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Weekend wanderers recharge in White County: Alpine Helen has affordability and plenty of oompah-pah.

A touch of Europe in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Alpine Helen in White County remains a charmer, her wellkommen mat always out for those looking for a weekend getaway—particularly one that is fuel- and funds-conscience. With Bavarian-inspired good looks, Helen is a village made for strolling at a lazy pace to poke into an authentic German bakery, art gallery, old-fashioned general store, a yesteryear candy shop or ice cream parlor and an assortment of eateries tucked into a gingerbread-trimmed streetscape. From Helen’s oompah-pah to White County’s arts offerings to the area’s many and varied outdoor options, there is much to do, both indoors and out, and all summer long in and around Helen.

Not-so-sleepy village

Helen and surrounding White County entertain their visitors all day long and well into the evening with attractions geared to families, couples, shoppers, seniors and others: Mountain Crafts Co-op with its handmade-in-Georgia art, pottery and decorative items; the arts-centric Sautee Nacoochee Center with its Folk Pottery Museum, theatre, gallery, art studio and Nature Preserve; Charlemagne’s Kingdom for a trip through Germany in miniature by way of a detailed tableau with model railroad; Habersham Winery for a tasting of its award-winning wine and self-guided tour; the soothing Mandala Wellness Retreat and Spa for a sybaritic retreat on a mountaintop; Babyland General®, home of the beloved Cabbage Patch Kids®; Scarlett’s Secrets to explore its impressive Gone With the Wind memorabilia collection; and the wholly original Gourd Place, home of Gourdcraft Originals, the charming and utilitarian craft items created from gourds, plus gourd museum, a spring and autumn wildflower exhibit and a distinctive collection of ceramic pieces.

As day turns into evening, restaurants like Nacoochee Grill and Nacoochee Village Tavern, both located in Nacoochee Village, bring out the linens and the luscious edibles—think smoked trout and salmon roasted corn chowder, a Caribbean-spiced grilled marinated shrimp platter and other delectables for diners with discerning palates. Village favorites (there’s a reason everyone goes there!) like Paul's Steakhouse and the Hofbrau Restaurant, do what they do best: good food, lively music, striking river view. Elvis rocks the Remember When Theatre; the Alpine Carriage Company clip-clops through the village; and Haunted Helen horrifies with 17,000 square feet of high tech sound and animatronics. On September 11, the doors of the Festhalle swing open for Helen’s two-month long Oktoberfest celebration (Thursdays through Sundays in September and from Oct. 1 through Nov. 2) with authentic German bands, beer, food and fun.

A natural beauty

Perched right on the banks of the Chattahoochee River and surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Helen is a natural beauty. Water adventures await, from paddling down a lazy river to splashing along a tubing expedition to taking a rugged rafting trip to fishing for trout in a crystal clear stream. On land, there’s horseback riding on trails that take you 2,100 feet up or deep into the Chattahoochee National Forest. You can go hiking, biking or bird watching or meander to the twin cascades at Anna Ruby Falls.

More outdoor options are found just two miles away at Unicoi State Park, which draws hikers and mountain bikers to its many miles of trails and those who want to picnic, fish, swim, canoe or pedal boat within Unicoi’s scenic splendor as well as shoppers seeking the handmade quilts and pottery stocked at the lodge’s gift shop. Through mid-November, regional musicians play each Saturday at 8 p.m., performing a variety of music from Appalachian Mountain to Bluegrass to Southern Gospel. A mecca for fly fishing, White County is also home to Duke’s Creek, a trophy trout stream, and fly fishing specialists, Unicoi Outfitters.

Affordable fun

Helen’s entertainment and attractions are affordable and not just confined to the village. Helen/White County is part of many driving tours, including the Russell Brasstown National Scenic Byway, and the Southern Highroads Trail and Folk Potters Trail—both noted in the 2008 National Geographic Traveler magazine Appalachia Driving Tours Map. (The map contains 28 driving tours, four of them in Georgia, two of them through Helen/White County.)

Indoors and out, for lazy or crazy days and beautiful Bavarian nights, Helen has something for everyone—from the arts offerings in White County to the outdoor options for Nature lovers to the fun of exploring a Germanesque village in a Northeast Georgia mountain setting. Just 87 miles from Atlanta, Alpine Helen is easy on the gas, easy on the wallet and easy on the eyes.

Located on the Chattahoochee River in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this Northeast Georgia village has a rich history linked to the Cherokee Indians and Indian burial mounds as well as early settlers who arrived to mine for gold and cut virgin timber for a thriving lumber industry in the early 1900s. Helen is a re-creation of an alpine village complete with cobblestone alleys and old-world towers, with shopping, camping, rustic and luxury mountain cabins, restaurants, bed and breakfast inns, mountains, theater, recreation, romantic getaways, beautiful scenery, family activities, waterfalls, museums, history, art, fishing, tubing, golf, and more. See HelenGa.org for booking houses, cabins and B&Bs in the mountains as well as downtown hotels and for more information.

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