Planning a family vacation sounds easy until you actually start planning one.
The adults want somewhere relaxing.
The kids want something fun.
Teenagers want WiFi and would generally prefer that nobody describe anything as a “family bonding activity.”
And somehow you need to find a destination that keeps everyone happy without spending half the vacation driving from one attraction to another.
That is one of the reasons we love Blue Ridge, Georgia.
Blue Ridge gives families a little bit of everything. You have mountains, hiking, waterfalls, the Toccoa River, downtown shopping, restaurants, scenic drives, outdoor adventures, and plenty of places where you can simply slow down for a while.
So, is Blue Ridge, GA good for a family vacation?
Absolutely.
Especially if you choose the right place to stay.
What Makes Blue Ridge, GA Good for Families?
Blue Ridge works particularly well for families because you do not have to plan every minute of your trip.
There are enough things to do that you can build full days of activities if that is your family’s style.
But you do not have to.
A Blue Ridge family vacation can be as simple as hiking in the morning, grabbing lunch downtown, heading back to the cabin for a few hours, and figuring out dinner when everyone gets hungry.
That flexibility is important when you are traveling with kids.
It is even more important when you are traveling with teenagers.
Everyone gets a chance to do something they enjoy without Mom or Dad needing a color coded itinerary to keep the vacation moving.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Blue Ridge, GA With Kids?
There are plenty of family friendly things to do around Blue Ridge, and many of them get everyone outside without requiring your family to become professional hikers overnight.
Depending on the age of your kids and when you visit, you can spend your vacation:
• Hiking through the North Georgia mountains
• Visiting waterfalls
• Riding the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
• Tubing or kayaking on the Toccoa River
• Fishing
• Exploring downtown Blue Ridge
• Going horseback riding
• Visiting local orchards
• Taking scenic drives through the mountains
• Having a picnic near the river
• Exploring the Aska Adventure Area
• Spending an afternoon at your cabin playing games and relaxing
You can mix bigger activities with slower days too.
That is usually our favorite way to experience Blue Ridge.
Pick one thing everyone is excited about, build the day around it, and leave yourself some room to discover something else along the way.
Is Blue Ridge, GA Fun for Teenagers?
This is one of the questions parents should probably be asking more often.
There are approximately one million articles online about traveling with toddlers.
Teenagers?
Apparently they are expected to disappear until they turn 18.
Blue Ridge can actually be a great destination for families traveling with teens because there are activities that feel like actual adventures rather than things designed specifically for little kids.
Teenagers may enjoy:
• Mountain biking
• Kayaking
• Tubing
• Hiking to waterfalls
• Fishing
• Horseback riding
• Exploring the shops and restaurants downtown
• Taking photos throughout the mountains
• Spending time around the Toccoa River
• Hanging out at the cabin
That last one is more important than you might think.
When you are traveling with teenagers, having a place where everyone can spread out can make the entire vacation better.
Nobody wants to spend four days sitting three feet away from each other in a tiny hotel room.
A cabin gives everyone a little breathing room.
Should Families Ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway?
If this is your first trip to Blue Ridge, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway is one of the area’s best known attractions.
The train departs from historic downtown Blue Ridge and follows the Toccoa River through the North Georgia countryside.
It is an easy way to see more of the area without needing to hike anywhere, which makes it particularly useful for families traveling with a mix of ages.
It can also be a nice break between more active days.
Spend one day hiking and exploring.
Spend another sitting down and watching the mountains go by.
Vacation does not have to be exhausting.
Can Families Go Hiking in Blue Ridge?
Absolutely.
You also do not need to choose the hardest trail you can find just to prove that your family went hiking.
There are trails throughout the Blue Ridge area for different experience levels, including options around the Aska Adventure Area and Chattahoochee National Forest.
If you are hiking with younger kids, start small.
A shorter hike with a waterfall or interesting destination at the end is usually going to go over much better than announcing that everyone is about to walk through the woods for four hours.
For older kids and teenagers, you can look at longer hikes and more challenging terrain.
Just remember to bring water, comfortable shoes, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray during warmer months.
And yes, bring more snacks than you think you need.
What Can Families Do on the Toccoa River?
The Toccoa River is one of our favorite parts of the Blue Ridge area.
During warmer months, families can spend time tubing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, or simply enjoying the scenery around the river.
Local outfitters can help with rentals and transportation, which means you do not have to haul an entire collection of outdoor equipment to Georgia with you.
If you are visiting with younger children, always check age requirements and current water conditions with local outfitters before making plans.
River conditions can change, so a quick check before heading out can save you a lot of trouble.
Is Downtown Blue Ridge Good for Families?
Yes, especially when everyone needs a break from hiking boots.
Downtown Blue Ridge is full of locally owned shops, restaurants, coffee spots, sweets, and places to wander around.
It is compact enough that you can park and explore without turning the afternoon into another expedition.
This is also where letting everyone pick something can be fun.
Someone chooses lunch.
Someone else gets to pick dessert.
Another person finds a shop they want to visit.
