For anyone who lives in North Georgia, it’s no surprise that this alpine town inspires positive emotions: awe, excitement, and glee just to name a few. Helen, Georgia rests in the heart of the Blue Ridge mountains and provides a flawless travel destination for anyone—families, couples, and of course, plus-sized travelers.
In this plus size travel guide to Helen GA, you’re going to uncover everything you need to know to explore our own little Bavarian wonderland, right in the United States. Let’s take a look at some of the major hotspots for tourists, and which ones are 100% plus-size friendly (and how you can navigate the ones that aren’t).
Arriving to Helen
Helen is full of major travel hotspots, but before we dive in, where are you going to stay? For most people, the automatic choice is the Holiday Inn, and fortunately for you, Helen has their own. While I haven’t stayed at the Holiday Inn myself, I know for a fact it’s among the best choices for a plus-sized traveler.
Not only are the twin beds rather comfortable on their own, but they offer numerous bed sizing accommodations, and the price increase isn’t too bad either. From the Holiday Inn & Suites lodging in Helen, you can walk to some of the best tourist spots and then return “home” to phenomenal room service and wake up to continental breakfast.
For travelers on a budget, however, there’s a shining star among the cheaper hotels. SureStay By Best Western in downtown Helen is about half the price and still in the heart of Helen, Georgia—and includes room service, breakfast, and a guest-only pool that is beautifully decorated and accessible to all sizes. The rooms at SureStay are laid out in a way that us fat visitors can easily move around in, and you don’t even have to worry about the bathroom being a shack. It’s super spacious!
Honorable mentions for lovely hotels in Helen include the Castle Inn and Valhalla Resort hotel.
Places to Visit as You Arrive
There are also a couple of spots you’ll want to visit on your way in and out of Helen, especially if you’re driving. Just a short drive away from downtown Helen, something you’ll probably spot if you’re driving in, is the Cabbage Patch General Hospital, also called BabyLand General and located in nearby Cleveland. Not only is Babyland General the birthplace of Cabbage Patch Kids, but it's the first BabyLand General in the U.S.!
The open floor plan of BabyLand general means all plus-sized visitors can walk around in comfort. You can do far more than just buy Cabbage Patch dolls there too. If you visit at the right time, or if you’re willing to wait a couple of minutes to an hour, you can watch the magical birth of a Cabbage Patch baby, and trust me, it’s a sight to behold. As someone who grew up with Cabbage Patch Kids, this was awesome to stumble upon.
Keep in mind that if you’re someone who needs to sit down often, this destination might not be good for long-haul visits—they don’t have chairs. But if you love walking, the tour and visit is well worth it. For visitors who prefer sitting and want a taste of Blue Ridge bliss, you might take advantage of Outpost Gold & Gem Mining Co., located at the front of the entrance to downtown Helen on South Main street.
They’re listed as a jewelry store, but you can actually sit down, sift through sand for your own gemstones, and keep them after—all for an affordable price. The seating is wooden benches, but as a fat person, I can tell you there’s plenty of space for you to fit comfortably, get up and down without that bench-typical awkwardness, and more. Dipping your toes into the waters of Helen by heading here isn’t a bad choice at all!
The Heart of Helen
Now for the big reveal: the best hotspots in the heart of Helen.
In this beautiful Alpine town, food is kind of a big deal… especially German-inspired food and German beer. While most of the local restaurants in Helen are delightful, you’re probably wondering where you should make it a point to visit. Don’t worry; I’ve got you covered!
Helen’s Restaurants
I ate at a lot of places in Helen, Georgia, and it would take me all day to list my favorites. For now, let’s focus on three places you have to visit if you’re as much of a foodie as I am.
First up, I wholeheartedly recommend the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant. It’s riverfront, so you can watch the beautiful Chattahoochee river flow by as you eat, and it’s perfectly accessible. With comfortable seating and Bavarian-style eats, Hofbrauhaus is the best place around. They serve myriad foods on a varied menu, including German beer and seasonal drinks. Plus, this is a family-friendly spot and has gorgeous outdoor seating (which is where I preferred to eat—the seats aren’t flimsy like the outdoor seating many places offer).
