Blue Ridge is a small resort town in the Georgia's Northeast High Country. It is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Trail.

Understand

Blue Ridge is a very popular vacation destination, especially in the fall when leaf color is at its peak, but the pristine mountain lake draws a crowd during the summer months as well.

Get in

Blue Ridge is 90 miles north of Atlanta and is easily reached by taking I-75N to I-575 (exit 268). I-575 will become Hwy 515/76 as you drive north and will take you directly into Blue Ridge.

Get around

By foot

Due to the relatively compact and tourist-oriented nature of this town, walking is quite easy, although as is true for most of the state, pedestrians do need to be careful for cars.

Do

• 1 Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, 241 Depot St, toll-free: +1 877 413 8724. Historic railway offering 4-hour, 26 mi (42 km) sightseeing trips aboard a restored train. (updated Dec 2021)
• "Gem Mining"
• Helicopter rides
• Ziplining
• cherry log festival ( in the fall)

Buy

• 1 Oyster Fine Bamboo Fly Rods, 494 E Main St, ☏ +1 706-374-4239, shannen@oysterbamboo.com. Usually every day: 8:30AM - 6PM. (updated Oct 2015)

Eat

• sue's cafe
• Circle J steakhouse
• Blue ridge mountain bbq ( across sue's)
• Mike's trackside bbq ( right beside previous mention)

Drink

• 1 Grumpy Old Men Brewing, 1315 E Main St, ☏ +1 706 946 2739. M-W noon-6PM, Th-Sa noon-8PM, Su 12:30PM-5PM. Sells beer to enjoy on the premises and also sells beer to go. Inside and outside seating is available. The brewery does not serve food, but outside food is allowed in the brewery. Also, the brewery is attached to Jeff's Hot Dogs, which sells gourmet hotdogs and soft pretzels, which can be brought into the brewery. There is live music on Fridays and Saturdays, and there is karaoke on Thursdays. Dog-friendly. (updated Dec 2021)

Sleep

• Brasstown Valley Resort, 6321 US Highway 76, Young Harris, ☏ +1 706 379-9900. A 503-acre resort with 102 lodge guest rooms and 32 cottage guest rooms; 5 one-bedroom suites are also located in the lodge. Moderate climate and year-round championship golf. 
• Rainbow Cabin Rentals of North Georgia, 1568 Wildwater Road. Riverfront vacation cabin rentals that sit on a river or large trout stream. Each cabin offers several, if not all of these features - seclusion, hot-tub, pool tables, open rooms with fireplaces, rustic furnishings, outdoor fire pits, hammocks, decks with gorgeous views of nature & whitewater. 
• Aska Lodge Bed and Breakfast, 178 Calen Dr, ☏ +1 706 632-0178. B&B 2 miles from town, perched on the mountainside with a beautiful view. Four bedrooms each with private bath, including comfortable sheets and towels. Full candlelight breakfast, hillside firepit, multiple porch swings. $96-150. 
• 1 North Georgia Mountain Pet Friendly Cabin Rentals, 3945 Old Loving Road, toll-free: +1-800-844-4939. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. Offers 40 log homes on 1,500 acres in the private mountaintop neighborhood of My Mountain. Long range layered mountain views of North Georgia and the Smokey Mountains, private hot tubs, up-scale rustic lodge-style furnishings, rock hearth wood burning and gas log fireplaces (they supply firewood October thru May), gas and charcoal barbecues, easy paved access, 10 minutes from Blue Ridge. Offers discounts and specials. $110 to 225. 
• Mountain Escapes, toll-free: +1-888-908-1161. Cabin rental company with vacation cabin rentals. 
• Sundance Cabin Rentals, 3387 E 1st St. Check-in: 3:00, check-out: 10:00. Vacation cabin rentals in North Georgia. Log cabins with mountain and river views. Reserve your own vacation cabin rentals online or they can help you find one. $99-250.night. 
• 2 Red Apple Vacation Rental Cabin in Blue Ridge, 587 Lower Prince Mountain Rd (From the 515, turn on Lucius Road just south of the Cherrylog Community entrance sign and head west past the train tracks. Follow to the end as it intersects with Boardtown Road. Turn right on Boardtown Road and then make your next left onto Bushyhead Rd. Drive past the white little Church of Christ. From Bushyhead Road, follow as it turns to gravel and then look for Caches Valley Lane to the right, just at the crossing for Fightown Creek. Take a sharp right on Caches Valley Lane. Follow past Prince Mountain Road and then left onto Lower Prince Mountain Road where their red mailbox is. Follow Lower Prince Mountain Road to the top and you will dead end at Red Apple Cabin.), ☏ +1 941-538-2443. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. Red Apple Cabin is perched on Prince Mountain within the Cohutta National forest and adventure area. 2,100 feet of elevation lends to cool mountain breezes and crisp clean air as the wind brushes through the leaves. Every room comes with a view of the mountain range and forest. Warm gas fireplace plus central heat and air conditioning. Wake up to silence; 2.2 acres of natural beauty with no other cabins in sight. Upstairs master bedroom, spacious garden bathroom, equipped with Jacuzzi tub and separate shower, spectacular views on your private porch. Guest bedroom on the main floor with another oversize full bath and full size laundry services. Lower basement level provides a third bedroom. $124-169. (updated Jan 2017)

Go next

• Jasper is a hour and 20 minutes south.
• Ellijay is 20 minutes south.
• Atlanta is 2 and a half hours south.

Routes through Blue Ridge

Chattanooga ← Ellijay ←

W  E

→ Morganton → Anderson