Apple Festival Lodging 2011

The 2011 Apple Festival is offered by The Villas at Coosawattee River Resort which is minutes from the festival and located in a beautiful gated resort. The resort has rates cheaper than a hotel or motel with one, two, and three bedroom units. Select from cabins, villa, and A-frame units, some of which feature hot tubs, lofts, river views, and mountain scenes.

The resort features amenities exclusive for The Villas' guests and for all ages & interests including six breath-taking river parks, a state-of-the art fitness facility, three pools including a Junior Olympic indoor heated pool, sunning decks, tennis courts, river-side picnicking pavilions & camping with fire pits, fully stocked fishing pond, playgrounds, miniature golf, The Coosawattee Library, a dog park, the Teen Center for family fun, and so much more!

The 2011 Apple Festival is held in Ellijay, Georgia on the Lions Club Fairgrounds on the weekend of October 8th and 9th as well as the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Each festival day starts at 9am with free parking and $5.00 admission (children under 10 free). The festival features 300 unique and distinct vendors ranging from Arts & Crafts to Food to Apple Growers to a Children’s Section to Community Service. The antique car show is featured on October 8th at the Civic Center, and the Apple Festival Parade is on October 15th at 10am.

So, why does Georgia celebrate apples anyway? In the early 1900′s cotton was a large part of Georgia’s economy, but by the 1920’s the boll weevil beetle arrived and practically ruined the cotton industry. Apple orchards saved the day for Georgia, and Gilmer County, by bolstering the economy. In the early 1970’s, Georgia started celebrating the apple for saving the local economy during the hard times created by the loss of the cotton crops.

Come on out to Ellijay, Georgia this October and stay at The Villas at Coosawattee River Resort. Enjoy the resort with all its amenities as well as its close proximity to the Apple Festival. For more information or to make reservations, visit www.thevillasatcoosawattee.com/accommodations.htm or call (706) 276-1075 between 8am & 5pm EST

Apple Festival and October 2011 Specials

Take advantage of more than 40% off of a 7 night stay during the month of October:

• Cabin rates are only $60.00 per night with a 7 night stay! regularly $105.00 per night.
• Three bedroom villas with no hot-tub are only $77.14 per night with a 7 night stay! regularly $135.00 per night.
• Three bedroom villas with hot-tub are only $85.71 per night with a 7 night stay! regularly $150.00 per night. Make a reservation

Stay anytime during the Apple Festival (October 7 - 16) and receive special rates!

• Three bedroom with no hot-tub are only $99.50 per night with a 2 night minimum! regularly $135.00 per night.
  
• Three bedroom with hot-tub are only 104.50 per night with a 2 night minimum! regularly $150.00 per night. Make a reservation

North Georgia Fall Vacation- Apple Festival

Guess all you people must be busy planning for your fall vacation and am sure most of you get the feel, that you are revisiting the same places yet again. If you are the kind of person who would like to experience a new kind of travel and want to expand your travel endeavors. One of the best places to choose will be the North Georgia Mountains. These mountains in North Georgia are part of the Blue Ridge mountain chain which is believed to be a billion years old. This information may give you an old fashioned feel, but the things to do in the mountain are trendy. Be it tubing, hiking, canoeing or kayaking the Georgia Mountains offers you all. This is a place which will woo your lens eye with its cascading waterfalls and sensational scenery. North Georgia Mountains offer you nature at its best.

Fall is one of the best times to visit the Georgia Mountains as they have a number of festivities happening and the apple of the eye is the apple festival. The festival happens in the second and third week of October at Ellijay lions club fairground. The festival has an intriguing history. The story is that the boll weevil which is a beetle, fed on cotton crops which were the major source of income for Georgia. At this juncture when the boll weevil where causing havoc to the cotton crops, the apple was introduced and the apple orchards boosted the economy saving Georgia from the crisis. So in order to show their gratitude towards the apples, the apple festival goes on the floors every October.

