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There are easier places to live than the mountains—though certainly nowhere as beautiful. There were incentives to bring Mississippian Indian cultures and then American settlers to the southern Appalachians:  There are animals and fish beneath the hardwood canopies enjoying the cool, clean streams; it’s a little bit cooler; there was a gold rush in the […]

The stickiness, frizziness, unrelenting hazy summer sun: what’s the best way to usher it out, preparing yourself for a crisp fall? An alpine Oktoberfest with bier and dancing! Perhaps you haven’t planned a trip to Munich to join some 7 million other seasonal revelers—but that’s no deal breaker. The longest Oktoberfest celebration in America is

Schnitzel, brats, beer . . . and, “room for dessert?” Best wear your stretchy lederhosen to Helen. Compared to American desserts, the Germans err on the light and airy side just a bit: it’s all about mild cream (i.e. Bavarian cream), fruit, chocolate, and flaky pastries. Here are some key places to sample representative German

There are definitely places one can get lost in North Georgia, leaving behind modern amenities and basking in self-reliance and adventure. But there are also designated campsite areas near Helen where you can get most of the benefits of long-haul backpacking and still achieve a normal night’s sleep, entertain yourself, and have a designated bathroom. Unicoi

Sausage is a simple concept: ground meat varieties mixed with fat and spices, often stuffed into casings. Like any simple food concept, however, every culture has put its own spin on it—and none more distinctively than German culture where it’s called wurst. You can find the best of wurst in America, right here in Helen. If you

You’re in Helen with the family or friends, getting stuffed on schnitzels and lager and shopping a lot, yet the solitude of the Blue Ridge Mountains with its hardwoods and dozens of waterfalls beckon. There is a lot to see, but you can have peace and pace before the rest of the crew knows where

Spring is near, which means open season for picnics, but to be honest, late winter has plenty of good sit-outside days as well. Eating al fresco near Helen lets you enjoy your food in peace with nature, which can be especially rewarding if you have spent the morning/afternoon in busy stores or traffic. You can

The leisurely tourist pace is easily balanced with all the outdoors activities in Helen. If you’re a parent, you might just need to get out at sunrise to have some rise and grind time to yourself. Maybe amidst all the German leisure you need some physical challenge. Here are some ready-made challenges that you could

The roots of Oktoberfest: a surfeit of beer and excuse to party in Bavarian style (a Prince’s wedding) in 1810. All the elements that make the celebration so distinct fell into place around the opportunity. German music was already among the world’s most distinctive and folksy; Bach had even written memorable classical church hymns that

The southern Appalachian Mountains have been open to scrappy settlers since the early 1800s, but modernization has always moved a bit slower here than elsewhere. The terrain and industry have kept the culture close to the land and to tradition throughout mineral booms, logging busts, and—more recently—tourism. Helen itself was incorporated in 1913, but even