1 Day in Highlands, North Carolina
Spend a day in Highlands, North Carolina, to experience some of the best that Western North Carolina has to offer!
This adorable town is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains about an hour west of Asheville.
Once a sleepy mountain locale, Highlands has recently turned into a destination of its own, filled with arts venues, quaint cafes, and upscale hotels.
Plus, there are dozens of incredible hikes and outdoor adventures within easy driving distance of downtown Highlands as the town is conveniently located near the Nantahala National Forest and the Ellicott Rock Wilderness.
With only a single day in town, you’ll have to be smart with your time, but there’s still plenty you can do here in a short time!
Below, you’ll find everything you should do on a first time day trip to Highlands, NC, including our recommendations for restaurants, shopping, hiking, and more.
The Highlands Inn and other stores on Main Street
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Highlands Day Trip Itinerary
This itinerary assumes that you’re visiting Highlands, North Carolina, as a day trip.
If you are looking for a place to spend the night either before the following itinerary or after, I highly recommend the Highlander Mountain House.
Located at 270 Main Street, this hotel is within walking distance of everything in downtown Highlands, yet, it still feels out of the way.
Plus, there’s an onsite restaurant with offers up a great bluegrass brunch on the weekends.
Eat at Blue Bike Cafe for breakfast.
Start your day off with a heaping stack of freshly made waffles or pancakes at Blue Bike Cafe.
The Camping Kiddos at Blue Bike Cafe
This charming restaurant serves up breakfast, brunch, and lunch from 7 AM to 3 PM every day of the week except Sundays.
You’ll find it in Mill Creek Highlands, a small shopping center on North 4th Street. This area is only about 2 blocks from Highlands’ Main Street, making it an easy walk if you’ve already found parking elsewhere. (I will note that the parking lot at Blue Bike Cafe is small, so you might do better to find public parking along Main Street, and then walk to eat.)
When you drive up, you’ll see a couple of blue bikes that stay parked outside to let you know you’ve arrived at the right place.
You’ll pass the small outdoor eating space, which is always packed on pretty mornings.
Check in at the front counter, which also double as the cash register for the little sundries shop. You can buy homemade jam, preserves, juices, cookies, and more here. Linger in the shop while you wait for your table to open up.
The menu here is focused, but you’ll find plenty to tempt you.
My kids love the cinnamon roll pancakes, which come with a heaping scoop of house-made cream cheese frosting. The French toast is made up of thick cut slices of fresh bread with plenty of cinnamon.
I prefer brunch more on the savory side, so I stick with my favorites: the huge Cobb Salad and the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. The chorizo and grits is Southern and Tex-Mex fusion at its best with cheesy grits, sausage, pico de gallo, and eggs.
Really, you can’t go wrong with anything here!
Blue Bike Cafe is also dog friendly with a special doggie menu, too.
Shop along Main Street.
Once you’ve gotten your fill at Blue Bike Cafe, walk the two blocks over to Main Street.
(If you’ve tucked in as much as we do there, you’ll appreciate the stroll!)
Main Street is the heart of Highlands, and it’s filled with adorable boutiques, art galleries, coffee shops, and more.
The younger Camping Kiddo and the geode he really wanted to take home
Start at the intersection of North 3rd Street and Main Street, and then head back east, stopping at the stores that catch your eye.
Whenever we’re in town, we love browsing in any new shops that have opened, but we have a few that we return to again and again.
Mountain Bear Outfitters at 302 Main Street is a must for shoes and outdoor clothing. We somehow always end up here buying the kids new hiking shoes or sandals!
They have a great selection of Keens, Teva, and Chacos, which are must haves for exploring the many waterfall trails around here.
The Christmas Tree has been a staple in downtown Highlands for decades. I remember coming here with my parents when I was a kid to listen to their music box player and looking at all of the pretty ornaments.
We love picking up unique ornaments to help us remember our travels, so this is the perfect place to pick out your next addition to the Christmas tree.
There are multiple upscale women’s boutiques if you’re looking for a great new dress or shirt. My kids love The Toy Store at 364 Main Street which is packed with books and toys for kids of all ages. You’ll also find a small selection of kids shoes, hair bows, and clothing here.
The Silver Eagle Gallery at 349 Main Street is one of those places that I had to pry my kids out of. This store is filled with gemstones and jewelry.
My kids are obsessed with all things rocks, so they had to examine every one of them before taking several home.
In general, linger in the downtown area. There are so many pretty inns and houses here.
Grab lunch at Mountain Fresh Grocery.
If you’ve worked up an appetite by the time you get to the other end of the stores on Main Street, I’ve got the perfect selection for your lunch.
Mountain Fresh Grocery at 521 Main Street is a fun spot for everything from artisan pizzas to freshly made sandwiches. Here, you’ll also find a curated collection of gourmet groceries, snacks, wine, and drinks.
