10 kid-friendly things to do in and near Helen, with hours and admission from each operator’s own page. Georgia Mountain Coaster, 8409 S Main St, Helen: ages 3-6 $10, ages 7-12 $14, adults $18; open every day of the year, weather permitting.
Several pages publish no hours or prices; those say so. Every fact below was read on the cited official page and checked ; anything we could not read is listed under What We Could Not Confirm instead of guessed.
| What to know | Source |
|---|---|
| Georgia Mountain Coaster, 8409 S Main St, Helen: ages 3-6 $10, ages 7-12 $14, adults $18; open every day of the year, weather permitting. | georgiamountaincoaster.com |
| Anna Ruby Falls: children 15 and younger are free; $6 for visitors 16 and older. | gofindoutdoors.org |
| Unicoi Zip Line Aerial Adventures lists the Zipline Canopy Tour as ages 8+, open 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week. | unicoizipline.com |
| The Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau lists 33 family attractions on its Family Fun page. | helenga.org |
Kid-Friendly Things to Do
| Name | Town | What it is | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Mountain Coaster | Helen | A mountain coaster ride; riders can drive alone or ride as a passenger. | Cost: Adults $18; ages 7-12 $14; ages 3-6 $10 Hours: Sunday 10am-7pm; Monday-Thursday 10am-6pm; Friday-Saturday 10am-9pm Season: Open every day of the year, weather permitting (page does not give 2026-specific dates). Access: Page lists rider rules only; no stroller or wheelchair statement. Dogs: Pets and animals are not allowed, including service animals (as printed). Parking: Page does not list parking; says it is within walking distance of downtown Helen. Kids: Passenger: at least 38 inches tall and at least 3 years old. Driving alone: at least 54 inches tall. A driver with a passenger must be at least 16, taller than the passenger, and sit in the back seat. |
| Anna Ruby Falls | Helen | A double waterfall reached by a paved 0.8-mile round-trip trail along Smith Creek, with a visitor center, gift shop and picnic areas. | Cost: $6 for ages 16+; children 15 and younger free Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, last ticket sale 5:00 PM (main season; hours vary by season per CVB page) Season: Open year-round; closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Access: Paved trail, 0.8 mile round trip (CVB page). The operator page marks the Lion’s Eye Trail as accessible. Stroller access not stated. Kids: Visitor center hosts programs such as stargazing and Foxfire viewing (CVB page). |
| Unicoi Zip Line Aerial Adventures | Helen | Guided zip line canopy tours on a closed belay system; the page says the tours are fun for the whole family. | Cost: Zipline Canopy Tour $49-$144 per person depending on level; Moonlight tour $84 per person Hours: 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week; reservations strongly recommended Season: General tours listed as open year-round, 7 days a week. Moonlight Zip Line Tours listed for ‘OCT 24th & 31st’ (year not printed). Kids: Canopy Tour: Ages 8+. Minimum age and weight differ by tour level; specific numbers not printed on the page. |
| Helen Fun Factory & Tiny Towne | Helen | Go-karts, a miniature driving town for children, arcade, laser tag and a train ride, at 115 Escowee Dr. | Cost: Kids Karting $10/race; Tiny Towne Cars $10/race; Train Ride $5/person; Laser Tag $20/person; Lil’ Town $15/person unlimited day pass; Adult Go-Kart $25/race; Double Kart (adult + child) $30/race. Arcade cash only (no price listed). Hours: Page lists most days 12-7 PM, Friday 12-8 PM, Saturday 11 AM-9 PM, but it also mentions a January 20 Monday opening, so the list may be out of date. Confirm before relying on it. Kids: Lil’ Town described as for kids up to 8 years old. Adult Go-Kart needs 58 inches or taller; Double Kart child rider must be under 58 inches. |
| Unicoi State Park (lake beach and family programs) | Helen | Unicoi Lake has a swimming beach open during the summer months; the lodge site lists family programs. | Season: Beach is open during the summer months (dates not published on the page checked). Kids: Listed 2026 programs: Crafting Hour (All Ages) Oct 30, 3-4 pm; Wildlife of Unicoi, Oct 31, 12-1 pm at the Visitor Center, reservations required; Outdoor Family Games, Oct 31, 3-5 pm at the Lodge. |
