Family Fun in Helen, Georgia
A coaster you steer yourself, a river to float, pirate mini golf and go-karts, all within a short walk of each other
The short answer
Four stops, one afternoon
Kids get something out of Helen even when they couldn't care less about Bavarian architecture. You can float a river, whip down a mountainside on a coaster, putt past pirate caves and race electric karts without ever leaving the center of town. The table shows what each costs and when it's open.
| Stop | What it is | Prices | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool River Tubing | Floating the Chattahoochee | $14 Mon-Fri; $16 Sat-Sun and holidays (ages 2+) | Seasonal; the 2026 schedule had it running into early October. Check the booking calendar. |
| Georgia Mountain Coaster | Alpine coaster you steer yourself | $17 adults; $14 ages 7-12; $10 ages 3-6 | Sun 10-7; Mon-Thu 10-6; Fri-Sat 10-9 |
| Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf | 18-hole pirate-themed mini golf | $11.50 adults; $10.50 ages 4-12; 3 and under free with a paying adult | Daily noon-7 PM, weather permitting |
| Helen Fun Factory | Go-karts, laser tag, Tiny Towne, arcade | Karts $10 kids, $25 adults, $30 double; laser tag $20 | Mon-Thu 12-7; Fri 12-8; Sat 11-9; Sun 12-7 |
Prices and hours change, and several places close earlier or skip days in the off-season, so check the operator's site the day you go. For lighter crowds, pick a weekday; Oktoberfest and leaf-season weekends are the busiest.
Cool River Tubing
Floating the Chattahoochee is the classic Helen thing to do, and Cool River Tubing lets you pick a shorter or longer trip for the same price. The Chattahoochee Outpost is at 590 Edelweiss Strasse (706-878-2665), and there's a second outpost at 112 Poplar Stump Road (706-878-9471) plus a ticket booth on Main Street.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Season | Summer is the main season, with the outfitter adding days in spring and fall when weather and water allow. Their site showed Thursday and Friday, October 8 and 9, open from 10 AM. |
| Price | $14 Monday to Friday; $16 Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Ages 2 and up. Same price for either trip. |
| Short trip | About 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Long trip | About 2 to 2.5 hours |
| Tubes | Include bottoms and headrests |
| Dogs | Welcome. They can ride on your lap or in a rented tube of their own. |
| Waivers | Signed before you get your wristband |
Go early
Midday is when the shuttle lines and the sun are at their worst. Be there at opening and you'll float in the cooler part of the day.
Check the water
When the river runs low, the outfitter recommends push sticks and the shorter trip. Their home page posts current conditions.
Everything on the river gets wet, so lock up keys and phones or leave them in the car. More on the river in our tubing guide.
Georgia Mountain Coaster
This is the ride most kids ask for by name. The Georgia Mountain Coaster bills itself as Georgia's first and only mountain coaster: you sit in a cart on a forest track and control your own speed with a brake lever. It's at 8409 S Main Street, (706) 878-1347.
Height is what decides who rides with whom. A solo rider needs to be 54 inches tall; a passenger needs to be 38 inches and at least 3 years old, and whoever drives a passenger has to be 16 or older. Tickets are $17 for adults, $14 for ages 7 to 12 and $10 for ages 3 to 6. It stays open until 9 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, which makes it a good after-dinner stop.
Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf
One 18-hole course, themed around pirate legends, with caves, footbridges and waterfalls to putt around. It sits at the corner of Munich Strasse and Edelweiss Strasse, across from the Festhalle, so you can fit a round in between lunch and the next thing. The course is barrier-free for wheelchairs and strollers. It's $11.50 for adults and $10.50 for ages 4 to 12, and kids 3 and under play free with a paying adult. Hours are noon to 7 PM daily, weather permitting; call (706) 892-1205 if the sky looks iffy. If you want to compare courses, see our Helen miniature golf guide.
Helen Fun Factory
This is the rainy-day answer and the place for mixed ages. Teenagers can race electric karts or play laser tag while little ones drive tiny cars around Tiny Towne. It's at 115 Escowee Drive, (706) 943-3840, and the Helen Fun Factory website lists current hours and party packages.
| Activity | Price |
|---|---|
| Go-karts | Kids $10, adults $25, double kart (parent and child) $30 |
| Laser tag | $20 per person |
| Tiny Towne cars | $10 per race, for small kids learning the rules of the road |
| Train ride | $5 per person |
| Lil' Town | $15 per person, ages 1 to 8 |
| Arcade | Pay-as-you-go tokens; cash only |
Hours run Monday to Thursday noon to 7 PM, Friday noon to 8, Saturday 11 to 9 and Sunday noon to 7.
Family trip questions
What is there for kids to do in Helen?
Tubing the Chattahoochee in season, steering your own ride on the Georgia Mountain Coaster, a round of pirate-themed mini golf at Pirate's Cove, and go-karts, laser tag and an arcade at Helen Fun Factory. All four are in or right beside downtown.
How old do kids need to be for the Georgia Mountain Coaster?
Solo riders need to be at least 54 inches tall. A passenger needs to be at least 38 inches tall and 3 years old, and a driver with a passenger must be 16 or older.
Can toddlers go river tubing?
Cool River Tubing takes children ages 2 and up. Its tubes have bottoms and headrests, and families with little ones usually pick the shorter trip. Water levels change from week to week, so check conditions on their site before you go.
Is Pirate's Cove wheelchair and stroller friendly?
Yes. The operator describes the 18-hole course as barrier-free for wheelchairs and strollers.
Where do I find go-karts in Helen?
At Helen Fun Factory, 115 Escowee Drive. Karts are $10 for kids and $25 for adults, and there's a $30 double kart for a parent and child.
