Doggie Getaways in Dahlonega, Georgia
- Luie Boone
- Dec 4
- 12 min read
This travel spot is featured in our fourth blog series, Hounds Honored.
Let's take a doggie getaway to Dahlonega, Georgia!
If you've been dreaming of a getaway where you can escape the noise of everyday life and bring your dog along for (almost) every moment of adventure, this is the vacation spot for you. Dahlonega, Georgia, is tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains—which is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Range. Speaking of the Appalachian Mountains, Luie Boone wants to remind you to never whistle in the woods at night there. Why? Well, folklore says whistling can attract malevolent creatures and give away your position to dangerous nocturnal predators (and spirits). His hoomans will just have to say, "Front" or "Come here," when they're calling him over, because whistling is a big no-no.
Dahlonega has an inviting, small-town charm. And even Hallmark would agree! That's right—several Hallmark Christmas movies have been filmed in this town, including Christmas in Homestead and A Taste of Christmas. Luie Boone sure hopes he can be featured in a Hallmark-style movie when his family vacations there. Maybe they'll be filming a movie called Luie Boone Eats Christmas Dinner. After he finishes filming, he'll hang out in Dahlonega's historic town square, where they host a month-long "Old Fashioned Christmas" event with Santa Claus, horse-drawn carriage rides, tree lighting ceremonies, parades, carolers, and more!
Hopefully, while in the historic square, no black bears will wander out. Luie Boone didn't think that'd be an issue, but it turns out the city actually holds a festival called "Bear on the Square" to celebrate (Luie Boone's not sure that's the right word for it; maybe honor?) the day a black bear ventured out onto the square.
Guess what? The town is also considered one of the best places to retire. Unfortunately, Luie Boone's hooman dad won't be doing that any time soon, but that doesn't mean Luie Boone can't stop bringing in the bones and retire down there. Maybe he can search for gold during his retirement years, because Dahlonega was actually the site of the second major Gold Rush in the United States. If Luie Boone can't sniff out some gold himself, he'll sneak into the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site and to try to get a glimpse of the shiny gold. He'll probably get a good history lesson, too, learning about how a Dr. Matthew Fleming Stephenson stood on the courthouse balcony and hollered, "Why go to California? In yonder hill lies more riches than anyone ever dreamed of. There's millions in it." And, in fact, there was. Between the years of 1838 and 1861, the U.S. Branch Mint coined over $6 million in face value. To honor this history, they have been hosting a "Gold Rush Days Festival" for over 70 years!
After Luie Boone's exploration of the historic town square, his avoidance of any black bears, and his sniffing-search for gold, his tummy's going to be rumbling. Thankfully, Dahlonega boasts a variety of tasty dining options. One popular spot is the Bourbon Street Grille, which is situated right on the historic town square (bears stay away!) and inside of the Historic Hall House building. It offers Cajun-Creole dishes and allows dogs on their open air, pet-friendly deck. Luie Boone's going to try to order some of their Gator Bites—sorry to his doggy-cousin Gator!
Another great dining option is the Shenanigans Irish Pub. If anyone knows how to get involved in some silly shenanigans, it'd be Luie Boone. He can't wait to visit this self-proclaimed buzzy pub and try some of their Irish-American dishes. His hooman dad—still upset that he can't retire yet—will be chugging down the pub's diverse beers, while Luie Boone chills on their outdoor patio and listens to live music. His hooman sisters will check out the historic Strickland house that the pub is built in, which features walls covered in customer-autographed dollar bills!
With a fully tummy and day full of adventure, Luie Boone thinks anyone would need a good place to lay their snout down and let out some snores. Dahlonega has several pet-friendly accomodations. One is the Bend of the River Cabins, which is located along the Chestatee River. If you'd stay there, you'd have easy access to fishing and swimming opportunities. Both of which sound paw-some to Luie Boone. But, if you're looking for something more boutique, then you'd be better off staying at the Trahlyta Cabin, the Waterfront Treehouse, or the School House Cottage. Personally, Luie Boone will be staying at the Robin's Nest, which he'll bark more about later.