This year would earmark the 40th Georgia Apple festival. The festival would consist of a lot of activities and would enthrall audience of all ages. The arts & crafts fair in the festival has been admired by many, they have around 300 artists showcasing their crafty skills in handmade, hand-crafted items. Also the craftsmen would demonstrate how they carve these wonderful crafts. Next to the apple festival will be an antique car show, this would be one loved by the car fanatics.

We got just one advice for those who are planning to go for the apple festival- spend some extra hours at the gym because your taste buds are going to witness the most delicious food, which feels like made from heaven’s kitchen at the apple fest. There are number of delicacies at the apple fest- apple fritters, fried pies, apple breads and much more apple delicacies. It’s very tough to choose your favorite food at the apple fest as every item you have keeps you wanting more. For suggestions I would say don’t miss the Greek salad, fried turkey legs and the steak/lamb gyro. Don’t miss to try the trout which is a local favorite. You got other delicacies lined up your mouth too like the funnel cakes, candy apples, pork skins, rice and more. You have delicious deserts too which make the meal complete.

There are number of activities for kids too like rock climbing, animal exhibits etc. The apple festival costs 5$ for adults and is free for children under 10 but the joy and happiness you get over there is priceless. Stay at The Villas at Coosawattee for accommodations near the festival with prices less expensive than a hotel or hotel, complete with resort amenities! The Villas at Coosawattee has a Recreation Center that is sure to please each and every kid (and adult kid!) in your group with year-round swimming in a Junior Olympic indoor pool, putt putt golf, arcade, fitness center, and more!

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End of Summer Travel and Labor Day Weekend Discounts – North Georgia Cabin Rentals

Need an end of summer get-away? How about the perfect location for your Labor Day weekend? Well, don’t look any further as we have some tremendous ideas that are not only inexpensive but also filled with excitement and fun! Take a trip to the North Georgia Mountains to end your summer with cabin rentals, some tubing or kayaking, live music, and a rustic general store!

With a cabin rental from The Villas at Coosawattee (706-276-1075), you can take advantage of all the fun and adventure inside the Coosawattee River Resort. Along with the rental, all of the resort amenities are at your finger-tips! Renters enjoy three pools, sunning decks, miniature golf, walking trails, fishing, enjoying the six river parks, fitness facility privileges, and so much more. All of the features of a resort are yours for a rate cheaper than a local hotel or motel. Super end-of-summer specials for August and September are sizzling:

o Pay for 3 nights and stay 2 more for FREE!
o Take 10% off the price of a one bedroom cabin if booking for 2 or more nights!

Just outside one of the resort’s gates is The Coosawattee Tubing Company (706-635-1609) where you can take a tubing or kayaking trip down the Coosawattee River. The tubing float is a fun-filled 2-1/2 hour inner tube, and while walk-ins are accepted upon trip availability, reservations are strongly suggested as trips are limited and book fast. Tubing fee is $15.00 per person and includes everything necessary: shuttle service, tube, and life vest. Kayak trips are $25.00 per person / per kayak with reservations preferred. Tubing and kayaking run all summer long and are a perfect way to enjoy those last days of summer.

Pickin' on the Porch in front of The General Store at Eagle Mountain is an event you must not miss this summer. The live music is free (you can’t beat that!) and scheduled the 2ndand 4th Saturday night of each month (weather permitting), with a variety of local entertainment and music from gospel to blue grass to Old Time Rock 'n' Roll. Bring your own lawn chair, pull up your seat next to the bon-fire, and roast some marshmallows while enjoying the entertainment and mountain ambiance!

While taking your get-away in the North Georgia Mountains, be sure to stop by The General Store at Eagle Mountain (706-635-1609) where you can step back in time to slower days of the old general mountain store where friends gather for special activities, every day needs, good food, good times, and arts & crafts. Boasting a full deli, breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, this quaint little gathering spot is a perfect retreat from all of your summer activities. Whether after a tubing float or a hike through the woods, The General Store has something to quench that thirst or take a bite out of that hunger pang. While you’re restin’ and relaxin’, take a stroll around the arts and crafts of the store— it is rustic mountain charm at its finest. And if you need supplies or munchies for your rental with The Villas at Coosawattee, this convenient general store has a nice little selection.

