Signs of Spring in Georgia's Blue Ridge

After a long, cold but beautiful winter, spring is finally on the horizon in Blue Ridge, GA and there are signs everywhere, including blooming Bradford Pear Trees, gorgeous Tulip and Cherry Trees, Forsythia and lots and lots of pollen!  Word on the street is that the hummingbirds have even arrived in Blue Ridge!

What We are Looking Forward to this Spring in Blue Ridge

Lake Blue Ridge is Coming Back!
It might take a couple of months, but the Tennessee Valley Authority is beginning to let Lake Blue Ridge refill after repair work since fall.  We can't wait to see beautiful Lake Blue Ridge full again and take a pontoon ride or a chilly swim in the cleanest water in the Georgia Mountains. 

Strawberries and Sweet Cherries at Mercier Orchards
Strawberries will be ripe for the pickin' at Merciers in early May, followed by sweet cherries, peaches, blueberries and apples.  But Merciers is also celebrating spring with " Let's Go Fly a Kite Day" on Saturday March 26th from 10am-4pm. The cost is $10.00 for the first child and $6.00 for each additional sibling.

Return of the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway begins its 2011 season at the depot in downtown Blue Ridge on April 1st.  Call 706-632-9833 to reserve your seat on the first train of the season.  The Easter Eggspress train will run on April 22.

The Blue Ridge Writer's Conference

The Blue Ridge Writer's Conference will take place on April 1 and 2 at The Art Center in downtown Blue Ridge.  Focus of the year is on how to get your book published, and the keynote speaker is independent literary agent Sally Hill McMillan.


Pickin' in the Park returns on April 7!
Our annual Pickin in the Park returns to Horseshoe Bend Park in McCaysville on April 7 and each following Thursday evening through September.  Bring a blanket and picnic dinner and enjoy listening to jam sessions by local acoustic musicians.  Or bring your fiddle and join in!

April 9th is the 14th Annual Blue Ridge Mountain Adventure Race!
This year's race will end at The Art Center in downtown Blue Ridge Park with food, fun and music by the Natti Lovejoys beginning at 2 p.m.  Theme for the year is Art and Adventure, and the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association is sponsoring their Plein Air Festival at the same time on April 9 and 10.

All this is coming soon and much more!!
Back later with more stuff.

Thanksgiving Events in Georgia's Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge, GA

Lighting of the Great Tree -- Light Up Blue Ridge

November 18-21, 25, 26-28
“Nunsensations,” The Nunsense Vegas Review, Blue Ridge Community Theater, Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2 p.m. Special Thanksgiving evening performance! Call for reservations 706-632-9223.

Saturday, November 20
Holiday Show & Sale, Opening Reception from 6 to 8 p.m., The Art Center, Historic Courthouse, Downtown Blue Ridge. Show runs thru December 23.

November 22 – 27
Festival of Trees, The Art Center, Historic Fannin County Courthouse. Reception & Silent Auction Nov. 26th at 6.

Thanksgiving Day
Blue Ridge Turkey Trot 5K race/walk. Downtown Blue Ridge. 7 a.m. registration and 8 a.m. start. Call 727-458-8556 for more information.

Thanksgiving Feast at the Martyn House. Back by popular demand Author and Chef Heather Antonelli returns. Come feast on traditional and global delicacies. Thanksgiving day from 3 to 6 p.m. Call for reservations, 706-635-4759.

Friday, November 26
Blue Friday in Downtown Blue Ridge, all-day entertainment, including Toast of Christmas Past" "Blue Ridge Bones" (Brass Band) and "Holiday Classics." Shopping Specials and other treats. Shops open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Light up the Basin, Downtown McCaysville/Copperhill. 6 p.m. in downtown McCaysville. Carolers, tree lighting and lighting of the old iron bridge.

Illuminate Aska, Lilly Pad Village in Blue Ridge. 50,000 lights, floating Christmas tree - meet Santa, enjoy roasting marshmallows, sing along, Christmas carols, enjoy a great hay ride and much more!

November 26 – Dec. 24th
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway Christmas Express. Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Santa and the elves! Day trips or Evening excursions to Santa’s Village in McCaysville. Call for info 800-934-1898.

Saturday November 27
Light Up Blue Ridge, Downtown Blue Ridge. All day entertainment. Santa arrives at noon on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway! Photos with Santa. Live reindeer, childrens trackless train rides and much more. Parade at 5:30 and the lighting of the "Great Tree" at dusk.

