Helen – located in North Georgia is a charming Bavarian-style village that is known for its picturesque setting and festive atmosphere, especially during the Christmas season. The town is designed to resemble a traditional German alpine village, complete with cobblestone streets, timber-framed buildings, and scenic mountain surroundings.

I have been wanting to visit this German town to see and experience it and finally I made it here this Holiday season. In this blog, I will share with you why you should consider visiting Helen, Georgia and add this to your bucket list or travel destinations especially at Christmas time.

As someone who travels & blogs, your goal is to take photos as many as you can but the weather was not on our favor on this one which I already knew ahead but it was mine & my little girl’s birthday weekend. So expect wet, rainy, gloomy backgrounds on the photos. The rain finally stopped on our last day.

Welcome to Helen, Georgia

What’s not to miss: Helen, Ga sign

What To See During The Holidays:

1. Christmas Decorations:

The entire town is beautifully decorated with Christmas lights, ornaments, and festive displays. Many businesses and homes participate in the holiday decorations, creating a magical and festive ambiance. The Christmas tree lights up around North to South Main street.

2. Helen’s Christmas Parades:

The town often hosts Christmas parades featuring festive floats, marching bands, and appearances by Santa Claus. Check the local event schedule for parade dates and times on their website CLICK HERE. On our visit, the Christmas parade is not until the next weekend.

3. Holiday Events and Festivals:

Alpine Helen organizes special events and festivals during the Christmas season, such as Christmas markets, tree lighting ceremonies, and live performances. These events add to the festive atmosphere and provide entertainment for visitors.

Pls check out our Christmas in Helen, GA Reels on our FB Page – CLICK HERE

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4. Dining:

Enjoy traditional Bavarian cuisine at the town’s restaurants, and some may offer special holiday menus. Warm up with hot cocoa, indulge in gingerbread treats, or savor hearty meals in the cozy restaurants. Most of our orders are ” to go “ I have Little Bit my doggy with me & we can’t sit at the patio, it is wet. Big thanks to the weather..lol..

Here are some ideas on where to eat/dine..

Hofer’s Of Helen Bakery & Cafe – German

Breakfast. They open at 8 am but sometimes before 8 am people already are outside. They are also pet friendly and you can sit at the patio, considering the weather is fine. They have chocolate croissant. Hands down the best!! Don’t miss this one!!

Pink Pig Southern BBQ – American

Lunch. If you want to have some heavy lunch like we did, we chose Pink Pig and guys let me tell you..they have the best spare ribs in Helen!! Like everything that we ordered was very good!! They are new I think & not even on my radar. You know as a blogger I do my research & I didn’t come across Pink Pig but WOW!! I’m a big fan now!! We ordered online through Toast and my friend picked up the order and was told their online order is new and we were the first one to order. My friend said it’s being operated by a family and they were very nice as we weren’t sure if our order went through. But I can’t wrap up my head up how good their toasted bread was..I think that was the best toasted bread I ever had lol..but seriously!!

Spice 55 Thai & Sushi Restaurant – Asian

Dinner. Spine 55 Thai & Sushi Restaurant is just right across Pink Pig. If you want to just chill in a bar and order sushi, this is a cool place. But me, I eat heavy so I ordered shrimp panang curry which has always been my favorite and it was good. My friend loved fried rice and crab cheese wonton. I love the interior of Spice 55. Give yourself some sushi time here!!

Bodensee Restaurant – German

Per review one of the best restaurants in Helen. They are pet friendly and you can do the outdoor seating. I would have loved to sit & enjoy here but again the weather..lol. This is where you can find the schnitzel, bratwurst, german potato salad. Goulash soup & escargot is well recommended. To be honest we skipped this one but still on my list for next time. We were gonna order by phone but nobody seems to pick up so when we drove by we just decided to go somewhere else. There is also recently a mixed review about this restaurant..sooo..maybe next time.

Muller Famous Fried Cheese Cafe – German & Czech

The Muller Famous Fried Cheese Cafe specializes in fried cheese & German schnitzel which I have been dying to try but somehow missed it. I don’t know why but I guess because it was raining all day, we got lazy and pretty much slept in. Still on my list for next time. I heard they serve breakfast all day. They have gluten free meals. Pet & LGBTQ friendly. Love it!!

Paul’s Steakhouse & Seafood – American

If you are after the ambiance, live music, fun and great steak, this one is for you. Paul’s Steakhouse is situated down by the riverside. After a long day and you just want to chill, eat some great steak & drink some beer while enjoying the live band, this is a great idea. We didn’t get the chance because aside from it was raining, parking was full. Still on my list. I also heard their staff are really nice & pleasant which is very important. The restaurant is well-lit & decorated right by the bridge – you can’t miss it.

5. Pictures with Santa:

Many places in Alpine Helen, such as Santa’s Claus-et, offer opportunities for children and families to take pictures with Santa Claus. It’s a popular activity for capturing holiday memories. During our visit Santa Claus was walking around lol..so we just sat on his throne.

6. Rides

You can enjoy riding the Alpine train or horse carriage around the Main St.

Tours – check out Helen’s main website – CLICK HERE. You will see all kinds of transportation services they offer.

Alpine Express Train – check out Helen Fun Factory. If you have kids and looking for some activities, this is the one for you. This is mainly a family entertainment. They have different activities for kids like go cart, arcades, glow in the dark roller skating.

