The past two Octobers, my husband and I have road-tripped through North Georgia with our dog and it’s quickly becoming one of our favorite spots. Between the quaint towns and secluded waterfalls, it’s truly an outdoor lover’s paradise. The best part about this list is it’s ALL dog-friendly. That’s right! Grab your pup and head out on an epic North Georgia Road Trip!
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Table of Contents
North Georgia Things to do Map
Tip! I’ve listed these North Georgia Things to do from West to East for easy road trip planning 🙂 You can also click on this map to use for yourself!
Need a car while roadtripping around Georgia? Be sure to check out DiscoverCars for the best deals!
Cloudland Canyon State Park
Cloudland Canyon State Park is a beautiful wilderness area located in the northwest corner of Georgia. It offers a variety of activities for visitors, including hiking, camping, fishing, and bird watching (I really need to start learning more about birds…its on the list). The park has several miles of trails that offer stunning views of the canyon, as well as the opportunity to explore caves and waterfalls. The most popular trail in the park is the 4.8 -mile West Rim Loop which will bring you over bridges, to waterfalls, and to some of the best views in the park.
Rock City Gardens
Rock City is a magical 4,100 ft trail that weaves in and out of natural rock. It is an extremely popular tourist location that receives almost 600,000 visitors each year. Usually, I would let the popularity scare me away, buuuut believe me, this stop is worth it (despite the people).
During your visit, you will see epic waterfalls (as pictured above), walk across swinging bridges, stroll through a fairy garden, and squeeze through slot canyons.
You have to make reservations beforehand to reserve a time slot. We choose 5:45 p,m (last available slot) and it was perfect for small crowds and watching the sunset.
Read more about Rock City Gardens here!
Bear Claw Vineyards and Winery
If you are looking for a relaxing venue to relax after a day of hiking in North Georgia, head to Bear Claw Vineyards and Winery in Blue Ridge. There is a large outdoor seating area, and picnic tables near the vineyard, AND your dog is even welcome inside. You can choose between several different flights for tasting and listen to live music on the weekends. They do not have a kitchen, but they do sell small snacks on-site.
They also have a treehouse on site that you can stay in with epic views of the vineyard!
Swan Drive-In Theater
After a day or weekend of adventuring through North Georgia, you (and your pup) can head to the Swan In Drive-in. This historic theater has been open since 1950 and features double features every night. It has a great snack bar with tasty snacks (funnel cake anyone??) and drinks to enjoy while you watch the movie. Plus, it’s an affordable option (10 dollars per adult, 5 dollars per child over 3), so you can bring the whole family!
The theater does close in the winter months, but usually reopens in March. It’s also a cash only establishment so make sure you come prepared!
B.J. Reece Orchard
I’ve always wanted to visit an Orchard, so as you can imagine I was thrilled when I found one that allowed dogs in North Georgia! Upon arriving at BJ Reece in Ellijay, you will see the market on one side of the street, and the orchard on the other. We were directed to the far side as we were visiting toward the end of the season.
We walked to the back of the orchard, and we were met with plenty of delicious apples to choose from. If visiting earlier in the season, you will have more choices. U-pick Apple season runs from August 27- October 30th (approximately) with different types of apples peaking throughout.
During those dates, there are also farm activities to partake in such as a petting farm, corn maze, and a giant slide. There’s also a market and bakery onsite selling all sorts of fresh goodies!
Admission ranges from 8-26 dollars with U-pick bags being an additional cost.
Love fall festivities? Check out all the best corn mazes throughout the state of Georgia here!
Amicalola Falls
Amicalola State Park is home to Georgia’s tallest waterfall. After arriving, we parked at East Ridge Trailhead’s parking lot. From the parking lot, there is the East Ridge Trailhead, concession stand, and waterfall overlook (a short stroll away).
We decided to take the East Ridge Trail (2.1 miles) to reach the bottom of the waterfall, then take the 600+ stairs back up. The first part of the trail was through the forest, then you will come out at the Visitor Center. From there, continue on the trail until you reach the stairs up to the waterfall.
The stairs will then take you to the top of the waterfall, right near your parking space! It was the PERFECT loop trail!
