By: Alli Iler

My best friend had been talking about this trip for weeks.

It seemed to be the only topic of conversation that she wanted to bring up. Sadie went on and on about how excited she was for this “cabin getaway” that we had planned.

Correction: the getaway that she had planned.

I’ve always been a bit of a backseat traveler. I’m terrible when it comes to making plans, so
when Sadie suggested that we go on a trip, I let her take the reins. I’m very much that person
who says “I’m just along for the ride” when it comes to making decisions regarding any kind of vacation. The only downside to this is that it requires me to surrender my rights to make any complaints regarding the trip.

Based on Sadie’s excitement, it was clear that she was confident with the work she had done to get this trip organized. The trip was set to take place in June of 2020. We were still in the eye of the COVID storm, and it was the first time that we had been given the opportunity to travel for the summer. I was heading off for my first year of college in less than two months, so Sadie worked extra hard to make this trip special. It had been a hard year for me. It had been a hard year for everybody. I was battling COVID depression, and I was struggling with the anxiety of starting a new chapter at college. It was a scary time for me, and I was holding on to a sliver of hope that this trip would boost my spirits.

Don’t get me wrong, I was extremely grateful to have a friend who cared so much about making my summer a good one, given the circumstances. The problem was that Sadie didn’t have the best track record when it came to planning vacations.

She didn’t tell me much about the finer details. I knew that we were staying in an Airbnb (Sadie refused to call it anything but “the cabin”), and that there were multiple activities arranged in advance.

That was all I knew. I was practically going in blind. Call me the vacation grouch if you so wish, but I had my doubts about this trip.

June 8, 2020 was our set date to head off to our destination for the “cabin getaway.” The four of us loaded up in Sadie’s 2010 black Ford Escape, and we were off on our way. I kept to myself for most of the car ride. I sat quietly, dreaming in my own head as I watched the world zoom by through the backseat window.

And despite my initial suspicions for this trip, it occurred to me about 30 minutes into our trip that I had absolutely no clue where we were going.

I reached into the front seat, gently tapping Sadie on the shoulder to get her attention. She
reached for the volume knob, turning Alexander Hamilton’s preaching down for a moment to let me know she was listening.

“So…where are we going exactly?” I asked.

Sadie laughed, remembering that I was still in the dark on this.

“Helen, Georgia.” She said.

She turned the music back up without another word.

Helen, Georgia?

I’ve lived in Georgia my entire life. I’ve traveled all over the state. I’m confident in saying that a majority of the cities are familiar to me. Helen didn’t ring any kind of bells.

That was when I relied on my most trusted online friend – Google. I searched Helen, Georgia on its own first. Sure enough, it was a real place.

Helen, Georgia. Population: 531. The total land spreading across a total of 2.1 square miles.
Approximately four and a half hours from my house in Albany, Georgia.

I felt a sense of disappointment in my chest. We were going to a small city (if you could even
call it a city) in the middle of absolutely nowhere. There was no way this was going to live up to Sadie’s expectations. But the backseat traveler in me kicked in, and I kept my mouth shut.
Besides, Sadie put a lot of effort into this – the least I could do was try to enjoy it as best I could.

I didn’t do much digging after that. Sadie intended for this trip to be a halfway surprise for me, so I respected her wishes and left it alone.

I wasn’t sure just what kind of endeavors that she booked from a town so small and so unknown. I hardly expected Helen to be a place bustling with activity.

I was skeptical.

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Sadie wasn’t kidding about the cabin.

The long, gravel driveway crunched under the tires of Sadie’s car as we approached the Airbnb.

It was a two story house with dark red wood panel siding, and a side exterior staircase leading to the second floor. The bottom level of the house was really a basement. There were no windows, and the floors were concrete accompanied with cinderblock walls.

The one bedroom on that floor was the bedroom that Sadie and I claimed. It was the only
bedroom in the house with bunk beds, and due to Sadie’s problem with kicking in her sleep – I called dibs on that one. The room looked like something straight out of The Shining. The walls were dark red, and other than the bed, there wasn’t much else going on in the room.

The basement didn’t exactly make the best first impression. If I were to imagine being
kidnapped, that basement was exactly the kind of place I’d imagine being held hostage. The four of us ventured to the middle floor of the house, hoping that the upper floor was more promising than the lower one.

Much to our surprise (and to my relief, if I’m being completely honest), the upper floors were
nothing like the Russian interrogation basement.

The upper level looked like an actual house with a full living space and kitchen with two
bedrooms off to the side. The windows in the rustic living room were floor-to-ceiling, and they showed off the most beautiful view of the woods that we were in.

