This summer we decided to vacation a little closer to home, but far enough that we felt like we were on vacation! After looking at a two-hour radius on the map, we decided on Dahlonega, Georgia!
When going out of town, one of my favorite things to look for is unique lodging on Air B & B. I chose Dahlonega because I had never been there before, it wasn’t too far away but far enough that it felt like a vacation, and there is plenty to see and do there.
Dahlonega was founded in the 1830s due to a gold rush. Yes, there is gold in those hills! Before going I checked out a couple of websites so that I would know more about the town. I found two good websites, links below. https://www.dahlonega.org/restaurants/?view=list&sort=qualityScore. And https://dahlonega.gov/general-information/.
Around Dahlonega are plenty of places to eat, which is always important, and lots of tourist attractions.
After studying google maps, I realized that it was not far from other mountain towns, so we decided to make our trip a full circle. Our route took us through the mountain towns of Cashiers, Highlands, Franklin and down through Hiawassee Georgia. We stopped along the way and ate lunch at Slabtown Pizza in Cashiers. We went to Mountain Findings in Highlands to thrift shop. It was a beautiful day to ride in the mountains and we had plenty of time, our check in time wasn’t until 3:00 PM.
I had booked an Airbnb and let me tell you, it was fantastic! This was the third Airbnb that I have stayed in over the years and probably the best. The place we chose was called Cabin on the Chestatee. The Chestatee is a beautiful mountain river. This cabin was amazing. It was built and appointed for vacations. I wanted something that either was on water or had a view. I got both with this accommodation. The cabin was built to be a vacation rental. In some ways it felt like a tree house. The downstairs had a large room that was close to the river and overlooked it. The upstairs had a large bedroom for children or other guests. There was a master bedroom downstairs with a large bathroom. The cabin wasn’t large, but was well suited to our family of three, but it will sleep more! There were kayaks to use in the river under the house. Also, there was a large screened in porch on the side of the house for meals or games. There was a corn hole game and plenty of life jackets for the river. At this point in the river, it would be suitable for swimming. It was deep and sort of calm. However, if you took a hike and walked about a half mile upstream, there was the most beautiful waterfall. The cabin was about a mile down a long unpaved road. The only bad part was driving in. The hill coming in and out was bumpy, but the feel of being deep in the woods, and it was so quiet, was worth those bumps. Also, did I mention the fire pit? There was a fire pit with Adirondack chairs all around right next to the river and house. It was camping without any hassle of setting up!
Back inside the cabin, the wood trim and ceiling were done in a pretty maple wood. The walls were creamy white. The updated kitchen had everything needed to fix a meal. I would consider this cabin fully appointed. No need to bring towels or linens, all was fully furnished. The beds were firm and comfortable as well. I am pretty picky when it comes to my mattress, and I slept well the three nights we were there.
While we were there, we walked to the waterfall, my son enjoyed the river, and we all enjoyed the countryside. This part of Georgia is home to many wineries. It was hard to choose one, but I decided we should try the Three Sisters Winery while we were out driving. While I appreciate good wine, I don’t drink that much of it, but the process of making it has always been interesting to me and the beauty of the vineyards is unmatched. Three sisters had a beautiful vineyard, and they had created a wonderful tasting room along with a deck overlooking a pond for visitors. I can imagine that a wedding held there would be beautiful. https://threesistersvineyards.com/.
In town, we visited the Consolidated Gold Mine. This was the actual gold mine that was started in the 1800s. For a fee, they take you down into the mine and tell you the history of it. It is everything you think a mine underground would be. Due to the steps, I was only able to go halfway, but my husband and son went all the way to the end of the tour, and they said it was worth the steps!
Finally, I must mention the good food we had on the trip. For dinner one night we ate at the Bourbon Street Grill on the square. It was in an old house, and we ate on the top balcony. The view of the town square was nice. The food was New Orleans style, so my shrimp and grits were a little different from the low country recipe I like best. For an appetizer we had a sampler of fried seafood. It was very good. If I visited them again, I would just get the appetizer and a side. My husband got the Jambalaya, and he loved it!
We also visited the North Georgia BBQ. They serve traditional BBQ and sides. It was as good as any I have eaten. You cannot go wrong with BBQ. Another place we enjoyed was breakfast at The Foothill Grill. This must be where the locals eat their meals. Their omelet was
delightful. This was the place to get that big hearty breakfast you are craving. We ate at the bar because every seat was full!
The square in Dahlonega had many restaurants and shops, including a general store, ice cream, and chocolate shops. Inside the square was the old courthouse, now a museum for the area’s gold mines. We went to the museum to learn more about the history. It was worth the admission and very informative.
While there is plenty to do in Dahlonega, and directional signs along the highway will tell you where to turn to find points of interest, I think the highlight of our trip was our Airbnb. It was the perfect place to unwind after a hectic summer! We hope to return sometime! Besides, there are so many places to visit in this area, you can’t do it all in three days!
Check out more information about the North Georgia area from our friends at The Local Palate by clicking on the link below.
Leave feedback about this