| Outpost Gold and Gem Panning | Helen | Visitors pan buckets of gold-bearing dirt or gemstones at covered tables, with staff help identifying finds. | Season: Covered tables, so the page says it operates in any weather; 2026 dates not published. Kids: Described as a family attraction. |
| Dukes Creek Mines | Sautee Nacoochee | Gem hunting at shaded panning tables with staff who assess finds; a General Store sells Georgia-grown jams, sauces and boiled peanuts. | Not published on the cited page |
| North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park | Cleveland | A wildlife park with a safari drive-thru and petting farm at 2912 Paradise Valley Rd; animals named include otters, capybaras, sloths and penguins. | Not published on the cited page |
| Babyland General Hospital (Cabbage Patch Kids) | Cleveland | A toy store at 300 NOK Dr where visitors watch dolls ‘born’ from a tree and adopt them. | Not published on the cited page |
| Smithgall Woods State Park (Official site) | Helen | State park with trails, a Discovery Room Museum and educational and interpretive programs. | Cost: Parking fee required; annual passes available; dollar amount not printed on the page. Hours: Park open 7 a.m. to dark; office 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Season: Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Access: Page gives conflicting trail figures (28 miles of trails vs. five miles of trails and 18 miles of roads); trail map PDF linked. Parking: Parking requires a fee. Kids: Guided tours first Saturday and guided hikes second Saturday of each month; trout fishing is catch and release, reservation required, Wed/Sat/Sun Oct-May. |
Helen Tourism Office Family Fun List
- The CVB Family Fun page lists 33 names including Alpine Express, Cool River Tubing, Helen Tubing, Pirates Cove Adventure Golf, Lavendar Lamb Farm and Uhuburg, Eagle Owl Castle; it gives names and links only, no hours or prices. (helenga.org)
- Alpine Express train is stationed at Two Wheel Tavern, 726 Bruckenstrasse, Helen; hours and price not listed. (helenga.org)
- Helen Tubing, 9917 Hwy 75 North: its site prints a promotion of $10 per person every Monday-Friday through the end of the season (excludes Labor Day); regular prices, hours and age limits are not on the page. (helentubing.com)
Map of Kid-Friendly Places Near Helen
Not pinned (no confirmed location yet): Unicoi Zip Line Aerial Adventures, Helen Fun Factory & Tiny Towne, Outpost Gold and Gem Panning, North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park, Babyland General Hospital (Cabbage Patch Kids).
Keep Planning
FAQ
Is Anna Ruby Falls free for kids?
The operator page says children 15 and younger are free and visitors 16 and older pay $6. (gofindoutdoors.org)
What is the minimum age for the Unicoi zip line?
The Zipline Canopy Tour is listed as Ages 8+; minimum age and weight differ by level and are not printed on the page. (unicoizipline.com)
How tall must a child be to ride the Georgia Mountain Coaster?
A passenger must be at least 38 inches tall and at least 3 years old; driving alone requires at least 54 inches. (georgiamountaincoaster.com)
What We Could Not Confirm
- Unicoi State Park day-use parking fee, hours, dog rules and beach dates: gastateparks.org/Unicoi and unicoilodge.com do not print them.
- Hours, prices and ages for Helen Tubing, Outpost Gold and Gem Panning, Dukes Creek Mines, North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park and Babyland: not on pages fetched.
- Helen Fun Factory hours list looks outdated (mentions a January 20 Monday).
- County for Helen items not stated on fetched pages (CVB is named ‘Alpine Helen/White County’); left blank.
- Coordinates not collected.
- Towns shown are the nearest town and were not all read from the cited page.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- Georgia Mountain Coaster
- Anna Ruby Falls (Recreation info)
- Unicoi Zip Line
- Helen Fun Factory
- Unicoi State Park and Lodge
- Alpine Helen/White County CVB Family Fun
- Georgia State Parks Smithgall Woods
- Helen Tubing
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
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Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Helen With Kids”, itsgeorgia.com/destinations/north-georgia/helen-with-kids/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.