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Another attraction in this area is Expedition: BIGFOOT, a 4,000- square-foot facility where folks can see Bigfoot artifacts along with exhibits and more! The Sasquatch Theater is informative and per- fect as a preface to the tour. Enjoy this especially as a rainy-day outing. There is no better way to spend a day seeing beautiful countryside and sipping amazing vinos than by touring Ellijay’s vineyards and wineries. Check out Cartecay Vineyards and see the renovated barn turned tasting room…well, tasting barn. Chateau Meichtry Family Vineyard & Winery is a beautiful property and the perfect wedding venue with its grandiose furnishings. Another local tasting room is EngelheimVineyards, a German-inspired facility with four varieties of wine. Also, Fainting Goat is a vineyard where amazing views are as common as the fine French wines. C ULINARY T REATS This small-town packs a punch when it comes to eating. Give Charlie’s Italian Restaurant your attention for lots of pasta choices. Family-friendly and family-owned and operated, diners will love large portions of gourmet food. Crossroads Gro- cery is an icon in the community where locals visit the 110-year- old building for their morning biscuit, lunchtime sandwich or burger, hand-dipped ice cream cones and more! As coffeehouses go, Ellijay Coffeehouse serves great coffee, but the kicker is the food. Breakfast choices like the Appalachian Sunrise as well as freshly baked breads and treats set this special coffeehouse apart from others. Sit out back and enjoy the local fare with a freshly brewed cup of Joe. Other eateries not to skip include the downtown Ellijay jewel, Lee’s on River Street where the drinks and food choices are plentiful and include favorites like Bangers and Mash, Chicken Marsala and the best appetizer — Pimento Cheese with Pita Chips. Also downtown, MooBear’s Ice Cream and Hotdogs is fabulous show- casing 20 flavors of hand-dipped ice cream and 10 varieties of An- gus Beef Hotdogs. Last, but far from least is The Pink Pig, a fam- ily-owned BBQ joint where guests will find starters like Garlic Salad and Brunswick Stew as delicious as the ribs, pork and brisket. Save room for some ba- nana pudding — now that’s a good tip! Sometimes a long weekend away is as refreshing as a week- long vacation. Ellijay is perfect for that. Grab your sweetie or plan a gal pal trip and take in all that is Ellijay, Georgia. For more information, visit ExploreTheEllijays.com. n 38 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com