Blue Ridge is one of the more dog-friendly small towns in North Georgia. Downtown is walkable, most shops welcome dogs inside, and there is enough to do for a full day trip with your dog from the cabin. Here is how to spend a day in Blue Ridge without leaving your dog out of it.
Downtown Blue Ridge is a small walkable grid of shops, restaurants, and galleries along East Main Street. The town leans into being dog-friendly — you will see water bowls outside storefronts and more dogs than you might expect on the sidewalks.
Several shops specifically worth knowing about:
An off-leash dog park with a bar. Beer, wine, and snacks for humans. Treats and toys for dogs. Secure fencing, shade structures, and enough space for dogs to actually run. This is the kind of place that exists because Blue Ridge takes its dog-friendly reputation seriously. Vaccination records required. Check their current hours before you go.
View on Google Maps →Just outside of downtown, Mercier is a working orchard that also serves hard cider and wine. Dogs are welcome on the back deck and around the pond while you taste. In fall the apple selection is exceptional.
Mercier sells their cider in glass bottles you can bring back for a refill at a lower price. We bought a bottle, drank it, washed it, and leave it at the cabin for guests. Bring the bottle back and your next fill costs less. Guests have never mentioned it, but there are more bottles in the cabin now than we drank — so someone is using them.
mercier-orchards.com →Right on the Toccoa River with outdoor seating and a dog menu. If you are spending the day in Blue Ridge, this is the lunch or dinner stop. The same river your dog has been swimming in all week, and they are welcome at the table for it. See our full restaurant guide for more options in Blue Ridge.
toccoariversiderestaurant.com →Lake Blue Ridge is a reservoir just outside of downtown. Dogs are welcome at the lake, though access points vary. The Boat Dock Bar & Grill on the lake has dog-friendly outdoor seating. It is a good afternoon stop if you want to get away from the downtown foot traffic.
Boat Dock Bar & Grill →If you want to add a hike to your Blue Ridge day, the Benton MacKaye Trail passes through the area. Dogs on leash. The trail runs through Chattahoochee National Forest terrain and offers a more solitary alternative to the more crowded AT approach trails. Read more about hiking the AT and BMT from our cabin.
Downtown in the morning. Mercier or the lake in the afternoon. Dinner on the Toccoa.