Highlands, NC, Briefly

Long before Highlands, NC was bustling with wine bars and art galleries, its iconic ridgelines were home to the Cherokee and other Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Highlands as we know it dates back to 1875, when, as legend has it, developers Samuel Kelsey and Clinton Hutchinson took a map and drew a line from New York to New Orleans. Then, they drew another line from Chicago to Savannah. These lines, they predicted, would become major trade routes in the future, and where they crossed would someday be a great population center. So naturally, they bought land, carved out roads, and by the early 1880s Highlands boasted boarding houses, churches, and shops. Word spread quickly, and southern families flocked here to escape the heat, and the foundation of Highlands as a seasonal haven was set.

By the early 20th century, the Highlands Biological Station put the town on the map for scientists and nature lovers, while the Highlands Country Club and other early inns attracted visitors who preferred their rustic mountain time more comfortable. Today, thanks to decades of preservation and community pride, Highlands is never too fancy, never too rustic, but rather a Goldilocks in the mountains of North Carolina.

These days, in Highlands, the hiking options are extensive — check out Dry Falls or Whiteside Mountain Trail. You can also spend a whole day wandering through boutiques, antique shops, and galleries, or eating and drinking at one of Highlands’ favorite foodie spots or trendy cocktail bars. Highlands is also great for doing absolutely nothing at all, any season of the year — but especially in the fall.