North Carolina is such a diverse state and this makes it the perfect place for a family vacation. Cashiers, Highlands, Sapphire, Glenville and other cities on the plateau are some of the most kid-friendly cities in North Carolina. Thousands of people flock here throughout the year with their children to make memories that will last forever. There are so many things to do with kids in North Carolina, especially in the mountains.
Here are some kid-friendly vacation ideas in North Carolina:
There are so many places to take your kids in North Carolina. We’ll share with you all of our tips for a kid-friendly vacation so you don’t waste any time when you get here. From things to do in Cashiers to things to do near Highlands, NC, this rustic slice of Western North Carolina has got it all. Some things to see in Cashiers you don’t want to miss include the area’s array of breathtaking scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, lakes and forests. If the kiddos aren’t old enough to hike the trails, they’d love the train! Whether you’re young, or just young at heart, there are lots of opportunities for family fun here.
The great thing about finding things to do in North Carolina with kids is that there are so many options, you won’t have any issues making vacation memories you’ll treasure forever. If you’re staying near Highlands and you’re wondering what to do in Highlands, you can stroll down the main street, go shopping in Highlands, eat at one of the unique restaurants (ask for a kids’ menu!), admire the views from your vacation rental, and get back to nature. If you’re staying in Cashiers, we recommended the Cashiers Farmers Market. The adults will undoubtedly find something they want, and the kids will love looking around and exploring. There are also a variety of other nearby towns to explore if you’re thinking about day trips in NC to take with families!
The mountains are a place to get back to basics and appreciate the smaller things, like renewing your appreciation for nature. There is no better way to do this than with hiking. We have so many hiking trails that lead to cascading waterfalls and overlooks with panoramic views. They’re perfect for family picnics after a long haul up the mountain.
You can find hiking trails that suit any age, from toddlers to teenagers. You can find many trails in Panthertown Valley in Cashiers, NC, or in Gorges State Park in Sapphire, NC. There are trails from .2 miles long that lead to gentle creeks, or you can backpack overnight on a longer trail, if your family wants to be more immersed in nature. The most popular time to hike is in the summer, but hiking here is one of the best things to do in North Carolina with kids in April or October, so you and the kiddos can see spring blooms and changing leaves.
If you’re looking for a day hike that leads to a gorgeous waterfall view and swimming hole, Secret Falls in Highlands, NC boasts a waterfall that looks like a tropical paradise.
If you take a 45-minute drive from our Cashiers office, you’ll find one of the train stations on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. The railroad brings people from all over for the unique and hard-to-find-experience of riding a train through the mountains. If you eat lunch at one of the Dillsboro restaurants by the train tracks, you have a good chance of seeing one of the trains come through, which can be pretty exciting for both you and the kids!
You can choose between a few different types of train rides including a steam-powered train or a diesel-powered locomotive. You can also choose to ride inside of the train for a first-class experience, or for ultimate views you can ride in the open-air gondola. Regardless of whatever train ride you choose, you’ll love the unique way you can experience the mountains with the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
What kid doesn’t want to spend the day swinging through the trees? Regardless of age, everyone in your family can have fun at Highlands Aerial Park. This is one of the most popular things to do with kids in North Carolina in our area! If you’re an adventuring pro, you can start with their hour-long package and get right to it. Or, if you need a little convincing, you can start with a half-hour package. Either way you go, you’ll get experienced, fun and knowledgeable guides that can help you and the kids have a fun and safe time.
If you’re looking for a team building activity, you can try one of their challenge courses. Instead of ziplining, you’ll be put in a safety harness and you’ll have to navigate a ropes course and bridge system among the trees. This will keep everyone on their toes and get everyone to work together in the name of fun. Keep in mind that this isn’t something you can do if you take a winter family vacation in North Carolina, but if you’re in the mountains during the warmer months, call ahead to reserve your spot for you and the kids!
This one will always be one of our favorite things to do with kids in North Carolina because Western North Carolina is home to several lakes, with a gorgeous mountain backdrop, that are great for families. We have plenty of vacation rentals in Lake Glenville to choose from. You can rent a boat, or bring your own for a day on your new favorite mountain lake. The older kids will have so much fun tubing and making memories that will last a lifetime.
If you don’t own a boat and don’t want to rent one, you can always rent a kayak for a more relaxed lake experience. Take in the mountains as you paddle with your family across the lake. Or, if you just want to hangout and enjoy the surroundings from a far, you can pack a picnic for the family and enjoy the views from the shore. A day on the lake is one of our favorite things to do with kids in North Carolina because there are so many great ways to enjoy the beautiful setting, whether you want to relax and emerge yourself in the scenery, or get active and go boating or kayaking.
For a more private, luxurious lake experience, we also have vacation rentals in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina’s largest private lake, where only members and guests have access to use the lake.
