learn more ↗
Helen Oktoberfest
$10 entry. September and October, the longest Oktoberfest in the US. Polka bands, bratwurst, and beer in the Festhalle. Weekends are packed, arrive early.
Learn more ↗Pack for Helen
Trail & waterfall kit
Curated for waterfalls, trails, and summit days in Helen.
Lightweight hiking daypack
Room for layers, snacks, and the camera, without weighing you down.
See price on Amazon →Insulated water bottle
Cold water past the last switchback, hot coffee at the overlook.
See price on Amazon →Waterproof hiking boots
Grippy and dry through creek crossings and muddy gorge trails.
See price on Amazon →Rechargeable headlamp
For early trailheads and that one hike that ran long.
See price on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, book2escape earns from qualifying purchases.
Where to eat
Bodensee Restaurant
German in the center of town. The jägerschnitzel and the spätzle are the orders. The patio faces the river. Reservations for Oktoberfest weekends.
Hofer's Bakery & Cafe
Austrian bakery since 1969. The pretzels, the apple strudel, and the linzer cookies are the moves. The line forms early, arrive by 9am.
The Heidelberg
German beer hall with 20 taps and a large patio. The bratwurst and the pretzel are the orders. Live polka on weekends.
Most reviewed on Yelp
The most-reviewed restaurants in Helen. A solid indicator of where locals actually eat.
Bigg Daddys Restaurant & Tavern
Bars
Nacoochee Village Tavern & Pizzeria
Pizza
La Cabana Mexican Restaurant
Mexican
Review counts and ratings are curated from Yelp and may change over time.
Go even deeper
Side trips near Helen
Once you've settled into Helen, these nearby towns are close enough to fold into the same weekend without moving your basecamp.
15 min from Helen
Cleveland
15 minutes south, the small crossroads town with the North Georgia Zoo and the closest approach to Helen, a quieter overnight base than the alpine village.
30 min from Helen
Dahlonega
30 minutes west, the gold-rush-and-wine town, close enough to pair with Helen for a mountain-loop weekend, two very different mountain towns.
On the calendar
Coming up in Helen
Events happening in town, refreshed weekly.
Refreshed weekly
Nov 28 to Dec 6
Helen's Christmas Market
Helen · Downtown Marktplatz and Unicoi Hill Park
This traditional Bavarian-style Christkindlmarkt fills the downtown park with handmade gifts, artisan holiday decor, and classic German sweets and treats. Visitors can spend the weekend shopping unique stalls amidst the town's Alpine mountain backdrop.
Getting there
Drive logistics
From Atlanta, take GA-400 North to Cleveland, then GA-75 North. ~90 miles, about 90 minutes. The last 20 minutes are mountain road. Oktoberfest weekends bring gridlock, the town shuts to one lane, arrive by 9am or take the shuttle.
Drive time
1 hr 30 min
Best time
April-June or September-October
Questions & Answers
Helen weekend FAQ
Helen is about 90 miles northeast of Atlanta, roughly 90 minutes via GA-400 North and GA-75 North.
In 1968, facing a declining logging economy, Helen's business owners redesigned the entire downtown as a Bavarian alpine village on the advice of a local artist who had lived in Germany.
Mid-September through late October, the longest-running Oktoberfest in the United States. Weekends are the busiest, with polka bands and German beer in the Festhalle.
Yes. At 1.5 hours, Helen is the easiest themed-mountain weekend from Atlanta, a rebuilt Bavarian alpine village with a river tube run through downtown, good for families and fall color.
September through October, the Alpine Helen Oktoberfest runs weekends with polka, German food, and beer, and is one of the longest-running Oktoberfest celebrations in the US.
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