Helen, GA: What to Actually Do Besides Oktoberfest (2026)
Helen is more than the Oktoberfest strip. Here's the Helen I actually use: tubing the Chattahoochee, a hilltop castle, Unicoi State Park, four waterfalls within 20 minutes, and where to eat.
Cumberland Island, GA: How to Plan the Perfect Day Trip (2026)
Wild horses, mansion ruins and miles of beach with no hotels, boardwalk or cars. Cumberland Island takes a ferry and a little planning. Here's how to book it, what to see and how to make the most of one day on the island.
Black Rock Mountain State Park: A Local's Guide to Georgia's Highest State Park (2026)
At 3,640 feet, Black Rock Mountain is Georgia's highest state park, about 10 minutes north of downtown Clayton, with views that stretch up to 80 miles. Here are the best overlooks, trails, fees and tips for your visit.
Anna Ruby Falls: Georgia's Twin Waterfall Near Helen (2026 Guide)
Most waterfalls make you choose between an easy walk and a big payoff. Anna Ruby Falls, Georgia's twin waterfall near Helen, gives you both. Here's the trail, fees, hours and how to plan your visit.
Raven Cliff Falls: The Hike to Georgia's Split-Cliff Waterfall (2026 Guide)
Most waterfalls in Georgia fall off a cliff. Raven Cliff Falls falls through one. Here's what the creekside hike near Helen is like, how long it takes, where to park and what to know before you go.
Ellijay Apple Orchards: The 2026 Fall Apple Picking Guide
Ellijay is Georgia's Apple Capital, and Highway 52 is lined with apple houses, fried pies and cider donuts. Here's every orchard worth your time, what each one does best and how to plan your fall picking day.
Ellijay, GA: A Local's Guide to Georgia's Apple Capital (2026)
Family farms, cider flights on Highway 52 and farm-to-table food: Ellijay is one of my favorite North Georgia towns. Here's where to eat, what to do and how to plan your trip to Georgia's Apple Capital.
Ellijay Mushrooms: Tour a Real Mushroom Farm in North Georgia (2026)
About 10 minutes outside downtown Ellijay, you can walk into the grow houses at Ellijay Mushrooms and watch shiitake, oyster and lion's mane mushrooms grow, for free. Here's what to expect, what to buy and how to make an afternoon of it.
Lavonia, GA: A Small Town Guide to Georgia's Lake Hartwell Gateway (2026)
Most people treat Lavonia as a gas stop on I-85. Two minutes off the exit there's a walkable downtown, with a lake state park 15 minutes up the road. Here's how to spend a day or weekend in Georgia's lake country.
The Perfect Blue Ridge, GA Weekend Itinerary (2026)
Blue Ridge rewards planning more than almost any mountain town in Georgia, because the best things book out. Here's a full weekend itinerary: what to book ahead, where to eat and how to fill Friday through Sunday.
How to Find the Best Hiking Trails in Georgia (A Local's Method)
Ever driven 90 minutes for a trail that wasn't what the listing promised? Here's my method for finding hiking trails in Georgia that match your fitness, your time and the payoff you actually want.
Best Fall Foliage Hikes in North Georgia (2026 Guide)
Pick the wrong weekend and you get green trees. Pick the right one with everyone else and you sit in traffic. Here are the best fall foliage hikes in North Georgia and how to time peak color without the crowds.
GB's Lake in Smyrna: The Best Place to Fish in Cobb County, Georgia
Looking for lakes to fish in Cobb County, Georgia? GB's Lake in Smyrna is a stocked pay lake with bass, catfish, crappie, trout and more, plus a full service tackle shop. Here's everything you need to know before you go.
Cloudland Canyon State Park: Complete Hiking Guide (2026)
Cloudland Canyon is carved a thousand feet into Lookout Mountain, with two waterfalls inside the gorge and rim overlooks that stop you mid-sentence. Here are the trails, fees, parking and how to plan your day.
12 Best Waterfalls in North Georgia, Ranked by Hike Difficulty (2026)
Most waterfall lists rank by how pretty the photo is. This one ranks 12 North Georgia waterfalls by how hard the walk is, from roadside views to all-day hikes, so you can pick the right one for your group.
The Perfect Saturday in Clayton, GA: A Local's Hour-by-Hour Guide (2026)
Can't decide which mountain town is worth the drive? Clayton is the answer. Here's my perfect Saturday in Clayton, GA, hour by hour: where to hike, where to eat and what to do in between.
Amicalola Falls Hike: A Georgia Local's Guide
Amicalola Falls drops 729 feet, the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast, about an hour north of Atlanta in Dawsonville. Here's how to hike it, what to know about the stairs, parking and fees.
Tallulah Gorge State Park: The Ultimate North Georgia Hiking Guide (2026)
Tallulah Gorge plunges nearly 1,000 feet to a river full of waterfalls. Here's how to hike it: the rim trails, the suspension bridge, the gorge floor permit and what to know before you go.