A local author’s first book covers at least a hundred things to do, see and taste in a multicounty area of north Georgia, which includes Gilmer.
Karon Warren, of Ellijay, said she’s been a freelance journalist specializing in travel stories for several years. She never intended to write a book until the project that became “100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die” came along.
Her book is the latest entry in a series of “100 Things to Do” volumes, which has also spotlighted such Georgia cities as Atlanta, Athens and Savannah.
“A friend of mine was writing a book in the same series on Athens. I’d never thought about doing a book before, but the more I thought about it and saw what was contained in it, the more it looked interesting to me,” Warren said. “I’ve been to a lot of different places in this area and written about (them), so I thought this would be something interesting to put together.”
Warren said Gilmer County’s can’t miss spots featured in the book include wineries, apple houses, the Gilmer Arts Playhouse and plenty of local restaurants and businesses, as well as such outdoor activities as mountain biking and an Appalachian Trail hike starting at Springer Mountain. In featured festivals and special events, the Georgia Apple Festival makes the cut along with Dahlonega’s Gold Rush Days and Helen’s Oktoberfest.
“I’ve done so much in Ellijay and Blue Ridge, those were the top two (places) that I started cultivating a list from. I threw Helen in there because they have a lot to offer, then I started looking at some of the smaller towns to make sure they weren’t overlooked,” Warren said.
“The wineries are all under one listing because, at the time I wrote the book, there was more than 50 wineries in north Georgia. That number is easily above 60 now. I didn’t want to leave anyone out, but I did pick Cartecay Vineyards (for an individual entry). It was the same with the apple orchards. I was able to list the ones we have in north Georgia, but I picked R&A (for an individual entry) because they’re open year-round. They do really well with their year-round offerings, and you can get in and out without feeling rushed.”
Warren said the travel guide features not only places to shop, eat and be entertained, but also free activities folks can enjoy.
“I tried to hit what I know are the popular hotspots around the region, but I also included some personal favorites and asked people for recommendations on places that maybe I didn’t know about. I also tried to include where places have special events and don’t charge,” she said. “I wanted to set it up with things for people of all ages. If you’re looking for something to do with the kids, there are things for that. If you’re looking to get away for the weekend with friends or as a couple, there’s also something for that.”
Other nearby towns covered in the book include Blue Ridge, Jasper and Blairsville.
“If you take a Georgia map and look at Highway 20, from Cartersville all the way across to I-85, then go north (is where I drew from),” Warren said.
Warren has done several promotional appearances and signings for the book since it was first released last fall, many of which have been at locations featured in the book.
“We did a book launch with the Gilmer Chamber first. I’ve also done signings at (places like) Artful Ellijay, the Pink Pig and Cartecay Vineyards. I’m looking into doing some more events where I can speak to individual groups,” she said.
Warren said she grew up in Marietta and, as a child, enjoyed coming to the mountains during summer. Her husband is originally from Gilmer County, and she’s lived here the last 20 years.
Warren doesn’t know if a “100 More Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains” volume will be on the horizon, but she probably knows of enough places to fill that order if needed.
“I’d love for people to tell me what they think about the book when they see it,” she said. “I had one lady tell me that she was surprised by it. She thought she’d done more, but had actually done only about a quarter (of what’s featured in the book) and was looking forward to doing more.”
The book is currently available on Amazon and at Artful Ellijay. Copies can also be ordered at the Gilmer Chamber’s main location and Downtown Welcome Center, Warren said.