The Town of Helen

So you're probably wondering why an entire town is listed on this site. Well ladies and gentlemen, while its true that American Attractions mostly does museums, Helen, Georgia IS the attraction. Why? Because the entire town is modeled after its sister town, Fussen, Bavaria. For those who don't know where Bavaria is, it is a region located in Southern Germany. This little town looks very much like a little town you would see if you were to visit Bavaria.  Every building from the local motel to the Wendy's Restaurant is modeled after this style.  That is a requirement of the City Code of Helen.  However, if you visit Helen, I wouldn't suggest going to Wendy's. Not because it isn't good, but because if you want the closest thing to actual German food, Wendy's is NOT the place to go.  Instead I would suggest you visit The Old Bavarian Inn Restaurant. The food is good, the price is decent, and the girls even dress in the German style.

There are other places to go and try German food but this is probably the one I recommend the most.  Now, while the belly is full, if you choose to stay the night, you have two choices; you can either rent a hotel or a cabin.  Once again, I wouldn't suggest staying at the local motel.  Instead, for a cultural experience try the Heidi Motel. The address will be provided at the bottom for a starting point to Helen.

Now that you have a place to stay, perhaps a bit of gift shopping is in order.  The place I visited when I was there was the Glass Blowing shop. You can actually witness the art of glass blowing and the finished product. The prices are actually really good for the products being so fragile. Just don't go in strutting around like a bull and please keep an eye on your children.  It can get quite expensive paying for glass shards.

There are other shops to visit, each with their own unique items including a magic shop.  For those who don't know, Germany is known very well for its fantastic beer.  In turn, this leads to a well known tradition called Oktoberfest.  Since Helen is modeled after a German town, you can be sure that in October it will have police on the prowl during its Oktoberfest festival.  Helen is surrounded by mountains, so when it snows there, you will feel as if you are in an authentic alpine village.  Everywhere you go in Helen is a new experience that will leave you coming back again and again, and it comes at a fair price. It is an all day trip if not a multi-day trip. Before you leave, take a ride on the horse-drawn carriage for a tour of Helen.

Entertainment: 5
Educational: 3
Price: 4
Cafe: 4
Gift Shops: 5
Overall: 4

Additional Information

Address
Heidi Motel: 8820 N. Main St. Helen, GA

For more information, visit: www.helenga.org