I felt the starter spark of excitement in my gut. The house proved itself to be a success, so I saw that as a good beginning to our trip.

I watched out the middle column window while Sadie ran around the house as if it were her own. Just off in the distance, I could see the main street of Helen, which was where we would be spending the majority of our time.

That was where the real test would begin.

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The moment the soles of my lilac colored Crocs hit the pavement of Helen’s main street, I knew something felt different. It was the weirdest feeling when I took that first glance around. I felt like I had been sucked up and removed from the real world and dropped into the smack middle of…whatever this place was. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been out in so long due to COVID, but my initial reaction felt surreal.

Every shop, restaurant and attraction was influenced by German architecture. The town was set up to resemble a small German village out in the middle of nowhere. Red tile roofs were on every building, and every store had giant retail viewing windows in the front. Every structure had its own special color scheme, but the red roofs were clearly the staple of the town.

The landscaping was absolutely beautiful. There were flower beds that were nurturing the most vibrant flowers just about everywhere I looked. The shrubbery was trimmed to perfection, and a few bushes were even crafted to be certain shapes.

There were black lantern street lamps on every corner, and there was a faint sound of running water from the river that flowed just on the outskirts of the town. There was also a more direct and instant sound of fairytale music that drifted into my ears as I traversed through the streets, the melody fading off into the atmosphere just as fast as it had entered the world.

I half expected Snow White to pop up in front of me with her posse of songbirds and seven
dwarves.

What is this place?

I had never seen anything like it. This definitely wasn’t Albany, and it wasn’t anywhere else I
had ever been. Helen was seeping with positive energy. I felt more rejuvenated in the last five minutes that I had been there than in the last three months.

Everywhere I looked, there was something more impressive and intriguing than the last. A
glassblowing shop, a year-round Christmas emporium, a popcorn and coffee shop and low-and-behold a homemade candy kitchen.

I didn’t know what a candy kitchen was, but I was sure going to find out.

Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen. Established in 1973 to bring gourmet caramels, handmade
chocolates, fresh fudge and a peanut brittle to absolutely die for. There was an overwhelming scent of sugary delicacy when I walked into that sweets shop. I think the smell alone was enough to raise my blood sugar a couple of digits. I sampled just about every item in that shop, and I walked out with the best and most worthwhile stomach ache of my entire life.

We visited every store and bought all kinds of trinkets and items that we probably didn’t need.

We met some of the most amazing, hardworking people that I still think about to this day.

The people of Helen were by far my favorite. Each and every person I interacted with was
nothing short of a pleasure to be around. There wasn’t a person there in a sour mood. There were joyous locals as well as visiting tourists at every turn. There wasn’t a single person that wouldn’t take time out of their day to stop and make friendly conversation.

The professional glassblowers in the glassblowing shop were incredibly passionate about their job. They used their talents in such a creative way, and their hard work and love for the craft were clear in their finished products. They told us about their interest in glassblowing and how they became professionals. While the conversation was mainly small-talk and nothing past surface level, it was an incredible feeling to be conversing with a stranger for the first time in a long time.

My first impression of Helen was the first sense of normalcy that I had felt in months. I was
beginning to feel like myself again.

Sadie surprised me with a tubing adventure down the Chattahoochee River, which was not
something I ever would’ve guessed to be on our itinerary. Despite the fact that I wiped out on a rock more than once, I was amazed by the rapids of the river and the critters that inhabited the land around it. We took pictures to last a lifetime, pictures that I still look back on to this day when I need a mood boost.

On the last day, we visited Anna Ruby Falls, a natural site that literally brought tears to my eyes with its glittery waterfall and stunning scenery. It reminded me of how beautiful the world really is, and how there is always something wonderful to see…as long as you’re willing to open your eyes and look for it.

And despite the fact that the world was in such a horrible era, there was still some good left in it.

I felt myself growing more and more exhilarated the longer we were there. It was a feeling that I haven’t experienced in such a way since.

When the end of the week came around, and as we were packing up our things to leave the
Airbnb just as we found it, I had a surprising discovery….

I didn’t want to leave.

I found myself sad and disappointed when I was packing my luggage into the car, dreading the trip back to my hometown. I never laughed and enjoyed myself so much in a very long time. I fully admit that this trip exceeded my expectations. I couldn’t understand how a town as small and simple as Helen could stir me in such a way.

I didn’t realize how much I missed seeing the world and being a part of it. I was reminded of
how important it is to interact with the people around us, and how wonderful it is to experience new things. What I found and experienced in Helen is exactly what the world is supposed to be filled with love and soul enriching. The city of Helen holds more magic than anywhere else I’ve ever been.

A place that offers solace and rest to weary souls in a time of trials and tribulations.