Helen, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Chattahoochee River, is a re-creation of an alpine village complete with cobblestone alleys and old-world towers. This Northeast Georgia village has a rich history linked to the Cherokee Indians and Indian burial mounds as well as early settlers who arrived to mine for gold and cut virgin timber for a thriving lumber industry in the early 1900's.
A mountain community with a touch of Bavaria, Helen boasts a wide array of attractions. The area's more than 200 specialty and import shops offer everything from candle making to cuckoo clocks. Restaurant options range from a German meal of schnitzel, sauerbraten, rouladen or wurst with an imported beer or wine to a traditional southern country meal of grits, country ham, homemade biscuits and gravy. There are also plenty of American style steaks, seafood, deli sandwiches, hot dogs and hamburgers as well as homemade fudge, candies and funnel cakes. Outdoor lovers can enjoy river tubing, horseback riding, golf, canoeing, fishing, mountain biking, hiking and more.
Festivals and special events include a hot air balloon race, Winefest, Volksmarch, Oktoberfest and Christmas parades, Fourth of July fireworks, and Bavarian Nights of Summer. From mid-September through October, Helen hosts the longest Oktoberfest in the South. Alpenfest offers entertainment for visitors during the Holiday season from Thanksgiving through December. Visitors can hike the many trails to waterfalls in the area, or sit beside a cozy fire and enjoy the winter weather in the mountains.
The Helen Welcome Center, located at 726 Brucken Strasse, provides a wide array of information to visitors upon their arrival.
Browse menus for local member restaurants, pick up coupons or discover outdoor opportunities and more!
HOURS
Mon - Sat, 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday, 10 AM - 4 PM
The Welcome Center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's Day and closes early on both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
For your convenience, there is a courtesy lodging phone located outside the Welcome Center that is available at all times. Should you arrive after our Center has closed, this will assist you in directly contacting lodging properties at no charge to obtain accommodations.
InformationAlpine Helen - White Co. Convention & Visitors BureauP.O. Box 730
Helen, GA 30545
800-858-8027
DirectionsFrom downtown Toccoa, take US-123/W. Currahee St. to the Jeanette Jamieson Intersection. Turn right onto US-123 South/GA Hwy. 17 North/GA-365 North. Turn right onto GA Hwy. 115/GA Hwy. 17. Continue for approximately six miles to downtown Clarkesville. Turn left onto Monroe St./GA Hwy. 115/GA Hwy. 17. Go approximately 2 miles and turn right onto GA Hwy. 17/Unicoi Turnpike. Public Parking areas are clearly marked throughout downtown Helen.
