Helen, Georgia
 

Our family may be going here in July. Never visited the area and welcome any input. Also, we're northerners and wondering if we'll bake that time of year in Georgia. Thanks...

Anywhere in the southeast in July is going to be toasty. I have been to Helen Georgia once...and I wouldn't recommend it. It is like a giant tourist trap. There are too many great places to visit in the southeast to go there. My advice...stay away.

Hey, Beatle. Love your name!

The nice thing about Helen is that it is in the mountains of North Georgia so it won't be quite as hot as say Macon or Savannah. July can be indeed be hot but sometimes August is even worse. Just drink plenty of water!

Helen has its share of fans and naysayers. Many people call it cheap and tacky while others love it. Some call it a Redneck Heidelberg of sorts. You'll have to judge for yourself. I have fond memories of going there as a kid in the 70s and early 80s, but I haven't been in quite a while.

Helen (proper) is a little faux Bavarian town with shops and restaurants. The Christmas shop, a candle store and some fudge shops are the ones I remember well. And Hofer's Bakery.

The surrounding area is quite beautiful. I recommend a visit to Anna Ruby Falls (not to be confused with Chattanooga's Ruby Falls), an easily walkable waterfall.

Starrsville can probably tell you a lot more as she drives through North Georgia more than I do.

In all likelihood it will be fairly warm. I think the other posters have given you some indication of what it is like. If you are expecting a recreation of a German village you will be sorely disappointed. If you are from the North it may make more sense to liken it to a German-ized Boardwalk. It becomes very congested with tourists in the summer. The surrounding areas are very pretty and many go tubing on local rivers and hiking in the forests. There are also a couple of wineries not far away.

If it's so hot one day that you can't stand it....get you an inner tube and float the river. That should cool you off.

Also, depending on the age of your children, you may want to take a trip over to Cleveland, GA to Babyland General.

We went for a long weekend visit to Helen in June last year (we drove the 6 hours or so from our home). I can understand the criticism that it is too touristy & tacky. We had doubts we would like it the first day we were there. But we really warmed up to Helen (and the surrounding area). Atlswan and LeahinSC gave you a very good description, and Anna Ruby Falls was really cool, as was the nearby winery whose name now escapes me.

We also managed to have several surprisingly good meals, one at a rustic little place a few miles out of town (can't recall the name now, sorry, but you go left just before the intersection where you would turn right for Anna Ruby Falls, then it's a few miles on your left). The rustic little place had a British delicacy (well, not really a delicacy, but we love it) called bubble & squeak (a cabbage, potato, and cheese concoction). That's how quirky Helen can be.

That said, if this is your primary destination for a longer vacation, and especially if you haven't been anywhere else in the southeast; then I think bebalm is right--pick a more comprehensive mountain destination. Perhaps Asheville NC.

In the late 60's there was this little former town that was no longer even a stop in the road. The road took one to some beautiful mountain scenery full of hikes and waterfalls and trout fishing and cool mountain air.

Someone had the idea to recreate a Bavarian village. They took the very few storefronts and added some facades and people started coming. It was conceived of - and implemented as - a tourist destination.

People came and continue to come and the town continued to grow and grow. I don't like the town itself for the same reasons I don't like "gimmicky" tourist destinations. But, it is in the midst of absolutely beautful mountain delights.

If that sounds like what you are looking for, stay in Helen. If that's not what you are looking for, stay elsewehere in the North Georgia mountains.

In any case, you are going to find cooler weather, sweet mountain air, waterfalls, hikes, trout streams, horseback riding, country cooking, limited ethnic cooking, absolutely fabulous Italian restaurants, wonderful award winning other restaurants and lots of options to spend a cooler vacation than elsewhere in Georgia.

Tubing is popular in Helen. Renting boats on one of the mountain lakes would be my preferred way to cool off.

The nights are cool and crisp. Days are much cooler than Atlanta. Enjoy the North Ga mountains - whether it is Helen or not.

I live near Helen and it is a tourist trap with lots of restaurants, shops that sell tourist barvarian themed junk, and lots of bars. It is packed and the traffic is usually horrible. Obviously a lot of people love that sort of thing, but it is not for me. I would avoid Helen like the plague and explore the towns surrounding it. There are beautiful mountains, nice state parks, and plenty of places to stay that are family friendly.

If hell does, indeed, exist, it is a full-time Helen, Georgia. The Georgia Mountains are beautiful. Too bad this blighted place found its way there...

This must be resurrect old threads day. Well, at least PDC Nurse and Guy18 have saved us all from the evils of Helen.

Okay. In the 60's there was VERY little tourism in the North GA mtns. VERY little. I know - I camped at state parks every summer.

Then, someone had the idea of putting Bavarian facades on a few old storefronts in an abandoned Southern mountain town. The first summer, there were about 4 stores on one side of the road and 3 on the other (with empty, blank-faced storefronts remaining).

Fast forward 40 years. Tourism is flourishing in the North GA mountains. There are wonderfully idyllic campsites, waterfalls, trout streams, trails within a few miles of Helen - and all over North GA. The difference is - more people are enjoying them.

Avoid Helen if you don't like "gimmicks". I haven't driven through Helen in years. But, I'm within 20 miles of the town all the time enjoying nature and "God's country".

Bash Gatlingburg. Bash Panama City Beach. Bash Myrtle Beach. Bash Helen.

If that's not your cup of tea, detour a few miles to the east or west and keep on going to the rest of the north GA mountains!

We have a timeshare in Helen..and it can be tacky but it is cute and fun too. You just gotta love it. We plan on retiring somewhere up in those North Georgia Mountains someday.

Starrsville,

well-said.