If you just got back, you were probably a week or two late for the Annual Apple Festival. Big Apple country around Ellijay. Ellijay's closely situated near Dalonagah (one of the country's first gold strike town's), Brasstown Bald (highest point in Georgia), Cohutta Lodge (with snow skiing in the winter), Amicalola Park and Falls (A nice park with great water falls, and the starting point for the Appalachian Trail). Also not that far from Helen, with a great Oktoberfest celebration. If you have kids or grandkids, easy drive to the Cabbage Patch Dolls "factory" (kids love it!). An amazing area that gives you all the views, winding roads, small towns, great food locations of the Smokies, without all the traffic!
Pretty impressive knowledge from a Bama boy, huh!
I honeymooned at Cohutta Lodge way back in '81, and did a 25 year anni repeat a couple of years ago!!! Plus, vacation there at least every two to three years. October, leaves turning, cooler weather and the Apple harvest festival. Always busy, and traffic can be a real *****, but lots to do and see. If you do it again and are there during festival time, park inside of Ellijay, and take one of the busses/vans that makes runs back and forth to the fairgrounds. Two years ago, they had one *****ing of a car show there with the festival!