How to Celebrate Oktoberfest in Helen, GA

What used to be a struggling logging town back in the late 60s, Helen, GA has since been revamped to simulate an alpine village in order to promote tourism. It's not quite like what you would find in Germany, but the town has a unique look that captivates many visitors. You'll find over 200 specialty and import shops lining the main strip offering everything from cuckoo clocks to homemade candies. Dining options are also plentiful and range from German-fare to southern food. This quaint little town is far from fancy, but it offers a great deal of excitement with lots of entertainment and outdoor activities to keep you occupied. While there is much to see and do when you are there, it can be experienced in a day if your time is limited.

WHEN TO GO

Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Helen, GA is only a 1.5-hour drive from Atlanta, GA. The best, and busiest, time to visit is during their annual Oktoberfest event that runs from the end of September to the beginning of November. (Apparently, it's the longest running Oktoberfest celebration in the south.) If you time it just right, and venture to the town in late October, you can witness the fall leaves at their peak. Keep in mind, though, that the place will be packed with other tourists who are also hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful scenery, too.

WHERE TO SLEEP

When Cody and I began staying in Helen, back in 2008, we opted to camp out at the nearby Unicoi State Park to keep our costs low. If you want a campsite, though, it's best to reserve early because they are often booked solid during this time of the year. If camping isn't your thing, you also have the option of staying in their lodge, which is a lot like a hotel. While not walking distance to town, it only requires a 5-minute drive to reach the center of the city, so it's pretty conveniently located.

In the last two years, since we began inviting friends, our alternative to staying in the state park was to rent a cabin in Helen, GA. When you have a larger group of people, it makes more sense and is a whole lot more cost effective when compared to local hotels. We've had wonderful luck using Homeaway.com to find suitable accommodations that fit our needs and price range. This year, we stayed in a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom cabin, complete with a hot tub, & game room with a ½ basketball court for $540 for the weekend. Not too bad when it's split among 7 people! Compared to hotels, cabins are ideal because it's nice to have a home base where you can prepare meals, and have a place to continue the evening once the town has shut down.

WHERE TO EAT

There are a ton of options to choose from when looking for a place to refuel. The problem, though, is finding a place with good food. One of my new favorite places to eat in Helen is Cafe International. It has outdoor seating, and is right along the Chattahoochee River. I recommend the Rueben Sandwich, which I spent an entire year craving since our last visit. The flavor is amazing, it's easily one of the best Rueben's I've ever eaten.

One place that I will tell you to pass on is the Troll Tavern. I don't usually include the places I don't like in my blog posts, because I like to keep things on a positive note, but this place is truly disappointing. Yes, we've eaten there for the past 4 years, but we didn't know any better. Our entire table left dissatisfied with our meals this time around. If it weren't for our capable waiter, this place would have no redeeming qualities to speak of.

Another notable eatery includes Jordano's, which offers pizza, mostly. What's nice about this place is that it's along the river. Our pizza was ok, nothing spectacular. If you're not looking for German-fare, this would be a good spot to go. For a quick bite, Alpine Hot Dog would be a safe bet. They have a decent selection of moderately priced options to choose from, like a Grilled Bratwurst or Gyro Wrap. It's fast because you can order right from the sidewalk through their take-out window, and eat on the go. Our food was ready in no time!

THINGS TO DO 

What's left to cover when it comes to Oktoberfest in Helen, Ga? Oh, yeah, DRINKING! While there are many things to do in Helen, GA, it seems like one of the most beloved past times there is drinking. One of the best places to do that is at Festhalle! Festhalle is operated by Helen's chamber of commerce, and it's one of the biggest and most festive venues around town to hang out and have a good time.

Depending on when you go, the place can be cluttered with wall-to-wall people. However, there are rows and rows of cafeteria-style tables to take a seat at. Lines for food and beer can often be long, and the dance floor can be just as scattered, but it's the atmosphere in this place that's the real draw. It's always lively and full of people having fun. I doubt that you can escape the lure of doing the chicken dance no matter how silly you look doing it.

Now, if you don't have a hangover from partying too hard the night before, I highly recommend taking the time to explore the nearby Unicoi State Park where you can take an easy hike up a concrete path to Anna Ruby Falls, a 150ft double waterfall. There's also a nice hike that meanders around the lake if you're looking for a leisurely stroll to take in the surrounding scenery. Other outdoor activities are plentiful in this area as well, so don't miss out on those!

If you'd like to find out more about Helen, GA, here is a link to the website.

Every October, I look forward to spending a fun-filled weekend in Helen, GA. While this town isn't for everyone, it does have some charming qualities that I enjoy even though it can sometimes be overran with other tourists. With nearly two million visitors a year, it's an extremely popular place. In fact, it might be THE place to be for Oktoberfest! All I know is, that's where you'll find me celebrating :D

 

 What do you think about the look of Helen, GA? Is it a place that you'd like to go? 
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Finding the Comforts of Home in a Rental Cabin | Bearadise Chalet | Helen, GA

I lost count of how many times I proclaimed, “THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!” Amazing details were found around every corner of our cozy little chalet that delighted us to no end. It truly had a homey feel, and we found ourselves instantly comfortable with what would be our home for this weekend getaway. A hotel doesn't offer the same comforts as a well-lived in home that the owners willingly open to the public. This place was outfitted with amenities that other lodging options just can't compete with, which is why we stayed here instead of a hotel room. You're not only getting more bang for your buck, but you also have a lot more space, having the comforts of home was an added bonus.

