When planning a trip to the Oktoberfest celebration in Helen, Georgia, I get excited about the food, especially the food at Bigg Daddys Restaurant. My mouth waters when I think about that place.

Luckily, I was able to combine a trip to the mountains with a stop over in Helen. I made it to Oktoberfest. After walking around the Oktoberfest festivities for a while, I was hungry. I was too hungry for a little snack. I needed some real food. I’d eaten at Bigg Daddys during a previous Oktoberfest, so I knew where I wanted to go, but I didn’t remember how to get there. I asked for directions, and then I asked the million dollar question. Can I walk or should I drive?

One of the people whom I spoke with told me that it was an easy walk to Bigg Daddys. The second person told me that it was a good four blocks away, and I had the impression that she wouldn’t recommend walking. It was humid, and I was already tired, but I decided to walk anyway.

Bigg Daddys is around the corner and down the street from a Wendy’s. It’s a short distance from the “festhalle” which is the Chamber of Commerce building. Once you find it, it’s easy to recognize Bigg Daddys, from its large triangular-shaped roof. There are also signs identifying the restaurant.

When I entered Bigg Daddys I was grateful for the  cool air from the air conditioner. It was a sharp contrast from the muggy air outside.  The place was pretty full and very loud. Many of the patrons had their eyes glued to the TVs, and they would erupt into screams from the plays made in the game they were watching. I assumed that it was a Falcon’s football game.  I was seated in the back of the restaurant, because I wanted to eat inside, and there weren’t many seats left. There’s a large patio where many people were already munching on their food.

I wanted the coolest air from the air conditioner, and I wanted something freezing cold to drink. When the sever came over to take my order, I couldn’t wait to order a frozen drink, but there were no frozen drinks on the drink menu that the server directed me to. I could get something sweet on ice, so I decided to get some sweet tea.

I looked over the menu and couldn’t decide between the fish and the ribs. I had the fish last time, and it was great. That’s why I was back a second time… Should I have something different? I explained my dilemma to the server and she practically solved my problem when she said that I’d get a ton of food if I ordered the ribs.

The ribs came with the choice of two sides, so I ordered fries and macaroni. My server kept my glass of tea filled. A few minutes later, I was so full, that I could not eat another bite. I sat and people-watched for a while. I called my server to bring me the bill, but she was so busy that I had to ask another server to get her so I could pay.

When my server showed up, she had a to-go carton ready for me. I was a bit annoyed that I had to have someone get her, but I got over that when she arrived with that to-go box. I love intuitive restaurant servers.

I’m so glad that I found Bigg Daddy’s, and I chose to eat there again. I tore up the leftovers when I got home later that night. The barbecue had just the perfect flavor. I chose to have sauce instead of the dry rub. The sauce had a smokey flavor. I was glad that the pork was meaty, not fatty. I hate fatty barbecue. I really enjoyed the barbecue at Bigg Daddys, and the fish that I had on my previous trip was good, too. I can’t wait for my next visit there.

Yes. There’s beer at Oktoberfest in Helen, Georgia. There’s plenty of beer to partake in, but this Oktoberfest destination is also oodles of fun for families, also. Helen is naturally beautiful. The city looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. There’s even a store that pays respect to Hansel and Gretel. As I walked down the streets (which thankfully are not cobblestone) I heard a mother tell her delighted young son, “There’s Hansel and Gretel.”

Old Fashioned Fun for Oktoberfest

Helen doesn’t have to don decorations in homage of Oktoberfest. It’s an alpine city year-round. Nestled in the mountains, visitors will find homemade fudge, ice cream, and pretzels sold in the picturesque stores. Horses clop down the street, which is busy with SUVs, sedans, and tour buses. Yet, the horses pulling the carriages seem not to be bothered by all of the racket. The tourists in the carriages are delighted.  A horse walked slowly and steadily in front of my rental car, and I learned another lesson in patience.

I walked past a little old man playing the drums on the sidewalk. A couple of bystanders were drawn to him and chatted with him. Another performer sung German songs under a shelter,  and down the street yet another singer sung upbeat melodies on a stage. His audience members were ordering up all of the beer they could handle. Their voices were animated and jovial, festive. I’m not a beer drinker, but I thought about joining them for a hot minute. I didn’t, because there was so much more to see.

