FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY WE HAVE YOU COVERED WITH A PLACE TO STAY
AROUND THE MOUNTAIN
Events and Festivals this Spring
May 23-26, 2026
FEATURED HOMES
Bearly Made It | Deer Crossing | Whiskey Creek Retreat
FOURTH OF JULY
North Georgia Events
FEATURED HOMES
Bears Repeating | Bentley’s Retreat on Overlook | Jupiter on the Mountain
LABOR DAY WEEKEND
September 5-7, 2026
FEATURED HOMES
Stanley Creek Lodge | Take Me to the River | God’s View
WELCOME TO THE COMFORT COLLECTIVE
A Curated Guide to Escapes in the North Georgia Mountains
Summer in the North Georgia mountains has a way of sneaking up on you. One weekend you’re watching the last of the spring wildflowers, and the next the lake is full, the trails are buzzing, and Memorial Day is already in the rearview.
Issue 5 is our summer overview, a look at the season from start to finish, including the three long weekends that anchor it, the local events worth planning around, and the properties that make it all worth showing up for. Whether you’re mapping out a Fourth of July trip with the whole family or squeezing in one last escape before the leaves turn, this issue is your guide to doing summer right.
AROUND THE MOUNTAINS THIS SPRING
MARCH 27-APRIL 25
Trout Fishing Derby
Anglers can fish for specially tagged trout. Chance to win prizes like gear, guide trips, and cash.
APRIL 24 | 5-7PM
Catch It! On Film
A unique evening event featuring a curated lineup of short films, dinner, drinks, and live auction.
Catch It! On Film
APRIL 25 | 6:30-8:30PM
Trout Trot 5k
Scenic 3.1-mile run that follows the Toccoa River in McCaysville.
Trout Trot
APRIL 25 | 10AM-6PM
Troutfest
A weekend centered around fishing, conservation, and mountain life with 130+ local vendors
For a limited time, enjoy 15% OFF a 2+ night stay on select cabins from April 23–27. USE OFFER CODE: TROUT15 Book Now Hook the Perfect Getaway
Troutfest
Trout Fishing Derby
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
May 23–26, 2026
Summer starts here. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial opening act for cabin season in the mountains, and it arrives at the best possible moment. The air is still cool enough to keep the windows open at night, the rhododendrons are at their peak along the ridgelines, and the trails haven't yet seen their summer crowds. It's a weekend built for long mornings on the deck, afternoon floats on the river, and the kind of slow family dinners that stretch past sunset.
Whether you're marking the holiday with a ceremony in town, grilling out with a group, or simply giving everyone a few days to exhale before the summer rush really kicks in, the mountains meet you where you are. Take a hike before the heat of the season settles in. Spend an afternoon on the lake, watch the fireflies by the fire, and feel summer open up right in front of you.
Enjoy 15% off a 2-night stay and spend quality time in the North Georgia Mountains (Valid 5/7 to 5/12)
10% off your stay when you book 3+ nights or more. (Valid 5/20 to 5/28)
MAY IN THE MOUNTAINS
APRIL 11 - MAY 10
Rhododendron Festival
Hamilton Gardens in Hiawassee, GA, featuring over 1,500 rhododendrons and native azaleas.
MAY 2 - 3
Blue Ridge Adventure Race
The adventure spans a duration of either 8 hour or 24 hour challenges in the great outdoors!
MAY 8 - 10
Ellijay Music Festival
Features award-winning songwriters, recording artists, musicians and bands at live shows across Ellijay.
MAY 16 - 17
Dahlonega Arts & Wine Festival
Festival-goers can stroll the charming, walkable streets lined with white tents showcasing handmade arts and crafts.
MAY 23 - 24
Blue Ridge Arts in the Park Festival
Features over 200 juried fine arts exhibitors, crafts, food booths, and engaging artist demonstrations.
MAY 23 - 24
Blairsville Spring Arts, Crafts & Music Festival
Features a parade, demonstrations, regional crafts and of course, music.
Time for Remembrance - Appalachian Veterans Memorial Park
On Memorial Day, The North Georgia Honor Guard will have a Memorial Day Ceremony at Fannin County’s Veterans Memorial Park. The ceremony includes a rifle salute, the posting of the colors, placing wreaths, and a rendition of the National Anthem performed by a local artist.
Rhododendron Festival
Ellijay Music Festival
Arts in the Park
Adventure Race
Arts & Wine Festival
Arts, Crafts, & Music
BEARLY MADE IT
DEER CROSSING
WHISKEY CREEK
8 BED | 7 BATH 2 HALF| SLEEPS 20
Highlights
• Home theater with recliners and sectional sofa
• Outdoor dining, covered deck with gas fireplace and TV, Hot tub
• Multiple king suites each with private balcony and mountain views
4 BED | 4 BATH | SLEEPS 10
Highlights
• Dedicated movie room with reclining leather seating
• Lower-level game room with pool table, wet bar, and wine cooler
• Three fireplaces across multiple levels, hot tub, covered outdoor dining
4 BED | 3.5 BATH | SLEEPS 10
Highlights
• California king primary suite with deck access and mountain views
• Lower-level game room with table shuffleboard, full bar, and hot tub
• Triple bunk room configuration
Bearly Made It
Deer Crossing
Whiskey Creek Retreat
FOURTH OF JULY
There's no better backdrop for Independence Day than the mountains. The sky feels bigger here, the fireworks echo off the ridges in a way they never do in the flatlands, and the pace of the day matches the spirit of the holiday, unhurried and celebratory in equal measure.
