Helen GA in December: 12 Best Christmas Things to Do

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I’m sharing the 12 best things to do in Helen GA in December around the holidays, plus Helen’s cozy Christmas events worth the visit.

Helen is a Bavarian-themed mountain village tucked into the North Georgia Mountains. The German style buildings and holiday decor gives a European Christmas vibe, with Helen’s own unique flare. Keep reading for my top recommendations for things to do around the town this holiday season.

 

12 Best Things to do in Helen GA in December

Here are the holiday activities I always recommend to friends visiting Helen.

• Join in Helen GA Christmas events
• Visit Main Street shops and restaurants
• Explore The Christmas Shoppe
• Photos at the 20 foot Christmas tree
• Lock hearts at the Lock Tree
• Gluhwein at Betty’s Country Store
• Dine at Bavarian-themed restaurants
• Stroll the Chattahoochee riverside path
• Wine tasting in Georgia’s wine country
• Mead tasting at Jumpingoat Coffee Roasters and Tasting Room
• Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia
• Learn about Helen’s history at Helen Arts & Heritage Center

Keep reading and I’ll share all the details!

Join in Helen GA Christmas events

The Helen Georgia Christmas 2026 schedule is full of cozy events to kick off the holidays. Even if you’re just in town for the day, you’ll have fun exploring and catching the Christmas time vibes. The holiday lights and decor are on full display in Helen in December.

Alpine Helen (aka downtown) really knows how to go all out for the Christmas season, so there are tons of cute photo ops and shops across town waiting to be discovered.

Here are a few holiday celebrations to add to your Helen bucket list.

Annual Lighting of The Village

Date: November 27, 2026.

You can join the annual tree lighting in Downtown Helen (along Main Street).

The event included live music by local groups, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, and a lot of beautiful decor going up across downtown.

Helen’s Annual Christmas Market (Christkindlmarkt)

Dates: 2 weekends: November 28-29 and December 5-6, 2026.

I love a good Christkindlmarket because it feels like a mini escape to Europe.

Find unique gifts, holiday treats, and ornaments at the Helen Christmas Market. It is hosted by the Helen Chamber of Commerce and located at the Downtown Marktplatz and Unicoi Hill Park.

You can plan your visit for the first weekend to drop in right after the Lighting of the Village on November 27.

Victorian Christmas at Hardman Farm Historic Site

Dates: Select dates in December.

Historic Hardman Farm’s Victorian Christmas event is taking place in December 2026.

The main home is decorated in beautiful time period decor, and actors in period dress are doing live re-enactments.

Plan on an open house style event, marshmallow roasting, candle light, and live music.

Visit Main Street shops and restaurants decked out for Christmas

Walk through the Bavarian-inspired shops and restaurants along both sides of Main Street in Alpine Helen.

Pick up fun (slightly kitschy) gifts, sample bites of fudge, get old timey photos taken, and sip German beers on tap.

If you’re there over a weekend, plan to visit the restaurants and bars (busiest on Saturday nights). This is one of the best ways to see the livelier side of Helen in winter.

Helen GA was used to film Lifetime Christmas movies Christmas Love Letter (2019) and A Taste of Christmas (2020). If you’re a Christmas movie lover, watch the movies before you go and see if you can spot their filming locations.

 

Explore the Christmas Shoppe

While strolling, pay a visit to Helen’s Christmas Shoppe on Main Street.

The shop is filled with Christmas decor for the holiday season.
Check the hours before you go, as they may be limited on some weekdays.

Grab photos at the 20 foot Christmas tree

Stop in the center of town beside the Band Shell Outdoor Auditorium to take in the Christmas lights.

There’s a 20-foot-tall tree decked out in ornaments, a Love Tree where you can add a lock (grab one from a local store), and plenty of Christmas lights for photos.

 

Lock hearts at the Lock Tree

Bring your own lock or buy one from a nearby shop (plenty of the stores sell locks).

Then, add your lock to the Lock Tree or the Chattahoochee River Bridge.

 

Gluhwein at Betty’s Country Store

I highly recommend you visit Betty’s while you’re in Helen. The old time treats nostalgic foods and gifts are really fun to discover.

Then, sit in the heated patio for a cup of holiday cheer, aka gluhwein (German mulled wine). The menu offers hot cocoa, a full bar, and lots of savory foods.

If it’s sunny out, sit on the outdoor patio for optimal people watching. You can stay warm by the fire pit or play a game of giant Stack Four on the lawn.

 

Dine at a Bavarian-themed restaurant

I’ve found the best thing to do is embrace the German cuisine and dive into plates of schnitzel and bratwurst with sauerkraut.

Embrace the festivities and grab a schnitzel or bratwurst and a German beer on draft.

My favorite restaurants around Helen:

• Heidi Haus (Polish fare)
• Troll Tavern (German fare with a river view)
• Christoff’s @ Seventy-Six Bavarian Biergarten
• Hofer’s Bakery and Cafe (German bakery and breakfast)
• Earth Momma’s Kitchen (fresh farm-to-table, amazing breakfast)
• Bangkok Haus (Highly rated, not Bavarian obviously but a perfect break from schnitzel if you need it)

 

There are plenty of good options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you want to make something at your rental, Betty’s Country Market is dependable for groceries and snacks.

