Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
With its depot right in downtown Blue Ridge, the four-hour round-trip rail experience — running March through December — travels along 26 miles. Hop aboard and you’ll be immersed in the north Georgia forest and countryside, with soothing river and mountain views, including a two-hour stop at the adjacent towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee.
Aska Adventure Area
Whether you’re in the mood for hiking or mountain biking, this 17-mile trail system has paths ranging from 1 to 5.5 miles, chasing streams and climbing to vista points 3,200 feet high. Also here: the Toccoa River, where lazy summer days melt away on the tubing adventures, and the family-friendly Lilly Pad Village, with gem mining and mini golf.
Mercier Orchards
The southeast’s largest apple orchard — with more than 50 varieties of delicious apples — has been family-run since 1943. It houses a market store and farm winery that also produces hard ciders.