Blue Ridge, Georgia ... Gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains

The quaint mountain town of Blue Ridge, Georgia, lies 90 miles north of Atlanta, 85 miles southeast of Chattanooga, and 136 miles west of Asheville, North Carolina ... but it is worlds away from the traffic, smog, and stress of big city life.

The town was founded in 1886 as a result of the arrival of the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad. Because of the railroad, Blue Ridge developed as a center of business and in 1895 the county seat was moved from Morganton to Blue Ridge.

The town of Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of its pure mineral waters. Tourists would ride the train to town, eat dinner at the Blue Ridge Hotel, and take a leisurely walk to the mineral springs after dinner. Today, tourists can still ride the train and take a leisurely walk along Main Street, enjoying the antique and specialty shops, galleries, restaurants and small town atmosphere of Blue Ridge.

The Depot
The railroad depot remains the central focus in downtown Blue Ridge.

Although the first depot burned, the present station was built in 1906. One of the favorite activities of the day was to meet the train - whether meeting a passenger or just socializing with friends.

Blue Ridge City Park is the heart of downtown Blue Ridge. The park encompasses two blocks and is a popular place for picnics, community gatherings and festivals.

It is also home to a family of roosters, hens and chicks! Carriage rides are available at the park on weekends.

The historic Fannin County Courthouse was built in 1937, after the previous courthouse burned in 1936.

The courthouse is now the home of the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association.

Just as visitors during the early 1900's journeyed to Blue Ridge by train to enjoy the health resort's pure mineral waters, today's growing numbers of tourists are coming to the historic Blue Ridge area to shop for Appalachian arts and crafts, pottery, quilts, antiques, mountain home furnishings, apples, smoked trout, and even hand-made alpaca sweaters and shawls.

Artists are attracted to the Georgia mountains because the peace and quiet, misty mountains and clear starry nights provide time, tranquility and inspiration for creating wonderful art, from tradition arts and crafts to contemporary painting and sculpture. Examples -- blacksmithing, pottery making, wood carving, weaving, folk art and jewelry, handcrafted furniture, watercolor and oil painting, hand blown glass -- all produced by fine local artists and craftsmen.

Serious antique shoppers can spend hours or days snooping through a growing number of shops and antique malls from Blue Ridge to McCaysville and back. Blue Ridge's Main Street is dotted with unique specialty shops, galleries and eateries from one end to the other.

And speaking of eating ...

Eating traditional southern Appalachian foods is part of the fun when you visit the Blue Ridge area. The favorite, of course, is local mountain trout -- fried, broiled, pecan-crusted, smoked -- pick your variety. There is apple everything - apple bread, apple butter, fried apple pies, apple cider, you need to taste them all! And, of course, there's Georgia ice cream -- i.e., grits -- for breakfast, along with hot cat-head biscuits with honey or sorghum syrup, BBQ ribs, country ham, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, watermelon ... well, you get the idea.

You'll find fine dining on the banks of the Toccoa River or in downtown Blue Ridge or McCaysville. There are lots of choices for a big southern meal, or "meat and three." Just for fun, there's a 50's style malt shop, Victorian tea room (for the "red hat" gang), a river shack, ice cream shoppe and several deli's to choose from. Of course, there's wonderful Italian food and pizza, plus several excellent Chinese and Mexican restaurants for variety. Oh -- and lots of fast food for the kids.

Some folks prefer to kick back and relax in the cabin with a romantic picnic supper from some fantastic gourmet catering shops. Or buy some homegrown tomatoes at a roadside stand and make tomato sandwiches for lunch! In any event -- eating is an experience in the Georgia mountains. It's part of the trip!

If you are planning a trip to the Blue Ridge area, you may find some of our recent blog entries helpful. You'll find stories about the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, Mercier's Orchard, the Southern Tree Farm, and the Ocoee Whitewater Center, to name just a few ... and we'll be featuring new attractions on a regular basis.

Southern Tree Plantation -- Fun for Kids, Blue Ridge, Georgia Area

Located in the heart of the North Georgia Mountains near Blairsville, Georgia (approximately 24 miles from Blue Ridge), Southern Tree Plantation is an active plantation growing thousands of pumpkins and Christmas trees. The Plantation is loaded with fun activities and things for children to do during the Fall and Christmas seasons, and is open to the general public during this time.

They also specialize in outdoor weddings and large group events which are available year-round.

Hayrides

This is not an average hayride. The enjoyable long-lasting hayrides will take you over 60 acres of beautiful plantation land with breathtaking mountain scenery. Also, an enchanting river and a creek that meanders through the plantation. And, of course, the "great" pumpkins and Christmas trees. Many surprises and things to see along the way.

Plantation Animals. Get an up close experience with their family of plantation animals. Whether it's talking with "Buckwheat" the pot bellied pig, feeding "Bo and Peep" our sweet sheep, or hanging out with "Poncho" the proud donkey ... just look forward to lots of fun with these lovable animals and many other plantation animals.

There's also a wildlife deer exhibit with "Donner," the deer.

Barnyard Maze.Included with this fantastic visit with the pets, is the permanent barnyard maze just waiting for you to get lost and then find your way out.

Miniature Train. All aboard the Southern Tree Express. You and your family are invited for some fun riding on their brand new miniature train.

The train runs on a road track and is just the right speed for youngsters. Chug-chug-choo-choo -- off we go! Just sit back and relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery as this little train takes you around the plantation.

Pony Rides.For the younger buckaroos, there's fun in the form of their quiet lovable ponies, each with its own personality and just waiting to accommodate little riders.