If you're looking for adventure outside of Dahlonega, don't worry. The nearby towns are just as exciting. One town that Luie Boone suggests you visit is Helen. And no, that's not a person named Helen. It's a mountain town nicknamed the Star of the North. And guess what? It's been made over to look like an old-world Bavarian village. Think heavy timber accents, curved roofs, and gorgeous woodwork. Before it became a replica of a Bavarian alpine town, it was just a little town built along the former route of Unicoi Turnpike—a 1,000 year old Native American trail.
While in Helen, Luie Boone suggests visiting the Unicoi State Park & Lodge. Dogs are allowed, as long as their kept on a short and sturdy leash. The park features over 1,000 acres and the stunning 53-acre Unicoi lake, which Luie Boone will definitely be cannonballing into. He'll also definitely be checking out the mountaintops and trails leading to the Helen and Anna Ruby Falls, because Luie Boone loves waterfalls.
For fiddles in Helen, the Alpine Brew Deck is the place to go. They serve American food and cold beer, and they feature a large, dog-friendly deck overlooking the Chattahoochee River. Interestingly, this river forms a portion of the Alabama and Georgia border, as well as the Florida and Georgia border. While Luie Boone's hoomans think about that, Luie Boone will be grabbing their secret (not-so-secret) doggy-menu from Alpine Brew Deck and ordering one of everything.
The second neighboring town that Luie Boone reckons that you should check out is Blue Ridge. This town was previously inhabited by the Cherokee and other Indigenous peoples. Today, it is home to the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. This is a restored railroad, which offers a four-hour 26 mile round-trip journey. Sadly, no pets are allowed, so Luie Boone will just have to run alongside the train for 26 miles, while his hoomans check out all the fun sights. Don't worry, he can totally run that fast. But, actually, seriously, please don't worry, because Luie Boone's hoomans would never leave him behind. Nah-uh, n-o-p-e, especially considering all the paw-some dog-friendly stuff you can do in Blue Ridge.
There's the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, which features over 860,000 acres of wilderness to explore. Dogs must stay on park trails and be on a leash at all times! That ain't no problem for the expert sniffer that is Luie Boone. He'll have so much fun exploring all of the hiking trails, the starting point of the Appalachian Trail, and 100 miles of trout streams. He won't forget to sneak his Rainbow Trout plushie, Ripple, into his hooman sister's backpack either, so they can check out the rivers and the trouts together. Plus, there's waterfalls!
And after all that adventure, Luie Boone and his hooman's will venture over to the Boat Dock Bar & Grill, which is a casual, dog-friendly dining spot on the shores of Lake Blue Ridge. They say they're dog friendly as long as your dog is friendly. Luie Boone says that ain't a problem for him. He's one of the friendlist pooches around. He could probably befriend the black bear that ventured into the town square of Dahlonega. His hoomans shake their head 'no' at that, but why would you ever listen to Luie Boone's hoomans over Luie Boone himself? It's not like Luie Boone's only thinking about the hot dogs and grilled chicken breasts that he's going to order from the boat Dock Bar & Grill or anything like that.
The final town that Luie Boone recommends that you visit on your vacation out to Dahlonega is Blairsville. This town is nicknamed the City of Mountains. Luie Boone loves mountains, especially when he can climb up to the top and howl to his pure heart's content. And you know what else is pure? The gold that was found in Blairsville. Although Dahlonega was the first site of gold, Blairsville was said to have the purest.
Luie Boone loves sniffing out gold, sure, but what he loves sniffing out even more is... green beans. And Blairsville is the most paw-some place for that, because they host an annual Green Bean Festival in July. Luie Boone will be enrolling himself in the green bean pizza eating contest, thank you very much. His hoomans say that's great and all, but what they find really, super-duper cool is how the only place where the Appalachian trail passes through a man-made structure is in Blairsville at the Walasi Yi Center.
