Visit Highlands

Consider Highlands, a mountain hamlet in southwest North Carolina close to the Georgia border, if you're seeking for a charming weekend vacation that offers opulent lodgings, mouthwatering cuisine, and plenty of outdoor adventures.

Highlands is one of the highest settlements east of the Mississippi River, located at an elevation of 4,118 feet and surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest. Take advantage of the town's height by hiking up Whiteside Mountain, which earned its name due to its stark white cliffs. You'll have to travel a 2-mile circle track that is surrounded by wildflowers to get to the mountain's summit. You'll have breathtaking views to the east, south, and west when you reach the peak. Highlands is renowned for its assortment of waterfalls as well.

There are numerous that are conveniently reachable from U.S. Route 64, such as Dry Falls, which cascades 75 feet down a cliff and has a built-in path behind it (hence the "dry" part of its name). Highlands has you covered there, too, with opulent lodgings like the Old Edwards Inn and Spa and its sibling property, Half Mile Farm, for when you're ready to pamper yourself after a day of adventure.

Location: North Carolina
Website: highlandsnc.org