Things to Do in Clarkesville, GA

Clarkesville is a small Habersham County town about 90 minutes north of Atlanta. It sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, close enough to Tallulah Gorge that you can be at the North Rim in under 20 minutes, and close enough to Helen that the 25-minute drive up US-23 and GA-75 is a lunch trip, not an expedition. The town has a working square, a few good restaurants, and some of the better waterfalls in the state right up the road.

This is a list of things to actually do here, written by people who live down the road. Not every waterfall in North Georgia. Not every vineyard. The ones worth the drive.

Walk the Clarkesville Square

The square is small. You can loop it in 20 minutes if you don't stop. You'll stop. Antique shops, a couple of gift stores, a bookstore, and a handful of places that do coffee or lunch. The old courthouse anchors one corner. If you're staying at the resort, it's a 6-minute drive into town.

Where to eat on the square

Fenders Diner is the classic breakfast spot. Solid biscuits, decent coffee, nothing fancy. The Copper Pig does barbecue. Sidney's Restaurant is a sit-down dinner option if you want white tablecloths and a wine list. Walk off the meal at the gazebo in Pitts Park.

Tallulah Gorge State Park

Tallulah Gorge is the main attraction in this part of Georgia. It's 1,000 feet deep and two miles long. Six waterfalls. A suspension bridge 80 feet above the river. You can hike the rim for free, or get a gorge floor permit (100 issued per day, first-come) and descend to the bottom. The floor permit is the one you want if you're in decent shape.

From Apple Mountain, it's about 20 minutes via 441. Go early. Parking fills up on weekends by 10 a.m. in fall.

North Rim vs South Rim

The North Rim trail has the overlooks most people photograph. The South Rim has the suspension bridge access and the staircase down to the floor. If you only have an hour, do the North Rim. If you have three hours and the permits aren't out, do the South Rim and Hurricane Falls.

Habersham Winery and the local wine trail

Habersham Vineyards and Winery has been here since the 1980s. Their tasting room is about five minutes from downtown Clarkesville. Flight of six pours runs around $12. They grow Chardonel and Cabernet Franc on-site, plus a muscadine line that's better than it sounds. The tasting staff is friendly and not snooty.

If one winery turns into a day, Yonah Mountain Vineyards in Cleveland and Tiger Mountain Vineyards in Tiger are both within 40 minutes. Book Yonah ahead, they sell out.

Waterfalls beyond Tallulah

The Chattahoochee National Forest covers a lot of ground around here, and the waterfall density is honestly absurd. A few that are worth the drive from Clarkesville:

• Anna Ruby Falls near Helen. Two falls that meet at the base. Paved path, 0.4 miles. Good for kids and grandparents.
• Panther Creek Falls. 7-mile round trip, moderate, ends at a wide swimming hole. Locals go. Tourists miss it.
• Minnehaha Falls on Lake Rabun. Short trail, photogenic. The drive there on the gravel road feels like a secret.
• Toccoa Falls. On the college campus. 186 feet, higher than Niagara. Five dollars to see it. Worth it.

Bring water shoes for Panther Creek if it's warm. The swimming hole is the point.

Day trips within an hour

Helen, GA

Helen is a Bavarian-themed town 30 minutes from Clarkesville. It looks like someone airlifted a chunk of Germany and dropped it in the mountains. Tubing the Chattahoochee in the summer is a real thing. Oktoberfest runs September through October. The schnitzel at Bodensee is genuinely good, not theme-park food. If you're staying a week, spend a day in Helen.

Dahlonega

Dahlonega is the original gold rush town in Georgia. About 45 minutes from Clarkesville. The downtown square is prettier than most, with wineries nearby and a gold museum that's better than the kitschy-sounding name. UNG is here, so you'll see students around town, not only tourists.

Lake Burton and Lake Rabun

Both lakes are under 30 minutes away. Rabun is smaller and more scenic, with the tree-lined narrow coves people post on Instagram. Burton is bigger, with more boat rental options. La Prades Marina on Burton rents pontoons by the day. Bring sunscreen and lunch.

Outdoor stuff, no drive required

If you're staying at Apple Mountain, the property has 280 acres to wander. Disc golf, mini golf, tennis, a heated pool, hot tub, fitness center, and an 18-hole golf course on site. The golf course was designed by Phillip Ballard in 1994, par 72, 6,428 yards from the Blue tees. It runs through hardwood forest. Walking rates are cheaper than carts if you want the workout, and 18 holes with a cart starts from $49 weekday, $65 weekend.

Hiking trails on property connect down to a creek. The disc golf course is forgiving for begineers. Tennis courts are hard court, lit until 9 p.m. in summer.

For off-property hiking that you can do in a morning: Yonah Mountain (5 miles round trip, views of four states from the summit) and the Bartram Trail section off Lake Rabun Road. Both under 30 minutes from the resort.

Seasonal picks

Spring: Rhododendron blooms at Tallulah Gorge in late April. Dogwoods on the resort property peak mid-April. Trout fishing opens on the Soque River.

Summer: Tube the Chattahoochee in Helen. Lake days on Burton or Rabun. The resort pool is heated but the mountain nights are 10 degrees cooler than Atlanta.

Fall: This is the high season. Leaf peak is usually the last week of October through the first week of November. Book the resort 4-6 weeks ahead if you want fall weekends. Apple picking at Hillcrest Orchards or Jaemor Farms.

Winter: Lighter crowds. The gorge is still open. Fireside rooms at the resort actually get used. Helen's Christmas lights run late November through January.

If you want a proper rundown of what's on property, the things to do page covers the pool, tennis, disc golf, mini golf, and hiking. For the golf course specifics, the golf club site has the scorecard and tee time booking.