Local Resources
Healthcare
There are a number of state-of-the-art hospitals within easy reach of the Georgian Highlands. The most readily accessible with full emergency services is Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in Jasper, Georgia. This is a 25 minute ride from the main gate. Northside Hospital is opening a major new facility in Canton, Georgia (approximately 35 minutes away) on I-575 and both North Fulton and Emory Johns Creek in the Dawsonville, Georgia area are within a 45 to 60 minute drive off of I-400. The major hospitals of Atlanta ------ Emory University Hospital System, Northside Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta ------ are all a little over one hour’s drive away. A very broad range of specialists inhabit the areas surrounding these medical centers, and a large number of satellite walk-in facilities are present throughout the Jasper and Ellijay areas.
Shopping
As one would expect of a mountain community, shopping for entertainment centers on antiques, boutiques and specialty shops. The downtowns of Ellijay, Blue Ridge (40 minutes to the north), and Dahlonaga (40 minutes to the east) especially cater to these interests. There are also more than a dozen wineries within an hour’s drive of the Georgian Highlands. Two, in fact, are as close as 2 minutes from the main gate and 10 minutes from the north gate. All have tasting rooms, frequent live entertainment, and a wide variety of offerings. More recently, ceder houses, brew pubs and distilleries have been added to the mix.
For the outlet mall shopper, the North Georgian Premium Outlets in Dawsonville on I-400 is a 30 minute drive, and the Outlet Shops of Atlanta in Woodstock on I-575 is 45 minutes away. Routine shopping is limited to the larger chains (Target, Kohl’s, etc.) in the immediate vicinity of the Georgian Highlands with large suburban shopping malls a little less than one hour away on either I-575 or I-400.
Full-sized grocery (Kroger, Ingel’s) and DYI (Home Depot, Lowes) stores are found in both Jasper and Ellijay, along with a full range of discount stores (Walmart, Dollar General, etc.). Saturday morning farmer's markets in both Jasper and Ellijay are prominent throughout the summer months. For the dedicated internet shopper/seller (e.g., Amazon, Ebay, etc.), business shippers like UPS and FedEx are found in both Jasper and Ellijay and both deliver daily to homes in the Georgian Highlands making it easy to shop on-line or conduct business from your home.
Rt. 52 east of Ellijay and immediately north of the Georgian Highlands community is 'apple country' with more than a dozen direct-to-the-consumer apple houses. Ellijay’s month-long North Georgia Apple Festival in the Fall of each year is, in fact, one of the largest festivals of its type in the country. Despite the name and traditions, these vendors are equally well known for growing other fruits (peaches and strawberries, in particular) and a wide range of truck farm vegetables, all of which are available throughout the growing season ------ it’s like having a farmer's market in the local community that just happens to be open year round.
Dining
There are a number of small, unique restaurants in the immediate vicinity of Ellijay and Jasper that provide casual dining at reasonable costs. These run the gamut from ethnic (Cajun, Italian, Mexican, Asian, etc) to food specific (think fish at the Last Catch in Jasper) to trendy American (61 Main in Jasper or Cantaberry in Ellijay) to the classic southern 'meat and threes' (Mike's in Ellijay). Local pubs, brew houses, sandwich shops, delis and about a dozen BBQ joints ------ each with their own “award-winning sauce” and “signature” dishes ------ are common in Jasper, Ellijay and Blue Ridge. You can also find virtually every variety of fast-food one would expect to find in an area frequented by tourists.
For those interested in a fine dining experience, The Roof or The Butcher and Bottle in Ellijay, the Black Sheep or Cuchina Rustica in Blue Ridge or the Blue Bicycle in Dawsonville are 30 to 40 minutes away. If all else fails, a wide range of fine dining can be found in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, which is less than an hour’s drive away, or Atlanta proper.
