Helen, Georgia With Kids
What to do at every age, what it costs, and where to go when it rains
The short answer
Family attractions at a glance
Prices and hours as the operators list them in October 2026.
| Attraction | Cost | Hours and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Mountain Coaster8409 S Main St | $17 adults, $14 ages 7-12, $10 ages 3-6; a second ride is half price | Passengers must be 3+ and 38 in. tall; drivers riding alone 54 in. Sun 10-7, Mon-Thu 10-6, Fri-Sat 10-9, weather permitting. 706-878-1347. |
| Helen Fun Factory115 Escowee Dr | Karts $10 kids, $25 adults (58 in.+), $30 double kart; laser tag $20; train $5; Lil' Town pass (ages 1-8) $15 | Mon-Thu and Sun noon-7, Fri noon-8, Sat 11-9. Arcade is cash only. 706-943-3840. |
| Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf1081 Edelweiss Strasse, across from the Festhalle | $11.50 adults, $10.50 ages 4-12, 3 and under free | 18 holes, barrier-free for strollers and wheelchairs. Daily noon-7, weather permitting. 706-892-1205. |
| Anna Ruby Falls3455 Anna Ruby Falls Rd | $6 ages 16+, 15 and under free | Paved path about 0.4 mile each way with steep pitches; the 0.1-mile Lion's Eye Trail is flat. 9 AM-6 PM, last ticket 5 PM. The Georgia ParkPass isn't accepted. 706-878-1448. |
| Unicoi State Park1788 Highway 356 | $10 ParkPass per vehicle; zip line tours $49, $79 or $139 | Lake with a beach, a 2.5-mile Lake Trail, zip lines (ages 8+ or 10+ depending on the tour). 706-878-2201. |
| BabyLand General Hospital300 N.O.K. Drive, Cleveland | Free | Mon-Sat 9-6, Sun 10-6; closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 706-865-2171. |
| North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park2912 Paradise Valley Rd, Cleveland | Check northgeorgiazoo.com | Drive-through safari, petting farm and hands-on encounters. Hours change by season; the visitors bureau listed Thursday-Sunday 10-5 for late summer. 706-348-7279. |
| Uhuburg castle571 Ridge Rd | $35 adults, $30 seniors and military, $25 ages 3-12 | Day visits on select weekends, most Saturdays and Sundays through the end of October; closed October 10 for a private event. Check uhuburg.com before you go. |
Our guides to the Georgia Mountain Coaster, Helen mini golf, BabyLand General and Uhuburg have more detail. Anna Ruby Falls details come from FIND Outdoors; the zip line prices from the Unicoi Lodge zip line page.
Tubing the Chattahoochee with kids
Tubing is the thing most kids remember, but it's a real river, with shallow rocky stretches and a few deeper holes, and nobody guards it. The two main outfitters are Cool River Tubing and Helen Tubing. The season normally runs from around Memorial Day weekend through the summer, with a few stray days in early fall when the weather and water cooperate. Cool River's own site said it would run on October 8 and 9 this year with low water and recommended push sticks, so call before you count on it.
Cool River Tubing
$14 Mon-Fri, $16 Sat-Sun and holidays (2026 prices), ages 2+ pay the same. Kids 12 and under must wear a life jacket. Shoes with backs only. No personal coolers (each tuber gets a 32 oz drink container), no alcohol, no glass, no personal tubes. Self-guided with no lifeguards.
Helen Tubing
North office at 9917 Hwy 75 N, 706-878-7465, with free parking and a shuttle. Check helentubing.com for this year's price and age limits before you book.
Pack water shoes with a back strap, a change of clothes and a towel. For more, see our tubing guide.
What works at each age
Toddlers (1 to 4)
Keep it short and low-effort. BabyLand General is free and indoors, Pirate's Cove is free for ages 3 and under with a paying adult, and Helen Fun Factory has a Lil' Town pass for ages 1 to 8. Unicoi Hill Park has a playground, grills and picnic tables, and the Alpine Express train gives tired legs a break downtown.
