Located just about 1 ½ hours from Blue Ridge, Georgia, (and about 2 hours from Atlanta) the charming town of Clarkesville, Georgia, is a fun day trip if you’re staying in one of our beautiful North Georgia cabins! You can easily pack up a picnic or some snacks for the road, break out your favorite tunes, and cruise over to Clarksesville for some family fun or a date day! Or you can take friends for a day of shopping and dining along Main Street.
Established in 1823, Clarkesville, Georgia, offers that old-time feel of a small town. They are so focused on that preservation of what we love about the Main Streets of old, they have created a program that follows the National Main Street Center’s 4-point system for revitalizing downtowns. It’s focused on Organization, Design, Economic Development, and Promotion. Through this program, downtown Clarkesville hosts community events, bolsters local businesses, focuses on the aesthetics of Main Street and surrounding areas, and preserves historic buildings in the historic district.
How do you benefit from this?
A community focused on bringing people – and local businesses – together offers visitors more local goods and services, Southern charm, and a wider range of events when visiting North Georgia.
Exploring Downtown Clarkesville – Historic Walking Tour
One of the best ways to learn more about Clarkesville and really appreciate its charm is through a historic walking tour of the area. You can pick up a printed tour at the visitor center downtown, located in the historic Mauldin House – also the start of the tour! There are 19 stops in all, taking you to the most iconic and important buildings in the town. As you tour, read about what makes each historic site unique. You can also take the 40-minute drive to Helen for more history!
- Mauldin House
- Grace Calvary Episcopal Church
- Gloaming Cottage
- Old Clarkesville Cemetery
- Toombs-Bleckley House
- Burns-Sutton House
- Brewer-Hamby House
- The Charm House
- First Presbyterian Church
- Houston-Franklin House
- Baron-York Building
- The Arrendale Building
- Old Brewer’s Drugstore
- Daes Chapel Methodist Church
- Sam Pitts Park
- Porter-York House
- Griggs-Erwin-Dixon House
- Furr-Lambert-Lunsford House
- Asbury-Greene House
Year-Round Fun in Clarkesville, Georgia
The community calendar in Clarkesville is packed with events and activities throughout the year. No matter when you visit, you’re sure to find some great things to do, see, hear, and taste.
Spring
Clarkesville Market Place
Friday Night Live
Mountain Laurel Festival
Pictures with the Easter Bunny
Sip & Stroll
Summer
Clarkesville Market Place
Friday Night Live
Red, White & Tunes Fireworks Spectacular
Fall
Chattahoochee Mountain Fair
Sip & Stroll
Small Business Saturday
Trick or Treat on the Square
Winter
A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas
Mardi Gras
Top Things to Do in Clarkesville
- Take a walking tour of Clarkesville, with special attention to the Historic Mauldin House & Gardens.
- Hike Hemlock Falls Trail for a waterfall adventure!
- Enjoy a day of hiking, kayaking, boating, paddleboarding, and more outdoor activities at Moccasin Creek State Park, on the banks of Lake Burton.
- Check out local talent at the historic Habersham Community Theater.
- Take a walk on the 1-mile Clarkesville Greenway Trail.
- Have a fun and unique day at Apple Mountain Alpacas.
- Spend the day playing and relaxing at Sam Pitts Park with a playground, porch swings, a shady hiking trail, and lots of grassy space.
- Choose a piece to become a family heirloom at Mark of the Potter, the oldest craft shop in the state that’s still in its original location on the Soque River, or at Hickory Flat Pottery.
- Listen to live music in the Grant Street Music Room, which also has a restaurant, bar, and karaoke nights (21 and over).
- Cast a line with Fern Valley on the Soque on a day of fly fishing.
- Enjoy a wine tasting at FlyHawk Farm & Tasting Room overlooking the 22-acre horse farm.
- Take a scenic drive along Scenic Highway 197.
- Go horseback riding or zipline at Sunburst Stables Adventure Park.
- Stroll downtown to browse local boutiques and art galleries.
- Step back in time at Miles in Time Automotive Museum in the Old Clarkesville Mill.
- Go ziplining or take an ATV tour with Sunburst Adventures.
- Have fun bowling at Clarkesville Lanes.
- Spend a day at Stonebridge Golf Course.
- Take a drive to Toccoa Falls.
Christmas in Clarkesville
If you’re visiting the North Georgia mountains during the holiday season, you’ll find many wonderful events and places to visit on your getaway. You could plan an entire day (or two) driving around Blue Ridge and its surrounding mountain towns to celebrate! Clarkesville, Georgia, hosts its own Christmas celebration, A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas.
2021 A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas
December 3 from 5 – 7:30 PM
Celebrate the season with live music to put you in the Christmas spirit, photos with Santa, hot cocoa, a cookie crawl, roasted marshmallows, a tree lighting, and special appearances from an elf and the Grinch!
When you’re done having fun in Clarkesville, come back to your North Georgia cabin rental to unwind! Sip a drink on the deck, cozy up in front of a fireplace, soak in a bubbling hot tub, and climb into a king-size bed for some well-deserved rest in the Blue Ridge Mountains!
