The Toledo Blade has a story that offers vacation suggestions around the South. Highlands gets a good mention:
Cascading waterfalls, winding roads, verdant forests, sapphire-colored lakes, Appalachian arts and crafts, mountain culture, vibrant wildflowers, and evocatively stunning views. Mix all these ingredients together and you get Highlands, N.C.
Most visitors come to Highlands primarily to relax and take in the quiet mountain atmosphere. With an elevation of about 4,000 feet above sea level, Highlands is the highest incorporated town east of the Rocky Mountains. We like to visit during winter to see snow, something we rarely get in our hometown. But in summer, visitors come to cool down in this place where the temperature hardly ever rises above 80 degrees.
Highlands is a well-regarded cultural center of the South. Browse the shops, boutiques, and galleries of downtown Highlands, and chances are you’ll come away with something handcrafted, hand-stitched, or handwritten by a local citizen.
Where to stay in Highlands? Mountain homes, cottages, and lodges dot the landscape and are available for rent, but for a romantic escape, try one of the bed and breakfast inns in the area. We really like the Old Edwards Inn and Spa, a historic luxury property dating to 1878. With a fireplace in every room, onsite dining at Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden, and a wonderful spa, we could spend weeks here if our bank account would allow it.
Ready to head to the mountains? Visit www.highlandschamber.org or call 828-526-2114. For more information on the Old Edwards Inn and Spa, visit www.oldedwardsinn.com or call toll-free 866-526-8008. Asheville, N.C.; Greenville, S.C.; and Atlanta are the closest airports.