Ages 5 to 10
The sweet spot. The coaster, mini golf, the Anna Ruby Falls path, Unicoi Lake's beach and a stop to watch fudge being made at Hansel and Gretel all fit in one day. Gem and gold panning outfits such as Dukes Creek Mines and Outpost Gold and Gem Panning are on the visitors bureau's family list; call for hours.
Tweens (11 to 13)
Go-karts and laser tag at Helen Fun Factory, a faster run on the coaster (riders control their own speed), and the archery and air gun range at Unicoi. An escape room downtown is a good rainy-day team challenge.
Teens (14 and up)
The zip lines at Unicoi are the big draw: the one-hour tour has six lines and four suspension bridges, and the four-hour tour goes up to a half mile of line. Uhuburg's lookout tower and murals photograph well, and Hardman Farm is a quieter history stop.
Where to eat with kids
| Place | What to know |
|---|---|
| Muller's Famous Fried Cheese Cafe | 60 Chattahoochee Strasse. Open daily from 9 AM for breakfast, lunch and early dinner. Fried cheese, schnitzel, bratwurst. |
| Bigg Daddy's Restaurant and Tavern | 807 Edelweiss Strasse. Open to all ages, with a big outdoor deck and live music Friday and Saturday nights. |
| Troll Tavern | 8590 N Main St. Riverfront patio, seasonal hours (Mon-Thu 11-9, Fri-Sun 11-10). 706-878-3117. |
| LaCabaña Mexican Restaurant | Family-run (the Valadez family), with indoor tables, a patio and a bar. Call for hours before you go. |
| Hofer's of Helen Bakery & Cafe | Walk-in only, no reservations or takeout. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Breakfast until 11 on weekdays. |
| Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen | 8651 N Main St. Watch fudge and brittle being made, with free samples. |
Dillard House, about 30 minutes north in Dillard, has served Southern food family style and recently finished a renovation. More options in our family restaurants guide.
When it rains
BabyLand General
Free, indoors, and easy to stretch to an hour or more while kids pick out a doll to adopt.
Helen Fun Factory
Indoor karts, laser tag and an arcade, open daily.
Uhuburg
Guided tours of 15 to 60 minutes or a self-guided wander through the castle's courtyard, murals and tower on its open days.
Arts & Heritage Center
At 25 Chattahoochee Strasse, with art classes through the week (call 706-878-3933). Fall and winter hours start in late October: 11 AM to 4 PM daily.
The visitors bureau's rain-or-shine guide also lists indoor pickleball, escape rooms, axe throwing and the Killmon Gallery.
Where to stay with kids
Valhalla Resort has a pool and water slide, and its bungalows, townhomes and villa sleep bigger groups (up to eight in the villa). Home2 Suites by Hilton lists a free hot breakfast, in-room kitchens and an indoor pool, which helps on a wet day. Cabins give kids room to spread out and usually include a hot tub or a game room; our family cabins guide has options. Unicoi Lodge's cabins and campground are four miles out, right by the lake.
What each season is like
| Season | Typical highs | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar-May) | Highs 61-77°F | Waterfalls run strongest. Mini golf and the coaster are open; tubing starts around Memorial Day weekend. |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | Highs 83-86°F | Tubing season. Afternoons are hot and humid, so plan the river for the morning. |
| Fall (Sep-Nov) | Highs 80°F in Sep, 60°F by Nov | Oktoberfest runs through November 1, 2026 and Sunday admission is free. Kids under 6 are free the rest of the week; ages 6-12 pay $5 Mon-Thu and $7 Fri-Sat. |
| Winter (Dec-Feb) | Highs around 50°F | In past seasons the village lights have stayed up into the new year. Snow is rare, about 1.5 inches in a typical year. Tubing is closed. |
Temperatures are NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Helen. Oktoberfest details are on the Helen Chamber of Commerce page; October is the busiest month, so read our parking guide before you come.
