Thanksgiving Week in Ellijay, GA
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Getting there
If you’re flying to visit Ellijay, there are a few airport options:
- Chattanooga Airport (CHA) – 47.2 miles away
- Atlanta International Airport (ATL) – 73.4 miles away
- McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) – 82.1 miles away
For this trip, we drove from the Tampa Bay area of Florida to Ellijay. Total time can range 9 to 12 hours depending on traffic and number of stops. We try to find Love’s Travel Stops along the way for 3 reasons:
- known for their clean restrooms
- fenced area for dogs to play
- always busy so you’ll never feel nervous at night time
Thanksgiving week in Ellijay
Day 1 was a full day of driving. We woke up, loaded into the car, and began our trek north. We checked into Sunset Ridge for the week. **AWD/4WD is recommended for this cabin**
Day 2 began with a beautiful morning of hiking! We started at Fall Branch Falls. From our Airbnb on Gobbler Knob Drive to the trailhead was about a 35-minute drive. The trail was very easy, led to a cute little waterfall, and had an observation deck. It was both kid and dog-friendly (as long as your cute pup is leashed). There were no trash cans, so please plan to carry out your own trash!
Alltrails stats for Fall Branch Falls: Length – 0.9 mi; Elevation Gain – 193 ft; Route Type – Out & Back; Difficulty – Moderate
After Fall Branch Falls, we drove to the Tumbling Waters Trail. From trail to trail was about a 45-minute drive. This one was also fairly easy for us, kid-friendly, and leash-dog-friendly. You have the option to stop at the bridge or continue on to various observation decks. One will be straight ahead on the trail and the other, you’ll cross the bridge first.
Alltrails stats for Tumbling Waters: Length – 1.0 mi; Elevation Gain – 88 ft; Route Type – Out & Back; Difficulty – Moderate
Tumbling Waters back to the Airbnb was a 35-minute drive. We all changed, rested, and then made our way to Ellijay River Vineyards (unfortunately, listed as Temporarily Closed on Google). When we arrived, we stopped to order wine, cheese, and a s’mores kit. Then drove down the hill to the firepit area. There were two large stone forepits, tables, swings, and a hammock nestled along the river. All of the kids had a great time playing and making s’mores.
Day 3 began with one of our favorite spots – Ellijay Coffeehouse! Then a short drive to Vets Memorial Park, where we walked the path and played at the playground. The photos on Alltrails left out a few details of this trail – excluding the baseball fields and industrial plant. But, regardless, the playground was great and we enjoyed being outside in the cool mountain air for a few hours!
After playing, we drove back to the Airbnb to change and rest before heading to Bear Claw Vineyards. This place was great! Indoor, patio, and outdoor seating, games for the kids, firepits, snacks, and great wine. That afternoon ended up being the coldest of the week, so the indoor and patio seating areas were packed. We tried sitting by the fires but only lasted through one glass of wine before we left. On the way back, we picked up dinner, got the fire going at the Airbnb, and enjoyed a perfect mountain sunset.
Day 4, I had booked a family photo session with Deana Lee Photography at Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge. It was cold but the sun was beautiful and warmed our cheeks. After photos, we walked around the amazing property and went shopping inside the store. We could have stayed all day! It’s now a favorite of ours and I can never leave without a fried pie.
Later in the day, we stopped by Smokin E’s BBQ to pick up an early dinner before heading to Buckley Vineyards. I can’t even describe how good the food was. It is a forever favorite! They close at 4:00 so be sure to go early.
Buckley was a cute and cozy spot with patio seating, outdoor seating, and fire pits to sit around. After a tasting at Buckley, we made the short drive over to Ott Farms & Vineyards. It was a very chilly afternoon again, so we huddled close to the building and let the kids run around the big open space. They didn’t seem to notice the air temperature.
Day 5, we decided to check out Amicalola Falls. The drive from our Airbnb to the State Park was about 45 minutes. We brought the dogs for this one so that they could get outside and burn off a bit of energy. With that in mind, we chose to hike the 2-mile loop (you can also drive to the top of the viewing area). Once at the top, there is a large staircase – 604 steps to get down to the next viewing area. If you went the opposite route that we did, it would be 604 up! The viewing decks are small, so be prepared to be patient if you would like a photo.
This 729-foot waterfall is the 3rd-highest east of the Mississippi River. It was worth the trip!
After our drive back from the amazing falls, we changed, rested, and then visited Engelheim Vineyards – another gorgeous property. Maybe I’m biased? I’ve never met a vineyard that I didn’t like! We loved walking around the property and snacking on the charcuterie board.
Day 6 – Happy Thanksgiving! Cam’s dad lives in Topton, NC so we made a trip north to visit him. The area around Lake Nantahala was so much fun to see!
We relaxed most of the day with the fireplace burning. Later, we enjoyed our turkey and sides from the Ellijay Honey Baked Ham Co!
Day 7, we ventured back to Blue Ridge for a train ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. This one that we chose was tailored to kids and included hot chocolate, candy, and a visit from Santa! Harper loved it. That night was the first for Christmas lights in downtown Blue Ridge. We checked out all of the shops, had dinner, and enjoyed the lights when the sun went down!
Day 8 – Florida bound!
Itinerary Purchase
If you would like to purchase an itinerary, there are two options:
- Through Thatch for $5 – https://www.thatch.co/@outoftheofficetoday – Thatch includes each day broken down, locations, and an interactive map.
- Or $5 through Venmo if you prefer a PDF format. Page one has a bulleted list and page 2 has live links to everything we did. Email me if you would like this version!