New Culinary Adventures in Georgia's Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge, GA
Wow! In 2010 the food scene in Georgia’s Blue Ridge went from good to great. We already had lots of local eateries that we still love, from down home cookin' to riverside dining. Now, with the addition of some wonderful new restaurants, the choices of dining spots are simply amazing. To download a free restaurant guide that's great to print out and bring along, just click here.


Harvest on Main


Extraordinary Dining Experiences
Blue Ridge Brewery – White table cloth dinners + microbrew tastings
Christy Lee’s Courtyard Grille – Courtyard seating, live music, fresh seafood & great steaks
Cucina Rustica – Fine Italian dining in the mountains
Harvest on Main – Chef Danny Mellman’s imaginative New American Cuisine
Toccoa Riverside – Riverside dining & local mountain trout
VH/Blue Orleans Bistro – Blue Orleans Cajun in the Blue Ridge Mtns

Fun Eateries
L & L Beanery Café – Local favorite for breakfast, lunch, coffee and just hanging out with a cappuccino and a laptop
Angelina’s – Yummy panini’s, huge desserts and takeout dinners
Blue Jean’s Pizza & Pasta – Great Pizza, huge portions of pasta, big screen TV and more
Cucina Pizzeria – Real oven fired pizza and microbrew on tap Danielle’s – French dinners & deli lunches at this popular spot
Serenity Garden – New location – same great food for breakfast, lunch & dinner
Sue’s – Best hamburger in Blue Ridge according to Facebook poll
Whistle Stop Grill – Wings, cold beer and Jack Morton’s Mama’s Sloppy Joes



Breakfast at Mercier's

Good Food with Southern Roots Bumblebee’s Café – Breakfast all day and good homestyle lunches at this casual new cafe’
Blue Ridge B-B-Q – Authentic wood-smoked barbecue – try the smoked chicken salad!
Circle J Steak House – Family steak house with Southern style buffet as well
Mercier Orchards Deli – Local sausage and gravy breakfast, deli lunch and fried pie for dessert! Yum Yum.
Plus plenty of take-home goodies for later.
Pete’s Place – Popular local restaurant reminiscent of the old Fannin Inn, open for lunch & dinner
The Village Restaurant – “Where the locals eat,” breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet
The Yellow Jacket – Family restaurant offering delicious country style food for 50 years

Gourmet Take-Out
Anthony’s Bakery – Real Italian baked treats (try the cannolis)
Boo Bear’s – Baked goodies & Bar-B-Q ribs – what a combo!
Buck’s of Blue Ridge – Gourmet meats, cheeses and wines for a cozy cabin dinner
Meyer’s Breads & Bagels – Old world German pastries, breads and bagels, homemade German specialties for lunch or take-out
Out of The Blue – Wine shop plus – gourmet snacks, local goat cheese,
all perfect for a relaxed dinner or picnic
Taste of Amish – Large selection of Amish goods, including Amish butter, deli meats and freshly cut steaks.



Christy Lee's Courtyard

 Culinary Adventures
Chef Douglas’ Cabin Cuisine – Gourmet meals prepared just for you at your mountain cabin, or ready for your arrival.
The Martyn House – Seasonal Farm to Table dinners in relaxed country setting.
U-Pick Mercier Orchards – Pick your own locally grown fruit at Mercier Orchards, strawberries, sweet cherries, blueberries, apples in season.
Appalachian Fresh Market & Blue Ridge Farmer’s Market – Fresh eggs and produce in season.

Ethnic Food Spots
El Rio Mexican Restaurant – Copperhill’s authentic Mexican restaurant. Mariachi band on special occasions.
Monte Alban Mexican Restaurant – Local favorite for delicious dishes, incredible Mexican chicken soup.
Meyer’s Bread & Bagels – Real German lunches and baked goods in Blue Ridge with lots of regulars – go early!
Tin Loong of Blue Ridge – Japanese, Chinese, Thai and American buffet in a Blue Ridge setting

Insider Tips: All around Blue Ridge are hidden treasures, just ask any local. What other small Southern town has an Amish deli, German Bakery, fresh seafood market and the largest apple orchard in the Southeast? You’ll find your dining experience at our new restaurants equal or better than any you might have in a much larger city. What makes us different is also what makes us special.

