Bret and Mary 
[Updated September 24, 2021] More than 20 years ago, I practiced my budding photography skills while exploring many of the hiking trails with waterfalls in Georgia. From Amicalola Falls and Anna Ruby Falls to Tallulah Falls and Panther Creek Falls, these North Georgia waterfall hikes tapped into my lifelong love of nature and eventually inspired me … Read more
[Updated September 21, 2021] Among the 100+ North Georgia waterfalls, Anna Ruby Falls was both the first I remember visiting as a child and the last one we visited in 2020 before travel was discouraged. Not to be confused with Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Anna Ruby is one of the four most impressive waterfalls … Read more
In the years leading up to my daughter leaving home for college, I became increasingly conscious of time. The 18 summers we have with our kids seemed to pass all too quickly, leaving us precious few moments to establish strong bonds we hope will last a lifetime. So the timing of our trip to the … Read more
[Updated November 6, 2021] As a boy growing up near the North Georgia mountains, I tended to take the Appalachian food of my family’s roots for granted. Fortunately, traditional Southern food has come a long way over the last few decades, as has the culinary scene in little mountain towns like Blue Ridge, GA. When … Read more
[Updated on 7/20/21] Growing up in Atlanta, the mountain town of Helen GA seemed like another world, with its festive Christmas in Helen celebration and fun Alpine architecture, biergartens, bratwurst, and annual Oktoberfest Fall Festival. But even as a kid I was much more attracted to the natural beauty of Unicoi State Park, which is … Read more
[Updated November 6, 2021] The Expedition Bigfoot Museum is a uniquely intriguing attraction in Cherry Log GA. Located along Highway 515 just minutes outside of Blue Ridge, it’s truly a weird and wondrous must-see for anyone visiting the North Georgia mountains. You don’t have to be a diehard believer in Bigfoot encounters to get a … Read more
[Updated November 9, 2021] Visiting Blue Ridge GA in the ’90s (and even as recently as 2009), there was little indication that this tiny town would soon become a tourism hotspot. Spanning just 2.6 square miles, with a population of less than 1300 people at the time, it felt like any number of other sleepy … Read more
[Updated November 9, 2021] There’s something about exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains that always takes me back to my childhood, growing up in North Georgia. When I was 5 my grandparents bought a trailer on Lake Hartwell, where I first fell in love with nature. When I was 12, we helped build their wood house … Read more
Located in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains (45 miles southwest of Ellijay), the Barnsley Gardens Resort ruins offer a rare glimpse of the state’s pre-Civil War history. Most of Georgia’s early 19th century landmarks were destroyed during Maj. Gen. William Sherman’s march to the sea. The Union Army’s “scorched earth” approach was designed … Read more
Created in 1934 and encompassing 522,419 acres, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in America, attracting more than 10 million travelers each year. Straddling eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a haven for nature lovers. The most popular Great … Read more