The funny part is that in Big Canoe all the homes are perfectly located. One walk on the Jeep Trail in Fall and you don’t care where you are staying. I am personally looking forward to the first night that is cold enough for a fire, and my first pot of chili!

Feel free to scroll though our listings and book now because they are filling up quickly!!

All guests are welcome to the club and the dress code is country club casual. There is a golf pro-shop on the terrace level so be sure to stop in for some shopping!! Keep in mind that if you are visiting during a holiday it is a good idea to make reservations for dinner.  

For more information call the Clubhouse at: (706) 268-3326

Enjoy!

~Karin
Big Canoe Rentals

Looking for something fun to do while stayng in one of the many Big Canoe rentals? Today the weather was terrible, but we took lemons and made lemonade! We started early and met at the Huddle House for breakfast  (”We” are my 2 children, my husband and his parents).  The rain just poured down cats and dogs, but we didn’t give up because we were going blueberry picking rain or shine.

After breakfast we decided to proceed to Jasper in hopes of running away from the rain. It did slow down so we agreed to make the Journey to Hill City where we would discover the most heavenly blueberry picking place of all, Tally Mountain Farm! Pitter-pat went my heart as we drove up the driveway and spotted tiers of blueberry bushes to the right and the Owner’s home on the left. The Tudors were lovely and welcomed us to their blueberry orchard. As we spoke, the rain drops got thicker and we decided to go for it!

We picked for about 15-20 minutes in the pouring rain and our baskets were full of plump berries. There were plenty more that were due to ripen in a few weeks. The weather was threatening that I felt like a contestant on the “Grocery Giveaway” game-show!! I was so enamored with the misty mountains, the rain, and blueberries that I wondered if I would have had as much fun on a sunny day!

The best part was meeting and spending time with the owners; Randy and Connie Tudor on their big front porch while my kids played with their Jack Russel Terrier, Lucy in the rain. Tally Mountain Farm is open for pickers but you need to call the Tudors before you arrive. Their number is 706-692-9224.

The pie we made for dessert tonight was worth every raindrop!!!

~Karin

Fourth of July in Big Canoe is going to be a very fun and family friendly day.  Typically, our list of Big Canoe rentals fills quickly, but there’s always a chance of a last minute cancellation, so give us a call if you’re still looking! The morning will be filled with a bicycle parade, swim races, and field games over at the Wildcat Recreation Area. Highlights include a tug-of-war, balloon toss, and possibly a boyscout rocket launch. Spend the remainder of the afternoon  hiking the trails, swimming, boating, grilling, or just relaxing with friends and family. Then when the sun starts to set be sure to head over to Playfield Park and bring a picnic basket, cooler, bug spray, and anything else to keep you comfortable. The fireworks will be shot off at the dam so plan an alternative route if you need to cross the dam. Firetrucks and security will be on duty as well.

This is one of Big Canoe’s biggest community parties. It is safe, fun, and the perfect place to celebrate America’s birthday! Hope to see you there!!!

~Karin

PS - If anyone out there is planning on some serious BBQ on the 4th we would love to hear your recipes, and techniques!

The swim club for the year 2008 has been a great success and huge improvement from prior years. I held off on this review until it was a personal solid confirmation. As a Big Canoe resident I can solidly say that the new management at the Swim Club has been Top-Notch! As a Mom I can say that I have never been happier to see such astute attention to safety! If you’re visiting in one of the many Big Canoe rentals, I think you’ll be equally pleased!

  The Swim Club of Big Canoe consists of two parts; the Main Swim Club and Wildcat.  The Main Swim Club has the zero entry beach style pool along with a lake beach, rock water slide, complimentary canoes and paddle boats, volleyball and plenty of tables with umbrellas. There is also a large area dedicated to larger parties with grills available.  Wildcat has 2 pools (one fun kiddie pool with water features and a full sized pool) and a covered grand pavilion for parties complete with stacked stone fireplace and grills.

With all being said, this year at the main pool the lifeguards are not permitted to check cellphones. They stand guard rather than sitting in their chairs. Sounds a little bit like the Royal Guards but I have never been happier. The boats guards have been very helpful and make sure that all the kids have safety jackets buckled. All this makes for a happy and restful vacation. Dive in to all that Big Canoe has to offer!!

PS - If you are interested in Big Canoe homes for sale, be sure to check out IBA’s listings on our sister site!

If you’re staying in one of the many Georgia mountain rentals near Big Canoe (especially if you have children), you may be looking for a fun family outing. Here is a short list of some nearby activities that the whole family can enjoy:

Consolidated Gold Mines

• Consolidated Gold Mines offers an underground tour of a gold mine. Located in Dahlonega, Georgia, this is the site of America’s first gold rush. After the tour, panning for gold and gem grubbing is also available. If you have never tried gold panning or gem hunting, it is a lot of fun, and a sure bet for the kids.
• Open 7 days a week
• (706) 864-8473

Amicalola State Park

• Amicalola State Park is one of our favorite state parks here in North Georgia. In the event, you are staying at one of the Big Canoe rentals, it is only a 15 minute drive from the gates of Big Canoe. Amicalola is home to a beautiful cascading waterfall, playgrounds, miles of hiking trails, and a very active visitor center which hosts fun and informative events such as “Snakes Alive!”
• Open 7 days a week 7AM - 10PM.
• $3 Parking Pass for cars ( a real value in my opinion )
• (706) 265-4703

Burt’s Pumpkin Farm

• Burt’s Farm is a seasonal event open from September 1 - November 15. Burt’s is a fun experience for the kids. The number of pumpkins from which to choose is mind boggling. Burt’s also offers hayrides and a gift shop. Keep in mind that if you go to Burt’s on a weekend during peak leaf color season, expect a crowd. Fortunately, they do have ample parking, and Amicalola Falls is practically a stone’s throw away, so head over to the falls to cool off from the crowds once you’ve picked the perfect pumpkin.
• (706) 265-3701

Hillcrest Orchards and Reece Apple House

• A 15 minute drive down Highway 52 towards Ellijay will bring you into the heard of North Georgia’s apple country. Hillcrest Orchards is probably he busiest of the local apple orchards. Apple season begins on September 1 and extends through October. Just like Burt’s Pumpkin Farm, be prepared for crowds on those beautiful fall weekends. Hillcrest offers limited “pick your own” apples, hayrides, gift shop, and a petting farm.
• (706) 273-3838
• The B.J. Reece Apple House is located down a little further on Highway 52. Reece Apple House is probably my favorite orchard as they allow “pick your own” starting the second weekend in September. They also have a huge variety of different apples. I can say from personal experience that kids love the “pick your own” apples!

Please feel free to contribute your own “fun things to do for the whole family.” I’ll be happy to add them to the list!

~Karin Elliott lives in the North Georgia mountain community of Big Canoe and is the owner of IBA Vacation Rentals. See all of Karin’s Georgia Mountain rentals in Big Canoe here.

• There is a dress code, so be sure to check with the golf shop.
• First tee time is 8 AM.
• Golf shop hours are 7:15 AM - 6:30 PM
• Golf Shop phone number is (706) 268-3323

 ~Karin Elliott is a full time resident of Big Canoe and an agent with IBA Mountain Homes.  Be sure to view all of our available Big Canoe real estate  listings on our main site.

Probably the most convenient restaurant for folks vacationing in  one of the many Big Canoe rentals is the Lake Sconti Restaurant.  It is located in heart of Big Canoe on the shores of Lake Disharoon..  The comfortable dining area is located in between the Big Canoe swim club and the Fitness Center.  Both indoor and outdoor seating is available.

Lake Sconti Restaurant is temporarily serving as our clubhouse restaurant while the construction on our new clubhouse approaches completion.  The staff and cooks at Lake Sconti have done an admirable job filling in as our “primary restaurant”.  Overall the food is prepared nicely and is tasty.  The atmosphere is very comfortable.   In the winter, the huge stone fireplace provides additional ambiance and warmth!  In the warmer months, the outdoor seating area overlooks the beach and mountains surrounding beautiful Lake Disharoon.  The food selection is large, and they also provide a kids menu.  Kids are welcome in the Lake Sconti Restaurant.  Beer, wine,  and bar service is also available.

Hours of Operation

• Lunch:   Sunday - Saturday  (11am - 3pm)
• Dinner:  Tuesday-Wednesday (5pm - 8pm)
• Dinner:  Thursday - Saturday (5pm - 9pm)
• (706) 268-3326

Daily Specials

• Tuesday:  Poker Night (7pm)
• Wednesday:  Prime Rib Night ($12.95 per person)
• Thursday:  Trivia night (7pm)
• Friday - Saturday:  Nightly Special

Menus (files are PDFs)

• Lake Sconti Restaurant Menu (page 1)
• Lake Sconti Restaurant Menu (page 2)
• Kids Menu

When it comes to a dining experience centered on seafood, my basic rule is that  if I am more than 50 miles from the coast, I don’t have high expectations for the freshness and quality of the food.  I base this on having some experience with commercial fishing and fish markets as well as eating at too many restaurants that serve seafood that has traveled some long hard miles before it reached the table.

Before I ramble on too much about how difficult it is to find fresh fish away from the coast, let me say that my experience at Last Catch Seafood was excellent.  Last Catch Seafood is located in the North Georgia mountain city of Jasper, and based on our dinner at Last Catch Seafood, it seems that the owners Jim and Kim Ryan have solved the problem of obtaining fresh quality seafood.  Not only that, but it was prepared to near perfection in my opinion.  The fish we enjoyed was fried but not greasy or overcooked.  It was moist and flaky with a nice crunchy batter, and the fish was obviously fresh.  The fried shrimp were also excellent.  The fish and shrimp were accompanied by hush puppies and crackers with crab dip.  All of the food was fresh and tasty.

The Last Catch Seafood restaurant is a casual dining experience.  The decor is what you would expect a seafood restaurant to look like - marine and fishing accouterments decorate the interior while the exterior sort of has that fish shanty look.  Overall, the owners did a nice job keeping it simple and comfortable.  One last comment is that I visited the Last Catch Seafood website and noticed a picture of the owner holding up a filleted gag grouper.  After eating what was supposed to be grouper in many restaurants, I found that picture encouraging.  I am looking forward to getting back to the Last Catch Seafood restaurant to go give their grouper a try!

Hours of Operation: 

• Closed Monday 
• Lunch served Tuesday - Friday (11am til 2pm)
• Dinner served Tuesday-Thursday (4pm til 8:30pm) 
• Friday-Saturday (4pm til 9pm)
• Sunday 11am-3pm

Last Catch Seafood:

•  27 Burnt Mountain Rd. Jasper, GA 30143
• (706) 692-0032
• Menu (front)
• Menu (back)

~Karin Elliott is the owner of a local real estate company, IBA Mountain Homes, located in the North Georgia community of Big Canoe.  In addition her company, IBA Vacation Rentals, focuses on Big Canoe rentals in the North Georgia mountains.

Recently, I blogged about vacationers enjoying fishing while staying in one of the many available Big Canoe rentals.  As I mentioned in that article, there are three lakes in Big Canoe, 2 of which are available for fishing.  These two lakes are also stocked on a regular basis.  Along with some of the rules regarding fishing in Big Canoe, I repeated some advice given to me by some folks that appeared to be having really good luck with the rainbow trout.  They told me that the fishing slowed in the hotter part of the day, and then picked up again when it started to cool.

What’s funny is that on that same day, I spoke with a young man that had been fishing for some time.  His family was spending time in one of the Big Canoe rentals while the Masters took over their hometown with golf crazed Masters fans.  When I spoke to this young man, he told me he had not caught much.  He showed me a stringer with a smallish bass, and he looked a little down.  Regardless, I took his picture and mentioned I would put it up on our website at http://ibavacationrentals.com. 

About 2.5 hours later (early evening), I happened to be driving by the same spot where we had spoken earlier, and I saw the young man walking off with a HUGE rainbow trout (as well as a stringer of smaller trout).  I managed to catch up with the young man, spoke with him briefly about his catch, and snapped his picture.  The large rainbow was easily 4 pounds, and this kid had a big smile to go along with his prize.  Persistence paid off, and I am sure his catch will make a great memory of the time his family rented a place in Big Canoe to get away from the Masters!