A Wheelchair Accessible Helen GA Travel Guide: What to Do and Where to Stay

As someone that was born and raised in the state of Georgia, you would probably think that I’ve visited the small town of Helen numerous times. After all, it’s only a two hour drive from my hometown. However, somewhat embarrassingly, I have only been to Helen twice in my life – once in high school, when my German class went for an overnight field trip, and my second, and most recent, visit was just a couple months ago. 

During my trip a couple months ago, I fell completely in love with Helen, Georgia and its unique German offerings. Helen has Bavarian-style buildings, tons of delicious German food, and it has a lot for those that don’t care to experience “the charm of Bavaria, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains” as well. From viewing waterfalls on a nature trail to exploring all of the quirky shops in downtown Helen, you’ll find no shortage of wheelchair accessible things to do in Helen. 

My second trip may have only been two months ago, but I am already looking forward to returning in the near future. Helen is one of the only places in the southeast where you can feel like you’re in Europe while rolling around… and during the pandemic over the past year, I’m desperately in need of a Europe-fix.

Here is my wheelchair accessible Helen GA guide, including things to do and even an accessible cabin recommendation:

Wheelchair Accessible Helen GA Attractions & Things to Do

Charlemagne’s Kingdom

The first must-do on any Helen GA itinerary should be visiting Charlemagne’s Kingdom. Sounds fancy, right?! Well, it isn’t a “kingdom” per say, but it is a spectacular sight to admire. At this attraction, you can see the entirety of Germany, from the North Sea to the Alps, in miniature form. 

Charlemagne’s Kingdom is an indoor model railroad exhibit that depicts the various terrain and architecture of Germany. There are over 400 feet of railroad tracks and the exhibit is about 50 feet long. At its tallest point, the Matterhorn, it is 22 feet high. It is a work of art and quite impressive to view. As the trains move around, you can even hear German music playing through the speakers. 

Charlemagne’s Kingdom is wheelchair accessible on the lower level. There is an upper level, where visitors can look at the exhibit from up above, but no elevator is available. From the lower level, I had a wonderful view of everything though, so I would absolutely suggest visiting. Admission is only $8 per adult. 

Explore the Shops in Downtown Helen

Helen is a very small town, covering only 2.1 square miles, so the downtown area is easily walkable/rollable. While downtown Helen is small in size, it has a lot to enjoy. There are numerous shops and restaurants, and almost all of them are completely unique to Helen. Here are three of my favorite shops to wander into:

The Glassblowing Shop

The art of glassblowing always amazes me. To be able to bend and form glass is just incredible to watch and at The Glassblowing Shop in Helen, you can see it in action. Local glass blowers demonstrate their techniques and you can purchase some glass treasures to take back home. The shop is accessible, but be careful while moving around, so you don’t accidentally knock anything over. 

Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen

If you have a sweet tooth (or 32, like me), Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen should be visited at least once during your stay. If we’re being honest though, I may have visited a few times during my three-night trip. Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen has caramel apples, fudge, truffles, and so many other homemade goodies. The entrance has a ramp, but it is a bit steep. My powered wheelchair handled it very well, but if you use a manual wheelchair, you might need a push.

Windmill Dutch Imports

The Netherlands is one of my favorite countries in the world, so as soon as I saw the exterior of Windmill Dutch Imports, I knew I had to roll inside. This store imports collectibles and food directly from The Netherlands. I loved all of the food options, especially the stroopwafels (you’ve got to try these!!), but a variety of Dutch souvenirs were available as well. It was a pleasant surprise to find this store! 

In addition to the three stores listed above, there are many others as well in downtown Helen that are worth checking out. Just roll around for a few minutes and you’re sure to see somewhere that piques your interest.

Riverside Park

Just a short walk/roll from all of the shops and restaurants in downtown Helen is Riverside Park. This park is away from the downtown area a bit, so there was hardly anyone there when I visited. I had plenty of space to roam around and take in the views of the Chattahoochee River.

Accessible parking spots are available at Riverside Park and there are picnic tables, a pavilion, and a playground. The playground is not inclusive, but wheelchair users can fully enjoy the rest of the park. Even in the grassy/dirt areas, it was smooth for me to roll on. 

The Chattahoochee River runs right by the park, so you will have a fantastic view as you roll around. Benches are available by the water as well if someone with you wants to sit down and unwind for a while. In the summer, you can also watch people tubing down the river from here. 

Eat German Food

Helen is known as Georgia’s “Little Germany”, so of course there are plenty of German restaurants. If you’re craving giant Bavarian pretzels, Wiener schnitzel, or just want some good beer, you’ll love the restaurants that Helen has to offer.

Some of the best German restaurants in Helen include The Heidelberg, Hofer’s Bakery & Cafe, Bodensee Restaurant, and the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant & Pub. Word on the street is that you can’t go wrong at any of these restaurants, but during my most recent trip to Helen, I decided to try out the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant. One of my greatest memories from my trip in Munich, Germany back in 2008 was dining and drinking at the Hofbrauhaus, so I had to see if Helen’s version could live up to it. 

The Hofbrauhaus Restaurant had a huge outdoor dining area right by the river, which was perfect for social distancing during the pandemic. I started by ordering a Bavarian pretzel, which came with beer cheese dip, and it was so good! The pretzel was huge, fresh, and just as good as ones that you can get in Germany. 

For my entree, I had the chicken schnitzel with spaetzle (pan-fried noodles with butter) and a potato cake. Everything was delicious and my tastebuds really thought they were back in Munich. 

The Hofbrauhaus menu had a variety of items on it for any palate, but I would highly recommend getting an authentic German meal. This is one of the best places in Georgia for that and I can’t wait to dine at the Hofbrauhaus again to try some more German specialties. 

