Helen, GA

Travel Guide

Helen
Helen
Helen
Helen featuring signage and wildflowers
Helen

The Bavarian-style pitched-roof houses, cuckoo clocks and Oktoberfest might sound like the Alps, but this riverside village is actually in the Appalachians.

Discover a little slice of Alpine Bavaria in Helen, a cozy town on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. Stroll down streets lined with half-timbered houses and traditional pubs in this enchanting getaway, where the South meets Southern Germany. Nestled in the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Helen features a remarkable backdrop of wooded hills and nature reserves. Explore forest trails, pristine waterways and vine-laced hillsides in this picturesque corner of northern Georgia.

Get acquainted with Helen’s Alpine character when you stroll through the re-created Bavarian Village. Learn about the village’s history, which includes Cherokee Indian heritage, gold-mining settlers and a local logging industry. Find over 200 specialty and import stores showcasing a range of souvenirs, gifts and handicrafts. Purchase candles, blown glassware, cuckoo clocks or hand-woven quilts. Have a delicious meal at one of the restaurants and pubs, which serve traditional German and Southern American fare. If you’re visiting in September or October, experience Helen’s Oktoberfest celebrations and sample tasty imported beers. For local flavors, check out Habersham Winery or the Nora Mill Granary.

Visit Unicoi State Park & Lodge and experience Helen’s beautiful backyard. The park has an exciting network of hiking and biking trails, as well as the magnificent Unicoi Lake, ideal for summertime swimming, boating and kayaking. Go fishing from the wheelchair-accessible docks or cast a line in the trout streams. Select from plenty of picturesque spots to spread out a picnic and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. If you’re feeling energetic, hike through the woods in the Chattahoochee National Forest and reach the tumbling Anna Ruby Falls.

Helen is located in northeastern Georgia. It is 86 miles (139 kilometers) from AtlantaOpens in a new window's international airport. Stay in a quaint German-style resort or Alpine chalet or book a room in a motel. The town is busiest in the fall, when the leaves of the Chattahoochee Forest are turning and Oktoberfest is in full swing.

Super 8 by Wyndham Helen

Super 8 by Wyndham Helen

2 out of 5
8171 South Main Street, Helen, GA
The price is $96 total per night from Nov 2 to Nov 3
$96 total
per night
Nov 2 - Nov 3
Stay at this hotel in Helen. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our reviews. Popular ...
6.8/10 (785 reviews)
Clean room and friendly staff.

Reviewed on Oct 21, 2025

Super 8 by Wyndham Helen
Alpine Valley Inn

Alpine Valley Inn

2 out of 5
749 Brucken Strasse, Helen, GA
The price is $56 total per night from Nov 2 to Nov 3
$56 total
per night
Nov 2 - Nov 3
Stay at this hotel in Helen. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our reviews. Popular ...
7.6/10 Good! (861 reviews)
Clean room, comfortable bed, easy check in and out. A short walk to downtown Helen. The parking lot is well lit. Breakfast is sausage biscuits, cereal and fruit. I would definitely stay there again.

Reviewed on Oct 19, 2025

Alpine Valley Inn
River’s Edge | Cozy Riverside Cabin Near Downtown Helen, GA

River’s Edge | Cozy Riverside Cabin Near Downtown Helen, GA

Helen
Stay at this cabin in Helen. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and patios. Popular attractions Charlemagne's Kingdom and Unicoi Hill Park are located ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (72 reviews)
All needed was provided.,Views were amazing. Close enough to downtown area and,entertainment m. We,had,a restfull stay, able to sit on deck and watch the river

Reviewed on Oct 17, 2025

River’s Edge | Cozy Riverside Cabin Near Downtown Helen, GA
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Alpine Crest Resort

Alpine Crest Resort

3.5 out of 5
273 Carrie Cox Dr, Helen, GA
Stay at this 3.5-star aparthotel in Helen. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a picnic area. Popular attractions Unicoi Hill Park and Charlemagne's Kingdom are ...
7.6/10 Good! (139 reviews)
Loved the loft that came with 2 bedrooms and a whole kitchen

Reviewed on Oct 21, 2025

Alpine Crest Resort
River’s Edge | Cozy Riverside Cabin Near Downtown Helen, GA

River’s Edge | Cozy Riverside Cabin Near Downtown Helen, GA

Helen
Stay at this cabin in Helen. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and patios. Popular attractions Charlemagne's Kingdom and Unicoi Hill Park are located ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (72 reviews)
All needed was provided.,Views were amazing. Close enough to downtown area and,entertainment m. We,had,a restfull stay, able to sit on deck and watch the river

Reviewed on Oct 17, 2025

River’s Edge | Cozy Riverside Cabin Near Downtown Helen, GA
Alpine Riverside Retreat Downtown Helen, 2 King Suites, 3 full Baths

Alpine Riverside Retreat Downtown Helen, 2 King Suites, 3 full Baths

Helen
Stay at this chalet in Helen. Enjoy free WiFi, a water park, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Helen Arts & Heritage Center and Unicoi Hill Park are ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (135 reviews)
Location is about perfect, close to town to be out of town, but able to walk to everything including tubing (sorry that kind of doesn’t make sense and wordy, but that’s the best way I can describe it). Right on the river. Very nice and peaceful on the back deck. Overall, the place is very nice. Was ...

Reviewed on Sep 2, 2025

Alpine Riverside Retreat Downtown Helen, 2 King Suites, 3 full Baths
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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