Upon entering the darling domicile, we excitedly took a tour around the cabin. The house had the most beautiful light filtering in through the walls of windows, which prompted me to grab my camera before we began scattering our belongings throughout the house. Before we arrived, the place was immaculate. We could certainly see that this home is cared for a great deal with the special touches sprinkled around. 

Another thing you'll notice sprinkled around, well, not quite, more like scattered, or plastered, rather, are the cute little mascots the homeowners collect. A mascot derived from the name they donned upon the cabin they lovingly refer to as Bearadise Chalet. You will find them EVERYWHERE and on EVERYTHING; black bears, grizzly bears, brown bears, cuddly bears, big bears, little bears....here, there, BEARS everywhere! It bordered upon being too much, but I still thought that they were charming. 

Even with the massive amount of bears everywhere, the chalet was tastefully decorated. The bedrooms were adorned with rustic wood furnishing that complemented the neutral tones used in other areas. The master bedroom, where Cody and I slept, was a loft with a ton of space. Our bathroom was lovely with the sand colored tile and the rock covered vanity and accent wall. The walk-in closet was enormous, although we didn't get much use out of it. The second bedroom downstairs was nice and cozy as well. It was connected to the smaller primary bathroom and is adjacent to the kitchen, dining and living room areas. 

The couches were especially comfy with oversized pillows; it became a coveted place to sleep once our guests realized that the downstairs bunk beds weren't very comfortable. Our kitchen wasn't too large, but I'd say that it was just the right size with everything we needed to make meals and then some; they offered plates, cups, silverware, cookware and a coffee maker to name a few. We also had a small dining room table to sit around that was situated next to a really cozy bay window. It was a terrific place to pop a squat and stare out at the surrounding trees on the property. Even though the chalet was located in a neighborhood of sorts, it was still pretty secluded. 

While the main living spaces were all amazing, the real highlights were the recreational areas, namely, the sunroom with a pre-heated hot tub that was ready and waiting for us. The temptation to take a dip was too hard to resist, and we ended up getting in after about 30 minutes of touring the house. Seriously, can you blame us?! We followed up our soothing soak with a game of pool downstairs in the finished basement. Yep, they also had a pool table! And a Foosball table, too! There was also a room with those uncomfortable bunk beds I mentioned earlier. It's mainly because they don't have real mattresses, instead they use thin pad-like cushions similar to what you would find on a futon just not as cushy. That was the only complaint raised the entire time that we stayed, though. 

Overall, the Bearadise Chalet was impeccable and we all thoroughly enjoyed our time at this quaint cabin in the woods. Having a home base like this to kick back and relax in exceeded any expectations we initially had. While having a cabin helped us save money by offering cheaper (and better) accommodations than a hotel room, as well as a cute little kitchen to cook meals in, we were almost too uninterested in heading into the town of Helen, GA to celebrate Oktoberfest because we were too busy being lazy at the cabin. Not that it was entirely a bad thing, since we were on a mini-vacation of sorts and a little relaxation was just what we needed. It may have only been a 8 minute drive, but Helen, GA seemed like a world away when we were chilling in our chalet! 

We had a wonderful experience and would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to hideaway in a vacation rental in the woods of N. Georgia. The owners were extremely responsive and definitely have this whole rental property business down to a science, which made the entire process stress free. To see the listing for Bearadise Chalet, follow the link below. Also, I have a few more photos to share that I will post later this week, so STAY TUNED!

Related Links:

• Bearadise Chalet | Vacation Rental Cabin in Helen, GA | Homeaway.com Listing or VRBO.com Listing
• Oktoberfest in Helen, GA (2008, previous post)

Oktoberfest in Helen, GA

At the beginning of October (on our way back from Atlanta)
we spent a couple of days in the charming town of Helen, Ga.



What you'll find to be special about Helen is that the whole town
has been recreated to look like an Alpine village.



It was a pseudo-Bavaria; no passport needed!
I fell head over heels for this quaint little knock-off, really, I did.



It was filled with so much energy,
especially since the Oktoberfest celebration was underway.
In an attempt to fit in with rest of those celebrating,
we ate like the Germans...



Asking a local for a suggestion on where to eat,
she sent us to a restaurant called The Troll Tavern.
I didn't care for those tangy German potatoes, but I loved the brat!
After dinner, by foot, we made our way to the end of town.

Earlier, we overheard someone telling a visitor about Festhalle, he described it
as the best place to go to get the most authentic Oktoberfest experience.
That was a no brainer, we wanted to go there!



This place was bursting at the seams with folks having a fantastic time.
Polka music was playing, and just as we were sitting down,
they finished the chicken dance.....
but, I wanted to do the chicken dance :(



After Cody and I had our Hefeweizen, we were itching to join in on the action.
You'll be happy to know, I got to do my chicken dance, and Cody did it too!
Festhalle closed pretty early (11:30), so we made our way back to the
campsite. We had plans to go for a hike the next day.

Quick Facts

• In 1969 it was decided by some local Helen business men, that the town needed sprucing up.
  
• They had a vision to transform their town into an Alpine village to promote tourism.
• Each shop owner paid to have their own buildings renovated.
  
• Interesting tidbit: Festhalle is run by Helen's own Chamber of Commerce - built in 1979.
  
• The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 in Munich, Germany.
• Helen had their first Oktoberfest celebration in 1970.
• Helen claims that they are home of the longest running Oktoberfest in the world!
• Nearly 30,000 people come to celebrate every year.

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