TRAVEL ITINERARY & BABYMOON RECAP: HIGHLANDS, NC
Over this past Memorial Day, my husband and I spent the weekend in one of our favorite mountain towns; Highlands! The Highlands is a quaint mountain town in the South West part of North Carolina bordering Georgia. About 90 minutes outside of Asheville, it’s a perfect spot for a quiet or adventurous weekend away. While there is no shortage of activities, the town is small and everything is close making a 3-4 day trip all you need! In our case, this trip was our babymoon and was full of a mix of outdoor time, relaxation, and enjoying the downtown.
getting there
The closest city to Highlands is Asheville. Coming from Florida, there is a daily flight to Asheville from Fort Lauderdale with Allegiant. The flight is quick and the fare is typically reasonable. Asheville is a great airport to fly into since it’s so small and easy to navigate. Renting a car is easy and from the airport it’s about a 90 minute drive to the top of the mountain in Highlands. Another option would be driving from the Atlanta airport, which would add about another hour to the drive.
DAY 1
We took the early flight out of Fort Lauderdale to get to Asheville mid morning. On the way to Highlands we stopped at Flat Rock Village Bakery for lunch. They have amazing coffee, sandwiches, pizza and pastries. We also grabbed a loaf of fresh sourdough for the weekend. By mid-day we made it to Highlands and picked up some groceries before heading to our stay. We have family friends that own a cabin outside of downtown so we opted to stay there- however there are lots of accommodation options. We loved having our own house in nature to cook and relax but there are also some amazing hotels including any Old Edwards properties, the Highlander Mountain House or Outpost Inn.
After a little downtime at the house, we ventured to Main Street. We were able to walk into The Wine Garden at Old Edwards for happy hour and enjoyed a drink and app. There are lots of wonderful dining options but we opted to call it a night after that and head home for dinner by the fire. It was our babymoon after all!
day 2
The following morning we woke up early to birds chirping and fog rolling in! It was a misty, overcast weekend with periods of brief rain but we enjoyed the moody vibes and leaned into our last weekend of ‘brisk’ weather before summer. We made coffee and breakfast at the house before heading out for a morning of hiking. Highlands is known for its hiking and scenery with tons of trails surrounding the area. We chose Rainbow Falls (trio falls trail) at Gorges State Park, a 4 mile out-and-back trail with three waterfall views along the way. A popular option, but there were lots of parking options. I’m sure on a sunny summer weekend it could get crowded. It took us about 3 hours total with some breaks along the way to enjoy the views. Would highly recommend this trail- moderately challenging with great scenery along the way!
Post hike we stopped at The Outpost Inn for a mid-afternoon pick me up. It’s a boutique mountain lodge with a fun vibe and amenities. The Inn has a coffee and wine bar also open to the public with indoor and outdoor seating. Was quaint and cozy for our rainy afternoon but would also be lovely to enjoy the outdoor space during a nice day.
After getting back to the house we got cozy and watched movies the rest of the evening! At 28 weeks pregnant, there was only so much I was up for! One main activity a day! We did pick up some pizzas from Mountain Fresh Grocer to make for dinner. It’s a popular upscale grocery store with a butcher, bakery, deli and bar- good for carry out or a casual bite.
Day 3
The next morning we slept in and made homemade raspberry scones to have with our coffee. After, we decided to go for a long walk to town. The town of Highlands itself is full of local trails that lead from the surrounding neighborhoods throughout the area which makes everything very walkable. Via the Highlands Plateau Greenway you can navigate the trails. We loved feeling immersed in nature without having to drive to a trailhead. Got our steps in and enjoyed the outdoors!
That afternoon, I got a lovely maternity massage at Elevation Spa while my husband hiked Glen Falls. We both enjoyed! For the last night of our stay, we got ready to head out to Main Street. We started at the Highlands Wine Shoppe for a drink and sat outside. Not only do they sell speciality wines but they also have a self pour bar with popular selections. The outdoor seating is especially popular during the summertime! While waiting for our dinner reservation the weather took a turn so we popped into the Hummingbird Lounge at Old Edwards Inn for another drink (mocktails were flowing in my case!). I would recommend visiting Old Edwards Inn in general- it’s an incredible hotel with an atmosphere blending European elegance and mountain charm. The Old Edwards group owns several properties and restaurants in the Highlands- all are amazing. The lounge is located in the main building and features a moody, speakeasy vibe. We ended the night at a Highlands favorite, Paoletti. Reservations are a must as this is a popular spot for a reason! They are only open during season in Highlands (lucky for us, they opened just a few days before our trip). Owned and operated by the Paoletti family for over 70 years, this was some of the best Italian I’ve ever had! The service was incredible and the dishes divine. We split an appetizer and 3 pasta entrees. They were kind enough to bring us a babymoon celebratory dessert as well! This was the perfect way to cap off a sweet weekend away celebrating the last few weeks just us two before baby boy’s arrival!
ADDITIONAL HIGHLANDS RECS
We loved our low-key mountain getaway in Highlands but figured I would share a comprehensive list of our favorite spots should you be interested in planning a trip:
Coffee / Breakfast
Calders Coffee Cafe
Blue Bike Cafe
The Outpost Inn
Bucks Coffee Cafe (Cashiers)
Mountain Fresh Grocery
Lunch / Dinner
Ristorante Paolette
Madison’s / The Wine Garden
Lakeside Restaurant
Highlands Supper Club
Four65 Woodfire Bistro & Bar
Oak Steakhouse
Mountain Fresh Grocer
Drinks
The Ugly Dog Bar
Highlands Wine Shoppe
Hummingbird Lounge
The Wine Garden
The Ruffed Grouse Tavern
Hiking/Outdoor Spots
Rainbow Falls Trail
Glen Falls Trail
Sunset Rock Trail
Secret Falls Trail
Whiteside Mountain Trail
Chattogga Cliffside Trail
Scaly Mountain
Dry Falls
Bridal Veil Falls
Highlands Botanical Station
Highlands Plateau Greenway
Stay
Airbnb/VRBO cabin
Any Old Edwards Property
The Outpost Inn
Highlander Mountain House