Fall Day Trip to North Georgia: Sunflowers, Pumpkins & Waterfalls

Last fall, we took our family on a fall day trip to North Georgia in the Dawsonville area enjoy sunflowers, pick our Halloween pumpkins, and hike to a waterfall.  We had a lot of fun on this autumn North Georgia day trip and you can too!

We visited Dawsonville in North Georgia in mid-September, because we only had one weekend day without soccer or some other activity scheduled.  It took us about an hour and fifteen minutes to drive there from intown Atlanta.  Our first stop was to see the sunflowers at Fausett Farms.

Fausett Farms Sunflowers

The sunflowers at Fausett Farms are the ultimate photo/selfie opportunity on your fall day trip to North Georgia.  Look for the first sunflower field to begin blooming in mid-September.  They charged an entrance fee of $6 per person and we were able to pay with a card.  You are not allowed to pick any of the sunflowers, but they have some pre-picked flowers available for purchase.

The Sunflowers

We made our way across the bridge from the parking area to the sunflower field.  At 10:30am, the flowers were still facing towards the east.  It rained the night before, so the field was quite muddy.  I was happy that I brought my rain boots. 

My family walked through the sunflowers, stopping for selfies.  They have some tractors available for kids to play on.  We spent about an hour enjoying the sunflower field.

Visiting Fausett Farms Sunflowers during your Fall Day Trip to North Georgia

In the pavilion, we found Ruby’s Recipes Italian Deli & Café selling foodstuffs.  Shaded picnic tables were available to enjoy your meal.  They also sold cut sunflowers and honey from Ellijay. Port-a-potties served as on site facilities. There is a Texaco gas station, not far from Fausett Farms that has nice restrooms and sells all kinds of snacks. Check their website to find out when Fausett Farms is open this season.

Under the Hemlock

We passed Under the Hemlock, which is a Ma & Pa campground with a country store.  The country store sells snacks, boiled peanuts, ice cream, milkshakes, and root beer floats.  Let me know in the comments if you have been here and what you think! It may be a fun stop during your fall day trip to North Georgia.

Burt’s Pumpkin Farm

This pumpkin farm may be the most famous one in the metro Atlanta area.  Burt’s Pumpkin Farm is a destination all on its own and is not to be missed during your fall day trip to North Georgia!  Burt’s has a large, paved parking lot, which I imagine fills up quickly in October. 

BBQ & Picnics

It was lunchtime when we arrived.  So, we made a beeline for the BBQ Shack to order something to eat.  We ordered BBQ sandwiches and nachos for lunch.  We picked up a fried apple pie and a chocolate chip muffin for dessert.  Burt’s has picnic tables on the other side of the stream.  To reach the picnic tables, you need to go back out to the parking lot and across the covered bridge.  You could pack your own picnic lunch too.

Hayride

After lunch, we bought tickets for the hayride at the main barn.  The hayride departed from a spot near the back of the pumpkin patch.  My children remembered this hayride from when they were small and requested to do it again.  The hayride took us through a true pumpkin patch where we could see pumpkins growing on the vine.  Plus, there were zinnia fields.  And Halloween scenes along the way, which will delight young children.  As we retuned, we saw a beautiful view of the mountains and glimpsed Amicalola Falls in the distance. 

Burt’s Farm Market

After the hayride, we perused the farm market, which had an incredible variety of edible squashed and gourds for sale.  Winter squash varieties included Butternut Squash, Blue Hubbard Squash and Red Hubbard Squash.  Dried ornamental corn was available and so much more!

Selecting the Perfect Pumpkin

There are so many pumpkins to choose from at Burt’s!  They have all sizes and all colors at reasonable prices.  One year we bought a huge pumpkin.  We selected one that grew upside down – the stem was on the bottom – so it was not expensive, but still impressive!  Pick out a wheelbarrow and begin inspecting all the choices.  Wheelbarrow drivers must be at least 15-years-old.  The pumpkin selection process is also an excellent time to snap amazing photos.  Once your pumpkins are selected, take your full wheel barrow to the main barn to make your purchase. 

Tip!  Be sure that someone in your party can carry your pumpkin when you get home!

