Highlands, the area ...

Highlands, North Carolina has been referred to as “where the elite meet”, “Aspen of the East” and “Atlanta’s Buckhead of the Mountains”, * because some of its visitors and part time residents include some of America’s most prestigious families. Highlands has its own distinct, small town personality being located on a mountain plateau at 4100 feet above sea level with an average July temperature of 76 degrees. The year-round population of just under 1000 swells to at least 20,000 during season.

Highlands offers neither fast food restaurants nor chain stores but does have many small shops offering everything from fresh flowers to a full time Christmas Shop with its hand painted Christmas tree ornaments. Dining can be as simple as a cheeseburger from the corner café to a lobster or steak dinner at one of the fine restaurants. The area offers some of the country’s most magnificent long-range mountain views, sheer-drop cliffs and dramatic waterfalls. Highlands offers summer stock theater, art galleries, fresh food markets, mountain biking tours, hiking, golf courses, rappelling, Chamber Music Festival, boutiques, antique shops, winter sports and much more. Located only a short 2 hours drive northeast of Atlanta, 1 hour west of Ashville and 11 miles from beautiful Cashiers.