Picnicking in North Georgia: Best Fall Picnic Spots in Blue Ridge & Ellijay, GA

Fall is one of the best times to enjoy the outdoors in the North Georgia Mountains, and you don’t need a packed itinerary to make the most of it. Sometimes all you need is a picnic basket, a blanket, and a beautiful place to spend the afternoon.

With colorful mountain views, peaceful lakes and rivers, apple orchards, vineyards, and plenty of scenic outdoor spaces, Blue Ridge and Ellijay, Georgia, offer some wonderful places for a fall picnic. You can pack lunch in the full kitchen at your Morning Breeze cabin, build your own picnic with local goodies from Mercier Orchards, bring food along to a North Georgia winery that welcomes picnics, or find a quiet table beside Lake Blue Ridge, the Toccoa River, or Carters Lake.

Here are some of our favorite places for picnicking in North Georgia during the fall season:

Build Your Own North Georgia Picnic at Mercier Orchards

Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge, GA

A visit to Mercier Orchards and a fall picnic seem made for each other. Mercier has a pond that is open for free catch-and-release fishing during regular business hours, and the orchard specifically encourages visitors to pack a picnic basket, spread a blanket beside the water, and make a day of it. Swimming in the pond is not permitted.

Don’t worry if you didn’t arrive with a fully stocked picnic basket. Mercier’s market and bakery are filled with seasonal fruit, jams, jellies, syrups, cider, baked goods, and other treats that make it easy to add a little North Georgia flavor to your picnic.

In the fall, add a few fresh North Georgia apples and an apple pie or fried pie to the basket, and you’ve got a picnic that feels perfectly suited to a Blue Ridge mountain vacation.

Picnic tip: Bring your fishing gear along. Mercier’s catch-and-release pond is free to use during market hours, making this an especially fun picnic stop for families.

Picnicking at Ellijay’s North Georgia Wineries

Fall, and Ellijay wine country go hand in hand. Vineyards, mountain views, and cooler temperatures make this one of our favorite times to spend an afternoon at a local winery. A few Ellijay wineries are particularly well suited to a picnic-style outing:

Chateau Meichtry Family Vineyard & Winery

Chateau Meichtry is another beautiful place to spend a fall afternoon in North Georgia wine country. The family-owned vineyard offers both indoor and outdoor seating in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Live music is currently scheduled every Saturday and Sunday, along with weekend food trucks. Rather than packing a full picnic for this stop, check the winery’s current food-truck schedule and enjoy lunch outdoors with a glass of wine and mountain scenery.

Best for: A leisurely weekend afternoon with wine, food and live music.

Roo Mountain Vineyards

For a more upscale twist on the traditional picnic, head to Roo Mountain Vineyards in Ellijay. Roo does not permit outside food, but gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, charcuterie, and other food are available for purchase. The vineyard is an adults-only destination for guests aged 21 and older.

For a special occasion, Roo also offers private cabanas overlooking the surrounding valley. The cabanas provide private seating along with food and wine service from the Bistro, creating a luxurious picnic-style afternoon without having to pack a thing.

Best for: Couples, adult groups, date days and special occasions.
Bella Vista and Fireside Lodge are just minutes away from Roo.

Best Lakeside Picnic Spots Near Blue Ridge & Ellijay

Morganton Point on Lake Blue Ridge

Few things say mountain vacation quite like lunch beside the water. Morganton Point Recreation Area sits along Lake Blue Ridge and provides picnic tables along with beach access and a designated swimming area.

During warmer fall days, you may still be tempted to put your feet in the water. As temperatures cool, the setting becomes all about the scenery—the lake surrounded by the colors of the North Georgia Mountains. Pack lunch, find a picnic table, and leave some extra time to simply enjoy the view

Best for: Families, couples, lake lovers, and a relaxed fall afternoon.
5 Star Lodge, Eagle Sky, and Lazy Creek are less than 15 minutes away.

Picnic Along the Toccoa River at Horseshoe Bend Park

Horseshoe Bend Park

Located along the Toccoa River, the park offers picnic tables, playgrounds, a volleyball net, and pavilions, and it’s also a popular spot for trout fishing. Bring sandwiches or pack a full lunch at your cabin, find a spot beside the river, and let the afternoon unfold at mountain pace.

