Skip to Content

Day Trippin' › Alabama › From Birmingham › Helen

Birmingham to Helen road trip: best stops

The drive from Birmingham to Helen takes about 3 hr 37 min (northeast of Birmingham), by real roads from ZIP 35203. Along the way we found 66 stops within a short detour: 11 coffee shops, 2 bakeries, 14 ice cream and treats and 27 places to eat.

The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from Birmingham) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.

Plan this trip All day trips from Birmingham

Where you are going: Helen 3 hr 37 min from Birmingham

Helen

Photo: Thomsonmg2000, CC0

Small town

Helen

A Bavarian-style mountain town with river tubing, German food and a lively Oktoberfest.

  • Half day
  • Year-round
  • Free

Heads-up: Very crowded on fall weekends.

Map of the stops between Birmingham and Helen

Open the interactive map

First third Middle third Last third Helen

First stretch 10 stops

  1. Milo's Hamburgers Burger place · Moody
    About 25 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Th 06:00-21:00; Fr, Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00 Website
  2. El Cazador Mexican restaurant · Pell City
    About 37 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  3. Mill School Historic site · Pell City
    About 37 min into the drive · detour about 7 min
  4. Huddle House Diner · Embry Crossroads
    About 43 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 24/7
  5. Alabama International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum · Talladega
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 09:00-16:00; PH off Website
  6. International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum · Dry Valley
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 4 min Website
  7. A1 Pitstop Grill Restaurant · Old Eastaboga
    About 49 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  8. Starbucks Coffee shop · Oxford
    About 59 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  9. 32°: A Yogurt Bar Candy shop · Boiling Spring
    About 1 hr 1 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  10. Lonestar Restaurant · Boiling Spring
    About 1 hr 1 min into the drive · detour about 2 min

Middle of the drive 9 stops

  1. Old Time Country Kitchen & Buffet Restaurant · Jake
    About 1 hr 28 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  2. Ellianos Coffee Co Coffee shop · Bremen
    About 1 hr 33 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 06:00-19:00 Website
  3. Stewart House Historic site · Villa Rica
    About 1 hr 44 min into the drive · detour about 5 min
  4. Cinnabon Dessert counter-service · Stewart Woods
    About 1 hr 53 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  5. LollyBop Sweet Shop Candy shop · Atlanta
    About 2 hr 14 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  6. River line Coffee Coffee shop · Vinings
    About 2 hr 15 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Tu-Fr 08:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-19:00; Su 09:00-16:00
  7. River Street Sweets Candy shop · Atlanta
    About 2 hr 16 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  8. Chattahoochee Coffee Company Coffee shop · Atlanta
    About 2 hr 17 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 07:00-18:00; Sa-Su 08:00-18:00 "Walton on the Chattahoochee residents only" Website
  9. Old Mill Ruins Historic site · Vinings
    About 2 hr 17 min into the drive · detour about 5 min

Last stretch 7 stops

  1. Five Daughters Bakery Bakery · Alpharetta
    About 2 hr 36 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 08:00-21:00, Su 09:00-20:00 Website
  2. Jeni's Ice Cream Ice cream · Alpharetta
    About 2 hr 36 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Th 11:00-24:00, Fr,Sa 11:00-01:00
  3. Great Harvest Bakery Cafe Bakery · Alpharetta
    About 2 hr 39 min into the drive · detour about 3 min Website
  4. 2 Tractors and Tow Grader Attraction · Big Creek
    About 2 hr 42 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  5. Le Macaron French Pastries Pastry shop · Big Creek
    About 2 hr 43 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-20:00
  6. Starbucks Coffee shop · Dawsonville
    About 2 hr 57 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  7. Bubble World Coffee shop · Lumpkin
    About 2 hr 58 min into the drive · detour about 2 min

Questions about the drive from Birmingham to Helen

How long is the drive from Birmingham to Helen?

About 3 hr 37 min by road, heading northeast from the middle of ZIP 35203. Traffic and weather change that.

What are the best stops on the way from Birmingham to Helen?

Good ones to start with: Milo's Hamburgers (Moody), El Cazador (Pell City), Mill School (Pell City), Huddle House (Embry Crossroads) and Alabama International Motorsports Hall of Fame (Talladega). The page lists 26 in all, in driving order.

Where can I get coffee or a bakery stop between Birmingham and Helen?

Starbucks in Oxford, Ellianos Coffee Co in Bremen, River line Coffee in Vinings and Chattahoochee Coffee Company in Atlanta. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.

Where can I eat on the way to Helen?

Milo's Hamburgers in Moody, El Cazador in Pell City, Huddle House in Embry Crossroads and A1 Pitstop Grill in Old Eastaboga.

Are there viewpoints or quick sights on the way?

Mill School in Pell City, Alabama International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Dry Valley and Stewart House in Villa Rica.

More about Birmingham and Helen

Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.

Know a great spot? Share a favorite place