Kennedy Creek Resort and the Seasonal Splendor of North Georgia
In America, there are two types of people—those who revere the late-summer launch of pumpkin spice lattes and apple crisp chai teas, and those who berate them—both beverage and imbiber—because it’s still 90+ degrees, and it isn’t fall yet! Regardless of your allegiance, autumn is on the way, and the splendor of seasonal color soon, if briefly, will blanket the North Georgia mountains.
About six hours and 300 miles north of Savannah in Suches, Georgia, Kennedy Creek Resort rests within the hills and folds of Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The 40-acre facility boasts log cabins, yurts, tent camping, and since it’s located less than three miles from the Appalachian Trail, the resort offers hostel beds for hikers needing a break from the mountain. It’s the perfect weekend getaway basecamp for embarking on a range of adventures.
That’s not all.
Kennedy Creek Tavern, located onsite and open Thursday through Sunday for dinner as well as lunch on Saturday and Sunday, serves locally caught trout, pulled pork, crab and shrimp pasta, plus some vegan and gluten-free options. The restaurant touts the distinction of having the only liquor license in Suches, so they have beer, wine, and liquor at the ready.
But it’s the airstrip that really sets the resort apart. There’s not another small aircraft landing field in all of North Georgia, and co-owner, Jere Wood, licensed pilot and single-engine plane aficionado, hosts fly-ins when the weather is clear, especially in the fall. At Kennedy Creek, not only does nature abound, but you might even get a chance to watch planes take off and land and meet the people flying them. Jere maintains the runway and does not charge a fee to access the airstrip.
I met Jere and wife, Claudia, last year at a wedding. I was performing, and Claudia asked if I would like to sing at their resort. After a few rounds of phone and email tag, we booked a date, and I played there for the first time last November.
I was smitten with the beauty of the mountains and taken with the resort’s simplicity. The focus here genuinely is on having quality outdoor experiences, meeting new people, and eating good food. And airplanes, of course. Small aircraft and weekend pilots play a significant role in what makes this place unique.
Since last November, I’ve performed twice and will return for an event at Thanksgiving, having met some remarkable people. Last time, I made friends with a retired forestry professional, a family from Holland, and two Georgia families uniting to homeschool their children, using the resort as teaching laboratory. The kids and I composed a brief song on ukulele about lightning bugs on which we ruminated until we rhymed ‘bioluminescent’ with ‘not like incandescent,’ which works in meaning and rhyme because the glow of lightning bugs produces very little heat.
Truly, I’d found a resonant nerd tribe!
When you tire of geeking out on bugs, trees, birds, and hiking, you can venture down the mountain about 16 miles to Dahlonega, where you’ll find lots of local history, delicious food, shopping, and music. May through October, the town hosts a monthly First Friday series with local bands and musicians. The third weekend in October, Dahlonega celebrates Gold Rush Days, centered on the 1828 discovery of gold in the region. The festival is filled with more than 300 art and craft vendors, more food, and usually coincides with peak fall foliage.
In Dahlonega, I enjoy Bourbon Street Grille. The restaurant serves New Orleans-style favorites like muffuletta, crawfish etouffee, gator bites, jambalaya, and red beans and rice. The Red Snapper Pontchartrain, though, is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. Topped with shrimp creole cream sauce atop a bed of chunky garlic mashed potatoes, the snapper rides upon waves of gustatory delight. And if you can grab a table on the second story balcony, you’ll be privy to the nicest view of Dahlonega’s Public Square.
Also not far is Helen, Georgia, about 30 miles east of Kennedy Creek. Helen is recognized as having the longest running Octoberfest in the nation. This year the 54th annual party begins September 5 and runs through October 27, featuring a community parade, authentic German fare, and live German music—a veritable triumph of beer, bands, and brats. Styled after traditional Bavarian architecture, Helen’s buildings, parks, gathering spots, and meandering Chattahoochee River transport you to another continent and century.
For two months in the fall Helen is one of the state’s most popular visitor destinations. It’s so popular you’ll likely be looking forward to enjoying a quiet walk in the meadow at Kennedy Creek once you’ve explored the boutiques and partaken of so much schnitzel, sauerkraut, ale, and strudel. After the accordion frenzy of rhythmic polkas and boisterous sing-alongs, you might be yearning for an evening bundled up with just your family around the fire pit peering into a sky filled with stars. And instead of pumpkin spice, you and yours will be enjoying the sticky deliciousness of campfired s’mores to satisfy the sweet tooth.
That’s when you’ll be glad to have a tent, yurt, or cabin, where barred owls in nearby branches call to each other, and the sounds of crickets and katydids return soft memories of childhood camping. Where lightning bugs hover soundlessly in the dark thicket. Whether it’s a full day of hiking at Woody Gap or heading to Helen for Octoberfest, you’ll be glad you stayed at Kennedy Creek Resort.
Below is a video showing what the inside of a family cabin looks like—check it out!
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