Bret and Mary 
We’ve visited around 50 different Blue Ridge Mountain towns in the last few years. And in our experience, the town of Cashiers NC is something of an anomaly. Located east of Highlands, less than 10 miles north of the South Carolina border, Cashiers doesn’t have the charming downtown area we typically associate with our favorite … Read more
[Updated January 8, 2024] My earliest memories of the Blue Ridge Mountains are of backpacking trips with our church youth group, which my parents led. I was no more than 6 years old the first time we made our way north to Blue Ridge, Georgia. We’d stock up on supplies in town before heading to … Read more
[Updated April 10, 2023] Back in 1828 (21 years before the famed California gold rush), thousands of prospectors descended upon the town of Dahlonega, Georgia in search of their fortune. Located in the heart of North Georgia’s Cherokee Indian territory, Dahlonega grew like wildfire in the wake of this frenzied mining activity. A U.S. Branch … Read more
We’ve explored nearly 50 different Blue Ridge Mountain towns since we launched this site in 2020. But we’ve probably stayed in less than a dozen hotels during all that time. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with hotels, mind you. Many of them offer budget-friendly prices, proximity to popular activities and attractions, and plenty of … Read more
As someone who has been reviewing restaurants for 25+ years, I found the quality and diversity of the restaurants in Sylva, North Carolina impressive, especially for a small town with a population of 2,600. Although the town encompasses just over 3 square miles, there are nearly 40 Sylva restaurants to choose from, including an assortment … Read more
[Updated March 19, 2023] As the metro Atlanta population continues to grow and expand, more and more people are heading for the wide open vistas of the North Georgia mountains. And it’s not difficult to understand why. With lots of charming towns surrounded by scenic summits and the wilderness of the Chattahoochee National Forest (with its … Read more
[Updated September 10, 2025] Widely known as “Georgia’s Alpine Village,” Helen is a former mining town nestled near the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains range. The tiny Georgia mountain town (population: 582) resurrected itself in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a quaint re-creation of a traditional Bavarian village, providing a taste … Read more
Helen is one of the most popular Blue Ridge Mountain Towns in Georgia, drawing some 3 million visitors to the tiny 2.11-sq-mile Alpine town every year. From family-friendly tourist attractions and annual festivals (including the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside Germany) to two Georgia State Parks and myriad natural attractions, there’s a lot to love about … Read more
When we started BRMTG in 2020, our mission was to explore the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of our future mountain home, then share our favorite places with our readers. Though our ability to travel that first year was limited by COVID concerns, we’ve managed to visit nearly 50 different mountain towns since travel restrictions … Read more
We’ve been fortunate enough to drive the entire 469-mile length of the Blue Ridge Parkway several times over the past two years. And though the world-famous scenic route boasts plenty of highlights, the Peaks of Otter (Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 86) stands out among our favorite BRP attractions. Located 11 miles north of Bedford VA … Read more
