28 | ACTIVITIES DIRECTIONSGA.COM
wood-fired oven; and Happy
Bear Ice Cream & Treats offers
kid- friendly faves like hot dogs
and plenty of flavors of ice cream.
Across the bridge, stop in the
Rum Cake Lady Cuban Café for
the best Cuban sandwiches, coffee
and rum cakes this side of Miami.
#4: Great Shopping —
Inside McCaysville’s Riverwalk
Shops, you’ll find a full assortment
of fun & trendy stores, including River
Laurel Gifts & Boutique, The Pasta
Market, Afrika Corner, Mainstreet
Mutt and Deaf Man Vinyl, and second
locations of Down town Blue
Ridge favorites Blue Ridge Adventure
Wear and The Owl’s Nest.
Down the street, you’ll want to
wander the aisles in Chooch, a
unique store brimming with oddities
and one-of-a-kind finds. Then walk
across the bridge (and the blue line!)
to check out Fat Raccoon Gallery for
local art, souvenirs and provisions.
#5: Craft Breweries —
Copperhill Brewery and Buck Bald
Brewing offer high-quality, diverse
and exceptional-tasting craft beers
in a fun atmosphere.
#6: Horseshoe Bend Park
— Located on the Toccoa River, this
is a favorite spot for picnics, fishing
and relaxing. It’s also a popular takeout
spot for tubing and kayaking.
From May through September, the park
hosts “Pickin’ in the Park,” a gathering
of musicians and music-lovers on
Thursday evenings.
The Old Copper Road,
constructed 1851-1853
and recently restored,
connected the copper
mines with the railhead
in Cleveland, Tenn.
Access the trail at the
Ocoee Whitewater
Center or the upper
rafting put-in.
#7: Ducktown Basin
Museum & Mine — Tour the
historic Burra Burra mine and take a
journey through 150 years of copper
mining. The museum features audiovisuals,
artifacts, photographs and
displays. A favorite stop is an old
mine elevator, now in use as an observation
platform overlooking a collapsed
and flooded portion of the
mine. (ducktownbasinmuseum.com)
#8: Ocoee Whitewater
Center — The OWC was constructed
to host the 1996 Olympic
canoe & kayak competitions. Today,
this 4-acre recreation area includes
a visitors center, environmental education
programs, gift shop, hiking &
biking trails, and waterplay area.
(fs.usda.gov)
#9: Whitewater Rafting
— Take on the challenge of riding
the category III & IV rapids for a truly
unforgettable day on the world-famous
Ocoee River. Whitewater rafting on
this dam-controlled river happens
spring through fall. RaftOne and
Ocoee Rafting are two of the premier
outfitters serving the area.
/DIRECTIONSGA.COM
/(ducktownbasinmuseum.com
/(fs.usda.gov