Dahlonega is home to the Dahlonega Plateau and in 2018 it was recognized as a viticultural area. In layman’s terms it means that the area has unique soil characterizes, sunlight and climate that is special to growing grapes.
The Dahlonega Wineries
Etowah Meadery
The Etwowah Meadery offers a special unique wine to the Dahlonega area. Meads are a honey based wine that is made with fruits and spices from around the world, mainly China, Europe, and Africa. Mead has gained popularity in the US in recent years.
Their meads range in flavor and carry Southern Georgia naming conventions like: De Sotos Quest, Picking Up Paw Paws and Georgia Standard.
As a veteran owned business, sales from their Coop Dreams support disabled veterans.
This winery does not fall into the new category but their wines are just as delicious. This is a family ran business that sources fruits from Georgia, California, Texas and other locations which creates it’s complex flavors.
Accent Cellars offers wine tastings 7 days a week and have live music Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. What is unique about this winery, is they explicitly state to bring your picnic and enjoy their wine, (on their website) while other places frown upon the practice.
What’s amazing is that this winery grows 25 different grape varieties and makes some of the best blended wines around.
Frogtown Cellars has a long track record of wine awards since 2010:
2 Platinum
36 Gold
82 Silver
92 Bronze Medals
These winemakers have adopted French and Italian winemaking rules as they require strict compliance which protects and assists wine drinkers in identification of terrior-based wines.
Frogtown Cellars offers dining for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch at their Italian Bistro. While their wines are made on site, so is many of their foods: pizza dough, pasta dough, and desserts. All of their meats are smoked and cured on site except for the Italian imports.
Grab a glass, a charcuterie board and enjoy their long porches with spectacular mountain views.
Kaya Vineyard was renamed from the original Blackstock Vineyards. Along with wines, serving as a retreat and wedding venue, they have craftsman style cottages to relax a weekend away in.
They offer a light lunch menu from Tuesdays to Sundays with live music on the covered patio. Offerings include simple artisanal charcuterie boards to hand-helds and plates.
This winery was the first in the region. All their fruit is Georgia grown with most on their 184 acres. The property was purchased in 1995 with the first harvest in 2000 and named after Three Sisters Mountain.
When you arrive inside, you will be greeted with their large cherry wood tasting room. On Summer Saturdays, they have live music. If weather permits, enjoy a glass on their rock wall patio.
When you are at Wolf Mountain, you will feel like you are in Europe enjoying your wine instead of North Georgia. They use French winemaking processes and the European varieties make for much different wines than the other Dahlonega wineries.
And just to fit in with the wines, Wolf Mountain is designed to resemble a craftsman cottage that sits atop of the fieldstone encased cellar.
Along with their wines, they offer farm focused menus that are carefully paired with their wine selection. Their team prepares everything on-site and menus change seasonally with local selections.
Offers tastings 7 days a week. Cavendar Creek Vineyards was started when the original owner hand planted the original grape vines and produced the first vintage in 2009.
A mainstay and mascot on the property are the donkeys, so much so that they are affectionately knows as “the winery with the donkeys”.
They offer lodging, but it is limited to two cabins. One of them being 200 years old.
They offer wine tastings and represent Georgia’s oldest winery Georgia Winery located near Ringold, GA. They offer wine and pub tours along with ghost and history tours.
19 E. Main Street, Suite F, Dahlonega, GA 30533
CANVAS AND CORK, WINE TASTING, ART GALLERY, ARTISTS STUDIOS AND CLASSROOM
Their wine selection is from Gin Creek Vineyards in Hartsfield GA and is a satellite tasting room.
Canvas and Cork has a selection of 16 wines to select from: Fine wines, muscadines, dessert wines, Moscato, dry, off dry, semi sweet and sweet, so be assured there’s something for everyone!
Stating start at $12 for 5 tastings or $20 for 5 tastings and get your choice of a hand painted wine glass!
Cork and Canvas is part of the Dahlonega Wine Walk, where participates receive discounts. Among other things to do here, are painting classes from watercolor to acrylic. Other crafts are taught here as well along with summer classes for kids. Private classes are also available.
Cathy Gray is a natural adventurer in her personal and professional life. She adapts to overcome while maintaining an infectious laugh that will make you smile.
