Camping is supposed to be simple: lazing about quietly in nature, cooking over an open fire, and sleeping almost under the stars and almost on the ground. What stands in the way of the stress-melting fantasy for you? Is it the stress of travelling to a remote location after hours in the car? Is it the hassle of permits […]

Being indoors can be necessary, even restorative from time to time, but we need open space to be our best selves. The Blue Ridge Mountains and a storybook town getaway, Helen, Georgia, beckons city dwellers and suburbanites when they need to be somewhere else physically. . . and mentally. You can get far away in

Though the holidays are only recently behind us, vacation season seems so far away. Money is in short supply. The days sink into darkness by 4:30pm. This is a time of year that feels much like the leisure desert. How could you escape the everyday mentally and do it economically?   A three-day weekend in the Bavarian

What makes a place romantic? There’s the landscape itself, dynamic and suited for gazing upon with long stretches of wilderness to explore; the climate, with some sense of seasons but never inhospitable; the culture, welcoming and distinct to make you feel like you are a subject in your own narrative—you and a special someone. Places

As difficult as this may be for those of you who spend thousands to travel to Napa, it’s time to accept that North Georgia is a premier wine growing region. We have around 20 wineries/vineyards in North Georgia, many of which grow the grapes with international cachet: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec, Petit

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