Highlands, North Carolina, pairs art and botanical walks with the waterfalls of the Cullasaja Gorge, reached by winding roads across the southern Blue Ridge.
Highlands makes sense as a mountain destination when the town and its surroundings receive equal attention. The road through the Cullasaja Gorge supplies the dramatic landscape, while the centre and its cultural institutions offer reasons to stop, settle in and explore. Choose a comfortable base and a few purposeful outings rather than attempting every waterfall in the area.
The Bascom gives the trip a substantial artistic focus. Its campus occupies a former horse farm and brings together galleries, classrooms and a nature and sculpture trail. The covered bridge entrance and adapted buildings make the setting part of the visit. A gallery visit and a booked class are different experiences, so consult the programme before promising yourself a workshop.
The gardens at Highlands Biological Station offer another way to spend time outdoors, attending to plants and habitats rather than a distant panorama. There is a specific 2026 restriction: the Nature Center announced a closure from August 16 through the end of the year for renovations. The gardens and grounds remain open; an expected reopening in the new year should not be treated as completed work.
US 64 west links Highlands with the Cullasaja Gorge and its waterfalls, including Dry Falls. Treat each stop as a separate access decision. A roadside view, a stepped path and a longer walk do not offer the same level of effort or accessibility. Follow current site notices before setting off on a lower waterfall path.
Choosing a hotel in Highlands shapes more than the end of each day. A three-night stay can revolve around Main Street or leave more time for the property itself. For travelers putting quali…
Read the guide →Highlands can bring nature and culture into the same long weekend without reducing three days to a string of hurried stops. A roadside waterfall, a climbing trail, botanical gardens and an…
Read the guide →Eating well in Highlands starts with deciding what each evening should offer. The town has hotel restaurants with their own identities and an Italian dining room with decades of local histo…
Read the guide →A 75-foot waterfall in Nantahala National Forest with an accessible overlook and a stepped lower trail. Walking behind the water depends on current trail conditions and official access notices, which should be checked before visiting.
A Main Street hotel with an English country-house aesthetic, offering different stays in the main house and Bunkhouse. The Ruffed Grouse Tavern adds dining and scheduled events to its smaller-scale hospitality.
A Western Carolina University biological station with public gardens devoted to regional plants. The outdoor gardens remain available in late 2026 while the Nature Center is closed for renovation, with its reopening still a future plan.
Old Edwards Inn and Spa’s restaurant connects seasonal cooking with regional ingredients and the property’s gardens. It offers a more formal downtown Highlands meal, with breakfast access governed by different rules from lunch and dinner.
The Highlands branch of Oak Steakhouse occupies Skyline Lodge’s second floor. Contemporary American cooking, Certified Angus Beef, regional suppliers and a wine and cocktail program support a complete dinner beyond downtown.
A downtown Highlands hotel combining several accommodation styles with dining, spa services and access to golf. Its Relais & Châteaux affiliation and range of facilities make the property itself part of a longer stay.
A 14-room Highlands inn with self-service arrival and rooms of varying sizes. Analog design references and fireplaces in selected categories give it a distinctive identity for travelers who value independence and a smaller property.
A Main Street Italian restaurant that opened in Highlands in 1984, following its family’s earlier years in Florida. Its generational continuity and culinary specialization make it a distinctive dinner choice during a longer visit.
A mountain lodge away from Main Street, combining historically informed design with a renovation completed in 2021. Courtyards, shared outdoor spaces and Oak Steakhouse make it a stay worth allowing time to enjoy.
A visual arts center on a six-acre former horse farm, combining exhibitions, education and outdoor sculpture. Galleries, pottery studios and distinctive campus buildings give a Highlands mountain weekend a substantial cultural dimension.
Highlander Mountain House’s tavern serves regionally influenced food with seasonal Blue Ridge ingredients. Small-producer wines and scheduled music add to its identity, while bar opening hours must be distinguished from kitchen service.
A Nantahala National Forest mountain with a two-mile loop and elevated views. The Forest Service rates the trail “more difficult,” making it a hike that requires more time and effort than a roadside viewpoint.
Franklin and Cashiers are the useful nearby town references on US 64. Asheville is a regional city gateway; Greenville, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, offer other approaches from the south.
From Franklin, US 64 east climbs through the Cullasaja Gorge to Highlands. From Cashiers, follow US 64 west. The chamber's Asheville route connects I-40 with US 23/74, then US 23/441 toward Franklin and US 64 east.
From the Atlanta direction, the published approach uses I-85, I-985 and US 23/441 toward Dillard, then GA 246, which becomes NC 106. These final approaches are mountain roads, so avoid equating distance with motorway travel time. A useful local route combines the town and The Bascom with a separate garden or gorge outing.
Choose your starting point in Google Maps to plan the journey to Highlands, North Carolina.
Open the map ↗Information checked: 2026-09-27 · Check current access and road conditions before traveling.
www.highlandschamber.org · www.highlandschamber.org · www.thebascom.org · highlandsbiological.org