With the kids · The Ellijay afternoon
Family Fun in Ellijay
Family fun in Ellijay is an outdoor math problem that solves itself: the river park playground for the close afternoon, the orchard farms on Highway 52 East for the full farm day, and Carters Lake or Fort Mountain when the day has room.
All the stops below are real and verified; hours confirm at the door.
The close afternoon
The river park and the pool
Gilmer County River Park
1365 S Main St
Playground, walking trail, picnic pavilion, and the shallows of the river for wading, the standard kid afternoon.
Gilmer County Public Pool
1561 S Main St
The summer-season public pool, the water day when the rivers are too much.
The big day
The orchard corridor
B.J. Reece Orchards
9131 Hwy 52 E
The full farm day: u-pick fields, animals, the bakery market, and farm activities. The day trip guide plans it hour by hour.
Hillcrest Orchards
Hwy 52 E corridor
Pick-your-own fields and farm activities at the far anchor of the corridor.
Fort Mountain State Park
About 18 miles by road
The stone wall, the lake, and the hiking trails, the mountain day out with the picnic packed.
The fuller list
When the day has room
The playground map is the playgrounds page, and the full kid-day list is the kids activities page. For the evening turn, the date night page covers the grown-up table.
An editorial guide, not a listings site. Updated September 13, 2026. Real-estate guidance on this page is provided by Rob Dietrich, REALTOR® with eXp Realty, LLC.