During your visit, try to find Natalie's Hotdog Cart when she is on a corner in downtown Blue Ridge. Come on down to L&L Beanery for a laptop cappuccino or a delicious breakfast and strike up a conversation with a local or another visitor.

People are nice here. Stop by our Welcome Center and ask a local what there is to do and where to eat. In season our local farmers markets offer the best in fresh locally grown produce at Appalachian Fresh Farmers Market and the Downtown Blue Ridge Farmers market.

Spooky Stuff in Georgia's Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge, GA
Lots of spooky stuff is going on in Blue Ridge and McCaysville for Halloween this weekend! 

Mercier's Halloween S.P.O.O.F. (spooky pumpkin old orchard fest)
October 29 and 30th from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
Kids spooky house, duck pond, bon fire, s'mores and lots of other fun stuff.  $6 for a tractor ride to the old apple house where you can select a pumpkin, participate in activities and have some hot apple cider!  Call 800-361-7731 for more info.
U-Select Pumpkins Take a tractor ride into the orchard and pick your pumpkin without the SPOOF!  Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

Halloween Horror Putt Putt - The Lilly Pad Village on Aska Road
Every night 7 p.m. through 10 p.m. through October 31st. 
Menacing ghouls, scary creatures of the night, eerie music, creepy fog and so much more at the second annual Halloween Horror Putt Putt at Lilly Pad Village.  Also come to the Third Annual Halloween Party on Saturday.  For more information, call The Lilly Pad at 706-534,1317.

SCARY Haunted House at Blue Ridge Community Theater
A Terrible Way to Die!!
For kids 13 years and older ONLY!  October 28, 29 and 30 from 7 p.m. to midnight.  $10 at the door.  Right accross from the Swan Drive In on East First Street.  Call 706-632-9223.
Enter at your own risk!

Blue Ridge Ghost Tours
Weekly tours of local ghosts and folklore, including the Ghosts of Downtown Blue Ridge, Ghost of Tilly Bend Church, local legends and stories.  For reservations call 706-455-9866 or see http://www.blueridgeghosttour.com/. 

Halloween Safety Zone in McCaysville/Copperhill, Tenn.
Friday, October 29th from 5 to 8 p.m.  Halloween Costume Contest at the First Baptist Church parking lot beginning at 4:15 to 4:50 p.m.  Halloween Parade begins at 5 p.m. and UCBI Scream Contest at 6 p.m.  For more information, call 706-492-6014.


Halloween Safety Zone in Downtown Blue Ridge
Saturday, October 30th from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Hundreds of costumed kids and grown-up kids plus your pets are welcome gather in downtown Blue Ridge to celebrate. Fun begins at 6:00 and runs until 8:30. Costume contest begins at 6:15, with a pet contest at 7:30. Halloween Movies in the park beginning at dusk.

Fabulous Fall in Georgia's Blue Ridge



Fabulous color in years past near the Depot in Downtown Blue Ridge. 

 Blue Ridge, GA 
It's finally Fall in Georgia's Blue Ridge and time to celebrate the harvest! Now showing -- rapidly changing colors in the hills -- brilliant red dogwoods and sourwoods and early golds on display. Goldenrod and fall wildflowers, red sumac berries, hay bales and corn shucks along the roadsides. Locals especially watch the trees near the Depot in Downtown Blue Ridge for early changes in color; they are sure signs that Fall is here.



  The best way to experience the Georgia Mountains in the fall is by simply taking a driving tour.  Driving tour suggestions?  There are three great choices on our Fannin Chamber website, http://www.blueridgemountains.com/, select Self Guided Tours.  Driving Tour Number One is a loop through the mountains and countryside, Driving Tour takes you on an adventure in the Cohutta Wilderness, and Driving Tour Number Three is a day trip to Dahlonega and Ellijay's Apple Alley.



Fall is the season of festivals in the Georgia Mountains, and Blue Ridge celebrates the season each year with the Mountain Harvest Fair on the last two weekends of October; this year beginning on Saturday, October 16th. But festivals aren't the only way to celebrate the bounty of fall in Blue Ridge. Help harvest the apples yourself at Mercier Orchards and Mountainview Orchards by picking your own! Load up on mountain honey, apple butter, fried pies and apple fritters.