Festhalle Fun at Oktoberfest in Helen Georgia

The Chamber of Commerce building is the home of the Festhalle, an indoor venue with scheduled shows and plenty of singing, dancing and beer-drinking. ID’s are required to drink, but all ages are invited. There’s even a dance floor for the kiddies, and children under 6 can enter the for free. It’s half-price for kids who are 6 to 12. Admission is $8 Monday through Fridays. It’s $10 for adults on Saturdays, and it’s free to get in on Sundays. The Festhalle is open in the evenings, from 6 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. from Mondays thru Thursdays and 6 p.m. until midnight on Fridays, 1 p.m. until midnight on Saturdays and 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Sundays.  There’s more information about the Festhalle in Helen, Georgia on this calendar.

During the daytime hours, I saw dozens of people walking. Many people had pets with them. Pets are allowed in an area of the Festhalle, I read, but you should ask the Oktoberfest organizers first, to be sure. I even saw a sign in front of one of the small restaurants on the main drag, which said that the restaurant accepts well-mannered leashed pets. Not all restaurants accept, pets, though. However, some of them have outdoor seating, so you’ll have a better chance getting those restaurants to accept your pets.

To take a break from the excitement, some visitors like to float down the Chattahoochee River to relax and cool off.  Cool River Tubing is one of the popular companies for this activity. You’ll probably see a Cool Tubing bus going down the street during your visit. The water is calm and the breeze will feel great. It can get hot in Helen, even in the fall.

In the If these Woods Could Talk episode, (Season 9, Episode 13) Sheree Whitfield talked to Marlo Hampton about the other women talking about each other’s backs on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Marlo advised her to say something to both parties who were continuously saying not-so-nice things about their friends without their knowledge.

First, the girls had to pitch their own tent. Jason, the camping expert took only a few minutes to pitch his tent. It took them at least two hours to assemble their tents.

At the campfire, Marlo and Kenya Moore had words over Kenya not inviting Marlo to her party. Kenya apparently thought that everything was settled after she apologized but Marlo was still angry after the apology. That was apparent when she called her a bitch. Marlo had some low blows. She told Kenya that she couldn’t even keep a broke man, and that if “a person’s momma didn’t even want to be bothered by her, you know something’s wrong with them.”

Even Kandi said that Marlo shouldn’t have hit like that. Marlo asked Kenya if she wanted her lifestyle and Kenya came back with saying that no one wanted her lifestyle, because no one wanted to be a prostitute.

Phaedra Parks tried to pull the argument back by saying that they all needed to make a conscious effort to change. They had come there for unity. The next time, they were going to come together for team building. So, they woke up at 7 am to start a new day at the camp.

If These Woods Could Talk: Photo by: Alex Martinez/Bravo

Kenya was actually in charge of the second day of activities.  Over breakfast, the topic of Phaedra’s and Cynthia’s divorces came up. Phaedra said that she was going to be divorced soon, and everyone was surprised that it was taking so long, since she filed for divorce a year earlier. Meanwhile, Cynthia’s divorce was going to be finalized soon and she was upset that Peter wasn’t coming to the final court appearance for it. Cynthia felt that they owed it to each other to make their divorce official in person. The other women hugged her and supported Cynthia when she teared up over breakfast.

For the women’s next adventure camping, they went out on paddle boats and kayaks. They complained about the water being dirty.

Sheree said that the water stunk and screamed about sitting in the water in the boat. Apparently the boat had a capacity of 150 pounds and these women definitely put it over capacity.

Next they went ziplining. They climbed up 100 feet. Kenya went first.  Marlo went next. Kandi floated down, gracefully.

Porsha was probably the most scared, because she said that she didn’t even like seesaws. The wall that they went up was the World’s Tallest Free Standing Climbing Wall. They all supported each other and gave each other their props.

If These Woods Could Talk: Photo by: Annette Brown/Bravo

If These Woods Could Talk: Spilling Tea

At dinner that night, they reflected on their positive energy. Kenya said that she was upset that she had hurt Marlo and she apologized. Marlo  felt that since everyone was being real, she wanted to openly discuss the issue of talking behind each other’s backs. So, she asked Kandi if she was a lesbian. Porsha seemed to be the most shocked asking, “Who said that?” And of course it turns out that Porsha was the one who said it. Kandi wanted to know who said it.

