Totally OS-Info on Helen/Cleveland GA area Please

We are planning a family trip to this area June of next year.  Now by family trip I mean there will be six families.  Hubby has a HUGE family.  lol lol  I know for sure we want to do the Cabbage Patch Hospital, pottery place, blown glass place, German town and possible some white water rafting.  Can ya'll give some other suggestions.  We like hiking although not the horribly long ones.  lol lol  We will have several small children with us.  Also love to do caves/caverns if there might be any in the area.  Also we are looking for lodging.  Would love a place with 6 bedrooms but would not like to pay $5000 for a week.  lol lol  We have found a couple of place we are interested in checking in to but thought I would come here and see if anyone had any suggestions they might like to through out.  Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have.   I posted on the GA board but haven't gotten any answers yet and thought maybe someone here might be from that area.

Denise

Can I come?  Your family reunions/vacations sound a lot more fun than anything my family ever did growing up.

LOL

Check out these sites for a place:

http://www.vrbo.com/

http://www.homeaway.com/

Can't promise they'd be of use...but I did a b&b through VRBO a few years ago in NY and it was OK.  They also have houses you can rent.

I agree with Holly's suggestion of vrbo.com, you can also google short term vacation rentals and add in the location. A lot of families who have secondary homes in the area probably will have there homes advertised on various sites and you can get a good deal, especially if you book early.

Thanks for the suggestions I will have to check it out.  I have been looking so much on the internet for rentals that now I dont even want to go.  lol lol  I am searched out and just want someone to tell me.  lol lol  Can't trust anyone else in the family to handle it so pretty much gonna be on me and to find the best deal.  Not sure how much fun this family vaca gonna be we shall see. 
Thanks

The last time I was in that area it was for a conference a few years back. We stayed at the Lodge at Uncoi State Park. I was surprised at the accomodations, they were pretty nice and really close to everything! People swore by the hiking as well but I am not the outdoorsy type. It's a pretty area, have fun!