Pumpkin Varieties

Every variety of pumpkin that you know is available at Burt’s.  Plus, more types of pumpkins that you have never heard of before!  Each pumpkin is labeled with an individual price. Signs note whether the pumpkin is edible or not.  Burt’s Farm grows over 20 different types of pumpkins. Some of the varieties include: Goose Bumps, Fireball, Porcelain Doll, Jarrahdale Blue, Polar Bear, and Cinderella – these remind me of Cinderella’s pumpkin coach.

Visiting Burt’s Pumpkin Farm during your Fall Day Trip to North Georgia

We spent almost 2-hours at Burt’s.  We ate lunch, took the hayride, and selected our pumpkins for Halloween. Burt’s offers a BBQ Shack where you can buy a meal or a snack. They have popcorn and other snacks for sale in the main barn. They also offer real restrooms in the main barn. Admission to Burt’s Pumpkin Farm is free. Visit Burt’s website to plan your visit during your fall day trip to North Georgia!

Amicalola Falls State Park

The Amicalola Falls State Park Visitor Center

Right down the road from Burt’s Pumpkin Farm is Amicalola Falls State Park.  The centerpiece of this Georgia State Park is the tallest waterfall in Georgia and one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi.  The Park has a brand-new visitor’s center.  We stopped there to talk to the rangers.  My husband and I wanted to see the waterfall, but we knew that the kids were not up for a big hike.  The ranger had the perfect solution!

The Appalachian Trail

Starting behind the Visitor’s Center, Amicalola Falls State Park offers an 8.5-mile Approach Trail to the famed Appalachian Trail, which begins at Georgia’s Springer Mountain.  The trail runs 2,193 miles to its northern terminus in Baxter State Park in Maine.  The Approach Trail is one of the most popular trails in the park.  It offers a beautiful archway to grab a photo before you begin your hike – however long it may be. 

Viewing Amicalola Falls

Per the park ranger’s instructions, we parked at the West Trail Ridge Trail for the ADA accessible path that took us to the waterfall in less than 10-minutes.  This path is made of recycled tires and slopes gently down to the waterfall.  It is a good choice for wheelchairs and strollers.  We viewed the falls from the viewing platform and got some great photos.  In my opinion, this is the best view of the falls in the park.  The Cherokee Indians called the falls, “Amicalola,” which means tumbling waters.  This waterfall is an impressive 729 feet tall.  It is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia.

Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge

After viewing the waterfall, we drove up the mountain to check out the Amicalola Falls Lodge.  We spent some time on the terrace on the rear of the building enjoying the view.  The dining room for the lodge’s restaurant offered an amazing view also.  In the lobby, you could check in to your room or campsite and sign up for zip line adventures.  Firewood for the campsites is sold at the lodge.  If you wanted to spend more time exploring North Georgia, the Amicalola Falls Lodge looks like an excellent place to extend your fall day trip to North Georgia

The Len Foote Hike Inn

On a previous visit to Amicalola Falls State Park, my daughter and I hiked up to the Len Foote Hike Inn with her Girl Scout Troop.  This is an excellent experience, but it deserves its own trip.  The hike takes anywhere from 2-4 hours to make it to the Inn at the top.  Our hike was 2 hours and 15 minutes.  There were several overlooks to stop, rest, and enjoy the view.  The inn had cookies and lemonade waiting for us in the dining room when we arrived!  The food that the Inn makes is amazing and they offer trail lunches that you can pre-order to take with you on your way back down the mountain.  Hike Inn t-shirts are only available in the store at the top of the mountain. If you want to stay at the Hike Inn, be sure to make reservations months in advance!

Visiting Amicalola Falls State Park during your Fall Day Trip to North Georgia

We spent a little over an hour at the Amicalola Falls State Park.  You could easily spend a lot more time here!  Georgia State Parks visitors must purchase a $5 daily parking pass.  Or you can pick up an annual Georgia State Parks Pass at any Georgia library.  Restrooms are available near the Visitor’s Center and at the Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge.

Wrapping up our Fall Day Trip to North Georgia

My family enjoyed a wonderful day in the Dawsonville area. It was an excellent opportunity to take a break from youth sports – which pulls us in every direction – and spend quality time together. This is a wonderful day trip for couples, friends, and families. We saw and extended family at Bert’s Pumpkin Farm and my husband and I agreed that one day in the future, when we have grandchildren, we would like to spend another day like this with our children and grandchildren. Let me know if you are planning a day trip to North Georgia. Happy Fall!