Anyone familiar with this area? Rented a very nice log cabin for 2 weeks in Morganton GA, North of Atlanta, just off of Blue Ridge Lake, over 4000 ft2 just super nice. Many family members will attend. Will be there the week of July 4th and the following week.

My wife would like to see some Southern charm, maybe a plantation, gardens, flowers, museums and such. I've been googling places to visit and just am not coming up with much. Any recommendations on places to visit within a 3 or 4 hour drive or so? Maybe a 1 or 2 day trip.

Amicalola Falls State Park is a good destination, its a state park, you can drive to the top and hike down, or hike up from the bottom,

Falls Link

Brasstown Bald Mountain GA's highest point, observatory at the top is nice with a museum in it, if it's a foggy day, skip the trip.

Brasstown Link

Helen GA - Basically GA Bavaria, touristy, yes, but the ladies will like the shopping, you will like the German Food and Beer.. you can go tubing, hiking, shopping, or just sit near the Chattahoochee River at a restaurant and have a beer.

Helen Link

If you like racin cars you can go to Dawsonville GA, home of Awesome Bill and check out the GA Racing Hall of Fame..

GA Racing Hall of Fame

The closest plantation of sorts is Chateau Elan.

Dahlonega is close enough and is a day trip with it's wineries and scenery.

Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Fernbank Museum and the Georgia Aquarium. While you are downtown go get a Varsity hot dog and a peach pie.

Tabitha and I would meet you up in Dahlonega for a tour.

Amacolola Falls is a great place for a pic nic. Casa de SC is within sight of the falls along with his awesome shooting range.

Avoid Helen as if it has the plague. All the good shops have been overtaken by Indian owned t shirt shops. The only good restaurant is Bodense and it requires reservations.

A true plantation would require a trip to south Georgia.

not much "plantation" lifestyle in the mountains...

Blairsville and Ellijay are both cute little towns that are a nice 1/2 hour drive from Morganton. Ellijay is renowned for its apple orchards, though that is typically more a fall venture. Dahlonega is about an hour and it is also very nice little mountain town.

The nicest attractions in the area are wineries, imo. There are a number that are within 30 min drive. My favorites are Monteluce and Wolf Mountain. They have lovely scenery, tours, tastings, and restaurants. If you're looking for a third, try Frogtown. It's not quite as fancy as the other two, but is nice and has good food. Also, I haven't been there since the reopening, but Kaya Winery is the old Blackstock Winery and I loved that place. More intimate tastings and beautiful scenery. No restaurant but a lot of freedom to walk around in the vineyards.

Do you have a lake view ? Nice fireworks show on the Saturday nearest the fourth. Visible from Morganton. The marina rents pontoons but may already be booked for that particular day.

I have a place on the lake and am familiar with the area. Email in profile for some restaurant, attractions, and day trip ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Amicalola Falls State Park is a good destination, its a state park, you can drive to the top and hike down, or hike up from the bottom,

Falls Link

I can see the resort from my driveway.

quote:

Originally posted by ScreamingCockatoo:

I can see the resort from my driveway.

I've ridden past your drive several times if it's on 52, great road, love the area...

BJ's Orchards is a nice place to stop as well, especially in the fall.

The Tallulah Falls Gorge is about 70 miles east on US 76 and south on US 23. It's really pretty and one of the biggest canyons east of the Mississippi (about 1000 feet deep and a couple of miles long). There are rim routes and limited numbers of gorge floor passes available; however, they may be doing controlled burns while you'll be here, which limits access, so check on the day you plan to visit.

If you have little girls with your group, Babyland General Hospital, the home of the Cabbage Patch Kids, is in Cleveland, just a short drive from the previously mentioned Helen.

There used to be a couple of stables near Helen where you can do some trail riding, but I don't know if they're still in operation.

also, if you don't mind driving a few hours, come to Atlanta and go to the Atlanta History Museum and the Swan House. Maybe the Botanical Gardens.

If you're looking for an overnight, you could go all the way down to Callaway Gardens which is lovely.

About 30-40 minute drive you can go to Murphy, NC - the River walk:
http://www.heritagepartners.org/riverwalk.htm

Kayak if you're so inclined:
http://visitcherokeecountync.com/kayaking/

Check out the John C Campbell Folk School - you can just tour the school or check out their schedule and sign up for a class:
https://folkschool.org/index.php

Just remembered another possibility:

If you're interested in trains and scenery, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad has an excursion from Blue Ridge, Georgia, up to Copper Hill, Tennessee.

http://www.brscenic.com/

quote:

Originally posted by 08 Cayenne:
My wife would like to see some Southern charm, maybe a plantation, gardens, flowers, museums and such. I've been googling places to visit and just am not coming up with much. Any recommendations on places to visit within a 3 or 4 hour drive or so? Maybe a 1 or 2 day trip.

Asheville, NC and the Biltmore House fall within that range.

quote:

Originally posted by cheesegrits:
Asheville, NC and the Biltmore House fall within that range.

Great point, that's about 2.5 hours from Morganton and if you've never seen it, it should be on your list!
http://www.biltmore.com/

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:

quote:

Originally posted by cheesegrits:
Asheville, NC and the Biltmore House fall within that range.

Great point, that's about 2.5 hours from Morganton and if you've never seen it, it should be on your list!
http://www.biltmore.com/

That definitely should be on the list.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is west of Asheville, only about three hours from Morganton, too. It’s a very scenic drive through North Carolina on the east side of the mountains, but not as much on the west side by the Tennessee routes.

We have spent a few relaxing nights here - really nice short hike from Amicalola Falls State Park.

http://hike-inn.com

Damn, thanks guys, appreciate the info. I'll check it out. Smokey Mountain rail is high on the list, I am a train freak. Was also panning on stopping at the Biltmore on the ride home and taking a train ride there also. I've never been at this place so I'm not sure of the view but about 2 miles from the water.

Gatlinburg, TN is only a 2.5 hour trip, if there are a lot of kids in the group, might be worth the day trip, Dollywood park is a fun family place.

Linky thing to Dollywood

quote:

Casa de SC is within sight of the falls along with his awesome shooting range.

Wish I had known. I was in Elijay in October and would have said hello.

RMD

I'd go to Great Smokey Mountains National Park. It is beautiful, and the Cades Cove section has historic interest, in that there are preserved cabins and some other buildings, including a mill, from the inhabitants who were there in the pre-park days.

When I say beautiful:

My wife gets me to go to Blue Ridge to stroll through the shops because it's the only place I would consider doing any of that sort of stuff. It's a nice downtown area with a railroad that you can take a scenic trip on.
I'm in Dahlonega, about 45 minutes away and it's a nice place to see too. Lots of winerys nearby and some gold mine tours. It was the first gold rush and near the site where the Cherokees were rounded up for the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma.
All sorts of outdoor activities in the area. With 2 weeks you'll have time to go to places like the Biltmore House.