Morning Breeze Cabins Near Horseshoe Bend Park

That makes Horseshoe Bend an easy outing: pack lunch at the cabin, spend a few hours beside the Toccoa River, and still have plenty of time to head back for an evening around the fire pit or in the hot tub. If you’re staying with Morning Breeze, you may already be surprisingly close. Cozy Creek, Creekside Hideaway, and Wild Forest Lodge are approximately 15 minutes from Horseshoe Bend Park.

Toccoa River Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area

Another peaceful place to enjoy the river is Toccoa River Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area. The day-use area provides developed access to the Toccoa River along with picnic tables, a paved access ramp for small boats, parking, and other basic facilities. This is a good choice when you want your picnic to be part of a larger outdoor day. Bring lunch, enjoy the river, fish, or simply relax for a while before continuing your mountain adventures.

Morning Breeze Cabins Near Sandy Bottoms

Guests staying at Papa Bear Lodge, Four Ridges Lodge, Just One More Night, and High River Lodge are conveniently located near the Toccoa River Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area. Pack your picnic before leaving the cabin, and you’ll have an easy North Georgia outing without spending much of your day in the car.

Picnic at Carters Lake Near Ellijay

Doll Mountain Day Use Area

For beautiful lake and mountain scenery near Ellijay, head to Doll Mountain Day Use Area at Carters Lake. Doll Mountain has several picnic sites, restrooms, a fishing pier, and lake access. A larger picnic shelter can also be reserved for family gatherings and groups. Carters Lake itself is surrounded by rugged North Georgia foothill scenery and miles of undeveloped shoreline. It’s an especially pretty destination during fall, when a scenic drive to the lake becomes part of the experience.

Treetop Getaway is conveniently located near Doll Mountain, making Carters Lake an easy choice for an afternoon picnic during your Ellijay vacation. Bring lunch, spend some time by the lake, and return to the cabin before sunset for a relaxing evening in the mountains.

Sometimes the Best Picnic Spot Is Your Own Cabin

You don’t necessarily have to leave your Morning Breeze cabin to find a beautiful North Georgia picnic spot. Many of our Blue Ridge and Ellijay cabin rentals are surrounded by exactly the scenery visitors come to the mountains to enjoy: rivers, creeks, lakes, woods, and long-range mountain views. And because our cabins have full kitchens, putting a picnic together is easy!

Pick up apples and baked goods at Mercier Orchards, stop at a local market for cheeses and snacks, prepare sandwiches at the cabin, and take everything outside. Spread a blanket beside the creek. Have lunch overlooking the mountains from the back deck. Eat beside the river. Or turn an afternoon around the fire pit into your own private picnic. Sometimes the best part of a North Georgia cabin vacation is not having to go anywhere!

What to Pack for a North Georgia Fall Picnic

Keep it simple and add a few local touches. Fresh North Georgia apples are an easy starting point. Add cheeses, crackers, sandwiches, fruit, nuts, and something sweet from a local bakery or orchard. Bring apple cider for the kids or pick up local wine when you’re visiting one of the area’s vineyards.

A comfortable blanket is always useful, even when picnic tables are available. Bring reusable plates and cups, napkins, plenty of water, and a bag to carry your trash back out. And don’t forget a sweater or light jacket. Fall afternoons in Blue Ridge and Ellijay can be beautiful and comfortable, but temperatures can drop quickly as the sun goes behind the mountains.

Make a Fall Picnic Part of Your North Georgia Getaway

Fall in the North Georgia Mountains doesn’t have to be about racing from one attraction to another. Some of the best vacation memories can come from slowing down long enough to enjoy where you are.

Pack a picnic beside the Toccoa River. Pick up apples and baked goods at Mercier Orchards. Bring lunch to an Ellijay winery. Find a table overlooking Lake Blue Ridge or Carters Lake. Or simply stay at your cabin and enjoy lunch beside the creek or overlooking the mountains.

Blue Ridge and Ellijay offer countless ways to turn a simple picnic into one of your favorite days of a North Georgia fall vacation. And when the afternoon is over, head back to your Morning Breeze cabin, light the fire pit, settle into the hot tub, and enjoy a cool fall evening in the mountains.

Frequently Asked Questions About Picnicking in North Georgia