BesT Trips 8. COZY UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS IN DAHLONEGA With thousands of twinkling lights, brightly decorated Christmas trees, a main square bustling with festive parades, and North Georgia mountains as the backdrop in the cool midst of the winter, you are bound to get into a jolly-good holiday spirit in Dahlonega . With its quaint 1800s storefronts and charming local businesses, the picturesque town is worth a visit any time of the year, but it really sparkles during the holiday season. Each year, the town hosts a monthlong holiday celebration with an Old Fashioned Christmas entailing joyful caroling, an entertaining live nativity, and romantic carriage rides starting the day after Thanksgiving and lasting until mid-January. Watch a live performance of seasonal musicals like “Elf, The Musical” or “A Christmas Carol” at the restored Holly Theater , a community movie theater from the 1940s. You can also shop for artisanal products, homemade chocolates, and unique gifts during the Christmas Market on Candy Cane Lane and at Hancock Park . To create your own cozy memories in Dahlonega, stay at one of many charming accommodations only steps away from the square. Choose from five well-appointed rooms with abundant historic charm and modern amenities at Hall House Hotel . Dating back to 1881, Hall House is the second-oldest building in Dahlonega’s historical square. The newly opened Dahlonega Inn on Main is a renovated Colonial inn from 1846 converted into a seven-bedroom bed-and-breakfast. You can interact with other guests in the welcoming common living room with inviting leather couches and a fireplace, recline with a good book in the rocking chairs on the patio, and admire the original heart-pine wood floors. Delight in the heartfelt hospitality from local business owners as you make your way into Jethro’s Coffee & Public House for a cup of Golden Nugget espresso with turmeric and honey, or Picnic Café and Dessertery for a sweet Georgia peach chicken salad and a slice of decadent carrot cake. End your evening with a cup of hot Costa Rican coffee, a holistic yoga class in a serene glass studio, and live spoken word and music performances at the beautiful social venue Canopy + The Roots . Delight in Dahlonega Nuggets (pecans dipped in caramel and chocolate) at The Fudge Factory , and shop for sweet treats for everyone on your holiday shopping list at Paul Thomas Chocolates . There’s no better way to spend the holidays than with the comforts of a hot beverage and a warm and welcoming community. On your way out, stop by the family-run Barn Hill Tree Farm to choose and cut your own Murray Cypress and Caroline Sapphire Christmas tree to take back from the North Georgia mountains. Gather around their open firepit and take some s’mores for the road. DAHLONEGA GOLD MUSEUM, DAHLONEGA/CALEB JONES EXPLOREGEORGIA.ORG 25
Official State Travel Guide 2025 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 25