Plan your morning around the parade in downtown Blue Ridge, where the Old Timers' Parade tradition stretches back to the 1950s. By mid-afternoon, the cabin is calling, the grill is going, and the cooler needs attention. When evening comes, head to the lake or find your spot along the Toccoa to watch the sky light up. This is the kind of Fourth that gets remembered.
Local Events
Blue Ridge Fireworks at Lake Blue Ridge Dam | July 4 at 9:30 PM
Watch the sky over the water from multiple vantage points along the shoreline. One of the most scenic fireworks shows in North Georgia.
McCaysville/Copperhill Fireworks | July 4 at Dusk
The twin cities on the GeorgiaTennessee border light up the sky downtown, with a unique option to arrive by boarding the Firework Express train from Downtown Blue Ridge.
Old Timers' Parade, Downtown Blue Ridge | July 4
A community tradition dating back to the 1950s, celebrating the 4th and the nostalgic charm of Blue Ridge.
Old Timer’s Parade
Fourth of July Fireworks at Lake Chatuge, Hiawassee | July 4 at 3 PM festivities, fireworks at 9:45 PM. Free admission and parking at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, with plenty of room for families to spread out along the lake.
Fireworks
Fireworks
Festival & Fireworks
BEARS REPEATING BENTLEY’S RETREAT ON OVERLOOK
JUPITER ON THE MOUNTAIN
3 BED | 3 BATH | SLEEPS 8
Highlights
• Wraparound gated deck with hot tub, bed swing, fire pit, and cornhole
• Outdoor dining for 8
• Mountain views from multiple outdoor living spaces
3 BED | 3 BATH | SLEEPS 8
Highlights
• Wood-burning fireplace, espresso machine
• Outdoor pool table, dual arcade units, yoga and fitness equipment
• Large deck designed for group entertaining, 5 minutes to downtown
4 BED | 3 BATH | SLEEPS 10
Highlights
• Spacious multi-level layout with multiple gathering areas designed for groups
• Located in the Aska Adventure Area near trails and outdoor recreation
LABOR DAY WEEKEND
September 5–7, 2026
The mountains in early September offer something summer can't quite deliver: that first suggestion that the air is about to change. The light shifts. The mornings cool off. The leaves haven't turned yet, but there's a feeling that they're thinking about it. Labor Day weekend is the last long exhale of summer, and the Blue Ridge is exactly the right place to spend it.
The trails are still lush. The rivers are still warm enough to wade. The wineries are pouring and the downtown streets in Blue Ridge and Ellijay are worth a slow afternoon. It's a weekend for not rushing, for letting the kids stay up late, for one more bonfire before the season officially changes. The mountains will be here in October too, but there's something particular about these last days of summer that you'll want to hold onto.
Local Events
Labor Day Rodeo at Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawassee | Sept. 5-6, gates at 6 PM, rodeo at 8 PM. A two-night PRCA-style rodeo featuring bucking horses, bulls, worldclass competitors from across the US and Canada, and specialty acts. A genuine family event.
Grape Stomp Festival at Paradise Hills Winery, Blairsville | Sept. 5-6
A beloved end-of-summer tradition at one of North Georgia's most scenic mountain wineries. Check paradisehillswinery.com for dates and ticket information.
Ocoee Whitewater Center
Labor Day weekend is one of the best times to hit the Class III and IV rapids on the Ocoee, the site of the 1996 Olympic whitewater course. Picnic along the river, Native Garden and geology tours, Nature-oriented gift shop. Relax and rock a while!
Blue Ridge Tubing
Just outside Blue Ridge, Georgia, in the heart of the Aska Adventure Area, offers exciting tubing experiences on the scenic Toccoa River. For $20 per person, guests receive a float, life jacket, and shuttle service to the drop-off point.
Rodeo
Rafting
Grape Stomp Festival
Tubing
STANLEY CREEK LODGE
6 BED | 6 BATH 2 HALF | SLEEPS 18
Highlights
• 300 feet of private frontage on Stanley Creek, stocked trout stream
• Inground saltwater pool
• 3 acres in the Aska Adventure Area
• Arcade, and play structure
4 BED | 3.5 BATH | SLEEPS 10
Highlights
• Direct Toccoa River access with hammock, fire pit, and fishing right off the back yard
• Hot tub with river view, covered back deck with outdoor TV and gas grill
3 BED | 3.5 BATH | SLEEPS 8
Highlights
• Hot tub on lower covered deck, enclosed porch with wood-burning fireplace
• Lower-level entertainment room with Murphy bed, wet bar, card table, and fireplace
