Life in Big Canoe, Real Estate in the Mountains

Off the Beaten Path

There’s no doubt that living in Big Canoe is an easy way of life. Many retired couples keep a Big Canoe home on their Bucket List after their kids have headed off to start their own lives. Couples that don’t have children thrive up here and many work from home happily. However, a new trend has started to pave a path into Big Canoe. Young families are moving here from all over with the concept of raising their children in a more traditional and small town style. These neighbors enjoy the peace of mind that they get after pulling into the gates and also knowing that they will see familiar faces at the post office, grocery stores, and schools. This ideal setting is perfect for children but it does come with some minor adjustments.

 How do you transition from a suburban lifestyle of convenience to a mountain resort community with kids in tow? What will they do here? Where will they go to school? How will they make friends? and most importantly: Is it safe to live in the mountains? These are all the questions that went through my head before I moved to Big Canoe. We lived in a town where everything was a mile or less away. There were numerous malls within a 15 minute drive and anything I needed was available 24 hours a day. This was very handy when it came to midnight runs to Kroger for Children’s Tylenol. We had a modest home with a pool on a pretty block and decent neighbors. Then things started to change. The over development, traffic, multiple apartment complexes, are just a few examples of why we chose to spread our wings but when our neighborhood high school went on the critical list we knew we had to make an immediate decision. We chose Big Canoebecause my in laws live here and we really enjoyed visiting. Over 4 years as a resident I must admit that moving back into town has never entered my mind. It took a little while to adjust but raising children in Big Canoe was the right choice for me and my family.

There are several school choices in Big Canoe including private, public, and there is also a large home schooling group up here. The kids don’t seem to mind one way or another who goes where when they all meet up at the pool, or the many Big Canoe events throughout the year. However, these kids do seem to share a common thread that is very strong. They are all happy independent kids that are able to keep themselves constructively active and productive. A big part of this is because there are so many opportunities here for them to participate in community projects. Scouts, Big Canoe Animal Rescue, and the Amicalola Park are three examples of how kids can volunteer their services. This year we leased a plot in the Jasper Community Garden and love meeting all the local gardeners.

So even if you have to take a longer drive to the pediatrician, or you have to buy your groceries once a week, consider Big Canoe for a lifetime where the kids can grow up a little bit off the beaten path. One thing I am caught saying often is that I’d rather if my kids were outside swinging from the trees and playing in creeks than just hanging out playing video games in the basement. Come for a visit and you can see these families in action!

Real Life, Real Simple!

Karin Elliott

IBA Mountain Homes