Free holiday events for kids
All three are in the 2026 calendar.
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 27, 2026, 5-7 PM | Lighting of the Village, Riverside Park. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive; kids meet Santa 5-7 PM. |
| Nov 28-29 and Dec 5-6, 2026, 10 AM-5 PM | Helen's Christmas Market, Marktplatz and Unicoi Hill Park. Handmade gifts, sweets and treats. Free. |
| Sat, Dec 12, 2026, 6 PM | Christmas Parade on Main Street, rain or shine, with fire trucks, floats, candy and Santa. |
Dates from helenga.org and the Chamber. See the full events calendar.
Nearby with kids
Dukes Creek Falls is $4 per vehicle and a 2.2-mile round trip, with a steep climb back, so it suits older kids. The North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park in Cleveland is the pick for animal-loving kids, and the Sautee Nacoochee Center (283 Hwy 255 North) includes the Folk Pottery Museum. At Hardman Farm, grounds-only entry is $7 and kids 5 and under are free.
Frequently asked questions
What can my toddler do in Helen?
BabyLand General Hospital in Cleveland is free and indoors, Pirate's Cove mini golf lets kids 3 and under play free with a paying adult, and the Alpine Express train in downtown Helen is a short ride built for little ones. Helen Fun Factory has a Lil' Town pass for ages 1 to 8. Anna Ruby Falls works with a toddler if you carry them: the paved path is only 0.4 mile each way, but a couple of pitches are steep enough that a child carrier beats a stroller.
What works for elementary-age kids?
Ages 5 to 10 get the most out of Helen. The Georgia Mountain Coaster takes passengers who are at least 3 years old and 38 inches tall, Pirate's Cove has 18 holes with caves and waterfalls, Anna Ruby Falls is a short paved walk, and Unicoi Lake has a beach. In summer, Cool River Tubing takes kids ages 2 and up, with a life jacket required for anyone 12 and under.
What works for tweens and teens?
Go-karts and laser tag at Helen Fun Factory, the zip lines at Unicoi State Park (ages 8 and up on the one-hour and two-hour tours, 10 and up on the four-hour tour), the coaster, and an escape room downtown. Uhuburg, the Renaissance-style castle on Ridge Road (day visits on select weekends), is a good photo stop for teens who'd rather wander than ride.
What are the free things to do with kids in Helen?
BabyLand General Hospital is free, the Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen lets you watch candy being made and hand out samples, and the Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail is a free, paved, one-mile river walk. Unicoi Hill Park has a playground. Helen's Christmas Market (November 28-29 and December 5-6, 2026) is free, and the Lighting of the Village (Friday, November 27, 2026, 5 to 7 PM at Riverside Park) lists no price too.
What can families do on a rainy day in Helen?
BabyLand General Hospital, Helen Fun Factory (karts, laser tag and an arcade), the guided or self-guided tours at Uhuburg castle, the Helen Arts & Heritage Center, and indoor pickleball are the usual picks. Downtown also has escape rooms, arcades and about 200 shops to wander. Mini golf and the coaster run weather permitting.
Where can families eat in Helen?
Muller's Famous Fried Cheese Cafe (open daily from 9 AM), Bigg Daddy's Restaurant and Tavern (a spacious outdoor deck, all ages welcome), the Troll Tavern on the river, LaCabaña Mexican Restaurant and Hofer's Bakery & Cafe (walk-in only, closed Tuesday and Wednesday) are all easy with kids. Dillard House, about 30 minutes north, serves Southern food family style.
Is river tubing open in October?
The season is basically over. Cool River Tubing posted that it would be open October 8 and 9 with low water, but the outfitters normally run from around Memorial Day weekend into early fall, so plan tubing for summer 2027. Check the outfitter's site before you drive up.
Related Imagery from Around Helen