 

Stroll the Chattahoochee riverside path

Start by Troll’s Tavern and take the short trail beside the Chattahoochee River. During the summer, the river is filled with tubers floating downstream.

But during winter months, the river is a peaceful spot to walk away from the weekend crowds and enjoy sunny weather.

 

Wine tasting in Georgia Wine Country

December can be a perfect time to visit North Georgia wineries. Things are a little quieter, so you can enjoy your bottle and relax with the best seat in the house.

 

Pro travel tip: Explore North Georgia wine country with my list of top 10 Helen wineries. Plan a half day wine tour or a quick visit to one of the region’s well known vineyards.

Mead tasting at Jumpingoat Coffee Roasters and Tasting Room

Jumpingoat Coffee Roasters is my favorite spot for coffee, mead tastings, and big views of Yonah Mountain. Take your coffee into the enclosed sun room or sit in the adirondack chairs overlooking the mountain.

Jumpingoat also provides cozy indoor seating, a fenced dog park, and a cute gift shop if you want to take a bottle of mead with you.

Pro travel tip: Jumpingoat has two locations and they’re both worth a visit. I talk about their riverside location next to Nora Mill in this article.

 

Hike Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia

You might be thinking, why would I climb a mountain in Helen in December? I get it! The thing is, Georgia winters are mild, and the panoramic views are spectacular.

Plan a visit to Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia at 4,784 feet.

I went for sunrise and now this is one of my favorite hikes in Georgia. You’ll take a 0.6 mile steep paved trail to the top, or you can grab a ride on the free shuttle.

Note that the visitor’s center at the top is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

History at the Helen Arts & Heritage Center

You might be asking yourself how a whole Bavarian town got to the Blue Ridge Mountains (I definitely was).

Great news! You can stop off at the Heritage Center and find out.

While there, catch the 15 minute documentary and peruse historic photos of the town which was an Indigenous American village and later a logging town.

Your favorite part of the center may just be the artist’s market. This is the best place to find handmade art and pottery from local artists in Helen.

 

Pro travel tip: Looking for other Christmas towns in Georgia? You’ll want to check out Dahlonega, one of Georgia’s most beloved Christmas towns. Explore this post for the 11 best things to do in Dahlonega around the holidays.

 

Where to Stay in Helen GA in December

Helen books up fast on Christmas Market weekends (November 28-29 and December 5-6, 2026), so reserve early. Stay in or near downtown so you can walk to the shops, the tree lighting and the riverside path.

Yonah Suite at Viking Hilltop Suites

This is where I stayed, and it’s still one of my favorite stays in North Georgia. The Yonah Suite is a modern two-person suite on a private hilltop right above Helen, with views over town and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s walking distance to downtown but feels completely tucked away, which makes it perfect for a romantic Christmas getaway. Read my full review of the Yonah Suite, and book at vikingluxuryrentals.com with code JANASOLI10 for 10% off. I was hosted for my stay, but all opinions are my own.

Regal on the River

A riverfront cabin in the heart of downtown Helen with a jetted hot tub on a private deck overlooking the Chattahoochee. Inside you’ll find two king suites and two fireplaces, so it’s easy to settle in after a night at the Christmas Market. Guests rate it a perfect 10. Check availability on Vrbo.

The Chattahoochee Charmer

This luxury cabin sits right on the river, about a five-minute walk from downtown. Soak in the hot tub with river views, cozy up by the stone fireplace, and book a private horse-drawn carriage ride into the village for an extra-special date night. It’s roomier than you need for two, but the river setting is hard to beat. Check availability on Vrbo.

Hampton Inn Helen

A reliable pick on the river with easy parking and a short walk into town. Check rates at Hampton Inn Helen.

Want more options? Browse all hotels and cabins in Helen. And if you’re booking a cabin or rental, here are my 12 cozy ways to celebrate Christmas in an Airbnb.

 

Helen in December: what to know before you go

I did some deep dive research on the town out of curiosity.
Here are some commonly asked questions that myself and other folks have about Helen.

Best places to see Christmas lights in Helen

Downtown Helen along Main Street is your best place to see Christmas lights in Helen GA.

Pro Travel Tip: Here’s my list of the 7 best places to see spectacular Christmas lights around Georgia.

Is Helen, Georgia worth visiting at Christmas?

Yes! Helen makes for a very cute Christmas town. It is worth visiting to see the festive Christmas lights and decorated downtown.

From my experience its quieter than both Dahlonega and Savannah this time of year.

 

Does it snow in Helen?

This time of year is chilly, but it rarely snows in Georgia. Helen gets somewhere around 3 inches of snow every year.

Your best chance to see snow is December to February, but don’t count on it.

Wrapping up

This article was all about Helen GA in December. This unique town is a fun winter escape to add to your Georgia bucket list. I hope you have a great trip to Helen for Christmas.

Planning more of your trip? Browse my full Georgia Travel Guide, or find more seasonal getaways in my Holiday Travel guides.