Oh North Carolina, where do I begin. It’s truly one of my very favorite states in the entire country and for so many reasons. Mainly because I spent most of my childhood in the mountains. I have so many fond memories with my family spent there. My granddaddy had a place up in North Carolina and we went to visit him all the time growing up. There’s just something about life up in the mountains. Not only is the quality of air better than at home, but I swear the quality of life is as well. Everything seems to move slower up there and it’s about the only place in the world that makes me want to put my phone away and simply enjoy the present moment. My mom and aunt felt the exact same way about the mountains, it’s such a special place to my entire family. After my granddad passed away and his place was sold, they decided to invest in a place of their very own up in Cashiers which is conveniently a fairly easy drive from my hometown of Birmingham, AL (only 4.5 hours away)! Since my very first visit up to Cashiers and Highlands, I’ve always known there was something special about the area. It’s relaxing, casual, posh and upscale all at the same time - Which I feel like is VERY rare to come across! I could go up to North Carolina and spend months at a time and just be content with ordering food in and sitting by the fire with a book or a good movie all day long. I don’t feel the need to always be “on-the-go” like I do back at home. I just feel so at peace, content, and at home up in the mountains. I can’t explain it but I swear as I’m approaching the area in my car I always feel as if my heart could literally burst out of my chest. It’s 100% my happy place and I’m so excited to share this travel guide with you all! I feel like I finally know the area well enough and have visited enough times to confidently know all the best spots. With that, please enjoy my guide on where to stay, eat/drink and what to do in Highlands & Cashiers, NC! Keep scrolling for more!

WHERE TO STAY:

There are so many precious places to stay in this area, you really can’t go wrong! If you follow along on Instagram during my trips to Cashiers, then you may have noticed I’m always staying at the same place when I visit. That’s because my family owns a mountain house and unfortunately we do not rent it out for those asking! But I do have a few great recommendations around the area that I’ll list below!

• Rent a house on AirBNB or VRBO!

• Old Edwards Inn and Spa - THE Place to stay in Highlands. If you can swing it, definitely book a room here. This hotel looks like it belongs in Europe - It’s absolutely so stunning and quaint! It’s also incredibly romantic and would be the perfect spot for a getaway with your S/O but do note this property is not pet friendly.

• Half-Mile Farm by Old Edwards - Whenever I have friends in town I take them by this property. We love to take photos here because it’s so stunning. I am actually dying to stay here at some point. It’s an all-white colored country inn and they have a private lake with a dock and canoes. Not to mention a pool and tons of daily activities. Located minutes from Highlands.

• 200 Main by Old Edwards

• The Park on Main - Highly recommend staying here for a more affordable, casual accommodation. This hotel is super dog friendly (they even have pet portraits all over the walls) and also offer a complimentary breakfast in the lobby each morning.

• The Greystone Inn

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK:

BREAKFAST/LUNCH:

Ugly Dog Public House - Dog friendly, casual spot in Cashiers with good burgers and occasional live music!

Whiteside Brew Company- Brewery-like spot in Cashiers with casual food and a large outdoor space. Occasional live music.

Slab town Pizza - Great place to order pizza when staying in Cashiers.

Farmers Market in Cashiers- Lunch only. Great BBQ sandwiches, the market has fresh fruits and

veggies, great homemade pies - the blueberry is my favorite!

Cornucopia - Lunch only. I hear they have a really good lunch but I haven’t been myself yet.

Highlands Burritos- Casual tex-mex!

**Calders Coffee Cafe - Great spot to grab a coffee or latte, or to-go breakfast items in Highlands.

**Buck’s Coffee Cafe - Favorite spot for coffee in Cashiers!! So close to my house.

Blue Bike Cafe - Delicious brunch spot!

Pizza Place of Highlands - Great casual pizza spot In Highlands.

DINNER:

**Canyon Kitchen - MY NUMBER ONE REC!!! You have to make reservations here very far in advance but wow is it worth it. The restaurant is placed in the bottom of a beautiful canyon and it’s absolutely stunning. Not to mention the food is some of the best I’ve ever had!!

**The Bridge at Mill Creek - lunch or dinner - need reservations! One of my favorite places to eat in Highlands.

Lake Side - Dinner only - need reservations!

Restaurant Paoletti- Delicious Italian - Expensive but very good!

Wild Thyme- lunch or dinner spot!

**Madisons - Located at Old Edwards Inn at Highlands. It’s a staple spot bringing you farm-to-table food. The chefs base the menu on what’s growing in the garden! Darling decor, beautiful atmosphere. Very elegant.

**On The Verandah - We went to this spot in Highlands for a friends bachelorette party and man was it delicious. Located right on the water and be sure to get reservations. The lobster was UNREAL.

**Four65 Woodier Bar & Bistro - One of my favorite places for lunch in Highlands. The pizza is incredible and they have homemade ranch! Be sure to get the blackberry margarita (mountain marg) it’s the best.

Highlands Smokehouse - Dinner, need reservations!

Wild Thyme Gourmet- Upscale Asian cuisine.

Wolfgangs - Located in Highlands. Dinner, need reservations!

Restaurant Paoletti - Fine dining in Highlands. Need reservation!

4118 Kitchen + Bar - Highlands dining. Need dinner reservations.

Bistro on Main - Sit outside and be sure to try to pimento cheese fritters!

Sapphire Area Dining - Located 5 minutes from Cashiers:

Mica- no reservations needed but after 5:30 gets to be a wait- Good food, big deck!

The Library - Dinner only - need reservation, delicious seasonal tapas!

The Orchard - need reservation - great food! Covered outdoor patio.

WINE:

• The Wine Garden

• Highlands Wine Shoppe

DESSERT:

Kilwins Ice cream - The best ice cream in Highlands.

GROCERY STORES:

• Ingles (Cashiers)

• Mountain Fresh Grocery (Highlands)

WHAT TO DO:

• Just relax & enjoy - Highlands and Cashiers are the most laid back, relaxing places. The mountains are so beautiful and you’ll be surrounded by nature so take advantage! One reason I love this destination so much is that when I’m there I could totally put my phone away, sit by a warm fireplace and curl up with a good book all day. There’s just something in the air!! It’s my happy place for a reason :)

• Go Hiking at WhiteSide Mountain Trail - Gorgeous view of the Blue Ridge Mountains!

• Bridal Veil Falls - Go Hiking to an amazing waterfall! Located on US 64 west just two and a half miles from downtown Highlands. You can park and stroll behind the gentle cascade. Or try Dry Falls – it’s a mile past Bridal Veil – and you can walk behind this 75-foot deluge while remaining mostly dry (hence the name!).

• Sunset Rock Hike - An easy 1.2 mile round trip hike and offers breathtaking views of the sunset over Highlands.

• Shopping in the town of Highlands - They have an entire strip to walk with the cutest stores with local treasures.

• The Spa at Old Edwards - Treat yourself to a day at the spa! This spa is top rated and I always have the absolutely best experience here.

• Smoky Mountain River Adventures - This was about an hour drive from Cashiers and I went one weekend with a group of friends to white water raft. We had an absolute blast!

• Signal Ridge Marina - you can rent boats online - need reservation well in advance. You can even take the boats to a beautiful waterfall or just have a fun day floating!

• Old Edwards Club - We are club members and love going to the pool, lunch & golfing here. The golf course is absolutely STUNNING (the mountain views are out of this world). So If you know anyone who is a member, ask if you could tag along as a guest!