Next up, we have the Cowboys & Angels restaurant. This traditionally southern-style steakhouse is perfect for anyone—accommodating plus-sized bodies, families, and even vegetarians! You can find delicious food in a welcoming atmosphere, delightful drinks, and even make some memories at this fairly priced restaurant in North Georgia.
Last, but far from least, we have Bodensee. It’s probably the most authentic German eating experience you’ll have. In a down-to-Earth setting surrounded by Alpine nature, Bodensee offers authentic traditional German food in a cozy environment. The seating isn’t the most comfortable—with most of it being chairs rather than benches or booths—but if you don’t mind that, this spot is a must-visit.
Wine Tasting
Alpine Helen even offers amazing wine tasting experiences! Habersham Winery is the best place for wine tasting in Helen—at least if you ask me. It’s downtown, so you can walk there from other attractions, and it’s family-owned. Those who work there are knowledgeable, the portion sizes are more than fair, and they even offer outdoor seating from which you can enjoy your wine. No long hours of standing during a tour here! If you like their wines, Habersham also offers a shop where you can take some home for yourself.
Physical Activity
Eating is one of the best parts of the Helen experience, but the nature is definitely a close competitor for “best things to do” there. In North Georgia's Helen, you’re constantly surrounded by the most beautiful trees, the rushing sound of the river, and an atmosphere like nowhere else in the United States. There are dozens of ways to exercise in Helen, but I can personally recommend the hiking trails and tubing.
Hiking Trails Galore
Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love hiking. I love spending time in nature and walking around, observing natural landscapes and wildlife. The North Georgia mountains, and Helen in specific, is just the place for that. A short distance from downtown is my favorite hiking trail, and it just so happens that it’s accessible for all plus-sized individuals who can walk.
Hiking trails are usually drought with peril for fat adventurers, but not the Unicoi hiking trail. Located a short trip from downtown—making it perfect if you’re already exploring—this trail is perfect for those who are looking for a leisurely hike. This particular trail is near Unicoi Hill Park, but you can start on the other side. If you enter from the park, the hike is downhill and peaceful.
Entering from the opposite end is what I recommend if you don’t want to stray too far. Part of the way through the hike, the trail breaks through a driveway of sorts. That’s when you should turn around if you’re not able or happy to walk uphill for a mile or so, but you still get a good hike up to that point. The trail loops but has multiple exits. You don’t want to opt for this trail if you use mobility aids of any sort, however, as the foot trail overlooks hills and steep drops into the river that can be dangerous.
There are other places to hike, like trails from the Raven Cliff falls, Chattahoochee national forest, Unicoi State park, Smith Creek, and Anna Ruby falls, but I recommend only visiting these trails if you have a decent fitness level.
Chattahoochee River Tubing
Tubing at the Chattahoochee is one of the most favored experiences, but it’s not for all bodies. Unless you can confidently swim, I don’t recommend tubing. I went tubing as a fat person, and it felt rather precarious because I can’t swim; there are no lifeguards and the river is faster than it looks.
That said, you can wear a life jacket, and there are multiple places to start tubing. You can go on shorter journeys or longer ones, but there’s a major catch. Tubing is only safe if you weigh 250 pounds or less, which isn’t a very large range for us plus-sized folks. I went last when I was lighter but still overweight, and it still felt pretty risky. If you’re a smaller plus-sized person and can swim in fast waters, tubing is great—otherwise, you might want to stick to observing the river from afar or sitting at the banks with your feet in the tides.
Conclusion
Helen is immensely fat-friendly. While some activities aren’t accessible, the vast majority are, and you’re not going to feel judged there either. Helen, Georgia is friendly, accepting, and gorgeous, and now, you have some must-see hotspots in mind and a guide to navigating them as a bigger person. Remember, seeing the world is one of the best parts of life, and now, you have the tools to see a little more of it.
