By Megan Broome
CNI News Service
Adventure awaits in Tallulah Falls with its abundance of outdoor recreation activities and scenic views to enjoy.
Tallulah Adventures, LLC is a business coming to Tallulah Falls and Bill Turk, managing member, and Spencer Turk, with business development, plan to draw people to the community and help them find information on the outdoor adventures that await them in Rabun County.
“Tallulah Adventures holds great potential to draw people and serve as an economic engine for the area,” according to the organization’s website.
Tallulah Adventures will hold a soft opening in the summer of 2022 and plans to have a grand opening in the fall, according to Bill.
“What we are is a venue for public and private events,” Bill Turk said. “We want to serve the community and the public.” Wander North Georgia is also opening a second location for their retail business at Tallulah Adventures.
Tallulah Adventures will be located in the old Georgia Power building that is being repurposed off of Highway 441 in Tallulah Falls. Because the town borders two counties, the business is close to the Habersham County line and borders Tallulah Gorge State Park.
Tallulah Falls Downtown Development Authority member Keith Nelms said the Georgia Power building was designed years ago and at one point was used as the Georgia Heritage Center where local artists could showcase work.
Eventually, the building was provided to the Town of Tallulah Falls and council members brainstormed goals for the facility.
Bill said he bought the building in April 2021.
“We envision it being a place where people can come and learn about all the amazing activities here,” said Spencer Turk.
According to the business website, there are 600,000-plus annual visitors to Tallulah Gorge State Park, 60,000-plus residents in Rabun and Habersham Counties and 14,000-plus vehicles that pass through the area on a daily basis.
Bill said a portion of the building will be used for events such as weddings or parties, and a conference room will be available for meetings, birthday parties, yoga class, and other events. He said there will be a balance of both public and private events held. There will be a covered pavilion with outdoor seating and a space for different events, like an outdoor concert stage and walking trails to Tallulah Gorge State Park.
Bill added that the goal is for the facility to be a fun place for families to enjoy the outdoors.
An Adventure Zone is coming this summer, which will include a rock climbing wall for people with different skills levels. It will also include guided outdoor adventures and a cafe and bar. Boat and gear rentals are coming in 2023, according to the website.
Spencer said the cafe will serve light fares such as pizzas, salads, sandwiches and ice cream. The Food Service Manager is Kyle Jerome.
Spencer said they wanted to serve food geared toward hikers and campers. The facility will also have food trucks available at times for events. Another portion of the building will be a retail store, Wander North Georgia.
Bill said they reached out to the business so that the venue could include a retail store.
“To be honest, we never really thought we’d do a second location. For a lot of reasons. We didn’t want to drive across Georgia on a weekly basis. Or try to manage things remotely. Or to step on what any other small business outdoor stores are doing in other North Georgia cities. But when we got approached by the Tallulah crew, something just felt different. Conversations felt natural. The energy was good. The vision was right up our alley. And most importantly, it is a location in the heart of the community where we already work and live,” according to a statement from Wander North Georgia about the opening of the second location.
Bill said the vision he and Carlita Turk had for Tallulah Adventures was to give back to the community and help give locals the opportunity to take full advantage of the beauty North Georgia has to offer.
“North Georgia opened the door to adventure for our family through being outside and exploring nature. Our family grew up adventuring in North Georgia, and Tallulah Falls has always been one of our favorite places to explore. We have teamed up with the Tallulah Falls Downtown Development Authority, DNR, and Tallulah Gorge State Park to develop a concept that compliments this community, brings us together, and allows us to share our passion for the outdoors with others,” Bill said in a statement.
Bill said the work is underway to open the facility and he looks forward to opening. “We’re trying to plug in with what’s already here,” Bill said. “We’ll add to it as we go.”