Brasstown Bald
This may have been (one of) my favorite stops in North Georgia. Brasstown Bald is the highest point in the state, but also an easy hike to the top. I highly recommend arriving slightly before sunrise to be able to watch the sun slowly rise above the mountains. The visitors center or shuttle will not be open at this time, but you are still able to park and head up on the trail. It’s a quick and easy .6-mile paved trail to the top. There’s a 5-dollar fee to park (if visiting before or after hours) or a 7-dollar fee during visitor center hours (includes entry and shuttle to the top).
Helton Creek Falls
These falls are quite literally located in the middle of nowhere, but those are some of the best adventures! The road to the fall is gravel and very narrow. We even had to drive through several streams. (I got out and walked the streams before risking driving my little car through them).
With this being said, I would recommend a 4-wheel drive car, buuuut if you’re feeling risky, a 2-wheel drive should make it (mine was fine). If you come from 19 side (west entry point), you can avoid these creek crossings, but still 2.2 miles of narrow dirt road.
Once arriving at the falls, you will see a sign and a small (3-5 cars) lot at the trailhead. The trailhead starts at the top of a set of stairs and brings you t the base of the falls. You can then walk up another set of falls to get to the top of the falls (where there is a wooden overlook platform). In the summer months, you’ll likely find several swimmers!
Tip! Combine this stop with a sunrise hike at Brasstown Bald as it’s only 11 miles away!
Vogel State Park
Vogel State Park is Georgia’s oldest (and maybe most beautiful) state park. It covers 233 acres at the base of Blood Mountain and sits on a beautiful 22-acre lake. The park is definitely the busiest in the fall months as the colors around the lake are vibrant. While there, I recommend hiking the 4.1-mile Bear Hair Gap loop as it will take you by the lake, to the Trahlyta waterfall (pictured above), and to an epic overlook. This trail isn’t super well-marked, so be sure to download a map before heading out.
If looking for a shorter hike, you can take the Lake Trahlyta loop around the lake with a side detour down to the falls (about 2 miles total).
Anna Ruby Falls
Anna Ruby Falls is an amazing (and super accessible) waterfall for everyone to enjoy! It is located at the end of a .4-mile paved path. Once reaching the end, there is a viewing platform with benches to marvel at the beauty.
Tip: Anna Ruby Falls is one of Georgia’s most popular tourist attractions, so be sure to plan your visit accordingly. There is a 3-dollar fee to enter. We visited one hour prior to closing and we were met with small crowds and a peaceful setting!
Helen, GA
Helen is the CUTEST Alpine village, it was actually the inspiration for this whole trip. The entire town only has a population of just over 400, yet it is the 3rd most visited town in all of Georgia.
In the heart of the Blue Mountains, Helen has quaint shops, Alpine Mini-golf, restaurants with a view, river tubing, carriage rides, and so much more! Since we were traveling with our dog, we just window-shopped (some shops are dog-friendly) and then had dinner overlooking the river at the Alpine Brew Deck.
Looking to extend this Southeast Road trip? Head towards Chattanooga, TN, or find some hidden gems in North Alabama!
Tallulah State Park
Tallulah Gorge State Park is a beautiful spot in the heart of Georgia. It’s a great place for outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, and camping. With a stunning 1,000-foot-deep gorge and two spectacular waterfalls, it’s no wonder why this park is so popular. There are several trails to choose from, but dogs are not allowed to walk down to the gorge floor sliding rock trail, or the suspension bridge. If traveling without a dog and wanting to check out the gorge floor, be sure to arrive early as they only allow 100 permits a day (you can get them for free at the interpretive center).
Rent a Cozy Cabin
North Georgia is home to SO many cozy cabins! You will surely have no issues finding the perfect one. During our first trip we stayed at one outside of Helen and on our second trip we stayed at this one outside of Blue Ridge. It was complete with an indoor and outdoor fireplace, hot tub, and even a trail to a lake! Be sure to factor one day into the agenda just to fully enjoy the cabin!
I am WELL aware that there are SO many more fun and adventurous things to do in North Georgia. From taking a trip on the Blue Ridge Railroad to checking off all the waterfalls, you could truly explore Norht Georgia for weeks (I hope to someday…) For now, this sums up my favorite dog-friendly things to do in North Georgia! I’d love to see your adventures as well! Follow along on Instagram for more dog-friendly adventures!
Keep Reading!
Need some help planning your Southeast USA road Trip? Check out the following itinerearies!
- Southeast USA Road Trip (TN, GA, SC, NC)
- North Alabama Road Trip
- One Weekend in Knoxville
- One Weekend in Gatlinburg
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