Carriage Rides – check out the company that operates in Helen – Pegasus Horse Drawn Carriages. I read it’s $10/person.

7. Outdoor Activities:

If you enjoy outdoor activities, consider exploring the natural beauty of the surrounding area. Depending on the weather, you might find opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, or even winter sports. Unfortunately during our visit, the weather was not on our favor, I had a lot of outdoor plans canceled like hiking in Brasstown Bald – which had been a dream of mine and Anna Ruby Falls. Tubing is best on summer time.

Anna Ruby Falls – This beautiful photo is only less than 7 miles away from Main St. Helen. After you park, you will walk for a least .4 miles but it is paved. The trail is kd and pet friendly. make sure you check the weather before coming. The weather was not on our favor during our visit so we have to skip this. Apart from Brasstown Bald – Georgia’s highest point, this has also been my target.

Brasstown Bald – The highest point in Georgia. One of my frustration is I am not able to go to Brasstown Bald which has been I dream of mine. I already had my blog ready for this but then..the weather. Not a lot of people heard about this place but this should be on everybody’s bucket list when visiting North Georgia. It is 18 miles north of Helen, 30 minutes or so. You can drive all the way up, per my patients who’s already been here, the road is winding but not as steep as you would think. It is drivable and you can park your car, they have enough parking then you can hike on a trail, walk on a pave for .6 miles or ride a shuttle.

This is Georgia’s summit and has observatory deck where you can see part of 4 states Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. On Fall season, when the leaves change colors, it is breathtaking!! Some of the people I know drives all the way up here from FL in October to do the Leaf Watch. Click Georgia’s website and they update real time when is the perfect date to do this. I will be back next year to fulfill this..lol..try to google Brasstown Bald and you will fall inlove with it.

Unicoi State Park – You can do a lot of family outdoor activities in Unicoi State Park situated at the center of Lake Unicoi within the Chattahoochee National Forest. Have you heard of glamping? short for glamorous camping..wow!! They offer it here. It is a combination of luxury and outdoors per their website. Basically, it is a tent – complete with bed, bathroom, appliances like a hotel room.

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8. Shopping

Going around the Alpine Village and walking on Main street is like a breath of fresh air during the holidays. Thanks goodness, on that Sunday the weather is nice. Indeed a retail therapy. They have Christmas Markets – they have tents/booths and local vendors sells items.

9. Famous Spots in Helen

Perhaps the most photographed building in Helen is The Heidelberg – it is a German restaurant, Pub & Music Hall. It is located in 8660 N Main St, Helen, GA 30545 in White Horse Square.

You must have seen this building so many times on the internet and social media. Like other articles and blogs I read, they say ” when you get here, you are in the heart of Helen “ so Yayyy!! And it’s been a dream of mine to own a photograph of this building since I love photography. And just so you know, I took a lotttt..lol..and here it is and here we are!!

The main intersection – When you get to Yonah then you are at the busiet main intersection of N. Main Street and Chattahoochee Strasse. You can grab some coffee, they are open til 10 pm on Fridays & Saturdays. Make sure you take a pose here.

Alana Falls – The center of lit christmas trees where the gazebo is.

10. Pet Friendly Town

Helen is known to be a pet-friendly town with most of their restaurants open to pets on their outdoor seating patios which is very encouraging for travelers with pets like me. These are some of the pictures of my little girl enjoying Helen.

Little Bit – Hi Mama!! I’m ready with my OOTD!!

My little girl is a Bichon Frise. She turned 11 y/o this past November 19, she has Diabetes but she stays healthy. I have to give her 2 shots of insulin everyday. This is our birthday trip as we were both born in November. I know she’s getting there so I made this weekend plan for her. I drove to Helen all the way from Tampa, FL. I picked up my childhood friend in Atlanta airport though.

She is basically my life!!

11. Photography

One of the most important thing when traveling is making memories!! I love photography though I am not a professional. Taking photos in Helen is a beautiful experience. The foggy mountains, the winding roads, Bavarian buildings, cobblestone streets. I love it!!

12. Recommended Places to visit near Helen:

Dahlonega, Georgia – The Hallmark Christmas Town

If you want to experience the Hallmark Christmas feel, don’t miss Dahlonega. It is only 17 miles south of Helen. This is the Christmas town where some Hallmark channel movies were made. Example is Christmas in Halstead.

Cleveland GA – Babyland General Hospital

The Cabbage Patch Kids. If you have time this is worth a visit. The admission is free. We drove by but didn’t go inside as we have 9 hours of drive back to Florida that time. I wish I did though but there wil lalways be next time.

Brasstown Bald

This is a summit. Georgia’s highest point. My Located in Hiawassee, 17 miles north of Helen. My greatest frustration on this trip was not able to go due to the stormy weather. I was more than excited to do a little hike with Little Bit but I shall return..lol..

Before planning your visit, it’s a good idea to check the local event calendar for the specific dates and details of Christmas events in Alpine Helen. The town’s festive atmosphere and unique charm make it a popular destination during the holiday season. There are lot of places I wanted to include like winery, farm etc but didn’t get the chance to visit them.

I hope this inspires you to travel, make memories & visit Helen, Ga. I try to make my article informative & fun. Where should we go next? I’m thinkin’ of Jekyll Island to start my 2024 with a bang!!

Please leave a comment below & let me know what you think, engagements helps boost my website. Thank you so much and til next time.

Til next time,

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