Anna Ruby Falls

After eating all of the German food and drinking all of the beer that you possibly can, get outdoors and explore a wheelchair accessible trail. Anna Ruby Falls is in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest in northeast Georgia and is only a short drive from downtown Helen. Admission is only $3 also, making this an accessible, budget-friendly activity during your stay. 

From the parking lot to the base of the falls, it is a 0.4 mile hike. The great thing about this is the fact that the entire path up to the falls is fully paved. It is a wide path, but does get quite steep at times. 

There were a couple spots that I was a little nervous about, but I made it. If you have a powered wheelchair and a companion or two with you, I think you should be fine, but the path would be tremendously difficult in a manual wheelchair or scooter. If you’re feeling brave enough, go for it, but I’d strongly advise that you go with a friend that’s willing and able to help out when needed. 

Almost the entire path runs beside water, so the views, and sounds of the water flowing, make the trek extra special. There are several benches along the path to rest at as well.

At the top is Anna Ruby Falls, the beautiful main attraction. You can see the waterfalls perfectly as a wheelchair user from the base, but a set of stairs can get you a bit closer to them if you’re able to walk. I sat there and watched the waterfalls for about 30 minutes, just taking it all in, before making the trek back down.

Anna Ruby Falls does have a Visitor’s Center and gift shop at the start of the path if you want to use the restroom or grab a souvenir to commemorate your experience. After such a steep climb to the top, you absolutely deserve a souvenir… or just more delicious German food to refuel. 

Lion’s Eye Nature Trail

The Lion’s Eye Nature Trail entrance is literally only a 30 second walk/roll from the Anna Ruby Falls entrance. You can easily do them both back-to-back or even just do the Lion’s Eye Nature Trail if the trek to Anna Ruby Falls is too steep for you. 

This trail is 0.15 mile long, so it’s much shorter, but it was built as a fully accessible alternative to Anna Ruby Falls. Lion’s Eye Nature Trail is fully paved and flat, so it’s easy to roll with a powered wheelchair, manual wheelchair, or scooter. You can admire the flora and fauna along the trail, and Smith Creek runs beside it as well.

For blind travelers, there are numerous Braille signs along the entire trail telling about the environment. Lion’s Eye Nature Trail is really one of the most inclusive trails I have ever seen. I absolutely loved it and was thrilled to see such magnificent access for all visitors.

BabyLand General Hospital 

This attraction is technically not in Helen, but it’s so popular that I had to include it in this article. BabyLand General Hospital is in Cleveland, Georgia, about a 15 minute drive from downtown Helen. If you’ve ever had a Cabbage Patch Doll or even if you haven’t, this is a must-visit. I can promise that it’ll be one of the most unique places you’ll likely ever visit. 

Admission is completely free and the entire place is wheelchair accessible. BabyLand General Hospital is where Cabbage Patch dolls are “born” and you can even adopt one of your own at the end of your visit. 

At the beginning of all self-guided tours, you will learn about the history of Cabbage Patch Kids thanks to various displays. I was a 90s kid, so I didn’t know a whole lot about them growing up, but it was really interesting to learn of their history.

After learning about their history, I entered the Cabbage Patch Mecca, where thousands of dolls were on display. They’re in a giant room and the focal point of the room is “Mother Cabbage”. Mother Cabbage gives birth to a new doll every 30 minutes or so and you can watch the birth (don’t worry, it’s G-rated). 

The birthing of a new Cabbage Patch doll is quite an event, with visitors seeing the ultrasound, yelling “Push, Mother Cabbage, push”, and naming the new baby. After being born, the baby is taken to the nursery and cared for.

After witnessing the birth, you can adopt a Cabbage Patch doll of your own for about $60. You can name your baby and even get a printed birth certificate inside the adoption center. As an adult, this whole process is interesting to observe… to say the least. But kids seemed to absolutely love the experience! 

A visit to BabyLand General Hospital can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how quickly you move through it and whether you go through the adoption process or not. It’s a unique experience that you can’t have anywhere else in the world (and free!), so definitely worth experiencing at least once while in Helen!

Where to Stay: A Wheelchair Accessible Cabin in Helen GA

While in Helen during my most recent visit, I stayed in the awesome River Song cabin. This cabin is just a five minute walk/roll from all of the downtown attractions and restaurants, and it’s fully wheelchair accessible. It can sleep up to four people and you can book it from the Pinnacle Cabin Rentals website.

From the front deck, there is a beautiful view of the Chattahoochee River and a hot tub. As you relax on the deck, you can also hear music from the Hofbrauhaus, which is directly on the other side of the water. This cabin probably has the best location of any cabin in the Helen area. 

River Song cabin has a full kitchen with a refrigerator, oven, and microwave. A grocery store is also located just one block away if you need to stock up for an extended stay. 

The living area has a sofa, which can turn into a fold-out bed, and a TV. The living area and kitchen are both very spacious, so it’s easy to maneuver with a wheelchair. 

There is one bedroom and it has a queen sized  bed. A hoyer lift can easily roll under the bed, but the bed might be a little too high for self-transferring. 

In the bathroom, there is a great roll-in shower, a pull-under sink, and there are grab bars by the toilet. The bathroom honestly could not have been any more perfect for me. 

If you are looking for accessible accommodations in Helen, River Song cabin could be an ideal place for you to stay. Instead of just getting a room in a hotel, why not have an entire cabin to call your own?! Learn more about River Song cabin here.

Helen is Georgia’s third most-visited city, but if you’re looking for an incredibly unique destination with a Bavarian feel to it, Helen should be first on your list of places to visit. Whether for a weekend getaway or a longer stay, Helen has plenty of wheelchair accessible sights to keep you busy and having fun. All you have to do now is start planning your own trip and say “Guten Tag” (German for “hello/good day”) to a new adventure!

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