Company Teambuilding at Amicalola Falls
Planning a retreat for work? North Georgia’s mountains are calling.

Lucky for us, my company is considering taking a detour from the typical to conduct our annual teambuilding retreat in North Georgia’s beautiful mountains. Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge is an hour north of the A-T-L. If any of you work in Human Resources or host company retreats and meetings, this park and lodge surpasses all expectations.

While planning the retreat, each of us had a room at the Lodge with dramatic views of the green-blue mountains. It’s hard to pick a color to describe them because the hues change throughout the day and seasons. Every room has a unique view.

Booking Tip: The Lodge can accommodate groups of up to 200 people for meetings, retreats, reunions, weddings and conferences. There are 57 rooms in the lodge, and 14 cabins have full amenities with 1, 2, and 3-bedroom options.

Caption: Imagine yourself enjoying the breakfast buffet, or sunset dinner, with floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining room of Cascades Restaurant. Traditional American and Southern classic cuisine is served and catering for groups is available.

Caption: I captured the fog blanket that didn’t want to let go of the forested slopes the first morning our team ate breakfast together at Cascades Restaurant.

I watched a group of people with nametags and full coffee mugs gather after breakfast on the balcony of the lodge. Rocking chairs were all pulled into a loose circle and the open-air meeting seemed like a way to center the group’s focus on the day’s strategies and breakout sessions.

Now for the fun part: Teambuilding Activities. Bring it!

The package I will pitch back at the office is called The Wampus. You begin outdoors at 9:00 am and end the day after 4:00 pm. Ground challenge elements that stimulate group communication, trust, critical thinking and bonding lead to the zipline canopy tours—eventually soaring over Amicalola Gorge at more than 300 feet above the forest!

When there is free time, your guests and staff can explore the downtown areas of nearby Dawsonville, Dahlonega and Helen. Each town has antiques, specialty stores and restaurants.

Teambuilding doesn’t have to be day-long. You can arrange for one-hour guided hikes to observe wildlife and plants unique to the area and the and natural wonders found in the park. If you don’t do the corporate teambuilding packages, then everyone can go on their own and try ziplining, 3-D archery, and other fun activities available within the park.

Check out Amicalola State Park & Lodge’s special event planning. The staff members specialize in different gatherings: corporate, association, government and education, and weddings, reunions, and religious retreats.

The talk around the water cooler might be how cool I am for researching a corporate retreat that’s off-the-beaten path, yet luxurious and open minded. Call early and reserve your spots. It’s not much of a secret—don’t let it get away!

By LYDIA SEA, Traveler-at-Heart and on a mission to find her company’s best retreat space