Make it a weekend, a week, or even more! The North Georgia Mountains is your southeast destination summer and Labor Day weekend fun-- at discount prices! The Villas at Coosawattee has accommodations for up to 8 people, and the tubing / kayaking at Coosawattee Tubing Company offers group discounts. And how many people can you fit around a campfire while listening to Pickin’ on the Porch? Bring your group, and that fire surely will be a cozy and accommodating spot for all. And surely, everyone will enjoy the old general mountain store with all of the treats in the little retreat. Certainly a trip to the North Georgia Mountains is the perfect way to end a perfect summer and celebrate the Labor Day weekend.

Summer Retreat Exploring North Georgia

Is the mid-summer, sweltering heat making you want to retreat to the cool mountains? Cool off in the mountains this summer with an inexpensive vacation before the kids go back to school. Take a staycation in the North Georgia Mountains at The Villas at Coosawattee with resort amenities and activities, playing around Ellijay, heading to the local day-spa, engaging in wine-tasting, getting some thrills golf mountain-side, as well as exploring Blue Ridge, Blairsville, & Dawsonville.

Calling all you folks around the North Georgia area! Is that mid-summer sweltering-hot heat making you want to retreat to the cool mountains? Need to take a little vacation before the kids head back to school? Is the economy getting you down with gas prices soaring? Well, we have the perfect solution for you-- a staycation in the North Georgia Mountains ! Whether you live in Atlanta , Athens , Savannah , or from parts of the area within 150 miles of Ellijay, we have a great staycation waiting for you.

First off, The Villas at Coosawattee River Resort is the perfect place to take a staycation. The resort offers a vast array of activities included in the price of the rental (starting around $105 per night). The Recreation Center boasts a Junior Olympic sized heated indoor pool, tennis courts, putt putt golf, arcade games, and a work-out gym with updated equipment. The Teen Center and Pool II are two outdoor pools, and the resort features six gorgeous parks where visitors can engage in activities ranging from fishing, camping, picnicking and grilling, horseshoes, and so much more. And a huge attraction is The General Store’s kayaking and tubing down the Coosawattee River . The location also serves up breakfast and lunch and has many seasonal events such as summer-time Pickin’ on the Porch.

Now for the adventure and fun: head over to The Alley in Ellijay for lots of cool, indoor adventure. Bowling, laser tag, bouncers, build-a-bear shop, arcade games, and a snack bar are all under one roof, making for a complete afternoon or evening of fun. Visit Mini Huck’s next to Wal-Mart for some wet and wild fun with a giant water slide, carousel swings, water balls, jumping pillow, bouncer, and more. Or catch a movie at the quaint East Towne Cinema which features special matinees as well as evening 7pm and 9pm shows.

With a short drive north, take a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad through the beautiful Toccoa River area in a vintage climate controlled or open air railcar. And while you’re in Blue Ridge , be sure to stroll the shopping and dining district for all sorts of gems, treasures, and delicacies. Then further north in Blairsville, The Misty Mountain Train Museum features America 's largest O-gauge train display: 3,400 sq. ft. layout with 14 O-gauge trains traveling on a mile of track over 12 bridges and 4 trestles and through 15 tunnels. Or over in Dawsonville, check out the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, which has free admission and loads of cars on display. Dawsonville also has The North Georgia Premium Outlets where you can find impressive savings at designer, specialty, and name-brand stores.

