Blog Post

  While castles go hand-in-hand with stereotypical knights in shining armor upon first thought, they’re often landmarks of deep architectural significance and historical contributions. You might think you have to travel to Europe or farther to experience an enlightening and educational castle, but now you actually don’t have to. If you’re looking to dig deeper […]

Where does the South go to find the warmth of winter’s most time-honored traditions? In this part of the country, a region that’s notorious for hot hot summers and especially abbreviated transitional season, it can be difficult to capture the magic of a season that has been represented by misty mountains, snowy plains, and cultural

When you have good bier and a tight knit community (from all over), festivals just invent themselves. That’s what happened with Oktoberfest in 1810. Can you believe Helen, Georgia, the town that invented itself in the image of Bavaria, has been celebrating Oktoberfest for 50 years? It’s evidence that the spirit driving Oktoberfest is eternal:

As with many crafts over the years, locals are finding out they can do them in Helen, too. Brewing is a longstanding tradition in Germany and a lynchpin of Oktoberfest. As the unofficial Georgia Oktoberfest headquarters, regulars to Helen taste a lot of seasonal brews from Deutschland. The palates of the Blue Ridge faithful are

Sometimes you want to do the same things somewhere new. A relaxing experience relies on some predictability, but also adds intrigue—mountains, river, special food. . . not being home. Making time to just hang out is harder for us guys when we grow up. Alpine Helen is an easy getaway with maximum bro-down benefit. Mark off a

You can drink wine anywhere, yet one of the most popular escapes connoisseurs and novices alike seek is a trip to “wine country.” Perhaps it’s a unique way to connect your senses to a timeless natural process in beautiful surroundings that produce a complex product; maybe it’s getting to learn from wineries how their craft

You’ve got shady oak trees; cool mountain breezes; gently rolling streams giving way to waterfalls; gazing at the stars in the clear spring sky over dinner and a glass of wine. . . but still something is missing: music. Music has always thrived in Appalachia, and the city of Helen does its part to showcase regional-gone-national talent

Close your eyes and imagine a waterfall. How do you feel? A handful of natural memories are so overwhelming to the senses that they never fade. An Appalachian waterfall has a subtle earthy smell from the rocks and vegetation being disturbed; it produces a cool breeze felt through the humid mountain air; it surrounds you

Hiking is what we need more of right now: as a refreshing activity it can range from meditative to heart-pounding, from effortless to grueling, and it is as varied an aesthetic experience as the terrains upon which it occurs. In the Blue Ridge foothills surrounding Helen, you can do it your way. Here is a