3 Days in Blue Ridge
When temperatures drop in the South, all thoughts turn to fall. One of the best places to witness the changing of the leaves is Blue Ridge, where the mountain trees turn shades of ochre, yellow and red.
It's also time for festivals such as the Blues & BBQ Festival and the Fall Arts in the Park. It all adds up to being an ideal time for a great mountain getaway. To best explore what a weekend might look like in Blue Ridge this fall, we've compiled a few suggestions.
Wineries
Trees aren't the only plants that change color in fall. So do grapevines, from a variety of yellows to a fiery red! Not to mention it's harvest time. Blue Ridge is home to several wineries with indoor and outdoor seating, the latter perfect for enjoying fall weather and color.
Serenberry Vineyards offers a quaint tasting room with an expansive patio nestled among their vineyard. Sip their vintages beside an outdoor fireplace or relax on the greens where bluebirds may be spotted. And it's solar powered!
A Large covered outdoor seating area stretches behind Bear Claw Vineyards & Winery's tasting room so visitors may purchase a glass or bottle to enjoy. You can even stay there in their treehouse with a beautiful view of the vineyard!
Both wineries offer special events such as live music. And nearby, regional wines will be highlighted at the Blue Ridge Wine & Jazz Festival.
Mercier Orchards grows a variety of fruit, including their famous apples, so it's natural for the company to create wine from their harvests. Mercier also has the distinction of having created Georgia's first hard cider from farm-grown apples. Sample their wines and cider at their store and tasting rooms a short drive from downtown Blue Ridge.
You can learn more by reading our blog: Check Out Our Favorite Wineries & Breweries
Breweries
Breweries abound in Blue Ridge. So, if you love the hops, you’re in for a real treat.
It’s a funny name and an even funnier story—two home beer enthusiasts were arguing over brewing and one of their wives called them grumpy old men. Seemed like the perfect name for a microbrewery! Grumpy Old Men Brewing opened its taproom in 2013 and lies just south of town on Main Street.
The unique names continue with Angry Hops Brewery which pours its craft beers inside and out, again a great place to savor the fall weather. Tipping Point Brewing Co. serves its craft beers across from the railroad depot at a second-floor location which includes a porch where visitors may watch downtown action below.
For something even more unique, Copperhill Brewery in Copperhill sits a few steps over the Tennessee state line from our neighboring town of McCaysville, Georgia. Inside the tasting room visitors may literally cross the state line — it runs through the floor!
Take a Hike
Downtown Blue Ridge offers much in the way of shopping, art galleries and dining, but if you’re like me and cherish the solitude of nature, you’ll love what the mountains surrounding the town offer. There’s 300 miles of hiking trails in and around Blue Ridge, including access to the Appalachian Trail and a trail named for the AP’s visionary, the Benton MacKaye Trail.
For something more tuned to a weekend getaway, we recommend a couple of easy to moderate hikes where the end result is spectacular.
It’s a long drive and a one-mile hike through a rich forest to the Swinging Bridge over the Toccoa River. The 270-foot swinging bridge was built by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club and the U.S. Forest Service to service part of the Benton MacKaye Trail. There are places to rest and picnic on both sides of the raging river but don’t miss the selfie opportunity in the middle of the bridge.
It’s two miles and a fairly easy hike to reach Long Creek Falls with its dramatic 50-foot cascade of water. Along the way hikers will enjoy wildflowers, ferns and fall colors if hiking at the right time of year.
You can find hiking information, directions and more on the Georgia's Blue Ridge website.
Get Picking
We mentioned Mercier Orchards above for their wine and ciders, but fall also means apple picking season. The north Georgia mountains grow a wide variety of apples and Mercier is the largest apple orchard in the southeast. That means lots and lots of apples to pick—more than 40 varieties! The apple picking season usually falls between late August and November but it depends on the whims of nature so check Mercier’s website for updates. Make sure to stop in the store for hot fried apple pies. They are a taste sensation.
Festivals
The smells of barbecue and the sounds of live music will take over downtown Blue Ridge the 3rd weekend in September at the Annual Blues & BBQ Festival. It’s continuous music from noon to 9 p.m. and regional vendors will be selling their barbecue specialties. Small entry fee to join the fun but a portion of the net proceeds benefit local nonprofits.
Great food, arts and crafts and live music make up Fall Arts in the Park in downtown Blue Ridge City Park. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
Relax and Unwind
Like the great outdoors surrounding Blue Ridge, there’s so much to choose from when it comes to accommodations. Treehouses, rustic and luxury cabins, hotels, bed and breakfasts and campsites can be found in Blue Ridge and the surrounding area. There’s everything waiting for you, from a romantic couples retreat or a back-to-nature moment.
And if a weekend away means restoring mind and body, Blue Ridge offers several spas, yoga classes and assorted experiences, such as the decadent salt cave at Serenity in the Mountains. Both Serenity and Willow Creek Falls offer accommodations in addition to spa services.
More to Explore