They look forward to meeting you just to have some fun as you pretend to be a real cowboy or cowgirl.

Roasting Marshmallows.Tell a few tales while roasting yummy marshmallows over the open fire pit.

The fun won't stop then either!Enjoy watching the flicker of the fire and perhaps even break out into a song or two.

In addition to their Christmas trees, Southern Tree Plantation grows thousands of pumpkins each year.

Be sure and visit during October and select your special pumpkin for Halloween.

And while you are looking for that special pumpkin, plan to stay for "Fun on the Farm," with pumpkins, hayrides, the petting farm, marshmallow roasting, kids' train ride, pony rides, and much more.

At Christmas time you can cut your own, get a pre-cut tree, or get one B&B to replant.

They have over 25,000 Christmas trees of eight different varieties growing: Colorado Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, Frasier Fir, Balsam Fir, Canadian Hemlock, White Pine, and Leyland Cypress are all presently growing in various stages on the Plantation.

The trees are sold cut and B&B (with roots).

You can also enjoy the holiday tradition of cutting your own family tree. Saws and wrapping available.

For more information about all the activities offered by Southern Tree Plantation, call (706) 745-0601, or visit Southern Tree Plantation online.

Ducktown Basin Museum, Ducktown, Tennessee

The Ducktown Basin Museum is located on the historic Burra Burra mine site in Ducktown, Tennessee, where 300 acres of denuded land has been set aside as a memorial to the devastation of the Copper Basin.

Tour the grounds of the Burra Burra Mine and see exhibits on the mining heritage of the Copper Basin. Call (423) 496-5778, or visit Ducktown Museum for more information.

The Swan Drive-in Theatre -- Entertaining Patrons Since 1955

History of the Swan:
In 1955, Jack Jones, Sr., and W. H. Tilley, Jr. built the Swan Drive-In Theatre. This drive-in theatre was the beginning of the real growth of Blue Ridge. People came from miles around to see movies on a large screen.

How the Swan got its name: During World War II, Mr. Tilley was stationed in England part of the time and while in England, he admired the swans swimming on the lakes and ponds. They were so beautiful and peaceful he suggested the name "Swan" for the new drive-in. Mr. Jones also liked the name as it was short and would be easy to have a neon sign made for it. Jack Jones Sr. and W.H. Tilley, Jr., operated the theatre until 1959, when Mr. Tilley sold to Mr. Jones.

One of three remaining drive-in theaters in Georgia, the Swan Drive-In Theatre offers a unique taste of the past with current first-run movies.

You can enjoy a movie outside under the stars or in the privacy of your car. At the Swan Drive-In Theatre, motor homes, campers, and RV's are welcome. There's plenty of space, but hookups are not available.

Swan Drive-In Theatre is located at 651 Summit Street, just inside the city limits of Blue Ridge, Georgia. To see what’s playing, call (706) 632-5235, and visit The Swan web site for more information.

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway ...

It's a sightseeing trip through one of the most beautiful places in the South. It’s like going back in time … but mostly, it’s just a whole lot of fun.

It all starts at the historic 100-year-old depot in downtown Blue Ridge, and the train heads north from there.

As it winds through the mountains alongside the beautiful Toccoa River, the views are spectacular from both the vintage air-conditioned coaches and from the open-air coaches.

After a leisurely one-hour trip, the train stops in the unique twin-border towns of McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee. McCaysville is located on the Georgia-Tennessee state line adjacent to Copperhill, its twin city. You can actually have one foot in Georgia and one foot in Tennessee when you cross the Blue Line marking the place where the states meet (a great photo opportunity).

You’ll have an hour and a half to grab a bite to eat, do a bit of shopping and antiquing, or have a picnic at the pavilion. Then it’s back to Blue Ridge on the train.

My family and I rode the train on July 4th, 2007, and were delighted to be entertained by a group of very talented local musicians who rode in our car, and also performed at the pavilion in McCaysville before the fireworks display that evening. It was truly a memorable occasion and is one of our fondest memories of our stay in Blue Ridge.

Call 1-800-934-1898 or visit Blue Ridge Scenic Railway for more information.

Mercier Orchards, Blue Ridge, Georgia ...

Mercier Orchards is the largest apple orchard in Georgia (200 acres!), and it’s also Southern Living magazine’s favorite “roadside apple market,” according to a 2002 article.

The Mercier Family has a 60-year tradition of growing apples in the mountains of North Georgia. Bill Mercier started the apple house with his wife, Adele, in 1943, when they bought several acres of apple trees from Dr. C. G. Lloyd, a local pharmacist.

"Mercier Apple House," Bill and Adele 1952

Bill and Adele managed to struggle through raising a family and managing over 100 acres of apple trees. They continued to grow the business by adopting new ideas and practicing new ways of growing apple trees. They were the first to grow many of the varieties of apples that are popular today. Even today, Bill & Adele are always helping out around the orchard. Bill still drives the rows of the trees everyday inspecting the crop and the trees. Adele can be found back at the sample table slicing apples, or behind the register in the middle of all the excitement during our peak season. It's a real family affair with four generations of family still pursuing Bill and Adele's dream.

Your trip to Blue Ridge just isn’t complete without a visit to Mercier’s for one of their scrumptious fried apple pies. They open at 8:00 a.m., and there’s just no better way to start your day than with one (or two!) of their pies and fresh apple cider.

Mercier also lets you pick your own apples on weekends in September, complete with a wagon ride to and from the orchards -- a fun activity for the whole family. For more information, call (706) 632-3411, or visit http://www.mercier-orchards.com/.