Porsha and Phaedra were quiet and not saying anything. Sheree finally recounted how Porsha insinuated that Kandi was in the closet. Porsha said that she said it, but she was trying to figure out why she said it and it was her being shady. But when it was brought up that Kandi had sex with Shamea no one fessed up to who said it (although it was Phaedra who said it).  Kandi said that she couldn’t take Porsha because she tried to cover things up instead of being open.

And Kandi admitted that although she tried being with a woman, she didn’t do anything more than what Porsha had done.

Back in the room the talked about what happened at dinner. They laughed about how Porsha acted as though she was so innocent when she had done her share of talking. Kandi told her group of friends that Porsha did more than a little bit with a woman and she shouldn’t talk about Kandi’s sex life. And Porsha told her friends that she knew about Kandi’s personal business, but Kandi didn’t know about her sex life. They had dirt on each other and threatened to tell all if forced to.

Real Housewives of Atlanta Travel Destination Focus: Banning Mills Retreat and Adventure Center

In the If These Woods Could Talk episode (Season 13, Episode 9) the women glamped at The Banning Mills Retreat and Adventure Center, a resort and retreat center with a bed and breakfast. The center is located on 300 acres and is a 45-minute drive away from Atlanta, in the historic town of Banning Mills (also called Whitesburg, Georgia). The retreat is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the World’s Largest Zipline and Canopy Tour Destination.

Images of Banning Mills, courtesy of Historic Banning Mills

Where Did the Real Housewives of Atlanta Stay in Mexico?

The Real Housewives of Atlanta planned yet another trip. This time the ladies and gentlemen from Real Housewives of Atlanta journeyed to Mexico where they stayed at the El Dorado Royale, According to Tamara Tattles. The El Dorado Royale is a luxury AAA four diamond hotel in the Riviera Maya. An adults-only resort, the El Dorado Royale has in-suite Jacuzzis, onsite restaurants, entertainment, and there’s a spa and beauty salon right on the property. The Real Housewives of Atlanta have been getting around. Earlier in this season, the housewives went to Savannah for a ladies only bonding trip. In previous seasons the Housewives went abroad to Anguilla, where they stayed at the Ani Villas, and they traveled to  South Africa, where they stayed in Lawhill Luxury Apartments in Cape Town.

Don’t Miss Out! See Today’s Top Hotel Deals at TripAdvisor

From the appearance of the El Dorado Royale, it looks like the group was accommodated in style. For one thing, the Dorado Royale produces its own live culinary theater show, featuring produce from the resort’s 70,000 square-foot-greenhouse. The resort has swim-up suites, which provide guests with lazy rivers outside their door. The beach is just steps away, and the hotel gives guests a choice of 13 pools to swim or play in. The hotel appears on Conde Nast Travelers Readers’ Top 100 Hotels in the World. The average cost for the two-bedroom presidential suite at the El Dorado Royale is $2,446 per night.

Did Kandi Burruss Get Married in Mexico?

It turns out that El Dorado hotels “specialize” in weddings, and there had been some speculation that Kandi Burruss and her fiance Todd Tucker were married at the El Dorado Royale. While a chapel, beach, and other locations on the property could certainly provide a cute, simple wedding for Kandi (or other guests) Kandi and Todd did not get married during the Real Housewives of Atlanta episodes in Mexico. Kandi and Todd were married in Atlanta at Le Fais Do-Do.

Photo courtesy of El Dorado Resort

The Real Housewives at Atlanta were in Mexico, Photo courtesy of El Dorado Royal Resort

Photo courtesy of El Dorado Royale

Room with a view, courtesy of El Dorado Royale

The Real Housewives of Atlanta were at the El Dorado Royale in Mexico Photo courtesy of El Dorado Resort

Beachfront dining at the El Dorado Royale, photo courtesy of the El Dorado Royale

Photo courtesy of the El Dorado Resort in Mexico

Just in case you are curious, the photo below depicts the junior suite at the resort.

Photo courtesy of El Dorado Royale

Check for reservations, prices and check availability for the El Dorado Royale