Luxury holidays in Highlands

At 4,000ft, Highlands in Macon County sits on the western North Carolina plateau – a scenic rural area in the southern Appalachians, surrounded by temperate rainforest and studded with lakes and waterfalls. What started out as a summer health resort is now a flourishing town with a healthy portfolio of shops, spas and restaurants, providing cosmopolitan contrast to Highlands’ bucolic backdrop.
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When to go

July and August are hot and dry with temperatures into the high seventies fahrenheit. From March until June this part of NC is at its most popular, with azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom in April and May, and the climes clement for walkers. September brings quieter times as the barometer edges down a notch – October is our tip for a heady mix of fine weather and fall color. From November to February, Highlands is at its coolest and rainiest.

Getting there

  • Planes

    Atlanta International is three hours by road from Highlands. Regional airports nearby include Asheville (an hour and a half away by road) and Greenville-Spartanburg (under two hours away in South Carolina).

  • Automobiles

    Roads are well maintained and signposted in NC. Given the high altitude and mountainous terrain, you’ll need to be prepared for a climb up to Highlands, plus whatever fog or rain the temperate rainforest brings.