Recreation
The majority of recreational activities that one will find in a mountain community, like that of the Georgian Highlands are of the nature-oriented, outdoor activity type. One easily finds opportunities for tubing, white water rafting, kayaking, trekking, horseback riding, mountain biking, soaring/gliding, fly fishing and mountain climbing. Fly fishing, in particular, is well represented as both the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stock the rivers and streams annually in North Georgia. A number of outfitters are available to organize a trip for those interested in this sport. The mountains west of Ellijay are a big draw for those interested in mountain biking, as there are a large number of dedicated paths and organized events available for different skill levels. The Ocoee River Recreational Center ------ the site of the 1996 Olympic White Water Venue ------ is a little over an hour to the north for anyone into kayaking or whitewater rafting. Professional guides are available who will equip an organized adventure at a reasonable cost. There are also a dozen different streams/rivers within an hour or two of the Georgian Highlands that are well known for this sport, The Chattooga River (site of the movie “Deliverance”) is one of the 10 best in North America and caters to those looking for a more serious adventure. For those interested in hiking, the walk-in point for the Appalachian Trail is just 10 miles away (as the crow flies) at Amicalola Falls State Park, (site of the movie "A Walk in the Woods") and the official starting point at Springer Mountain is only a few miles beyond that in northeast Gilmer County. In fact, as a point of interest, the original starting point when the Trail was first being organized is only a few hundred yards west of the main gate adjacent to the 'scenic view' overlook in Pickens County. Blue Ridge is also home to a number of zip-line and rope-course venues that provide a different type of challenge.
And then there are the extremes. For those with a passion for driving, the Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville is about a 20-minute drive from the main gate. AMP is both a private club with a Formula-1 designed 2-mile track and a publically-available park for those interested in high-end (55+ MPH) karting. On the other end of the spectrum, Blue Ridge hosts Tank Town USA where thrill seekers can rent and drive a variety of military vehicles over challenging terrain ------ explosive rounds are NOT included.
The opportunity for a round of golf is available for both the occasional hacker and enthusiasts of any skill level. Locally, the White Path Golf Club in Ellijay and Arrowhead in Jasper are public course as are several others in Blairsville and Copperhill to the north. The new public/private course at Old Taccoa Farm in Blue Ridge has opened recently and the owners have announced a significant expansion of the number of holes available in the near future. There are several well known private clubs in the area as well, including courses in the Bent Tree, Big Canoe and Lake Arrowhead communities.
Healthcare
There are a number of state-of-the-art hospitals within easy reach of the Georgian Highlands. The most readily accessible with full emergency services is Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in Jasper, Georgia. This is a 25 minute ride from the main gate. Northside Hospital is opening a major new facility in Canton, Georgia (approximately 35 minutes away) on I-575 and both North Fulton and Emory Johns Creek in the Dawsonville, Georgia area are within a 45 to 60 minute drive off of I-400. The major hospitals of Atlanta ------ Emory University Hospital System, Northside Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta ------ are all a little over one hour’s drive away. A very broad range of specialists inhabit the areas surrounding these medical centers, and a large number of satellite walk-in facilities are present throughout the Jasper and Ellijay areas.
Shopping
As one would expect of a mountain community, shopping for entertainment centers on antiques, boutiques and specialty shops. The downtowns of Ellijay, Blue Ridge (40 minutes to the north), and Dahlonaga (40 minutes to the east) especially cater to these interests. There are also more than a dozen wineries within an hour’s drive of the Georgian Highlands. Two, in fact, are as close as 2 minutes from the main gate and 10 minutes from the north gate. All have tasting rooms, frequent live entertainment, and a wide variety of offerings. More recently, ceder houses, brew pubs and distilleries have been added to the mix.
For the outlet mall shopper, the North Georgian Premium Outlets in Dawsonville on I-400 is a 30 minute drive, and the Outlet Shops of Atlanta in Woodstock on I-575 is 45 minutes away. Routine shopping is limited to the larger chains (Target, Kohl’s, etc.) in the immediate vicinity of the Georgian Highlands with large suburban shopping malls a little less than one hour away on either I-575 or I-400.
Full-sized grocery (Kroger, Ingel’s) and DYI (Home Depot, Lowes) stores are found in both Jasper and Ellijay, along with a full range of discount stores (Walmart, Dollar General, etc.). Saturday morning farmer's markets in both Jasper and Ellijay are prominent throughout the summer months. For the dedicated internet shopper/seller (e.g., Amazon, Ebay, etc.), business shippers like UPS and FedEx are found in both Jasper and Ellijay and both deliver daily to homes in the Georgian Highlands making it easy to shop on-line or conduct business from your home.
