- Hike
Local to Blue Ridge, Georgia is the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. This National Forest is packed with lush terrain, rivers, and waterfalls. Parking is typically free, but many of the roads leading up to the trailheads are forest roads that are dirt, rocky, and unpaved. Some of these roads I would not attempt without an SUV or tuck. Others require crossing a stream in your vehicle. I would highly recommend researching any trail you are going to hike beforehand so that you are aware of these challenges ahead of time. Some of the dog-friendly trails we hiked in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest are Fall Branch Falls Trail, Toccoa Swinging Bridge, Lake Blue Ridge Loop, Long Creek Falls, and Helton Creek Falls. I mostly chose waterfalls because we were hiking in the summertime, and I wanted Max to have the option to swim and cool off in water while on the trail.
2. Shop
There is so much dog-friendly shopping in Blue Ridge! There are antique and thrift stores as well as many dog-friendly stores downtown. We checked out Blue Ridge Flea Market, which was underwhelming, but gave us something to do on a rainy day. I loved Picker’s Barn, about 40 minutes away from Blue Ridge. It had a lot of great antiques as well as cabin decor. It is very spacious so there was lots of room for Max to walk around and sniff everything. Downtown, we checked out Blue Ridge Cotton Company, Blue Ridge Adventure Wear, Humble Pie Boutique, High Country Art, and Gather Blue Ridge.
3. Sip
There are several wineries located in Blue Ridge. We ventured to Bear Claw Vineyards and Winery. It was very dog friendly and we encountered several other furry friends while we were there. There was a live band on the pavilion, as well as a food truck just outside it. I got Max a hot dog from the food truck and sat at one of the picnic tables close to the vineyards with him, listening to the live music. There is a bar in the pavilion where you can order flights of wine. Unfortunately, I was unable to try it out because there was a dog and owner sitting right in front of the entryway and the dog was barking and pulling towards other dogs. Since I was traveling alone with Max, I would have had to bring him with me to the bar and somehow finagle holding his leash, a flight of wine, and narrowly avoiding this dog. Obviously, I bring my dog with me many places, so one piece of advice I have is if you bring your dog somewhere, always sit on the outskirts where you are out of everyone’s way. I do this especially at outdoor patios/restaurants. I always choose a spot in the corner where we will be out of the server’s and other guests’ way. Not everyone likes dogs or wants to walk by a dog. I try to make us as inconspicuous as possible.