There's also Lake Nottely to check out in Blairsville, which is not just a local recreational resource, but also an environmental tool as it helps generate hydroelectric power! This lake is a reservoir of the Tennessee Valley Authority and was created by the damming of the Nottely River. One last cool spot to check out is the Brasstown Bald, which is the highest mountain peak in Georgia. To reach the peak, dogs can walk the paved trail to the summit or ride on the shuttle bus. Luie Boone doesn't care how he gets up there, as long as he can check out the gorgeous 360-degree skytop views and maybe have a picnic up there with his hoomans. Please pack treats!
If they forget the treats, he'll make them stop at the Hole in the Wall restaurant. Around since 1931, they serve breakfast all day, everyday. Luie Boone will certainly be there everyday, sitting his big tooshie down in the dog-friendly seating area and trying to order the biggest stack of pancakes. He'll add one pancake everyday, and make sure they include a big dollop of whip cream on top.
No matter where you end up, a vacation to the Dahlonega region of Georgia will undoubtedly be unforgettable.
Paws Rest Here
Luie Boone paw-selected this perfect vacation rental for your stay in Dahlonega, Georgia. Check it out below!
Rental Name: Robin's Nest
This rental has 4 bedrooms with 4 beds and 3.5 bathrooms.
It features the following amenities:
Located on a unique portion of Cavender Creek, where the creek splits in two and creates an island surrounded by nature
The steps leading off the house's back bring you down to the creek
Cross onto the island, where you enjoy a nap in the hammock (Luie Boone and his big tooshie will need a boost up, thanks!)
Covered back porch and balcony—paw-some for viewing the creek and the woods
Outside patio
Propane grill with propane provided
Art studio
What does Luie Boone think of this rental? He woofed:
We're heading to Robin's Nest in Dahlonega, Georgia. This is a beautiful home right on Cavender Creek, where the water splits and makes its own little island. How cool! I can already imagine all the sticks, smells, and exploring that I'm going to. I've been telling my otter plushie, Roger, all about it. The house has four huge king beds, a balcony overlooking the creek, a game room, and even a second kitchen downstairs. That means lots of nap spots and plenty of chances for snacks. Roger will be with me for everything—including balcony squirrel patrol, bed snuggles, and lying quietly next to me while I wait for crumbs to drop. They will drop. The backyard sounds amazing, too, with steps leading right down to the creek, a hammock on the island, and a fire pit. Roger says real otters can swim, but since he’s stuffed, he’ll just watch while I splash around. I’ve already started packing, and of course Roger went into the bag first. I can’t wait to run around, nap by the fire, explore the island, and cuddle up at night with my hoomans and Roger right beside me. This is going to be the best trip ever!
Paws Venture Here
Luie Boone sniffed out and dug up these local gems for you to check out while vacationing at Dahlonega, Georgia!
Cool River Tubing
Cool River Tubing offers a variety of options for dog-friendly tubing trips down the Chattahoochee River. Pups are welcome to ride in a tube with their hooman family members (Luie Boone would never ever ride in a tube with a hooman stranger... unless they have tasty snacks, then maybe he'll throw "stranger danger" right out the window). Pups can also ride in a tube of their very own. Luie Boone's not too sure about that. He'd much rather shove his big tooshie in a tube with his hooman sister, Rachel. Please note that this attraction is only open seasonally, so be sure to check their website for the days that they are open and their hours of operation.
Anna Ruby Falls
The Anna Ruby Falls are located in the Chattooga Ranger District. They are a set of twin waterfalls, sprouting from Curtis Creek (150 feet tall) and York Creek (50 feet tall), before merging together to form Smith Creek. These falls are reached by a scenic half-mile interpretive trail, which parallels Smith Creek and ends at the base of the falls. Legend says that a local Confederate soldier named Colonel John H “Captain” Nichols found the twin waterfalls, while he was horseback riding in the area and decided to collectively name them "Anna Ruby" after his only daughter.
