We recently spent Thanksgiving week in the North Georgia Mountains with my parents and to say it was lovely would be an understatement. We stayed on a working farm in Blairsville, GA, close enough to the surrounding cities while still being nestled away in the serene mountains. Each photo deck has a swipe-through via the > & < arrows!
The Airbnb we stayed at was truly amazing. I could go on and on about the location, the host, the property, and the stay itself but I will let my photos do the talking. Click here for the Airbnb listing and the property's website. It was truly perfect and we are already planning a return trip! More pics and details on the Airbnb at the very end.
What We Did:
Horseback Ride & Brunch at Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa. I highly recommend taking a day to relax and wander around the Brasstown Resort and Spa. There's tons to see and do plus you can have a relaxing and tasty meal on their property. My parents booked a private horseback pony ride for our daughter - it was a HUGE hit!
Blueridge Scenic Railway. We booked a late afternoon train ride on the Blueridge Scenic Railway and had a lovely time having a vintage-like train ride experience while taking in the stunning views along the Toccoa River. There are several different ticket options that provide different experiences all of which take you through North GA and through the Stateline into TN. We had such a fun time walking through the train cars and seeing the gorgeous views!
Mercier Orchards. This U-Pick apple orchard was closed for the picking season but their shop and grounds were open for customers. It was PACKED. We were there a couple of days before Thanksgiving and you could tell it was a local hotspot for tasty pies and treats. Of course, we got some Apple Cider Donuts (which I alone ate over the entire week) - so good! Their property is stunning and I would love to go back during the U-Pick season!
Hiked Helton Creek Falls. Nestled right in Blairsville this 0.2-mile hike was perfect for the entire family. Our 2-year-old was a champ and walked the entire thing by herself. The falls are amazing and you can even finesse your way onto the creek to get a super up-close experience (hike off the trail at your own risk). Note: you do have to drive over two flowing creeks - so make sure your vehicle is capable of driving over shallow standing water.
Stroll Around Downtown Blairsville. A couple of the days on our trip we found ourselves having breakfast or lunch right in the heart of the downtown square. The area is cute and completely walkable. There are fun shops and some great food stops! Worth taking a couple of hours to check out.
Dinner in Young Harris. We had Thanksgiving dinner at a beautiful restaurant called Brother's at Willow Ranch. The entire property is on a tall hill with really nice views. They host events and offer weekday specials on food. We really enjoyed their Thanksgiving Buffett!! They sell artisan items and even have a large on-site shop!
Christmas Lights at The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. Located in Hiawassee GA, the Georiga Mountain Fairgrounds hosts a huge Christmas Light walk-through event. It was really cute and super fun!! They had animal attractions, cute local vendors, and of course trails to walk through and see all the holiday lights. A super fun event for the season! They do other events year-round that are also worth checking out!
Relaxing at the Farm. Perhaps our favorite activity was simply relaxing at the Airbnb property. Bald Mountain Creek Farm was 100% amazing! We spent each day playing with the animals and enjoying the scenic property. We did a bonfire one night and even had a couple of visits from bears!
Special thanks to my sweet and generous parents for booking and taking us on this trip! They left out no detail and truly helped us create amazing family memories!
Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas,
XoXo Amy