Driftless on the Road: Blue Ridge, GA

Located in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Blue Ridge is a small town 90 minutes north of Atlanta and serves as the perfect girlfriend getaway.  Two of us caravanned from Nashville and the other two sped north from Atlanta with food, wine and relaxation on our minds. The mountains were nice too.

This was a return trip for all of us, having come to the Blue Ridge area years before to stay at our other friend's cabin.  She couldn't come this time but we managed to enjoy this experience Georgia style, same as before.

"The Woods"--Blue Ridge Lodge Cabin Rentals

View from balcony

 We basically pick one thing we're going to do outside of sleeping, eating and cocktailing. This time it was a hike.  But first things first.

Cheers to the Hootchies. 

Fall Branch Falls

The Chattahoochee Forest has hundreds of water falls and covers 750,000 acres of land.  Thanks to Teddy Roosevelt and FDR's conservation efforts in the early 1900's, this was an area that was targeted for restoration.  With the help of a local forest ranger, Arthur Woody, the Forest Service acquired and began protecting and restoring the area in the 1920's. There are 530 miles of trails and 500 wildlife in the forest.

We had some good eats both in town and at the cabin.

Shrimp skewers, salmon and risotto.  

The rain came.

A nice lunch at Harvest on Main in Blue Ridge.

Dinner at Cucina.

Delicious glass of wine at Vine.

Lake Blue Ridge--3,290 acre lake with over 90 national forest campsites

Though it took me several days to recover from this trip, it was so emotionally restorative to spend time with old friends.  Priceless, as the Visa commercial says. 

Blue Ridge, you've been good to us.