In regard to the surrounding attractions, several locations can give you a piece of the great outdoors with a dose of the wild. The Kangaroo Conservation Center exhibits hundreds of kangaroos of 9 species, and the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve has over 100 animals onsite with many different species. Amicalola Falls features 729 foot falls, the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River . An 8.5 mile approach trail leads from the park to Springer Mountain , the southern end of the 2,135-mile Appalachian Trail with numerous other trails for shorter journeys. For the adventuresome staycationer, pan for some gold at the Crisson Gold Mine which actually was a pit gold mine that was established in 1847 and worked commercially until the early 1980s.

And don’t forget to take some time to pamper yourself and relax. Spend some time wine tasting, which you could spend an entire staycation in wine-tasting at Sharp Mountain Wineries, Three Sisters, Wolf Mountain, Frogtown Cellars, and Crane Creek—to name a few. Or make some reservations at Spectra Hair & Dayspa for massages, facials, pedicures, and more. And experience the thrill of golfing with one of the best courses in the northwest Georgia area. White Path Golf Course features 18 holes on a beautiful and challenging mountain golf course, with a driving range and practice green available. The golf course is open to the public.

Saving money and staying close to home don’t mean not having fun. Discover what the North Georgia Mountains has to offer while taking a staycation at The Villas at Cooswattee and exploring the North Georgia Mountains. You and your entourage will discover a whole world of adventure and excitement right in your own backyard.

Cool Cabins, Tubing, Kayaking, Swimming to Beat the Summer Heat

Summer-- that time of year to beat the heat! And we know just how to do it: tubing lazily down the Coosawattee River, having an adventure kayaking, renting a cabin in the shady and cool woods, enjoying evenings in a hot tub, and frolicking in a refreshing swimming pool. All of this is waiting for you in one spectacular location, the Coosawattee River Resort in Ellijay. Whether an exciting kayaking trip or a relaxing float down the Coosawattee River, we have the way for you to soothe that sweltering summer sizzle.

Let’s start with the tubing and kayaking: The Coosawattee River Tubing Company just outside the Eagle Mountain Gate of the Coosawattee River Resort is an hour north of Atlanta and an hour southwest of Chattanooga. A fun-filled 2-1/2 hour inner tube float down the Coosawattee River is all yours with the tube, life vest, and shuttle service to-and-from the river for admission price. Kayak trips are also offered by reservation. Each kayak trip lasts 1-1/2 hours which includes equipment and shuttle to-and-from the river. Trips book quickly so availability inquiry and reservation(s) are advised.

Now onto the hot tub cabins: The Villas at Coosawattee located within the gates of the Coosawattee River Resort features four person hot tub villas with affordable prices, comfortable accommodations, and plenty to do for every member of your entourage. Besides the restful and relaxation of the hot tub villas, the rentals boast peaceful river and mountain views, large decks, as well as cool and shady wooded landscape. Throughout the property, abundant amenities are easily accessible, such as swimming pools, fishing ponds and parks, picnic pavilions, sunning decks, and more.

Next is time to let you know about three pools inside the Coosawattee River Resort that are sure to cool down even the hottest this summer. The first is the indoor Junior Olympic-sized pool with 8-feet at the deep-end and a large shallow end for the small ones at the Recreation Center. The pool is enclosed with a sunning deck outside the sliding glass doors. A generously sized kiddy pool is also available at the Recreation Center. The second pool is Pool II which is the smallest and quietest of the pools with a 6-foot deep end. This spot is a calm and peaceful place to relax. The Teen Center features the third pool which is three to five feet deep throughout. The location is family friendly with kids from one to one hundred enjoying the sun and fun. A kiddy pool is also available for toddlers and babies. Usage is included with accommodations rental with The Villas at Coosawattee inside The Coosawattee River Resort.

With all of these cool and refreshing options, beating the summer heat is a synch! With a short drive up to the North Georgia Mountains, the sweltering heat can be chilled with some water fun. Come join us at the Coosawattee River Resort for tubing, kayaking, swimming, and relaxing in the hot tub! The Coosawattee River Tubing Company is located at the Eagle Mountain General Store next to the Eagle Mountain entrance of the Coosawattee River Resort (706-635-1609). And for that sweet cabin, villa, or A-frame in the mountains, please give The Villas at Coosawattee a call between 8am & 5pm EST at (706) 276-1075 or email at info@thevillasatcoosawattee.com.

