GET OUTSIDE: HIKING, WATER,
AND MOUNTAIN AIR
The Toccoa River runs right through the heart of Blue Ridge and it is worth your time in every season. In summer, the tubing at Deep Hole Recreation Area is a family favorite. Noontootla Creek is quieter and better for fishing. For hiking, Long Creek Falls is an easy 2.4-mile roundtrip with a payoff most trails twice the length can’t match. If you want elevation, Fort Mountain State Park is about 40 minutes away and worth the drive.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN BLUE RIDGE
DOWNTOWN
Between Ferraro’s, Kurokoi, and Grace Prime Steakhouse, downtown Blue Ridge has a variety of world-class restaurants to choose from on your evening out. Reservations are recommended for these guys well in advance; spots fill up quickly, especially during peak travel seasons. For a casual afternoon stop, the Pullman, Rum Cake Lady, and Rose’s Smash House serve up a combination of Southern brunch favorites, killer Cuban sandwiches, and American classics, respectively. Grumpy Old Men Brewing delivers local flare on tap with an impressive range of flights for both the discerning and not-so-discerning to enjoy along the downtown preamble.
LOCAL
If you’re in the mood for an authentic mountain morning, try visiting the Folk Collaborative down nearby Mobile Road, just next to the cabin. Fresh market, apothecary, bakery, and coffee shop all rolled into one, this generationally Appalachian-owned store is the first place we stop on our way into the ridge. More often than not, we stop there on the way out, too!
FOR THE VIEW
The Falls at Blue Ridge and the Tavern at Old Toccoa Farm are two nearby venues packing extraordinary mountain views, perfect for apres-snow cocktails or a midday post-hike brew.
DOWNTOWN BLUE RIDGE: WORTH A FULL AFTERNOON
Downtown Blue Ridge is small enough to walk end to end and interesting enough to take longer than you planned. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway runs steam train excursions along the Toccoa River on weekends, which is especially good if you have kids. The Saturday farmers market on Depot Street is the best version of a farmers market: actual local vendors, actual local produce. Wandering the antique shops along East Main is optional but somehow always takes two hours.
BLUE RIDGE BY SEASON
SRPING
Spring is when Blue Ridge wakes up. The waterfalls run high from winter snowmelt, the wildflowers are out on the trails by April, and the crowds haven’t arrived yet. It is the best kept secret of Blue Ridge travel.
SUMMER
Summer is full and lively. Tubing the Toccoa, outdoor concerts downtown, and the kind of warm evenings that make a fire pit feel exactly right. Book early if you’re coming in July or August.
FALL
Fall is the reason most people discover these hollows. Peak foliage usually hits mid-October and the mountains turn in a way that is genuinely hard to describe. The Apple Festival in Ellijay is 30 minutes away and worth it. This is the busiest season and the most beautiful one.
WINTER
Winter in Blue Ridge is underrated. The crowds are gone, the atmosphere is magical and serene, and the cabin feels like exactly what it was made for– cozy holidays in. Snow is a frequent winter visitor but not guaranteed. Either way, a fire in the fireplace and no itinerary is its own reward.
A FEW THINGS ONLY REGULARS KNOW
The overlook on Trackrock Road is not on any list we’ve seen but it has one of the best sunset views in the area. Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge is worth a stop in every season for the ciders, fried apple pies, and donuts.