The gift shops range from items such as well-crafted homemade dolls, to hand carved wooden bowls, to cheap souvenir items, to mountain folk art.
The restaurants offer a wide variety of excellent food choice from the inexpensive to the gourmet wallet busters.
The food choices range from specialty chef prepared German specialties to the American foods such as BBQ and hot dogs, and even a few Italian spots, and one of the best small family owned Mexican restaurants I've ever eaten at.
There are several open patio diners overlooking the waters of the Chattahoochee River cascading down from the North Georgia Mountains, and there are even a few very inexpensive patio-dining opportunities available such as Jordano's Pizza.
The travel value of Helen Georgia does not stop at the awesome gift shops, or the excellent dining, there's a ton to offer the outdoors type. There is some of the best rainbow trout fishing in Georgia on the river running right through the city. Visitors can literally get a hotel for the weekend right on the trout stream within walking distance of all the gift shops.
Many visitors come here just to catch rainbow trout, and grill them out on the back deck of their hotel.
There are no campgrounds within the city limits, but there are several really nice campgrounds such as Yonah Mountain campground that's just minutes from the main attraction area of Helen Georgia.
There are many unique lodging choices ranging from small ma and pop family owned hotels, to the nicer chain hotels such as Country Inns, and there are also a handful of truly exquisite bed and breakfast spots, along with a few luxury cabins.
If you are a avid hunter, Helen Georgia runs adjacent to the Chattahoochee National forest which offers bear, deer, and turkey hunting in season, and Helen Georgia is a hunters paradise because hunting season all the hotel rates plummet allowing hunters to stay at really nice accommodations, while being just miles from excellent hunting grounds.
Helen Georgia also offers a good old southern style nightlife with a handful of small bar and grills offering live bands, acoustic entertainers, and karaoke.
There is also a choice of outdoor activities such as hiking up the Anna Ruby Falls, hiking down to Dukes Creek Falls, tubing or rafting down the Chattahoochee River, and canoeing or kayaking on the pristine scenic Unicoi Lake.
If your up for a mountain bike excursion through some perfect wilderness trails, you can even rent mountain bikes at Woody's mountain bikes, and they will point you to one of many available trails to hit right outside of their facility ranging from beginner trails to very advanced trails.
So if you and your family are looking for the perfect spot for a relatively inexpensive getaway, Helen Georgia needs to be on the top of your list of destinations to consider.