Inexpensive Ideas for Father’s Day, Forth of July, and Summer Fun

Need some fun and inexpensive ideas of what to do with your dad this Father’s Day? How about some toe-tapping on this Forth of July weekend? Or maybe you just need to add some excitement to those long summer days. Well, don’t look any further as we have some excellent ideas that are not only inexpensive but also filled with excitement and fun! Take a trip to the North Georgia Mountains and have a summer to remember with cabin rentals, some tubing or kayaking, live music, and a visit to a rustic general store!

1. The first tip is renting a quaint cabin from The Villas at Coosawattee (706-276-1075) inside the Coosawattee River Resort. The resort is another fun-tastic way to add excitement to your summer in an economical way. Cabin rentals start as low as $105.00 per night with one FREE night if you book for seven! Along with the rental, all of the resort amenities are at your finger-tips. Renters enjoy three pools, sunning decks, miniature golf, walking trails, fishing, enjoying the six river parks, fitness facility privileges, and so much more. All of the features of a resort are yours for a rate cheaper than a local hotel or motel. What more could Dad ask for on Father’s Day than a trip to the Fish Pond for an afternoon of fishing and picnicking? Or perhaps a round of miniature golf, a dip in the pool, or a hike through the woods?
2. The second idea is taking a tubing or kayaking trip down the Coosawattee River at from the Coosawattee Tubing Company (706-635-1609). If you are staying at The Villas at Coosawattee, the tubing is conveniently located outside of the Eagle Mountain gate. The tubing float is a fun-filled 2-1/2 hour inner tube, and while walk-ins are accepted upon trip availability, reservations are strongly suggested as trips are limited and book fast. Tubing fee is $15.00 per person and includes everything necessary: shuttle service, tube, and life vest. Kayak trips are $25.00 per person / per kayak with reservations preferred. Tubing and kayaking run all summer long.
3. Our next idea is Pickin' on the Porch, which is free, live music featured at in front of The General Store at Eagle Mountain. The entertainment is scheduled the 2nd and 4th Saturday night of each month (weather permitting), with a variety of local entertainment and music from gospel to blue grass to Old Time Rock 'n' Roll. Bring your own lawn chair, pull up your seat next to the bon-fire, and roast some marshmallows while enjoying the entertainment and mountain ambiance! Add some toe-tapping to your Forth of July weekend with a little Pickin’ on the Porch! What a perfect little vacation: a rental at The Villas at Coosawattee, resort amenities privileges, an afternoon of tubing, and now an evening of free live music added to the itinerary!
4. And our last tip is making sure to drop by The General Store at Eagle Mountain (706-635-1609) where you can step back in time to slower days of the old general mountain store where friends gather for special activities, every day needs, good food, good times, and arts & crafts. Boasting a full deli, breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, this quaint little gathering spot is a perfect retreat from all of your summer activities. Whether after a tubing float or a hike through the woods, The General Store has something to quench that thirst or take a bite out of that hunger pang. While you’re restin’ and relaxin’, take a stroll around the arts and crafts of the store— it is rustic mountain charm at its finest. And if you need supplies or munchies for your rental with The Villas at Coosawattee, this convenient general store has a nice little selection.

Make it a weekend, a week, or even more—the North Georgia Mountains is your southeast destination for summer fun at inexpensive prices. The Villas at Coosawattee has accommodations for up to 8 people, and the tubing / kayaking at Coosawattee Tubing Company offers group discounts. And how many people can you fit around a campfire while listening to Pickin’ on the Porch? Bring your group, and that fire surely will be a cozy and accommodating spot for all. And surely, everyone will enjoy the old general mountain store with all of the treats in the little retreat. Hope this helps you have the happiest of father’s days, an explosive happy forth of July, and chillin’ summer!