Rt. 52 east of Ellijay and immediately north of the Georgian Highlands community is 'apple country' with more than a dozen direct-to-the-consumer apple houses. Ellijay’s month-long North Georgia Apple Festival in the Fall of each year is, in fact, one of the largest festivals of its type in the country. Despite the name and traditions, these vendors are equally well known for growing other fruits (peaches and strawberries, in particular) and a wide range of truck farm vegetables, all of which are available throughout the growing season ------ it’s like having a farmer's market in the local community that just happens to be open year round.
Dining
There are a number of small, unique restaurants in the immediate vicinity of Ellijay and Jasper that provide casual dining at reasonable costs. These run the gamut from ethnic (Cajun, Italian, Mexican, Asian, etc) to food specific (think fish at the Last Catch in Jasper) to trendy American (61 Main in Jasper or Cantaberry in Ellijay) to the classic southern 'meat and threes' (Mike's in Ellijay). Local pubs, brew houses, sandwich shops, delis and about a dozen BBQ joints ------ each with their own “award-winning sauce” and “signature” dishes ------ are common in Jasper, Ellijay and Blue Ridge. You can also find virtually every variety of fast-food one would expect to find in an area frequented by tourists.
For those interested in a fine dining experience, The Roof or The Butcher and Bottle in Ellijay, the Black Sheep or Cuchina Rustica in Blue Ridge or the Blue Bicycle in Dawsonville are 30 to 40 minutes away. If all else fails, a wide range of fine dining can be found in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, which is less than an hour’s drive away, or Atlanta proper.
Recreation
The majority of recreational activities that one will find in a mountain community, like that of the Georgian Highlands are of the nature-oriented, outdoor activity type. One easily finds opportunities for tubing, white water rafting, kayaking, trekking, horseback riding, mountain biking, soaring/gliding, fly fishing and mountain climbing. Fly fishing, in particular, is well represented as both the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stock the rivers and streams annually in North Georgia. A number of outfitters are available to organize a trip for those interested in this sport. The mountains west of Ellijay are a big draw for those interested in mountain biking, as there are a large number of dedicated paths and organized events available for different skill levels. The Ocoee River Recreational Center ------ the site of the 1996 Olympic White Water Venue ------ is a little over an hour to the north for anyone into kayaking or whitewater rafting. Professional guides are available who will equip an organized adventure at a reasonable cost. There are also a dozen different streams/rivers within an hour or two of the Georgian Highlands that are well known for this sport, The Chattooga River (site of the movie “Deliverance”) is one of the 10 best in North America and caters to those looking for a more serious adventure. For those interested in hiking, the walk-in point for the Appalachian Trail is just 10 miles away (as the crow flies) at Amicalola Falls State Park, (site of the movie "A Walk in the Woods") and the official starting point at Springer Mountain is only a few miles beyond that in northeast Gilmer County. In fact, as a point of interest, the original starting point when the Trail was first being organized is only a few hundred yards west of the main gate adjacent to the 'scenic view' overlook in Pickens County. Blue Ridge is also home to a number of zip-line and rope-course venues that provide a different type of challenge.
And then there are the extremes. For those with a passion for driving, the Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville is about a 20-minute drive from the main gate. AMP is both a private club with a Formula-1 designed 2-mile track and a publically-available park for those interested in high-end (55+ MPH) karting. On the other end of the spectrum, Blue Ridge hosts Tank Town USA where thrill seekers can rent and drive a variety of military vehicles over challenging terrain ------ explosive rounds are NOT included.
The opportunity for a round of golf is available for both the occasional hacker and enthusiasts of any skill level. Locally, the White Path Golf Club in Ellijay and Arrowhead in Jasper are public course as are several others in Blairsville and Copperhill to the north. The new public/private course at Old Taccoa Farm in Blue Ridge has opened recently and the owners have announced a significant expansion of the number of holes available in the near future. There are several well known private clubs in the area as well, including courses in the Bent Tree, Big Canoe and Lake Arrowhead communities.
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