Livette

Hi,

A friend and I will be heading up to Atlanta and the Mountains the weekend of October 24th. We will be staying it Atlanta Friday night then heading up towards the mountains the next morning. Our entire purpose for the trip is to view spectacular fall foliage. Please help with the following:

Is there a particularly scenic route from Atlanta?

What area should we head up to for the most foliage?

Any suggestions on where to stay (would like something reasonable)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Linda

southerngirl

Atlanta is just beginning to show its color. Should be pretty by the 24th/31st. Still lots of green around right now. As for heading toward the mountians, need a little more detail...
How much time do you have? Any particular direction you are headed?

For Friday night, do you want to stay downtown? Outside of Atlanta, have kids? I'd be happy to make a suggestion, but need a little more info to be helpful.

Livette

Hi Southergirl,

Thanks for responding. We are actually staying at my friend's sister's house on Friday the 24th. We will then head up early Saturday morning the 25th toward (not sure where the best area is) to view the foilage. We are returning back to Florida midday Sunday the 26th. Therefore, we don't have much time at all that's why I was hoping to find a place no further than two hours from Atlanta north I presume?

We have no kids so it will be my friend and I.

We'd love not only to view beautiful foliage but maybe hike through it as well.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Linda

southerngirl

Ok, then you have a few options. There are several great state parks with good hiking and beautiful scenery within two hours. Vogel State Park is great and near "Blood Mountian," which has hiking trails. Also, in the same direction is Amicalola Falls with a lodge on the property. Easy to difficult trails, great falls, just a generally great place to spend a morning or afternoon. The nearby town of Dahlonega is quiant and scenic and a good place to grab lunch (These are about 1-1-1/2 hours from Atlanta. Check
http://www.gastateparks.org/ for more info. Also, there are several neat little towns about 2-3 hours north of Atlanta. Near the GA/NC line (Highlands, Cashiers, Franklin). http://www.highlandsinfo.com/
Its in the Appalachian Trail Ridge so the fall color is usually spectacular. Hope this helps a little. I'll be camping that weekend in the N. GA area to soak in a little fall color as well!

Livette

Hi,

Thank you soooooooooo much for the information. I'm checking it out and that Lodge at Amicalola looks dreamy however, I have to call tomorrow because their reservation area closed at 5 . I hope they have availability. If not you've given me enough information for other options. Again, thank you.

Have a wonderful weekend too!!!

Linda

dfinley

We were just in Atlanta last week and decided to go up to Highlands, N.C. it was beautiful,the leaves have already turned. We ate at some great resturants,but you need reservations as there arelimited places to eat. The Lakeside is good and Lightwater grill in Cashiers. We stayed at the Hampton Inn and it was ok. There are a lot of bed and breakfast to stay in. There are waterfalls you can hike to and some shopping downtown.We went up 441 to get there.

Justmom

Dear Linda:

There is a beautiful route to drive through 4 states, called the Southern Highroad Trail. This may be a good route to take, which will also take you through the Highlands area of NC, where there are many waterfalls. You can try to find the local COC office in Franklin, NC (part of the SH trail) to find the little map to reach all the waterfalls (some right alongside road, some have parking, some you have to hike to). You could also take I-75 out of Atlanta towards Chattanooga, then get onto Hwy 64 near Chatt (I think, you'd have to look on a map), and go east towards Ocoee and continue eastward into NC.

Here's the link:

http://southernhighroads.com/

If you have any other questions, please email me at [email protected], there are a couple other great drives with awesome views in western NC, and they will be even better with the colors.

Have fun!

Linda M. in Florida

Justmom

Hi again Linda:

Here is the link to waterfalls near Franklin:

http://www.franklin-chamber.com/waterfalls.html

and more:

http://www.waterfalls-guide.net/nc_waterfalls-guide.htm

photos of the waterfalls:

http://www.scanwizards-photos.com/ncwaterfalls.html

I have more info if you want some other routes to drive, just send me an email.

Linda M. in FL

Justmom

Linda (again):

If you are still looking for a place to stay beginning on the 25th, a friend of mine (who also lives in FL) has a cabin in Murphy on 5 acres with mountain view, and I just checked her availability calendar and it looks like she has availability beginning the 25th. If interested let me know, but you would have to act fast if you are seriously interested. It would be perfect home base for you!

Linda M. in FL

Livette

Hey neighbor!!

Thanks for all the input on our upcoming weekend excursion. How far from Atlanta is Murphy? Also, how much for one night at the cabin for two. We will only need it for the night of the 25th. Please let me know.

Where in Florida are you?

Linda

Smokyboy

You've picked a good weekend Livette. I live in Franklin, NC, a short 2hr drive from Atlanta. Last year at this time leaves were spectacular. A nice drive would be 85N, 985N, 441N through Clayton. You could drive up to top of Black Rock Mountain State Park for great views located just north of Clayton in Mountain City. Stop and eat at The Dillard House in Dillard, just north of Mountain City, great southern food. From there, 441N to Franklin, then 64E to Highlands, NC. (Three awesome waterfalls just off road). Highlands is a unique old town with nice shops and restaurants. From Highlands take 106 back to 441S at the GA/NC state line. A drive that is not overly long. Should be some nice color.

Justmom

Hi Neighbor,

I'm from St. Pete, how about you?

Murphy is 2 hours north of Atlanta via I-75 to I-575 through Blue Ridge and Blairsville, just over the NC border from Blairsville, very nice and easy drive. The lady I know with the cabin charges $80 per night, cleaning fee included, which is a very good deal for what she's got, new cabin 2BR 2BA, very private. I will check with her to see if she'd rent it for one night. Since she has vacancy I think she probably would, but you may want to hurry in case someone else gets it. Too bad you couldn't stay 2 nights or more, once you're there you're going to realize you need more time, but you could always return in the future, we go up every 3 months or so, we "got bit by that mountain bug."

Why don't you email me and I can send you the link to her webpage to review it, I don't think I can put it here, against policy I think.

Linda M. in FL

Justmom

Hi Linda, I just spoke to the lady with the cabin, and she would only rent it for one night if you were to pay the cleaning fee, which is $40, making the total $120. If you were able to stay maybe one or two more nights, you may not have to pay the cleaning fee. Let me know what you think!!!

Have a great evening!

Linda M. in FL

gatorgirl

Take a look at the Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris. Great place to stay and lots of hiking nearby. They have a nice web site. Big Canoe is also a very nice place. Private development that has a wide price range of cabins to rent. Very nicely developed - very close to Amicalola Falls, hiking trails on property. Nice grocery store for supplies outside property and new, cute "general store" on property. Not very far north of Atlanta so easy to get to. Have fun!!