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Southern Highroads "Mother Nature's Greatest Show on Earth"  BLAIRSVILLE, GA - “A Place For All Seasons”If you hike, bike, climb, walk or enjoy doing absolutely nothing at all you’ll enjoy it all the more in the gorgeous scenery of Union County among the friendliest folks you’re ever likely to meet. Recreational lakes await your pleasure and mountain trails offer unlimited adventure. If you have a head for heights visit the top of Brasstown Bald with a 360 degree view of four states from its elevation of 4,784 feet. Vogel State Park features tent and trailer sites, rental cottages, fishing, swimming and lots more. From the blazing colors of autumn and crisp winter air to the blazing colors of spring wildflowers and lush summer greenery, Union County is a great place to visit. Blairsville Union County Chamber of Commerce,P.O. Box 789, Blairsville, Ga 30512. Tel 706 745 5789 BLUE RIDGE, GA - “Gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains” This corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains challenges you to find a more unique and varied area than his southern end of the Appalachian Mountain Chain. From rugged, forested peaks over 4,000 feet above sea level, white water thunders into cold mountain streams and rivers, settling into glistening turquoise lakes which beg you to splash and swim during the delightful summer temperatures. Almost half of Fannin County is made up of national forest lands and wilderness areas where hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, fishing hunting and water play on Lake Blue Ridge can be enjoyed. Fannin County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 875, Blue Ridge, Ga 30513. Tel 706 632 5680 CLAYTON, GA - “Mother Nature's playground” There is always something unique and beautiful to see in Clayton and surrounding Rabun County, home to the Tallulah District of the Chattahoochee National Forest with miles of trails and campsites offering a variety of facilities from primitive to modern. Trout streams and Wildlife Management Areas create an abundance of fishing, hunting and wildlife watching opportunities. Visitors can explore three state parks, hike along portions of the Appalachian, Bartram and Chattooga River trails, stand in awe at the wonderful views of waterfalls, sheer cliffs and ancient rock formations and the two-mile chasm of Tallulah Gorge, enjoy a round of golf or ski on the country’s southernmost ski resort, even dare to challenge the wild and scenic Chattooga River’s whitewater rafting course. Other recreational opportunities in the National Forest in Rabun County include the historical Warwomen Dell Picnic area, Rabun Bald - the second highest point in Georgia, the Popcorn Scenic Overlook, a swimming beach at Lake Rabun and portions of the Nantahala, Ellicott Rock and Tray Mountain Wilderness areas. Rabun County Chamber of Commerce,P.O. Box 750, Clayton, Ga 30525. Tel 706 782 4812 ELLIJAY, GA - “Georgia’s Apple Capital” Although the produce of apples is over 500,000 bushels a year, Ellijay also boasts peach orchards which, together with chicken and dairy farms, provide picturesque views throughout the valley. From late August - December roadside apple houses overflow with the tastiest tree-ripened mountain apples available, and the Georgia Apple Festival and Arts & Crafts Fair celebrates the apple every October. Within a short distance are the state recreation areas of Carters Lake, Amicola Falls State Park and Fort Mountain State Park. Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 505, Ellijay, Ga 30540. Tel 706 635 7400 HELEN, GA - “Mountain Beauty with a touch of Bavaria” Cobblestone Alleys and “Olde Worlde” towers in this recreation of a European alpine village, puts Helen in the top five tourists attractions in Georgia. Best known for the longest Oktoberfest in the United States, the friendly townsfolk, dressed in lederhosen and dirndls, will welcome you at any time of the year. Although only 3-1/2 miles square, Helen offers quality accommodations, shops and theme restaurants, and invites you to sample authentic German and regional cuisine, browse the specialty shops or take home an authentic work of art by local annual craftsmen. Oktoberfest celebration during September and October adds to the lighthearted atmosphere, where favorite sports activities are hot air ballooning, hiking, mountain bike riding, golf, horseback riding and tubing down the Chattahoochee River. Spectacular Anna Ruby Falls, in the Chattahoochee National Forest east of Helen is adjacent to Unicoi State Park where you’ll find numerous hiking and biking trails to work up an appetite for a picnic or the excellent buffet in the restaurant. The park offers cottages, campground, lodge and conference center, and a 53-acre lake with beach, canoe rental and fishing piers. Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 730, Helen, Ga 30540. Tel 706 878 2181 HIAWASSE & YOUNG HARRIS - “The Enchanted Valley” of Indian Lore. Towns County, one of the smallest in Georgia, was home to the Cherokee Indians for ten thousand years before they were permanently removed in 1839. Their language and legend are prevalent throughout this small county and the Mountain Regional Library in Young Harris safeguards the Appalachian archives. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, which enters Towns County near Brasstown Bald, is the longest marked continuous footpath in the world. It winds over 2,100 miles along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains and fourteen eastern states from Georgia to Maine. Brasstown Bald rises above the valley floor to offer a breathtaking view from the visitor’s center with rest areas to soothe your spirit and nature trails to fulfill your quest for adventure. Lake Chatuge, a tranquil 7,500 acre lake fed by cold mountain streams from the highland forest, offers marinas and public boat docks for fishermen, skiers and sailors, and surrounding streams provide excellent trout fishing. Towns County is home of the state’s official historic drama “The Reach of Song” - look into the window of yesteryear and learn about Georgia poet Byron Herbert Reece. Towns County Chamber of Commerce, Hwy 76, Young Harris, Ga 30582. Tel 706 896 4966, 1 800 984 1543 ANDREWS, NC Nestled in one of North Carolina’s most beautiful valleys, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, this small community has much to offer. A quiet reminder of days when roads were trails, Andrews remains a place to enjoy a more leisurely pace of life. Find yourself in a small mountain town where the living is easy among the unique heritage, dignity and honor of the “mountain folk” of the Appalachians. Picture yourself hiking, trout fishing, white water rafting, bicycling or taking a scenic ride on an old-fashioned train. As a guest at one of the many places to stay in Andrews, you will experience the true art of “Southern Hospitality.” You’ll find rooms with views in the mountains or by the river and camping facilities to meet your needs. Restaurants offer everything from southern style dishes to more traditional cuisine. Whether you are 5 or 95 you will find plenty to see and do - a comfortable town - a comfortable way of life. Andrews Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 800,Andrews, NC 28901. Tel 704 321 3584 CASHIERS, NC Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the southwest corner of North Carolina this delightful village offers so much beauty you won’t want to leave. The cool, clean air of a 3500-foot elevation and moderate climate entice you to stroll through a picture-book forest, picnic by a stream or visit an awesome, thundering waterfall that would inspire a painter or poet. The spectacular mountain scenery with its cold streams and lakes entices fishermen, hikers and mountain climbers to return year after year. Cashiers Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 238, Cashiers, NC 28717. Tel 828 743 5941  CHEROKEE, NCTake a step back into the past and discover a nation still linked to ancient customs and traditions. Gaze at the view from Clingman’s Dome and discover why the the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians believed this land was their Garden of Eden. Why so many walked back here from Oklahoma. Why, today, visitors from across the country and around the world come to discover this enchanted land. Each year, tourism, the economic lifeblood of the Cherokee people, has steadily increased, The reservation can offer a variety of accommodations; 47 motels including nine major chain motel properties, 28 campgrounds and 100 or so cabins. Restaurants, shops, cultural and non-cultural attractions, gambling casinos and more invite you to share Cherokee’s unique culture by offering a memorable vacation experience for the entire family. The Museum of the Cherokee Indian, with the dramatic redwood sculpture of Sequoyah out front, sits almost exactly in the center of the Qualla Boundary. The Museum continues the responsibilities of the myth-keepers, it is here that the age-old philosophies are maintained and explained, stories and symbols are stored and kept alive, here you can learn how North America’s first inhabitants lived, endured and survived. While preserving the ancient beliefs, the Museum also finds other ways to increase understanding about the Cherokee culture, it maintains the archives and publishes “The Journal of Cherokee Studies,” the oldest academic journal devoted entirely to one Native American Group, it has an ongoing schedule of Cherokee artisans demonstrating both ancient and modern art forms and provides an outreach program for civil and school groups. Museum of the Cherokee Indian, open daily throughout summer 9:00am/8:00pm. Cherokee Visitor Center, P.O. Box 460, Cherokee, NC 28719. Tel 800 438 1601
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