Last updated October 31, 2026
Traveler's Rest State Historic Site is a restored early 1800s stagecoach inn and plantation house at 4339 Riverdale Road in Toccoa, GA, open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with self-guided tours for $5.50 per adult plus tax.
I visited Traveler's Rest once, on a Sunday afternoon in November 2025, and walked the house and grounds on my own. The building is what stood out to me. It is one of those places where you can smell the history inside the building. If you are planning a full day in the area, pair it with my Toccoa Falls guide.
Here is everything you need to plan your visit.
Traveler's Rest, Georgia's last stagecoach inn
At a Glance
Address: 4339 Riverdale Road, Toccoa, GA 30577
Phone: (706) 886-2256
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Admission (plus tax): Adults $5.50, seniors 62+ $4.25, youth 6 to 17 $3.50, children under 6 $1.25
Where to pay: In the room at the far right end of the inn
Tours: Self-guided
Time needed: I spent about 45 minutes walking the house and grounds
Dogs: Leashed pets are allowed on the grounds trails but not inside the buildings
Website: Traveler's Rest State Historic Site
What Traveler's Rest Is Like
The long front porch of the inn
Traveler's Rest is a long, two-story wooden inn with a deep front porch, sitting on a quiet piece of land outside Toccoa near the Tugaloo River. The main building is more than 90 feet long, built from wide pine planks, with six chimneys.
Inside, the rooms are left much like they were. You walk across worn wooden floors past old beds, fireplaces, display cases and furniture, and you can smell the history in the building.
The Rules of This Tavern banner
One of the first things you see is a banner with the Rules of This Tavern. A few of the rules: four pence a night for a bed, six pence with supper, no more than five to sleep in one bed, and no boots to be worn in bed.
Touring Traveler's Rest State Historic Site in Toccoa, GA
The tour is self-guided, so you can take your time. Pay in the room at the far right end of the building, then walk through the house at your own pace.
Artifacts in the display cases
Display cases hold tools, household items and artifacts from the inn's working days.
A canopy bed in one of the guest rooms
The bedrooms still have their old beds, including a tall canopy bed, and some of the original furnishings were made by Caleb Shaw, a cabinetmaker from Massachusetts.
A fireplace room with original woodwork
Quilts on display
There are also quilts on display, a weaving loom and old carriages.
A weaving loom
An old carriage in one of the rooms
An upstairs bedroom
The Grounds and Outbuildings
The grounds and outbuildings behind the inn
Behind the inn, the grounds have outbuildings, interpretive signs and old farm equipment you can walk around on your own. Leashed dogs are welcome on the trails out here, just not inside the buildings.
Old farm equipment on the grounds
A Little History
The land was granted to Major Jesse Walton in 1785 for his service in the Revolutionary War, and Walton was killed near the site in 1789. James Rutherford Wyly built the main part of the house between about 1815 and 1825 and ran it as an inn on the Unicoi Turnpike, a road that carried travelers through the mountains.
In the 1830s, Devereaux Jarrett, called the richest man in the Tugaloo Valley, bought the property. He expanded the house and made it the headquarters of a plantation of about 14,000 acres, worked by enslaved people who grew cotton. The building served as an inn, a trading post and a post office. The site includes reconstructed slave quarters among its outbuildings.
The Jarrett family called it Jarrett Manor and kept it for three generations. Mary Jarrett White, the last family owner, is remembered as the first woman in Georgia to vote. The state bought the remaining few acres in 1955, and Traveler's Rest was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. The state calls it Georgia's last stagecoach inn.
The family's account books doubled as hotel registers. One guest, English scientist and writer George William Featherstonhaugh, paid a quarter of a dollar for breakfast.
When to Visit
Weekends only. Traveler's Rest is open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Any season. I went in November, when the bare trees let you see the whole length of the inn from the yard.
Plan around holidays. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Mistakes to Avoid
Showing up on a weekday. It is only open on weekends.
Looking for the entrance in the middle. You pay in the room at the far right end of the building.
Rushing it. Give yourself at least 45 minutes for the house and grounds.
Bringing your dog inside. Pets are allowed on the grounds trails, not in the buildings.
How to Get There
Traveler's Rest is about 6 miles east of downtown Toccoa, on Riverdale Road just north of US 123.
From Atlanta, take I-85 North to Exit 173 at Lavonia and follow GA 17 north toward Toccoa. The site is on Riverdale Road just north of US 123, about 6 miles east of downtown Toccoa. For GPS, use 4339 Riverdale Road, Toccoa, GA 30577.
Traveler's Rest State Historic Site FAQ
What is Traveler's Rest in Toccoa, GA?
Traveler's Rest is a restored early 1800s stagecoach inn and plantation house run as a Georgia state historic site. The state calls it Georgia's last stagecoach inn.
When is Traveler's Rest open?
Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
How much does it cost to visit Traveler's Rest?
Admission is $5.50 for adults, $4.25 for seniors 62 and up, $3.50 for youth 6 to 17 and $1.25 for children under 6, plus tax.
Is the tour at Traveler's Rest guided?
No. Tours are self-guided. Pay in the room at the far right end of the building and walk through at your own pace.
How long does it take to see Traveler's Rest?
About 45 minutes for the house and grounds, which is how long I spent.
Are dogs allowed at Traveler's Rest?
Leashed pets are allowed on the grounds trails but not inside the buildings.
When was Traveler's Rest built?
James Rutherford Wyly built the main part of the house between about 1815 and 1825. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
What else is there to do near Traveler's Rest?
Toccoa Falls, the Currahee Military Museum and Sage Street Ale Works in downtown Toccoa are all a short drive away.
Make It a Full Day
See a 186-foot waterfall: Toccoa Falls is one of the easiest big waterfalls in Georgia to reach.
Learn more history: The Currahee Military Museum at 160 N Alexander St in downtown Toccoa is in the historic train depot and tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, who trained at nearby Camp Toccoa in World War II. It is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Grab a drink: Sage Street Ale Works at 102 N Sage St is a brewpub in historic downtown Toccoa. It opens Thursday through Sunday, so it lines up with a weekend visit to Traveler's Rest.
Add a lake town: Lavonia is a short drive south. Start with my Lavonia, GA small town guide or Tugaloo State Park.
More state parks and historic sites: See all my Georgia State Parks guides, including Tallulah Gorge.
Plan the Whole Weekend
Want a great day already planned? 5 Perfect North Georgia Saturdays ($9.99) gives you five Saturdays planned stop by stop. Want the whole weekend? North Georgia Weekends ($79) adds Friday night and Sunday plans, three places to stay and a rain plan for every stop.
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More in North Georgia, or find a trip by drive time.
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