This is another spot that we come back to again and again! One of my first dates with my now-husband was here when we were students at Clemson University (which is just over the SC-NC line).
Now that we have kids, it’s a great lunch spot since there are multiple options on what the kids can order. That means everyone is happy!
Find your next great read.
PIN ME!
Next, head over to one of the 2 bookstores in downtown Highlands.
You’ll find The Bookworm next door to Mountain Fresh Grocery, and Shakespeare and Company on Oak Street.
The Bookworm is small but packed full of used books. The staff here is incredibly friendly, and many of the local residents volunteer to keep sections of the bookstore tidy. You’ll find everything from previously loved hardback bestsellers to more obscure non-fiction.
The Bookworm is open year round, but does have reduced hours in the quieter winter months. Don’t forget to check out what’s on offer in their little free library out front.
Shakespeare and Company is a must-visit for book lovers. Tucked away from the crowds on Oak Street, this little used bookstore has room after room filled with treasures.
It’s only open during the warmer months, so check their Facebook page to see when the exact dates they’ll be welcoming customers are.
Frolic in Founders Park.
If it’s a nice day, head over to Founders Park. If you’re leaving Shakespeare and Company, the park is right next door!
No matter the time of year that you’re visiting Highlands, there’s something to do here.
The ice rink provides a quaint, cozy outing in winter, while the small splash pad will keep kids happy in summer.
On a beautiful spring or fall day, relax on one of the park’s benches as you sip a coffee.
Check out the town’s events calendar to see who is playing or performing at the McPhail Music Pavilion in the heart of the park.
There are also public restrooms near the corner of North 5th and Pine Streets.
Snack at Kilwin’s ice cream.
If your family is like mine, any time is a good time for ice cream!
We always end up at Kilwin’s at 341 Main Street when we’re visiting Highlands. Kilwin’s is a chain on the East Coast of gourmet chocolates and ice creams, and we love finding them when we are traveling.
Stop by to get some freshly made peanut butter cups, pecan turtles, or a scoop of ice cream in a waffle cone.
There are several tables outside as well as a small courtyard.
Go chase some waterfalls.
The younger Camping Kiddo at Pinky Falls, Highlands, NC
This corner of the South has SO many waterfalls! There are multiple waterfalls within a half an hour’s drive of downtown Highlands, so make time in your schedule to visit at least one.
Hanging out behind Bridal Veil Falls
Pinky Falls is the closest to downtown, so it’s the quickest option. At only about 2 miles by car from Main Street, you can easily access this off-the-beaten-path waterfall, which has several small cascades, a great sliding and swimming area, and a small beach with seating.
Learn more in our complete Pinky Falls guide!
If you head out of town on Highway 64 to the west, you’ll come across Sequoyah Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Dry Falls within quick succession. All 3 of these are less than a 15 minute drive from downtown Highlands.
Sequoyah Falls is created by a dam on the western end of Lake Sequoyah, but the cascade is lovely.
Bridal Veil Falls is so close to the road that you don’t need to even get out of the car! If you do want to get up closer to the falls, there is a small pull-out and parking area to allow you to walk underneath it. Years ago, you could actually drive behind the falls, which was quite the experience.
Dry Falls is another must-do water fall in the area, and the most popular of the 4 I’ve mentioned here.
If you have the America the Beautiful pass, parking at Dry Falls is free. Otherwise, you can get a parking pass for a couple of dollars at one of the self-pay kiosks in the parking lot.
The kids and I behind the falls at Dry Falls
The name comes from the fact that you can walk behind a giant sheet of water caused by the Cullasaja River pouring over a cliff in the Nantahala National Forest. It’s an easy 1/4 mile hike from the parking lot (but note that there are many stairs to navigate).
If you’d prefer to see the falls from a distance, there is a new wooden observation platform just off of the parking area.
Note: if you’d prefer to have a guided tour of this area, Dry Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Highlands are all stops on the Asheville private waterfalls tour.
Take a photo at the Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge.
On the way back into Highlands, stop to see the Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge on Route 64.
It’s on the very western edge of Main Street in the downtown area.
If the bridge is closed for repairs, you can still pull into the paved section of road before the bridge to get a photo.
Note that the bridge is low and won’t accommodate larger trucks, RVs, or vans.
You can also access the bridge from the other entrance to the Bascom Arts Center off of Oak Street.
Get cultured.
Finish off your perfect day in this adorable mountain town by taking in a show at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.
There’s a little bit of everything on offer here. From live bluegrass concerts to simulcast operas from New York, the Arts Center’s yearly calendar is surprisingly robust for a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
You’ll find the center situated between Chestnut and Laurel Streets just north of Main Street.
Explore more!
If you’d like to extend your trip in this area, here are some ideas:
