Fall in Love with Braselton
Updated: Aug 27, 2022
Weekend Getaway Itinerary
Are visions of pumpkin spice dancing in your head? Fall is the perfect time to plan a romantic weekend getaway close to home. Less than an hour from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta, Braselton is a world away. Enjoy luxurious accommodations, world-class dining options, and a quaint historic downtown—all right at your doorstep—when you choose from one of Braselton’s seven in-town hotels, all convenient to area attractions and events. This Weekend Getaway itinerary help get the romance started while you explore Braselton.
Friday Itinerary
Let the romance begin! Hop aboard a vintage-style trolley and explore two local watering holes in the heart of historic Downtown Braselton.
Getting Around Town on the Braselton Trolley
706-654-3915, trolley@braselton.net, explorebraselton.com/trolley
Check in, and ask the hotel concierge to arrange for a trolley pick up, then hop aboard a vintage-style trolley. You focus on each other, and we’ll drive.
The Friday and Saturday evening Braselton Trolley is fare-free and runs on a fixed route, but local pickups and dropoffs are easily added to the route. The 25-passenger trolleys are enclosed and climate-controlled for your comfort. Large windows provide clear views to enjoy the area points of interest including historical homes, era brick buildings and winery and resort attractions.
Stop #1 | Braselton Brewing Company
9859 Davis St., (706) 684-0686, braseltonbrewing.com
View across Davis St. of Braselton Brewing Company
Disembark from the trolley at the Braselton Brothers Department Store building and walk across Davis Street to Braselton Brewing Company. This neighborhood brewpub is located in a restored cotton gin. Sample craft beer and comfort food served up in a casual pet-friendly atmosphere. The tap list includes some interesting choices like The Hefe that Killed Elvis and the Love Magnet IPA, and they also sell wine and brew cocktails. The menu keeps it simple with a Southern slant: burgers, BBQ and other American pub and comfort food options. Feeling adventurous? Try the Sweet ‘N Smokey Pork Rinds as your appetizer.
Stroll hand in hand back across the street to the Braselton Brothers Department Store building and Town Green, the heart of historic Downtown Braselton.
Stop #2 | Flourish Taproom
The 1904 building, 9924 Davis St., second floor, facebook.com/FlourishTaproom
Gathering area and bar at Flourish Taproom
Downtown Braselton is home to The 1904, a collection of shopping and dining spaces in the historic mercantile building. Flourish Taproom is located on the second floor. The taproom area is designed as a community gathering space with 20 craft beers on tap, a wide variety of wines and ciders, live music every Friday and Saturday night, and other events like trivia and cornhole. Enjoy good conversation, play some games and make some friends before boarding the trolley back to the hotel.
Saturday Itinerary
Saturday Stop #1 | Downtown Braselton
Downtown Parking Deck, 40 E Lake Dr., free and accessible parking
Light Breakfast
Start your busy Saturday off with a stop downtown for a light and tasty breakfast. Park in the Downtown Parking Deck and stroll across to grab breakfast. Here are two great choices:
The 1904's Sugar n' Proof bakery
The 1904 building, 9924 Davis St, (678) 787-1282, sugarnproof.com
Love at first bite. Sugar n’ Proof is a fine bakery featuring fresh, made-from-scratch breads, pastries made with high-quality ingredients including real butter, fine chocolate and fresh fruit; no preservatives and never premixed ingredients. You’ll exit with sugar-coated happiness.
The Galloping Galette
9924 Davis St., Suite 7, (706) 684-3080, facebook.com/TGG.TheGallopingGalette
Run by a husband-and-wife team from Bretagne, this authentic French crêperie offers buckwheat galettes and crêpes. Dine on sweet crêpes and savory galettes at this “hole-in-the-wall” French-inspired bistro with daily specials, vegan and gluten-free options, and artisan coffee.
Saturday Morning Adventure
Both breakfast spots are located in the heart of historic Downtown Braselton. This is a great home port to begin your day’s adventure. There are several boutiques and antique stores within walking distance for a shopping excursion. Or choose to tour area attractions on the Saturday Trolley Tour which leaves from the lobby of The 1904.
House of Boykin
Treasure Hunting
What could be more romantic than discovering hidden gems together? From clothing to olive oil to comics to antiques, there is a little something for everyone here. Use the ExploreBraselton shopping itinerary, a digital treasure map to discover all the local shops, boutiques and antique stores.
Braselton is well known in the antiquing community for its Antique & Artisan Festivals in April and October, which bring more than 300 vendors showcasing their handcrafted, repurposed, home decor, jewelry, soaps, primitives, artwork, pottery, and collectibles. There is also an Art-Tiques Vintage Market in February, June, August and November with more than 150 vendors. These events include food trucks, live music and more. If you love antiques, plan your getaway weekend during one of these festivals.
Braselton Trolley stop at Chateau Elan Winery
Saturday Trolley Tour
Braselton Trolley Tours vary throughout the year and may include history tours, cocktail tours or major attraction tours. At the time of this posting, the Explore Braselton guided trolley tour begins in historic Downtown Braselton and tells the story of the town's growth. Pass Chateau Elan Winery & Resort, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and all the best spots to eat, shop and play.
Reservations are required and must be booked online. Tour begins in the lobby of The 1904. *Note trolley drivers cannot accept payments.
Saturday Stop #2 | Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
100 Rue Charlemagne Dr., (678) 425-0900, chateauelan.com
Aerial view of Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
No trip to Braselton would be complete without venturing to nearby Chateau Elan Winery and Resort. An enchanting French chateau-style resort surrounded by 3,500 acres of verdant forests and rolling hillsides draped in vineyards, this destination will transport you to the French countryside for an afternoon of l' amour.
Dining area at Marc Bar & Restaurant overlooking the vineyard
Lunch at Chateau Elan
From a French-inspired showpiece to an old-world speakeasy to a Southern-influenced chophouse, the on-property restaurants and bars offer a culinary tour across the globe, guided by a team of chefs and sommeliers.
Wine Tour and Tasting
One of the largest and most awarded wineries on the East Coast, Chateau Elan Winery offers a selection of more than 30 wines from locally made muscadine wine to the premium Fingerprint Collection. The Chateau Tour & Tasting lets you share their love affair with wine, and it is offered on Saturdays hourly from 1 to 4 p.m. and includes a behind-the-scenes look at the winery vat, production rooms, and bottling line. Then one of the senior wine stewards guides you through the entire winemaking process, from grape-to-glass. After the tour concludes, enjoy a guided tasting of five, winemaker-selected vintages.
Saturday Stop #3 | Dinner at Cotton Calf Kitchen
9924 Davis St., Suite 9, (706) 684-0410, cottoncalf.com, *Reservations suggested
Finish your Saturday explorations with a romantic dinner for two. The sizzle of dry-aged steaks greets you as you enter Cotton Calf Kitchen. The 120-seat white tablecloth classic American steakhouse features a menu with heirloom vegetables and an array of tapas-style appetizers. A roomy lounge and bar area serves a carefully curated beverage menu spotlighting craft beers, small-batch whiskeys, bourbons, classic cocktails and an extensive wine list. Be sure to make your reservations well in advance.
Sunday Itinerary
Breakfast at Papa Jack’s Country Kitchen
2200 Sparta Way, Buford, (770) 965-7007, papajackscountrykitchen.com
On your way out of town, take a small detour and stop in at a local favorite. Papa Jack’s Country Kitchen is a quaint, cafeteria-style restaurant with made-to-order items at affordable prices and a side of Southern hospitality—free of charge—served up with the homemade biscuits and other Southern staples.
Want to extend the enchantment and the courtship just a little bit longer? Try one of Braselton’s tasty brunch options and savor one last bite of romance.
This weekend itinerary will get you started, but there are many other attractions and events to discover at ExploreBraselton.com. It is Explore Braselton’s hope that the adventures shared and time spent here with those you love will keep you coming back, and that you, too, will fall in love with Braselton.