Each cabin is only permitted 2 Guest Cards and each card will only allow 4 people in the pools and Rec Center at a time. Please keep this in mind if you visit these locations. Please be sure to return both cards to avoid any chargebacks.

1. Parks

   • Fish Pond - 5 Min Drive

     • Our fish pond is stocked and situated near the front of the neighborhood. No fishing license is required.

   • Big Creek - 4 Min Drive (Featured pic above.)

     • The big creek is a great place to put a few chairs in the water and let the kids do their thing! Follow the hiking trail from the parking spot at Big Creek and follow the creek up to the Fish Pond for a scenic walk!

   • River Park - 4 Min Drive

     • River Park is a great place to let the kids play in the sand. Park your car anywhere that's open and enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature! If you're feeling really adventurous in June, July, or Aug, grab a couple of folding chairs and set them up about 100ft upstream in the rapids. Our kids love to float down the rapids in their life vests and walk back up to do it all over again!

     • This is also the best spot to put in either a tube or kayak and float down to Fife Bridge. 

   • North Park - 12 Min Drive

     • Located on the river, this small park is very private and has a small playset for your little ones.

   • Fish Trap Park - 15 Min Drive

     • This is a great place to walk around and enjoy the river. The park has a swinging bridge that spans from Fish Trap Park over to Riverside Pool.

     • There's a newly build playground here's that's great for the kids as well as a pavilion. 

   • Beaver Lake Tennis Courts - 5 Min Drive

2. Rec Center - Guest Card Required - 15 Min Drive

   • Indoor Pool - Closing for refurbishments sometime in June 2025.

   • Fitness center with newly updated equipment.

   • Arcade

   • Tennis Court

   • Basket Ball Court

   • Pickle Ball Court

   • Putt Putt

3. Pools - Guest Card Required

   • The indoor pool at the rec center is open year-round. Closing for refurbishments sometime in June 2025.

   • Foxhound Pool is the more tranquil outdoor pool with the fewest visitors during the summer. It is generally open from Memorial Day until Labor Day. 2025 hours are from 11am to 7pm.

   • Riverside Pool is located at Fish Trap Park, just on the other side of the swinging bridge. It is generally open from Memorial Day until Labor Day. 2025 hours are from 9am to 8pm

4. Tubing/Kayaking

   • The ideal place to put in is at River Park. You will need someone to either drop you off and then pick you up at Fife Bridge, or you'll need to have two cars and leave one at Fife Bridge before putting in at River Park.

   • Kayaks are available downstairs. You will need to bring your own life jacket as it is required on the river.

     • Please be sure to clean the kayaks when done and return them to their same spot 

   • NEVER go past Fife Bridge (it's the only bridge so you can't miss it). If you go past Fife Bridge you'll likely need to call rescue because the nearest "out/boat ramp" in Carters Lake is miles away. You don't want to make this mistake.

   • Feel free to message me with any questions about the river. We've been down tons of times! 

To be honest, it's going to be hard to list even half of the things to do within a 30-minute drive, but we'll tell you some of our favorites. Please be sure to join some local social media pages and do some searching on things to do nearby. There are tons of great posts out there already!

1. Downtown Ellijay -  This is just a small town square packed with lots of shopping and restaurants. It's a great place to park and spend a few hours walking and browsing.

   • Shopping

     • Multiple antique stores

     • Furniture Stores

     • Gumdrop Fun Shop

   • Dining

     • Abby's Ice Cream

     • The Roof Ellijay (Our favorite in the square)

     • Cantaberry

     • Ellijay Wood Fired Pizza

     • Cartecay Wine

     • River Street Tavern

     • Corner Stone Cafe 

     • and more

2. Downtown Blue Ridge - Similar to downtown Ellijay but maybe four times the size. (If you're from Florida, think of a mountain version of St. Augustine) It's magical at Christmas time!

   • This place has too many options to list, but our favorite restaurant of all is located here so we'd be remiss to not call it out. If you're in town on a Monday-Saturday, you have to visit Southern Charm! Everything's delicious!

   • There's also a great park for the kids as well as the BlueRidge Railway.

3. Apple Orchards - There are so many great ones and they all bring a little something different to the table, but these two are our favorites!

   • BJ Reece - This one is great for the littles! Lots of fun things to do for all ages!

   • R&A Orchards - Take a tractor ride to the back of the property that has long-range mountain views. Pick your favorite apples and then ride over to the flower patch.

4. Fall Attractions - These places are open seasonally, so be sure to check out their hours online during your visit.

   • Corn Maze - Town Creek Valley Farm is open seasonally so check Google or their Facebook page for hours.

   • Burts Pumpkin Farm - This place is unreal and a must-see! It's right on the way to Amicolola Falls, so this is always a "go-to" for us. You can grab a pumpkin that fits in the palm of your hand, or one the size of a kid's power-wheel.

5. Vineyards - Again, sooo many! 

   • Gilmer count is FULL of lots of great wineries! Our closest one is about 6 miles from our driveway and is called Grapes and Ladders. 

   • We'd also suggest visiting The Roo, Ott Vineyards, Chateau Meichtry Family Vineyard and Winery, and Fainting Goat. They're scattered all across the county, but all are within about 30 minutes from the cabin.

   • Wanting to visit a few but don't want to drive? "A Grape View" is a local wine tour company that will take you to your favorites in their Sprinter van.

6. Hiking Trails and Waterfalls - They're everywhere.

   • Amicoloa State Park - It has unbelievable long-range views. If I remember right, the falls are over 700ft tall. You can park at the top, bottom, or middle of the falls. We like to park at the bottom and picnic by the creeks, then drive to the middle and take the flat/paved walking path to take in the views. (This is the best spot to view the falls.) You can also drive all the way to the top for the long-range mountain views. This is also the start of the Appalachian Trail.

   • Falls Creek Falls isn't too far from the house and has a mild/moderate hike to the bridge/falls. We take the kids here in the summer to swim (let's be honest, they try to get soaked in the winter too.)

   • There are a few options for tubing nearby if you're not able to have someone pick you up in the neighborhood. Google Maps is your best tool for reviews and finding operation dates.

   • The Ocoee Outdoor Center was home to the 93' Olympics for white water rafting. This place is beautiful year-round and great for walking and enjoying nature. If you're up for it in the spring and summer months, you should try the white water centers nearby! This river is no joke and should not be your first white water experience.

     • Something a little more mild is the Nantahala Outdoor Center. This is a few hours away but it's such a fun trip! 

7. Mountain Biking -I've been told we live in the mountain bike capital of Ga, but I haven't exactly taken my bike out on any of the nearby trails. If you stay with us and find a favorite, please tell us about it so we can share it with our friends! We have heard good things about Talking Rock Nature Park, so be sure to check that out!