Bret and Mary 
[Updated on 7/20/21] I can remember my first visit to northwest Georgia’s Cloudland Canyon State Park like it was yesterday, despite the fact that it was nearly 27 years ago. That trip was the first time I went camping with my family as an adult, nearly 20 years after we hiked the Georgia section of … Read more
Although I’ve been exploring the North Georgia State Parks, waterfalls, and hiking trails near Blue Ridge and Helen since I was a boy, for some reason the town of Clayton never really popped up on my family’s radar. It wasn’t until late 2020 that we finally explored northeast Georgia’s Rabun County in depth, and we were … Read more
[Updated on 7/16/21] From Amicalola Falls and Red Top Mountain to Unicoi and Vogel, we’ve explored quite a few of the state parks in Georgia in the 12 years we’ve been traveling together. But our trip to Black Rock Mountain State Park last September firmly established the 1743-acre park near Clayton GA as our favorite. … Read more
[Updated July 27, 2021] With only one or two Blue Ridge Parkway hotels in North Carolina, it’s not easy to find accommodations along the world-famous route during the peak season in Autumn. We wanted to bring our furry friends (Boo-Boo and Huckleberry) along for the ride when we visited in October, so instead we searched … Read more
[Updated April 3, 2024] During our 2009 visit to Blue Ridge, Georgia, restaurants were not really among the small town’s major selling points. Sure, there were a few decent places to eat in Blue Ridge back then, but none were especially worthy of note. The only one I remember fondly– a New Orleans eatery on … Read more
[Updated September 21, 2021] Anytime someone in our Blue Ridge Mountains Facebook groups asks about the best easy to moderate hiking trails in North Georgia, we recommend the waterfalls near Helen GA. Anna Ruby Falls (.8 miles) and Helton Creek Falls (.3 miles) are both easy hikes that offer extraordinary payoff for minimal effort. … Read more
Emerald Village is located just 31 miles from Asheville and three miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The family-friendly attraction proved to be one of our favorite things to do in Little Switzerland NC, one of our favorite little tourist towns in the state. Featured on shows such as National Geographic Channel’s The Savage Line … Read more
As we’re exploring the North Georgia mountains for our Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide, we’re also empty nesters searching for places to live in the Georgia Mountains. When our outdoor adventures take us to the natural areas near some of the best small towns in Georgia, we’re also taking time to explore those towns for … Read more
Located about an hour north of Atlanta in Habersham County, the Schoolbus Graveyard is arguably among the most unusual and intriguing roadside attractions in North Georgia. Surrounding Alonzo Wade Used Cars & Auto Parts– a 5-acre junkyard that has been in Walter Wade’s family for 60+ years– the colorful landmark embodies two classic clichés. One … Read more
[Updated November 6, 2021] Growing up in a lower middle class family in Atlanta, I vividly recall the visceral excitement I felt every time I’d get some spending money from mowing my neighbor’s lawn. My buddies and I would hop on our 10-speed bikes and ride down to the neighborhood Milk Jug convenience store. There … Read more