Bay's Bridge
The Bay's Bridge is a must-visit with your pooch. In front of the bridge, there's a a memorial on a rock, which memoralizes Elizabeth Smithgall Watts—a professor of Anthropology at Tulane University. Check out the honey bee homes there. May be a good idea to bring bug spray. For more info and directions: please visit: https://www.n-georgia.com/bays-bridge-dukes-creek.html
The Lilly Pad Village
The Lilly Pad Village is located just eight miles out of Blue Ridge. It's designed around a beautiful mountain setting with picturesque views and sounds of nature. You and your pup can explore the area, featuring hiking trails, fishing and a gem store! Luie Boone will totally be buying the sparkliest gem. They also offer ice cream, hot and cold drinks, and snacks, which you can enjoy at one of their picnic tables while taking in the views of the ponds. Please note they have resident ducks who may say hello.
Blood Mountain Shelter
If you and your best friend are up for a challenge, the hike up Blood Mountain is a rewarding trek. It showcases the beauty of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. It's also one of the highest places in Georgia. On the top of Blood Mountain, there is a two-room shelter that was built in the 1930's. The shelter is built from rock and features a fireplace! Just keep in mind that the shelter doesn’t have water or restroom facilities, so plan accordingly.
Hogpen Gap
The Hogpen Gap is one of the six "gaps" of North Georgia. It's an easy hike, where you'll start off with a steady incline that levels off quite nicely. Eventually, you'll get to the top of the steady incline and will see a wooden sign. Go left at that sign and follow the blue blazes. You'll then begin to worm your way along a beautiful trail through forest scenery with breathtaking views between the trees. The trail will then open up immensely and you'll immediately know you are at the gap.
Appalachian Outfitters
Appalachian Outfitters offers dog-friendly activities for hoomans and their pups to enjoy on the Chestatee River in Dahlonega. They offer canoe and kayak trips, where you can enjoy the scenic North Georgia mountains from the water with your best friend. This is a seasonally-available adventure. Luie Boone cannot wait to plop his big tooshie into a canoe and definitely not do a cannonball out of it, causing his hoomans to go tipping into the waters.
Cowboys & Angels Restaurant and Bar
The Cowboys & Angels Restaurant and Bar is a dog-friendly eatery, where dogs can join their hoomans at an outdoor table on their patio. The patio is heated in cooler weather, so Luie Boone doesn't need to make a fashion statement with his orange Carhartt jacket. Instead, he'll just focus his attention on their partial dog menu, which features a doggy burger. Luie Boone would love two, thanks! Their hooman menu features a variety of options—like soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, fried chicken, pasta, and more. Gluten-free options are also available!
Luie Boone's Pet Peeve about
Dahlonega, Georgia
There's just so much to love about this vacation destination, but there's one thing that's got Luie Boone's leash in a twist. He woofed:
I was thrilled when I heard that we’re planning a vacation to Dahlonega, Georgia. There's mountains, trails, and snacks—you know, all the good stuff. But, then, I heard about falconry that they do down there with hawks, falcons, eagles, and even owls. For those who don’t know, falconry is hunting with trained birds of prey! Big birds! Sharp talons! Very judgmental eyes! My hoomans keep reassuring me that we aren’t doing any of that funky falconry business. I believe them. But, honestly, I’d like a heads-up if a hawk decides to swoop past, especially if I’m trying to sniff a tree and do my own business. And to make it worse, Iggy—my trusty stuffed eagle plushie—isn’t coming. My hoomans say I bring too many plushies with me. I say whatever! All that matters it that I may be surrounded by massive flying predators without Iggy, my plush bodyguard. Isn't that just fantastic! Still, I’m really happy to go, because I'm one brave pooch!
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