Abundant shopping, art galleries, wineries, traditional German dishes and international fare: This is Helen, White County and the surrounding villages of Sautee and Nacoochee, where Appalachia meets Alpine, a North Georgia beauty with a Bavarian sensibility, alongside the Chattahoochee River. Tour the strasses and platzes of the Alpine Village in a horse-drawn carriage. Outdoor enthusiasts find two golf courses, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, tubing, rock climbing, zip lining and horseback riding. Culinary and culture vultures delight in Helen’s seven wineries and beautiful tasting rooms, her eclectic dining landscape, mountaintop spa and her accomplished artisans – quilters, woodcarvers, potters, glass artists. Shoppers are enchanted by a streetscape a’bustle with activity: like-minded souls browsing more than 150 shops, horse-drawn carriages, German music – even a babbling brook – and all in down-home ambience. Lodging includes in-town hotels, riverside bed and breakfast inns and cabins, condos and chalets tucked into the mountains. HelenGA.org
Fast Facts and Trivia
- Sautee is an unincorporated community located near Sautee Creek in White County, about 95 miles north of Atlanta. The word, “Sautee,” derived from the Cherokee Sawa-te means “Racoon People.”
- “Nacoochee” is derived from the Cherokee Nokose meaning “bear.” One of the most prominent landmarks in Nacoochee Valley is Yonah Mountain.
- The Nacoochee Mound, located two miles south of Helen, is a burial site that dates back to before the Cherokee Indians inhabited the area.
- Nacoochee Valley is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Helen is home to the South’s oldest balloon event and the U.S.’s longest distance hot air balloon race.
- Yonah Mountain in White County is one of the top three rock climbing spots in Georgia.
- The City of Helen has a total area of 2.1 square miles. According to the 2010 Census, Helen’s population is 510.
- Cleveland was known as Mount Yonah until 1870 when it was renamed in honor of General Benjamin Cleveland.
- The Old White County Courthouse, located in the middle of Cleveland’s town square and on the National Register of Historic Places, is home of the White County Historical Society and Museum.
- According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Cleveland’s population is 3,410.
- Adonai’s Alpacas is a full-service farm offering first-time buyers mentoring packages that including breeding, sales, business plan development and owner education.
Annual Events
- Wine Highway Weekend, March, HelenGA.org
- Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race and Festival, June, HelenBalloon.com
- Oktoberfest, September-October, HelenGA.org
- Christmas – Lighting of the Village; Friday after Thanksgiving. Parade, second Saturday of December, HelenGA.org
Itineraries
Information for Groups
- Group Profile Sheet for Meetings (PDF)
- Group Profile Sheet for Family Events (PDF)
- General Group Profile Sheet (PDF)
- Habersham Wineries Group Tour Guidelines (PDF)
Photo Gallery
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