EVENTS, LIGHTS, & HOLIDAY CABIN STAYS!
If you’re planning a December trip to the North Georgia mountains, here’s what’s happening in town this season, where to see the best lights, and how to make a cabin your home base for the holidays.
Book early: December weekends and the week between Christmas and New Year’s fill quickly in Blue Ridge, and the best cabins go first.
BLUE RIDGE CHRISTMAS EVENTS FOR 2026
| Event | When | Where | Good to know |
| Light Up Blue Ridge | Nov 27-28 (Thanksgiving Weekend) | Downtown Blue Ridge City Park | Blue Friday Shopping, live Christmas music, Santa at the City Park Gazebo, and the Great tree lighting on Saturday night |
| Gingerbread Village | Light Up Blue Ridge Weekend | The Art Center, 420 West Main St. | About 65 community-made gingerbread creations; vote for your favorite! |
| Santa’s Mailbox | Light Up Blue Ridge Weekend, 12-5pm | Downtown Blue Ridge | Kids write a letter to Santa and get a hand-written reply by mail! |
| Holiday Express | Late Nov-Dec 24 | Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, 241 Depot St. | One-hour ride with Santa, hot chocolate, candy canes, and a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” |
| Holiday Pavilion Tour | Select dates | Blue Ridge Scenic Railway | Four-hour round trip with a two-hour layover in McCaysville, GA, and Copperhill, TN |
RIDE THE HOLIDAY EXPRESS
The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway’s Holiday Express is the event families book first. The cars are strung with lights and garland, Santa walks the train for photos, and the concession car serves hot chocolate. Tickets are listed at $56.99 for ages 13 and up, $46.99 for ages 2– 12, and free for infants. Book through brscenic.com as soon as you have dates, because December weekend rides sell out.
SHOP SMALL DOWNTOWN
Downtown Blue Ridge’s boutiques, galleries, and candy shops are a good place to knock out a gift list. Blue Friday deals start the day after Thanksgiving, and the Holiday Market sits near the Gingerbread Village during Light Up Blue Ridge weekend.
Parade times and routes are posted closer to the date. Check lightupblueridge.net or call (706) 258-8289 before you go.
WHERE TO SEE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Downtown Blue Ridge. Once the Great Tree is lit on Thanksgiving weekend, downtown stays dressed for the season. An evening stroll down Main Street after dinner is one of the easiest holiday outings in town.
Mountain Country Christmas in Lights, Hiawassee. The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds on Lake Chatuge turns into a light show set to Christmas music, about an hour’s drive from Blue Ridge.
HOLIDAY CABIN STAYS IN THE NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAINS
A cabin gives you what a hotel can’t at Christmas: a fireplace, a kitchen big enough for a holiday meal, and room for the whole family under one roof . Our four VACAYZY cabins are hosted by the Mullikin family, and every one has a hot tub or fire pit for cold December nights.
| Cabin | Bedrooms/bath | Sleeps | Holiday Highlights |
| River Run | 8 bed, 3.5 bath | 14 | Ellijay River frontage, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, hot tub, game room; 15 minitues to downtown |
| Above The Clouds | 5 bed, 3.5 bath | 10 | Long-range mountain views from every level, fireplace, fire pit; 12 minutes to downtown |
| Creekside | 5 bed, 3 bath | 9 | Fightingtown Creek access, fireplace with firewood provided, hot tub, game room, 2.5 acres |
| Stone Creek | 3 bed, 1 bath | 4 | Secluded creekside cabin with hot tub, fireplace hearth, and fire pit by the water |
All four cabins welcome dogs (non-shedding breeds only at River Run), so the whole family can come home for the holidays!
TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR BLUE RIDGE CHRISTMAS
- Book your cabin now. Thanksgiving weekend, December weekends, and Christmas week are the busiest stretches of the season.
- Reserve the train next. Holiday Express seats go fast once your dates are set.
- Plan around Light Up Blue Ridge. Arriving Thanksgiving weekend gets you Blue Friday shopping, Santa, and the Great Tree lighting in one trip.
- Pack for cold nights. Mountain evenings in December get chilly, which is the best excuse to use the hot tub.
- Stock the kitchen. Grab groceries on the way in so you can cook Christmas dinner at the cabin instead of hunting for an open restaurant.
BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY CABIN
Christmas in Blue Ridge is about slowing down: a train ride with Santa, lights downtown, and a fire at the end of the day. Check holiday availability at VACAYZY and lock in your dates before the mountains fill up. Questions about a cabin? We host every stay ourselves and we’re a call or text away.
VACAYZY
CABIN RETREATS YOUR FAMILY WILL REMEMBER FOREVER.
