HIGHLANDS, NC WEEKEND TRIP AUGUST 2020
We aren’t letting COVID get us down, we decided to take to the mountains and enjoy ourselves for a weekend. We tripped up to Highlands, NC which is roughly 2 hours from the house and stayed in a hotel for the weekend and splurge. We went with friends and adventured on together, we saw waterfalls, mountainside views, and signs of fall upon us. On our trip up to Highlands we stopped at Whitewater Falls (about half way from Greenville) and initially decided to check out the overlook but then got sucked in for much more. Walking up from the parking lot you walk up a path lined with wildflowers abundant with butterflies and honey bees, definitely worth stopping to take it in. On the path to the overlook you also come to a tree clearing where you can view Lake Jocassee from high above, when the sky is clear it is absolutely majestic. At the overlook (down a few flights of stairs) you can see the roaring falls in full force, you should absolutely make the stop if you’re passing through the area.
We were so impressed by the waterfall that we JUST HAD TO CHECK OUT THE BOTTOM. From the platform it doesn’t seem like it would be that far down to the bottom, but in reality it is about a mile, still not bad, BUT—PACK YOUR SHOES, I was wearing sandals…We made the trip to the bottom and it was an absolutely awesome hike (other than being in sandals). We saw tons of cool plants, a few little streams, some cool looking insects, and fun trees. Once you make it down to the bottom you are welcomed with an awesome river section. There are river boulders everywhere with rushing water all around. There is a cool little bridge at the base where you can walk over the river and get a great view from either side as well. The hike back up is not for the frail, while it isn’t very steep it does just seem to go on forever.
We made it back up and headed for Highlands to hike at Whiteside Mountain (our original destination). The Whiteside Mountain hike was beautiful and not too rigorous. We were able to take Finn (our 9 month old pup) and he was able to do it without issue. The hike is roughly two miles in total length and has (as the kids say) views on views! Seriously though, once you hike up the hill it seems like there is a panoramic view at every opening (which is about every 50 feet). We had a nice clear day and could see out for miles and miles, mostly just trees and mountains in the distance. The area was fairly populated, but everyone was respectful and gave everyone around them appropriate space. The decent was more technical than the hike in, but it was quite enjoyable for me. If time is on your side I absolutely recommend packing a lunch and planning on finding a spot to plop down just enjoy the view.
Once we wrapped up our hike we were famished and it was time to check into our hotel, the Highlands Inn Lodge which is dog friendly on the first floor. The hotel was nice, on the side of basic but everything we needed, the room was clean and Finn seemed to really enjoy it, also walking distance to downtown. In Highlands we stopped by the Highlands Wine Shoppe to grab a few bottles of wine (for desert) on our way up to dinner. If you haven’t been already, make sure to stop at the wine shop, it’s absolutely wonderful, they have an awesome outside atmosphere with plenty of well spaced tables, an amazing selection that supports all price ranges, and meat & cheese platters for that snack you need. We continued up Main Street to our destination, Wild Thyme. This restaurant was 10 out of 10 all the way through, well spaced outside seating, awesome specials, and quite an impressive drink list. I ended up getting the halibut special and a Cobb salad accompanied by a few delicious draft beers—all I can say is that I can’t wait to go back! Next door there is a Kilwin’s ice cream shop, so…you know where we went for desert…We continued our journey for a walk through downtown to work off some of our dinner and then headed back to the hotel for evening festivities.
Once we were back we got ready and brought our wine & bluetooth speaker down to the Jacuzzi. We had the place all to ourselves, not a soul in site. We listened to music and had hung out, eventually making our way over to the fire pit to prove who could build the better fire…we all failed. The next morning we made our way into town and had brunch at the Blue Bike Cafe and sat outside. The weather was wonderful and the food was absolutely delicious. The wait was quite slow to get an outside table but it was definitely worth it, I highly recommend it. Before leaving town we shot down to Dry Falls in Cashiers, NC. Dry Falls was a very cool short hike down to the waterfall where you can walk completely underneath the falls without getting wet. The waterfall was ROARING, absolutely massive and such a cool experience. You are surrounded by the mist from the falls making your experience just that much cooler. If you find yourself looking for a fun quick weekend getaway I can’t say enough about the Highlands, NC area. There is a ton to do, so many wonderful hidden gems, and lots of excellent recreation all around you.
