Looking for a quaint town to explore this Spring? Chocked full of food, history and culture, Blairsville, GA should be added to your destination list. This adorable Georgia is a great addition to your list of Spring travels in
Nestled in the North Georgia mountains, Blairsville welcomes visitors with authenticity, character
Spring Travels in the South: Blairsville, GA
Restaurants:
Hole in the Wall
Established in 1931, Hole in the Wall is Union County’s oldest diner and is in the heart of the beautiful Downtown Blairsville square. The homey restaurant is currently owned and operated by Chef Mark Cox who bought Hole in the Wall in 2006 and returned it to its original glory. The menu is filled with true comfort food like the Moonshiner Special, which consists of 2 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon or sausage, and a choice of biscuits and gravy, two pieces of French toast, or pancakes. On days when the weather is especially nice, the restaurant opens their outdoor patio, with a beautiful view of the historic courthouse. Hole in the Wall is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with breakfast served all day and prime rib served on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Sawmill Place
The Sawmill Place is the go-to restaurant in Blairsville for all things locally-sourced. Their kitchen uses generational recipes and farm fresh products in everything on the menu, which changes seasonally to make sure they are using the freshest produce available from neighboring farms and purveyors. The Sawmill Place Market carries on the restaurant’s farm-to-table and locally-sourced attitude by carrying goods made and harvested in the Tri-State area. The Market offers an array of products ranging from honeys and syrups to soy candles and goat’s milk soap. The Sawmill Place is open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, and breakfast and brunch on Saturday.
The View Grill at Butternut Creek
Overlooking the picturesque Butternut Creek Golf Course, The View Grill offers guests a scenic view of the golf course as well as the breathtaking North Georgia Mountains. The traditional, American menu offers delicious fresh dishes ranging from onion rings and jalapeno poppers to bruschetta and calamari, offering options for every palate. Guests can play a few holes or practice their swing at the driving range before popping into The View Grill for a meal overlooking the mountains.
Copeland’s Burgers and Southern Eats
Opened in 2016 on Merchant’s Walk in Downtown Blairsville, Copeland’s Burgers and Southern Eats has quickly become a staple of Blairsville’s dining scene. The restaurant takes classic burger joint cuisine to a whole new level with a menu featuring gourmet burgers like the Angus Bourbon Burger and flavorful sides like the roasted cauliflower. Copeland’s also offers a full-service bar inside the restaurant serving beer, wine and liquor drinks. Guests can stop by on Thursday nights for a drink and karaoke!
Cabin Coffee Company
Visitors looking for a fresh cup of premium coffee need look no further than Cabin Coffee Company in the heart of Downtown Blairsville. Franchise owners Wayne and Judy Jolley opened the Blairsville location of Cabin Coffee in 2015 in a renovated Chevron station, after owning a weekend home in Blairsville for years and falling in love with the area. They worked with local makers to furnish and decorate the shop, to ensure that, though Cabin Coffee is a national restaurant chain, the Blairsville café still featured the best of the local makers. Cabin Coffee Company’s menu features several single-original coffees, as well as espresso drinks, iced and blended drinks, baked goods, and a variety of breakfast and lunch sandwich options.
Shops:
Alexander’s
Opened more than 60 years ago by Hoyt and Ruby Alexander, Alexander’s Store in Blairsville is a family-owned general store dedicated to friendly service and carefully selected merchandise. The general store has grown a bit since it opened in 1953 as a feed and seed shop and now features more than 50,000 square feet of retail space with an inventory of stylish clothing and footwear for men and women, furniture, appliances, gifts and accessories and sporting goods. The iconic store has now become something of a tourist attraction in the area, but still manages to greet each visitor with the warmth and welcoming of the shop’s first days.
Sunrise Country Store
Located right on the side of Georgia Highway 19, Sunrise Country Store was established as a general store (with rumored bootlegging operations) in the early 1920’s. Stepping into Sunrise is like taking a step back in time, with locally-made honey, soaps and ceramics lining the walls of the original 1920’s building. Visitors can stop by the store for everything from the world-famous boiled peanuts to gasoline out of a fully operational antique pump. Sunrise Country Store was recently named one of “The South’s Most Charming General Stores” by Southern Living.