You can't beat the view from the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway anytime during Fall as it travels along the Toccoa River between Blue Ridge and McCaysville.  But kids especially enjoy the Punkin' Pickin' Special, this year on October 24th.
The train visits the "great pumpkin patch" of Farmer Brown and kids pick their own special pumpkins.

Mercier Orchards has its own "SPOOF," Spooky Pumpkin Old Orchard Fest beginning October 22, with lots of fun activities.  More info on their Facebook Page.  Become a fan while you're there!

Paws in the Park is a fun new fall celebration on October 23rd in Downtown Blue Ridge.  Bring your pet for a parade, pet costume contest and more, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  For more information, call 706-632-7311.

More to come soon on a Fabulous Fall 2010 in Blue Ridge, GA.  If you haven't booked your cabin yet for Fall, Thanksgiving or Christmas, hurry up!  See cozy cabin specials on our website before it's too late!

Staying Cool in Georgia's Blue Ridge

Rafting the Toccoa River in Blue Ridge, Ga

Blue Ridge GA

It's mid-August in Blue Ridge and temperatures are beginning to shift downward a little this week.  That being said, folks are still looking for cool ways to stay cool, since Lake Blue Ridge has become somewhat inaccessible due to repairs on the dam.  There are still plenty of ways to stay cool, with miles and miles of chilly mountain water in area rivers and streams.  The coolest way to stay cool, according to our Facebook Poll is tubing the Toccoa River, both above the Lake Blue Ridge dam on Aska Road and below the dam in McCaysville.

Tubing the Toccoa River above the Dam.

Tubing above the dam is a slow and easy ride for those who want to take in the beautiful scenery. Trips can

be booked with Toccoa Valley Campground, 706-838-4317. Famous for its pink tubes, Toccoa Valley will put you in the water at its campground and pick you up at the Shallowford Bridge two to three hours later downstream.

For a shorter (and sometimes faster) trip, try tubing the Toccoa in McCaysville.  One-hour trips are offered by Rolling Thunder River Company, 800-408-7238, and by Toccoa River Adventures.  Both companies also rent funyaks and rafts.

Also don't forget the coolest adventure in Georgia's Blue Ridge, whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River or the Nantahala River in North Carolina.  Professional guides offer trips from March to October, plenty of time to plan a trip.  Find a list of whitewater rafting guides on our website.  Another very cool adventure is playing in the cool pools of water at the Ocoee Whitewater Center (currently on Thursdays and Fridays).  There are lots of great swimming holes, but watch out for slippery rocks.  The Whitewater Center also offers hiking and biking trails, picnic areas and snack bar.

Toccoa River at the Swinging Bridge

But perhaps the coolest thing of all is to find a clear mountain stream and simply enjoy the sound the water makes as it rushes by.  Suggested spots ... Horseshoe Bend Park, Tammen Park or the Swinging Bridge on the Toccoa River, Noontootla or Rock Creek in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Jacks River in the Cohuttas.

Lake Blue Ridge Dam Repairs Underway

Blue Ridge, GA

The summer months have been been busier than ever in Georgia's Blue Ridge and school is starting back much too soon. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Valley Authority has started to draw down Lake Blue Ridge for repairs to the penstock and rehabilitation of the dam, a project which will take one year for the lake side and another for the Toccoa River side of the dam.  Old Highway 76 over the dam has been closed for the duration.

When it comes to the Lake Blue Ridge dam rehabilitation, there's bad news and good news. The bad news is we lose our lake for about one year, and access over the dam for two years. Good news is the dam will be safer and once we get the lake back, we won't lose it every five years for deep drawdowns.


The lake drawdown has record numbers of visitors tubing the Toccoa River in the brisk, fast moving waters created as TVA withdraws water from Lake Blue Ridge at record speed. It is expected that the water will continue to be drawn down 24-hours every day until about the middle of August, when withdrawals will be reduced from seven feet per week to three feet per week. Meanwhile, trout fishing is best in areas above the dam in the higher elevations. Lake Blue Ridge is still open for fishing and all of our boat ramps are still accessible at this time.

Although people are still swimming at Morganton Point, every day, as the water recedes, the hike to the water's edge gets longer and longer. As of August 1, Old Highway 76 over the Lake Blue Ridge dam has been closed and will remain so until the repair of the penstock and the dam is complete about two years from now. TVA hopes to complete work on the penstock and dam rehabilitation on the lake side by Spring 2011; the refill will depend on the rain. For current lake elevations and release times, see the TVA website.