Professionally, Cathy currently works for an industrial hose and hydraulics company. While she was a green-horn in the hose business, she spearheaded the company’s eCommerce site from the ground up from a blank canvas to live and selling within 6 months. She continues to grow the company’s online and digital presence while increasing sales year over year.
Over 100 waterfalls are located in the North Georgia mountains. Some of these waterfalls are on public lands and many are on private property.
These waterfalls are easily accessible on public lands. Remember that water levels affect the beauty of waterfalls and always use caution when around waterfalls.
These waterfalls are within a 25 mile radius of Dahlonega, GA. Even though, 25 miles may not seem like much, the drive will more than likely be longer because of mountain roads and slower traffic.
Cane Creek Falls
Cane Creek Falls is 2.9 miles from Dahlonega Square and is located on private property at Camp Glisson, but is open to the public only when the camp is not in session. At the entrance gate, there are signs that tell the public when it is closed.
Cane Creek Falls eventually falls in to he Chestatee River, which provides a good outing for kayaking, tubing or canoeing. This waterfall has a viewing platform at the top.
Clay Creek Falls
Clay Creek Falls is located on private property 2.9 miles away, but is viewable from the road.
There is not a place to park to observe the falls on foot, but it is very close to the road and well worth a drive by to see it, especially when the water is at higher levels.
Black Falls
Black Falls is at the Army Ranger training camp at Camp Frank D. Merrill. one of the higher falls in this guide. Be aware that if the gate is open, you may be able to observe Black Falls. A wooden gate across the creek makes an excellent photo opportunity.
Training facilities are located nearby, so viewing may or may not be permissible when you are here. Do not sneak onto the property.
Montgomery Creek Falls
Montgomery Creek Falls is an isolated fall located in the Chattahoochee National Forest. There are mountain bike trails nearby, so be on the lookout. It is about half a mile to get there on an old logging road. It is just over 11 miles from Dahlonega.
Dicks Creek Falls
16 miles from Dahlonega Square, Dicks Creek Falls is really a couple of waterfalls located on Dicks Creek in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
It is is a very popular swimming hole for the locals and also provides a photo opportunity while taking a break. The hike is almost 1.25 miles round trip.
DeSoto Falls
18 miles from Dahlonega, DeSoto Falls consists of an upper falls and lower falls. The upper falls is a .75 mile hike up the creek with the lower falls .25 mile downstream. The total drop of all the falls is 480 feet.
Camping is also available and there is a restroom.
Long Creek Falls
At 50 feet tall, Long Creek Falls is another waterfall with a large pool at the bottom that is used as a swimming hole. The trail to Long Creek Falls is almost 2 miles round trip on the Appalachian Trail and Benton MacKaye Trail offers a scenic view.
Helton Creek Falls
Helton Creek Falls has one of the most spectacular falls and is 25 miles from Dahlonega and is also clos o Blairsville, GA. Like many others, it is a double waterfall. Helton Creek Falls has an observation deck between the upper and lower falls.
The trail itself is less than a quarter of a mile to get there. Unfortunately as of May 2022, this trail is closed due to needed repairs.
Dukes Creek Falls
From the parking lot the 1.25 mile trail goes town to observation deck at the foot of the 150 foot waterfall. There is an observation deck that is wheelchair accessible and has parking available for 30 vehicles. It is about 24 miles from Dahlonega.
This area has a stunning view of Mt. Yonah, which is a popular mountain for hiking and climbing. Sometimes the Army Rangers can be seen here during their training.
Raven Cliff Falls
Raven Cliff Falls is one of the most popular hikes in the area. It’s in the Chattahoochee National Forest but is not on the Appalachian Trail. The trail to the falls is 2.5 miles one way from the parking lot. Raven Cliff Falls is a triple fall totaling 100 feet. The trail does have water crossings.
It is about 25 miles from Dahlonega, GA, but is well worth the driver for a longer hike. Other cities nearby are Helen, GA and Blairsville, GA.
Amicalola Falls, GA
Amicalola Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River at 729 feet high and is roughly 19 miles from Dahlonega. There is an entrance fee and the Appalachian trail starts here.
You can park at the bottom for a view up the falls or you can drive to the top of the falls to get a good view of the park. There is a new viewing deck that can be reached by driving to the middle of the falls. Along the falls, there is a metal staircase that goes from the bottom to the top of the falls. Many also choose to hike from the bottom as well.
