Things to do Near White County, Georgia

Raven Cliff Falls Trail - Helen Georgia

Cleveland is the home of the Cabbage Patch Kids® and Babyland General Hospital, as well as numerous shops and stores that serve the local public and help support the tourism industry for White County. Many other attractions and food and fine dining are available through the area as well. Cleveland is the commercial and industrial center of White County with over 253 business licenses issued each year. Cleveland is home to the annual Easter Eggstravaganza celebration, the Christmas in the Mountains and Lighted Christmas Parade, and Agri-Fest/Country Market & Pottery Comes to Town, as well as many other events for the community's enjoyment. As you explore Cleveland, you will discover places like Mount Yonah and Babyland General® Hospital, home of the Cabbage Patch Kids©.  For anyone with the desire to relive a part of the county's history, there are places where panning for gold is still going on today.  There are also many beautiful waterfalls in the area that can be visited with a short hike or even a day hike for the more adventurous traveler.  So come and enjoy your stay in Cleveland, Georgia - where the good life is even better!

The first look at Helen,Georgia, is a surprise for many. Driving through the mountains of North Georgia, the first view of Helen as you top the rise and come around the corner is the red roofs of a Bavarian village. In town, the stuccoed walls of shops have murals of Alpine scenes and a horse-drawn carriage waits to take you on a tour. Here you can try authentic German breads and pastries, Wiener Schnitzel, sauerkraut and the unforgettable German potato salad. Dance the polka to a genuine oompah band and make friends with the other visitors in the FestHalle who, like you, never thought they’d be doing the funky chicken in public. And if you fall in love with that Lederhosen/Dirndl look, you can find your own in the shops here.

Helen, Georgia, is the home of the South’s longest running Oktoberfest, the nation’s only long-distance hot air balloon race and numerous parades and celebrations. Most everything is within walking distance, so park the car and stroll the main street, or duck into the alleys to see what unique little stores lie within. Helen, Georgia, is very much a village with one mind: that you’ll have a good time because we want you back. The shopkeepers are friendly and the hospitality staffs are helpful. While kicking back and enjoying a taste of the Black Forest, you’ll remember that you’re also in the heart of the North Georgia mountains, with reminders of the Appalachian culture and Native American influences nearby.

The beautiful Chattahoochee River, a trout stream this far north, flows right through town. Enjoy it from the deck of Helen’s Festhalle or from the porch of your rental cabin. You can fish for wily trout in town or in the mountains, or get a tube and join everyone else coolin’ it with a float down the river.

Unicoi State Park is next door to Helen, Georgia, with its outdoor recreation opportunities and Mountain trout dinners. The Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area is nearby and Smithgall Woods-Dukes Creek Conservation Area is just down the road. This is the place to spend a day in the woods hiking, biking or sight-seeing, then spend your evening in town enjoying the music and food.

Twin magnificent and historic valleys – named according to lore and legend for two star crossed lovers of warring Native American tribes - make up the unincorporated area of White County that has become a pivot point for the arts, activism, community and preservation. The Sautee and Nacoochee Valleys – both listed on the National Register of Historic Places – are primarily the naturally occurring, lowland landscape punctuated by the sites and assets that give the area its vibrant character. Even the mapping department in White County asserts that Sautee Nacoochee defies definitive boundaries as pride of place has propelled innovative expansion.

Arts programming, among other endeavors, remains one of the Center’s most valuable community resources. In addition to fostering children’s activities in music, dance, theatre and visual arts, the Center hosts the 50 member Sautee Nacoochee Community Chorale, art studio workshops, speaker luncheons for seniors, gallery exhibits, Contra dances, feature films, sustainable living forums and Open Stage nights. The Center’s six week long SummerFest is highlighted by the home grown folk life play, Headwaters, now in its fourth season, which serves as an unvarnished Valentine to and about the people, places and perceptions that shape the Valleys, and is consistently ranked as a Top 20 Event by the Southeastern Tourism Society.
Gracing the outdoor stage on Center grounds in September is the annual two-day music fete, Sautee Jamboree, which has grown in size and stature since its inception. A casual and family friendly gathering on lawn chairs and blankets, the Sautee Jamboree brings together as many as nine bands with roots firmly planted in many genres - bluegrass, country, jazz, blues, rock, even Zydeco -over the course of the festival. The 2010 jam reached new and auspicious heights with the star sets of Michelle Malone and the Grammy award winning, Indigo Girls. 

The Sautee Nacoochee Center also participates in the Northeast Georgia Arts Tour – a four county self-guided walking and driving tour of studios, galleries and shops with demonstrating artists – by mounting the 12 Rivers Art Festival, a juried selection of exhibitors offering fine art and craft from around the Southeast.  The Center’s own galleries offer a rotating medley of work that can be viewed at local banks and libraries. See the Sautee Nacoochee Center’s entire schedule of events, as well as volunteer and membership opportunities by logging on to www.snca.org

Connected to the Center by a glass enclosed walkway is the Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia. Constructed of native Southern yellow pine with shade porches and steeply sloping rooflines reminiscent of open pottery sheds, the Folk Pottery Museum allows visitors to interact with exhibits that trace 200 years of the region’s folk pottery history. Dioramas, videos, narratives, displays and photos document the evolution of pottery from its mid-1800’s utilitarian use to today’s decorative, highly collectible pieces. The fascination with earth, water and fire endures with contemporary folk potters, many of whom may be found on the Museum- researched Folk Potters Trail. Experience the timeline of this nationally known, grassroots arts form by visiting www.folkpotterymuseum.com

White County offers a variety of places to stay while you visit here – from upscale resorts with all the amenities to isolated cabins with mountain views and a waterfall nearby, from boutique hotels to discount motels, from mountain lodges to charming bed-and-breakfasts. You’ll have plenty of choices for you, your family or a group event. To view a complete listing of lodging please click here.

A wide variety of dining establishments abound in White County. The German restaurants in Helen have authentic Weiner schnitzel, sauerkraut, a variety of wursts, rolls and pastries. Other nations are represented in the area as well. You’ll find genuine Italian, Chinese and Mexican food here, as well as a steakhouse, an American Bistro and European farm-to-table dishes. Several excellent barbeque restaurants offer ribs, pulled pork and Brunswick stew, or you can get a home-style meal of a meat-and-three. For those in a hurry, there’s a good selection of fast-food places. Please click here for a full list of our restaurants.

There are many of things to see and do in White County. With more than 40 percent of the area under state or federal management as a park or wildlife management area, outdoor recreation is abundant and popular. Hike the Appalachian Trail (it starts here!) or climb to the top of Mount Yonah and enjoy the vista. Bring your mountain bike or rent one here. Go horseback riding – or feel the thrill of a zip-line. The Chattahoochee River starts here as well, so take advantage of this pristine mountain creek to fish, raft or kayak. The numerous mountains and streams here have created several waterfalls, some on gentle paths and others deep within the woods.

For more information about White County, please contact the White County Chamber of Commerce at 706-865-5356 or 1-800-392-8279 or visit our website at www.whitecountychamber.org.