No matter the age, everyone is a kid at heart when it comes to Helen, White County and the Sautee and Nacoochee areas in North Georgia. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through Helen’s downtown; then, seek out the perfect souvenirs and gifts in the hustle and bustle of Helen’s shopping street while German music adds oom pah pah from outdoor speakers; pick up sweet treats at the authentic German bakery or candy shop; and, watch glass blowing at The Glassblowing Shop. Follow a round of adventure golf with a scoop or two of ice cream at an old-fashioned parlor.
Continue family time during your mountain getaway in the foothills of the Appalachians by teaching kids about the great outdoors at Unicoi State Park and Adventure Lodge with seasonal programs like the Nature Explore Families Club or Family Camp in June. At Smithgall Woods Conservation Area, where there are more than 5,500 acres of land, learning is fun for the whole family with special events like Kids Day at the Park and Junior Ranger Camp. Another can’t-miss bonding opportunity? Children and their “big person” can fish in a stocked lake during Youth Fishing Days at Buck Shoals.
Make your way to BabyLand General Hospital and be there when a baby arrives at this Southern-style mansion in Cleveland that sits majestically on a 100-acre spread in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains. The 70,000-square foot complex is home of the beloved Cabbage Patch Kids, newborn, preemie and Lullaby editions and BabyLand Exclusives, as well as playful museum-like vignettes of Kids dating back to 1977. There is a busy retail shop, a (shhh!) Nursery, and the Cabbage Patch planted charmingly beneath the Magic Crystal Tree – the only place you can find “hand-stitched to birth” soft-sculpture Original Cabbage Patch Kids. The site was chosen by Cabbage Patch Kid creator, artist Xavier Roberts after he saw stork-like birds resting on the hill, marking the perfect place to “deliver” babies. Be sure to check the calendar for a full list of their spectacular seasonal events.
Back in downtown Helen, get a late-day sugar rush at Hansel and Gretel’s Candy Kitchen where confectioners make traditional Southern sweets like peanut brittle, divinity, fudge or pralines, a vast assortment of chocolate molded novelties and chocolate suckers, and offer a wide selection of chocolate gift boxes and other assortments.
Following a day of kid-friendly fun, share a meal and memories at multi-generation-pleasing Nacoochee Grill, Nacoochee Village Tavern & Pizzeria, Old Bavarian Inn Restaurant or Unicoi Restaurant. When you are ready to hit the hay, Helen has hotels with swimming pools and lodge rooms at Unicoi State Park and Adventure Lodge.