If you are tired of the same old day to day routine and need some time to rekindle the flame and leave it all behind then you are ready for a nice romantic retreat. Ellijay Georgia a only an hour north of Atlanta and less than twenty minutes south of Blue Ridge Georgia. There is nothing more relaxing than a quiet weekend in the Appalachian Mountains. Spend your days in a nice relaxing hot tub and then cuddle up by a warm fireplace in the evenings.

Ellijay Georgia is just south of the Tennessee border and has so much to offer that I think it is one of the most romantic getaways available. You can stroll the quaint little mountain town area and shop for gifts and antiques or take a nice scenic drive up to Blue Ridge and visit the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad.

With the Cohutta Wilderness area that covers over 40,000 acres. You probably know of the mountains in this region as the Smokey Mountains. For those that are adventurous and love the outdoors you can enjoy hiking or mountain biking. The rest of us have wonderful locations to choose from for a cozy picnic for two. Another way to spend your day is to rent a pontoon boat on Carters Lake in Gilmer County or Lake Blue Ridge in Fannin County. Turn off your phone, bask in the sun and enjoy reading or fishing in the cool lake breeze.

Just married? Great! Try a romantic cabin rental retreat for your honeymoon. Pick a nice cozy cabin in the woods away from everyone. No maids or neighbors to spoil this special time. What a way to get a start with your new life as husband and wife. When you get back home your friends will envy the special glow that is sure to show.

What are you waiting for? Find a nice romantic getaway on a creek, a river, or just one that is tucked back in the woods with nobody but the deer and squirrels. Bring your camera because it will be a time to remember that you will cherish forever.

Here are some pictures from my trip to Dollywood. First I have to share the ducks, so cute. It was a little bit cold but still a very nice trip. The lights were amazing. I watch a couple of the shows and they were all Christmas themed like Babes in Toyland and Appalachian Christmas concert.

All of the water rides were closed for the season but the roller coasters were running as usual with plenty of folks lined up to ride them.

I passed on the high speed rides but I did take the train around the park. If you like steam locomotives they have a nice one at Dollywood. I went on the Ferris Wheel too.

At night they had a little Christmas parade and the lights were fantastic. They had lights on everything, all the trees, buildings, even the train. It was a magnificent sight. I highly recommend it.

Here are the ducks in the water. Too cold for me.

I drove through Ellijay and Chatsworth GA today on the way to Pigeon Forge to see the Christmas lights at Dollywood. I noticed the leaves that were left didn’t have any color to speak of but when I got to the Tennessee line things appeared to be a little more colorful.

I enjoyed the drive and experienced a few interesting sights. a donkey farm popped up in the middle of nowhere and that was amusing because at first glance I though how strange all of those horses looked Also saw an orange and white verticle striped house. It was very hard on the eyes, why, why?

I saw a few trains loaded with coal and pondered where they might be headed, coal fired power plants? Probably to supply the increased demand for winter.

Highway 411 was STILL under construction. It seems like it has been years.

When I got to Dollywood it was about 7pm so I arrived just in time to see a short but cute Christmas parade, have some coffee and meet some friends for dinner. The lights were fantastic. I’m going back during the day tomorrow and it should be a blast.