Sunflowers on the Square
Located on the square in Downtown Blairsville, Sunflowers Antiques & Interiors offers upscale antiques, gifts and furnishings for those who love stylish decor. Owner and operator PJ Bair spent years working as an interior designer before opening her shop in Blairsville. She now frequently visits vendor markets to search for high-quality goods for her store. Visitors looking for unique pieces of furniture or timeless gifts can stop by Sunflowers and get PJ’s professional and knowledgeable advice.
Hello Beautiful
Hello Beautiful is a newly-opened boutique located in the heart of Merchant’s Walk in Downtown Blairsville. Owner Becca Medori personally stocks the shop with the latest trends and fashions for women including dresses, rompers, jumpsuits, graphic tees, and footwear. Hello Beautiful is dedicated to making women look and feel as beautiful as they truly are.
Blue Ridge Cotton Company
Located just off the square in Downtown Blairsville, Blue Ridge Cotton Company offers a variety of Blairsville- and Georgia-specific clothing including t-shirts, sweatshirts, gifts, books, home accessories and more. Blue Ridge Cotton Company is dedicated to supporting their community, and the shop donates 1% of every purchase, every day to a local charity. Visitors can stop in and find all the Blairsville gear and souvenirs they need.
The Wine Shoppe
The Wine Shoppe in Downtown Blairsville is the premier source for global and local wines in Blairsville. The shop carries domestic and important wines as well as craft beer by package and growlers. The knowledgeable staff can assist customers in their quest to find the perfect wine for their palate or help them find a bottle to bring to dinner at Michaelee’s right next door. If they don’t carry a specific bottle, they will have it specially ordered.
Odom Springs Vineyards
Odom Springs Vineyards is a family-owned estate winery located in the rolling hills of north Georgia. The 16 acres in Young Cane Valley on which the vineyards are situated has been owned by the Odom family for more than a century, most recently by the late Earl Odom, namesake of the award-winning Earl’s Reserve Chambourcin, and his wife Gwen, and now by their son and daughter Steve Odom and Shari Odom-Rohrbaugh. Odom Springs has produced many award-winning wines such as their Homemade Sin red blend, which took home the bronze medal from the Georgia Trustees Wine Challenge in 2016. Visitors can enjoy a glass in the tasting room overlooking the acres of grape vines or stay in the cozy OSV Lodge, which can accommodate up to 12 guests.
Events
Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival
Website: www.gamountainstoryfest.org
When: April 12-13, 2019 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Union County Fine Arts Center
Contact: 706-897-8941
Join the Union County Fine Arts Center on April 12-13 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for their annual storytelling festival! Engage with the voices of Appalachia through stories told by a select group of guest speakers and experience an ancient tradition that lives on in modern times. Ticket prices vary.
Spring Arts, Crafts & Music Festival
Website: www.unioncountyhistory.org
When: May 27- 28, 2019 10:00 a.m.- 5:00p.m.
Where: Downtown on the Square
Contact: 706-745-5493
Bring your friends and family to the Spring Arts, Crafts & Music Festival at Downtown Blairsville! From May 27-28 from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., enjoy locally created arts and crafts, listen to live music and chow down on some delicious food. Rain or shine, this festival isn’t an event you want to miss. This event is free and open to all ages.
Friday Concert Series
Website: www.unioncountyhistory.org
When: May 3 – October 25, 7 pm
Where: Historic Courthouse, Downtown Blairsville on the Square
Contact: 706-745-5493
Come enjoy live music every Friday Night from the first Friday of May through the end of October. The Historic Union County Court House will host musical performances from country, folk, bluegrass and several other genres throughout the night. Doors open at 6 p.m. and there is a maximum of 200 seats., so early arrival is suggested. There is no admission fee for these concerts.
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