Out of these waterfalls, I have only been to one, but many times – Amicalola Falls. If you choose to take the stairs, do know that there are many stairs. 604stairs to be exact. If you bring your dog, be aware that they are metal. If I would take mine, I would make sure to bring his shoes.
Cathy Gray is a natural adventurer in her personal and professional life. She adapts to overcome while maintaining an infectious laugh that will make you smile.
Professionally, Cathy currently works for an industrial hose and hydraulics company. While she was a green-horn in the hose business, she spearheaded the company’s eCommerce site from the ground up from a blank canvas to live and selling within 6 months. She continues to grow the company’s online and digital presence while increasing sales year over year.
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Dahlonega, Georgia has plenty to offer any visitor. It’s just a little over an hour from Atlanta, Georgia in the Northeastern area of Georgia. Spend a day at one of its local vineyards, go gold panning at its historic mine, or spend some time hiking in the surrounding countryside. There’s plenty to see and do in this beautiful town!
Gold Panning
Dahlonega Georgia is the home to the first gold rush of the USA, that started in 1828. When the gold rush hit in California 20 years later, many left to seek there fortunes in the west.
Every year they have a gold rush festival in downtown Dahlonega. I went there in the Fall of 2021 by chance.
Gold panning is a fun activity for all ages and it is a great way to learn about the history of gold mining. There are several places to pan for gold in Dahlonega.
Consolidated Gold Mine
The Consolidated Gold Mine is my personal favorite. Here they have underground tours, gem mining, gold panning, and a gem studio along with offering group tours. For a family, it’s an easy afternoon of family fun.
The consolidated mines are located at: 185 Consolidated Gold Mine Road Dahlonega, GA 30533
If you want to rent equipment and try your hand at finding some gold yourself, this is an excellent place to do so! The process isn’t complicated at all and most people find that they enjoy it more than they thought they would.
Wine Tasting
The winery scene in Dahlonega is on the upswing, with 12 wine tasting rooms and 8 wineries. There are plenty of places to explore what Georgia mountain town has to offer.
The history of wine in Dahlonega goes back over 200 years, when it was first planted in 1821 by German immigrants. Many of the wineries have received hundreds of rewards over the years.
If you’re not up to traveling to the wineries yourself, try a winery tour that will leave you worry free.
If time is not on your side, there are many places to sample wines the one of the many Dahlonega tasting rooms.
Foods
There is a variety of cuisines within Dahlonega, GA.
Hiking to Nearby Waterfalls
While you’re in Dahlonega, you can hike to nearby waterfalls. There are 12 easily accessible waterfalls within 25 mile radius of downtown Dahlonega.
If possible, bring: water, bug spray, sunscreen, sneakers or hiking boots (the latter being required if hiking up Burnt Mountain)
If you’re looking for a way to get outside and enjoy the natural wonders of Dahlonega, Georgia, consider kayaking on the Chestatee River. It’s about a 15-minute drive from downtown Dahlonega, GA. Once there, follow signs leading to put-in points. You’ll need your own boat and gear; rentals are not available at this time.
Depending on how much experience you have with kayaking and what type of water conditions are present when you go out into the river, it’ll take anywhere between 1 hour and 3 hours to complete your trip downriver (and back).
Because public parking is limited near put-ins points along Highway 400—and because they fill up quickly during warmer months when more people are enjoying themselves outdoors—it’s best if everyone carpools together before setting out on their adventure!
Dahlonega is rich in adventure, culture and charm.
Dahlonega is rich in adventure, culture and charm.
It is a great place to go for a weekend getaway, vacation or even just for day trip. There are many things to do in Dahlonega Georgia that will make your visit memorable.
Conclusion
You may need at least three days to enjoy the area, but if you have more time, then you can spend the extra day hiking to nearby waterfalls or kayaking down the Chestatee River.
Cathy Gray is a natural adventurer in her personal and professional life. She adapts to overcome while maintaining an infectious laugh that will make you smile.
Professionally, Cathy currently works for an industrial hose and hydraulics company. While she was a green-horn in the hose business, she spearheaded the company’s eCommerce site from the ground up from a blank canvas to live and selling within 6 months. She continues to grow the company’s online and digital presence while increasing sales year over year.
