When you’re in the North Georgia Mountains, the holidays are always circled on the calendar. Every year the mountains come alive with activity as the Christmas season brings joy to the world. If you want to take advantage of all the mountains have to offer this year, make Unicoi State Park & Lodge your family’s holiday destination.

Start the holidays well with a Thanksgiving feast at Unicoi State Park & Lodge prepared by our chefs. Fill up, because you’re going to need the energy to get to all the holiday fun that awaits.

Pack a swimsuit during your stay. That’s right, a swimsuit in December. The annual Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Unicoi is a local tradition to welcome the new year and is hosted by the Friends of Unicoi State Park. Not for the faint of heart, get ready for a refreshing winter dip and see if you have what takes to endure the chill.

There’s no better way to light up a child’s holidays than with a breakfast with Santa. Sit down with Old St. Nick and Mrs. Claus, enjoy some pancakes, then play games and enjoy some crafts. But leave room for a Christmas feast with The Grinch.

And don’t forget about the spread that awaits on Christmas Day. The Christmas Day Lunch Buffet at Unicoi State Park & Lodge is legendary, prepared by our renowned chefs.

Plan to come back to Unicoi the following week for the New Year’s Eve Bash. Close out 2021 in style and get ready for 2022 with your family and friends and all the beautiful views at Unicoi State Park & Lodge. Overnight stay packages that include admission to the New Year’s Eve Bash will be available starting in December.

There are also plenty of holiday activities to check out in the towns around Unicoi State Park & Lodge.

Lighting of the Village in Helen

The Bavarian village of Helen brings the charm of Germany to the Blue Ridge Mountains. When you stay with us at Unicoi State Park & Lodge, Helen is a quick drive from the lodge. Don’t miss the annual Lighting of the Village ceremony from 5-7 p.m. on November 26, the day after Thanksgiving. Kick off the holidays in style as the entire village of Helen is lit with thousands of sparkling colors for the season. Enjoy musical performances from local acts and meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. The festivities will take place at Riverside Park and admission is free. Learn more at hellenga.org or call 706-878-2181.

Christkindlmarkt

You don’t have to go to Germany to experience its holiday traditions. They are alive and well in Helen. Starting the day after the village is lit, on Saturday, November 27, the City of Helen kicks off its annual Christkindlemarkt, a German tradition combining food, music, and entertainment with markets of imported and local Christmas specialties in the most memorable of holiday atmospheres. The market is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on November 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. November 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on December 4 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on December 5.

Victorian Christmas at Hardman Farm

The Mansion at West End stands in the Sautee Nacoochee Valley at Hardman Farm State Historic Site as a reminder of how life was lived in the Victorian era at the end of the 19^th century. Each year for the Christmas season, the mansion and farm are adorned in period holiday décor and showcases Victorian Christmas traditions. There is live music, docents dressed in their finest 1870s garb and the halls are all lit by twinkling candles. Guests can also vote for their favorite Christmas tree decorated by local community organizations.

Guided holiday tours of the house will be available from 4-7 p.m. on December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, and 18. Admission is $12 for adults, $7 for children 5 and under, and $40 for a family of two adults and their children.

Unicoi State Park & Lodge is the best place to stay for all your family’s Northeast Georgia mountain holiday fun. Get into the spirit of the season now and book your stay so you won’t miss a second.