Then Dad finds coffee because Dad has been driving everyone around all day and has earned it.
Everybody wins.
What Can Families Do in Blue Ridge When It Rains?
Rain does not have to ruin a Blue Ridge vacation.
Honestly, this is another reason we recommend staying somewhere that is part of the vacation rather than simply somewhere you sleep.
If the weather turns bad, you can explore shops and restaurants downtown or spend some time checking out indoor activities around Blue Ridge.
But you can also head back to the cabin.
Watch a movie.
Play games.
Make a big breakfast.
Have a pool tournament.
Let the kids play video games.
Sit on the porch and listen to the rain in the mountains.
Sometimes the unplanned cabin days end up becoming the days everyone remembers.
What Is the Best Area of Blue Ridge for Families to Stay?
If your family wants to experience the mountains while still being close to downtown, the Aska Road area is hard to beat.
You are close to the Aska Adventure Area, hiking trails, the Toccoa River, and plenty of opportunities to get outside.
At the same time, downtown Blue Ridge is still just a short drive away.
That means you can wake up in the mountains without feeling like every restaurant or activity requires an hour in the car.
For families, that is a pretty great balance.
Is a Cabin Better Than a Hotel for a Blue Ridge Family Vacation?
We are obviously on Team Cabin here.
But there is a practical reason for that.
Families need space.
A hotel can work perfectly well if you are spending nearly every waking hour somewhere else.
Blue Ridge is different.
The cabin can be part of the experience.
Instead of everyone piling into one or two hotel rooms at the end of the day, you can have spaces where the family gathers and spaces where everyone can do their own thing.
You can make breakfast together.
You can have coffee outside.
You can come back for a few hours between activities.
You can put the kids downstairs while the adults relax upstairs.
Everyone gets a little more room to breathe.
And when you are spending several days together, that can be worth a lot.
Where Should a Family Stay in Blue Ridge, GA?
This is exactly what we wanted from the Out of Office Inn.
Our Blue Ridge cabin sleeps up to seven guests and is located in the Aska Road area, close to outdoor adventures while still being about 10 minutes from downtown Blue Ridge.
More importantly, there are things to actually do when you are at the cabin.
You are not just renting bedrooms.
Families can enjoy:
• A private hot tub
• A game room
• Pool table
• Shuffleboard
• Gaming consoles
• Board games
• Six Smart TVs
• Indoor and outdoor spaces to relax
That means coming back to the cabin does not have to mean the fun is over.
Sometimes coming back to the cabin is the plan.
How Many Days Should a Family Spend in Blue Ridge?
For most families, three or four days gives you a great introduction to Blue Ridge without feeling rushed.
A long weekend could look something like this.
Spend your first day exploring downtown and settling into the cabin.
Use your second day for hiking, waterfalls, or the Aska Adventure Area.
Plan another day around the Toccoa River, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, or another larger activity.
Then leave some time open.
This is important.
You do not need to fill every hour.
If everyone is having fun at the cabin, stay at the cabin.
If you pass somewhere interesting, stop.
If the kids want to go back downtown for something they saw yesterday, go back.
You are on vacation.
The schedule does not get a vote.
What Is the Best Time of Year for a Family Trip to Blue Ridge?
Every season gives families a different reason to visit.
Spring is great for hiking, waterfalls, and enjoying the mountains as everything starts turning green again.
Summer brings warmer weather and more opportunities to spend time around the Toccoa River.
Fall is one of the most popular times to visit because of the incredible North Georgia fall colors.
Winter is quieter and can be perfect for families who mainly want a peaceful mountain getaway with plenty of cabin time.
There really is not one universally perfect time to visit.
The better question is what your family wants to do once you get here.
How Do You Plan a Blue Ridge Vacation Everyone Actually Enjoys?
Do less.
Seriously.
One of the easiest ways to turn a family vacation into work is trying to squeeze every attraction, restaurant, trail, waterfall, and activity into three days.
Pick a few things.
Let everyone choose something they want to do.
Leave some room for changing plans.
And make sure the place you stay gives you somewhere everyone actually wants to come back to.
Blue Ridge makes that pretty easy.
You can spend the morning chasing waterfalls, the afternoon exploring downtown, and the evening in a hot tub under the trees.
Or you can wake up one morning, decide nobody feels like going anywhere, and spend the entire day at the cabin.
Both sound like pretty good family vacations to us.
Plan Your Family Vacation to Blue Ridge, Georgia
If you are looking for a family vacation with mountains, outdoor adventures, good food, small town charm, and enough variety to keep both kids and teenagers entertained, Blue Ridge deserves a spot near the top of your list.
And if you want a home base where the family has room to spread out, relax, play, and enjoy the mountains between adventures, take a look at the Out of Office Inn.
We are located in the Aska Road area, close to some of the outdoor experiences that make Blue Ridge special and just a short drive from downtown.
Bring the family.
Make some plans.
Leave a little space for doing absolutely nothing.
Then put the email away.
You are Out of Office.