I’ve fallen in love with Northern Georgia.

Last year we spent an overnight in Savannah, Georgia, and I was instantly enamored with the Spanish moss draping from the live oaks. This year, my husband chose our destination: Northern Georgia. And let me tell you, it was perfect. We stayed in Helen for three nights, and there is oh so much to share.

Since we both love a scenic drive, our first day began with a beautiful route to Dahlonega, best known for being featured in Hallmark Christmas movies. Without further ado, let’s get to our travels.

This 40.6-mile loop in Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest is a peaceful, gorgeous drive in any season. Several pull-offs offer sweeping views of the southern Appalachians, and there are plenty of trails that lead to waterfalls, plus access points for the Appalachian Trail.

If you want views from Georgia’s tallest mountain, Brasstown Bald, be sure to stop by the visitor center. From the summit, you can take in four states at once: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. And no need to hike to the top unless you want to. An accessible shuttle carries visitors to the vista.

We visited in mid-November, and even though many trees had already shed their leaves, the drive was still absolutely worth it and wonderfully quiet.

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If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, this town may look familiar. Several movies have been filmed here. The most notable is Christmas in Homestead (2016). It stars Taylor Cole and Michael Rady, and used Dahlonega as the fictional Homestead, Iowa. Each holiday season the Public Square transforms into a glowing Christmas village. Taylor’s character, Jessica, falls for the charming town and, of course, for Matt.

She wasn’t the first to fall for this place. In 1829, Benjamin Parks picked up a pretty stone while walking through the woods. It turned out to be gold, and soon thousands of prospectors swarmed the area. Dahlonega became the site of the United States’ first gold rush, twenty years before the more famous California one.

The town was established and named Dahlonega in 1833, after the Cherokee word Talonega, meaning “golden.” A U.S. Branch Mint opened here in 1838 and coined more than six million dollars in gold before closing in 1861. Today, people still come to Dahlonega to pan for gold.

The Public Square, with its historic courthouse at the center, has anchored the town since its earliest days. Bridal couples once walked around the square three times for good luck in their marriage. Now, you can find cute shops throughout the square, featuring artisan goods, sweets and souvenirs.

Intrigued? This pretty mountain getaway is only an hour north of Atlanta, making it an easy escape if you want to experience its charm for yourself.

The Russell-Brasstown National Scenic Byway was spectacular and reminded me a bit of Virginia’s Skyline Drive, only with far less traffic. And Dahlonega delivered pure Southern charm. We also visited a covered bridge, but I’ll save that story for another week. There’s a lot more to share about our Northern Georgia explorations. 😊

‘til next week, happy exploring!
Kathleen

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