Real Estate & Lifestyle Guide
Highlands sits at 4,118 feet on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest. That elevation makes it one of the highest incorporated towns east of the Mississippi River and gives the town its famously cool summers. The town has around 1,000 year-round residents, and it comes alive each summer and fall as seasonal homeowners return. In 2023, Travel + Leisure named Highlands America's Best Small Mountain Town.
Highlands was founded in 1875 by Samuel Truman Kelsey and Clinton Carter Hutchinson. As local legend tells it, the two drew a line on a map from Chicago to Savannah and another from New Orleans to New York, betting that the spot where they crossed would become a great center of trade. The trade routes never came, but the cool mountain air drew visitors from the start, and Highlands grew into a health and summer resort. Golfer Bobby Jones of Atlanta was among the founders of Highlands Country Club, and golf has been part of the town's identity ever since.
Real estate in Highlands ranges from classic mountain cabins to spacious luxury homes and estates, many of them custom built. Condos and townhomes can be found in town and in several gated communities.
Questions about living in Highlands? Call our Highlands office at 828-239-8814 →
Life in Highlands follows the seasons. Spring brings wildflowers, blooming rhododendron and mountain laurel, and waterfalls running at their fullest. The busiest stretch runs from about May through October, when seasonal homeowners return and Main Street fills with shoppers and diners. Fall is a favorite time of year, with leaf color typically peaking in mid to late October. Winter brings a quieter pace and some of the clearest long-range mountain views of the year.
For a town its size, Highlands has a remarkable arts scene and has been named one of America's Small-Town Arts Places. The Bascom offers free exhibitions and classes for all skill levels on its six-acre campus near downtown. The performing arts are covered by four theaters: the Highlands Playhouse, Instant Theatre Company, Highlands Community Players, and the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center. Community events like Highlands Porchfest fill the calendar throughout the year.
Everyday essentials are close at hand, including Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, the Hudson Library, and the Highlands Biological Station, a research and nature center founded in 1927.
For a small mountain town, Highlands has a deep bench of restaurants. Madison's Restaurant and Wine Garden at Old Edwards Inn and Spa serves farm-to-table cuisine and has held Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence since 2008. Ristorante Paoletti has been serving Italian cuisine on Main Street since 1984, with a wine list of more than 1,000 selections. Chef Johannes Klapdohr's new Restaurant Klapdohr, Oak Steakhouse at Skyline Lodge, and Highlands Supper Club, set in a historic log cabin built by local craftsman Joe Webb, round out a list of favorites.
See our 20 favorite restaurants and full dining guide →
Named by USA Today as one of the best small towns for shopping, Highlands makes it easy to park once and spend the day on foot. Main Street mainstays include Wit's End, open since 1940, and Reeves Hardware, open since 1944, alongside boutiques, outfitters, galleries, and home décor shops like Acorns at Old Edwards and Dutchman's Casual Living. More shops and parking can be found on Spring Street, Fourth Street, and Carolina Way. The town is also known for being pet friendly, with water bowls set out in front of many shops.
Browse our guides to clothing and jewelry shops and home décor and furniture stores in Highlands →
For visitors and buyers exploring the area, Old Edwards Inn and Spa anchors downtown with a historic inn, cottages, and a 25,000-square-foot spa. Other options include 200 Main, Highlander Mountain House, Outpost Inn, and Trailborn Highlands.
Highlands sits in the middle of some of the best waterfall country in the Southeast. Just west of town, US 64 follows the Cullasaja River through the Cullasaja Gorge, the first stretch of the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway. Bridal Veil Falls spills over an old section of highway you can walk or drive behind, weather permitting, and Dry Falls drops 75 feet less than a mile farther, with a short paved path leading right behind the water. A scenic drive past Cashiers brings you to Upper Whitewater Falls, which plunges 411 feet and is the tallest waterfall in North Carolina.
Explore our Plateau waterfall guide →
Whiteside Mountain is a local landmark between Highlands and Cashiers. Its 2-mile loop trail climbs above sheer cliffs more than 750 feet high, with views to the east, south, and west from the 4,930-foot summit. Closer to town, Glen Falls and Sunset Rock make easy outings, and anglers can fish Harris Lake and Cliffside Lake Recreation Area.
Explore our Plateau hiking guide →
Cliffside Lake Recreation Area, about 4.5 miles west of town on US 64, has a lake for fishing and swimming from April through October. The Cullasaja River and the Chattooga are a short drive from Highlands for fly fishing, and Highland Hiker on Main Street carries fly shop goods. A North Carolina fishing license is required.
Explore our fishing and boating guide →
Golf has been part of Highlands since Bobby Jones of Atlanta helped found Highlands Country Club. Today the area is home to several private golf and country clubs, each with its own course, clubhouse, and community. See the Highlands Neighborhoods & Communities section below for more on each club.
The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts offers free exhibitions and classes for all skill levels, and four theaters, including the Highlands Playhouse, founded in 1938, keep the stage busy. Highlands has been named one of America's Small-Town Arts Places.
When the holidays arrive, the Highlands Christmas Parade brings bands, floats, and classic cars down Main Street, and Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park becomes a seasonal gathering spot.
Want to find a home close to it all? Our local team can help. Call 828-239-8814 →
Highlands offers a range of communities, from private golf and country clubs to wooded neighborhoods within walking distance of Main Street. Explore each community below.
Stay current on the Highlands-Cashiers real estate market with our monthly market report, covering prices, inventory, and sales in communities like Cullasaja Club, Highlands Falls Country Club, and Wildcat Cliffs Country Club. Our blog also features a monthly look at upcoming events and life on the Plateau.
