Your Helen Weekend, Hour by Hour

Helen was remade as an Alpine village starting around 1969, and the storefronts still do half the work of making a weekend feel like a trip. The real draws are outside town: a double waterfall, a creek-fed lake and a river made for floating. Here's how the days fit together.

The Georgia Mountain Coaster is a good first stop because it's quick and you set the pace. You control your own speed on the track through the woods, so you can brake for scenery or let it run. It's at 8409 S Main Street, within walking distance of downtown, and it stays open until 9 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Drivers need to be at least 54 inches tall; riders must be at least 38 inches and 3 years old. Loose items like purses, bags and drinks can't go on the ride. Call 706-878-1347 with questions.

Start with breakfast at Hofer's of Helen Bakery and Cafe, a bakery stop on the Helen CVB's dining list. Go early; bakery lines build on weekend mornings. If you'd rather have a sit-down plate, Muller's Famous Fried Cheese Cafe at 60 Chattahoochee Strasse serves German and Central European dishes, with breakfast, lunch and early dinner seven days a week.

Then head to Anna Ruby Falls, about 20 minutes away. Two creeks drop side by side, Curtis Creek about 153 feet and York Creek about 50, and a paved path of roughly 0.4 mile each way gets you there. It opens at 9 AM, admission is $6 for ages 16 and up (15 and under free), and the lot fills later in the day. Details are on the FIND Outdoors page.

For lunch, downtown has plenty of options, including Bigg Daddy's Restaurant and Tavern at 807 Edelweiss Strasse, which has an outdoor deck and live music on weekends.

In tubing season, spend the afternoon on the Chattahoochee. Cool River Tubing sells a short ride of 1 to 1.5 hours and a long ride of 2 to 2.5 hours at $14 on weekdays and $16 on weekends and holidays (2026 prices), shuttle included. The daily season starts again Memorial Day weekend; outfitters may open on warm weekends before then, so check their sites for dates and water levels. Our tubing guide has the rest. Out of season, spend the afternoon at Unicoi State Park, where the 53-acre lake, the 2.5-mile Lake Trail, kayaking, paddleboarding and ziplining are all on the menu. Parking there is $10 per vehicle.

For Saturday dinner, Cowboys & Angels is a downtown restaurant and bar; call ahead on weekends. From September 10 through November 1, 2026, the Festhalle is the other option: Oktoberfest is open Saturdays from 1 to 11 PM.

Have a relaxed breakfast, then drive about 15 minutes out GA-348 to Dukes Creek Falls. It's a 2.2-mile round trip, and the way back up is the workout. The views toward Mount Yonah are the bonus. The Forest Service charges $4 per vehicle per day, payable by card or Recreation.gov, and the area is open sunrise to sunset.

Fall and the holidays are the busy stretches, so book lodging early and give yourself extra time on the road. Spring and summer lean toward the river and the trails. Before you drive in on a busy weekend, read the parking guide.

Staying longer? See how many days to spend in Helen.