If you’re staying in the mountains and you don’t mind taking a quick day trip, we know your kids would love to go to Dollywood! It’s a two-hour drive from Cashiers, NC, where we are located, to Pigeon Forge, the home of Dollywood. If you’ve never heard of Dollywood, it’s the Appalachian theme park created by our favorite southern heroine, Dolly Parton. Every local has likely been to Dollywood at least once. Get up early and make the gorgeous, scenic drive to this southern theme park and enjoy a number of fast-paced roller coasters, bluegrass music playing in the background, and of course, a funnel cake! If you want a slower pace, you can go to the other side of the theme park where there is a true “country fair” with a ferris wheel and carnival games. On that same side of the park, you’ll find a train and kids will love taking a train ride around the park! You’ll find that there is family fun for everyone in Dollywood. It might be your new favorite thing to do with kids in North Carolina!
You’ll love the unique southern spirit of Dollywood, and at the end of the day when you and the kids are completely worn out, you can come back to one of our quieter towns on the plateau to your secluded vacation rental, and wind down.
We are experts in helping people plan their best mountain vacation, especially if we know they’re planning a kid-friendly vacation. We can help you plan a kid-friendly experience here in Western North Carolina, and help determine which vacation rentals will best accommodate you and your children. Get in touch with us today so we can share things to do with kids in North Carolina, and why you need to experience the mountains on your next vacation!
A huge draw to Western North Carolina is the array of outdoor activities the mountains have to offer. Most people who vacation here in the North Carolina mountains spend most of their time enjoying the outdoors.
Of course, for any vacation, weather can become a road block. Many people don’t know this, but certain towns in Western North Carolina are considered a rain forest, due to the biodiversity and vast amount of rain we get each year, especially during fall and winter. This means you should be prepared for the potential for rain whenever you plan to visit.
Rain can throw a wrench into your plans. But if you know how to embrace it like a local, you’ll still have fun. Here are some fun things to do in NC on a rainy day.
If you love a good craft beer (like many of us do!), you’ve come to the right place. Western North Carolina is home to a variety of local breweries with some amazing craft beer; You’ll find many residents at one of them on any given Friday night. Satulah Mountain Brewery, Whiteside Brewing, and Sapphire Brewing Company are just a few of the breweries the plateau has to offer.
If you are a craft beer connoisseur, you would love a day trip to Asheville, which has become known as the craft beer capital of the South. As a matter of fact, the only city in the country that rivals Asheville in breweries is Portland, Oregon! There are over 25 breweries in Asheville alone, and all of them have their own unique and fun atmosphere and flavors; so there is no shortage of options to choose from.
If you aren’t a big beer person, don’t worry. There are still plenty of things to do in NC on a rainy day!
Each of our small mountain towns have their own ambiance and set of unique shops and coffee hangouts.
So what is there to do in Highlands on a rainy day? If you’re looking at visiting a coffee shop, Calder’s is a favorite spot on Main Street. You open the door to Calder’s and you feel the cozy atmosphere and smell the espresso right away. You’ll love the original hardwood floors creaking beneath your feet and if you’re lucky, you’ll score the window seats so you can watch the foot traffic (which doesn’t usually slow down in Highlands, even on a rainy day!). If you’re in the mood to shop, many of the staple shops in Highlands are a quick walk away.
Since it tends to rain a lot here, rain doesn’t usually slow down determined shoppers!
Now you might be asking, what about Cashiers? What is there to do in Cashiers on a rainy day? Buck’s Coffee is located in the heart of Cashiers Crossroads, right beside our Landmark Vacation Rentals office! We frequent Buck’s during our workdays and weekends, so we can vouch for them in saying that their coffee is wonderful. Buck’s has an adorable covered porch and plenty of seating inside so you can enjoy the sound of rain on the roof while you sip your latte. Afterwords, you can check out some of the boutiques Cashiers has to offer. This can be a great way to spend the day no matter what the weather looks like. It’s one of our favorite things to do on a rainy day in NC.
This is one of the best things to do on a rainy day in NC, especially with kids! If you want to learn a little more about the diverse rain forest you are vacationing in, this is the place to go. The Highlands Biological Station Nature Center is a resource for biological education on the Highlands-Cashiers plateau. Walking into the Nature Center is like walking into a mini-zoo. You’ll see a variety of animals and reptiles and you can get a glimpse of them up-close and learn more from the Nature Center’s knowledgeable staff. If the rain clears up, you can go on the nature walk outside and learn about the flora and fauna that make up the Western North Carolina mountains. If the rain is still going strong, you can still have fun inside and view some neat critters with your kids.
If a quiet, rainy day is what you seek, The Bascom is the perfect place to start. One of the things to do in NC on a rainy day is to visit The Bascom in Highlands, NC, a local art museum where creatives go to thrive and become inspired. The building itself resembles a beautifully restored barn, and is a state-of-the-art, six-acre “green” campus with a museum, gift shop, and studios.
The best way to find out what exhibits they currently have going on is to check their website of Facebook page, unless you want to be delightfully surprised and just stop in. The museum itself is free to the public, however, if you’re an artist and you’re staying for an extended period of time, you may be interested in checking out the workshops they have for adult artists at work.
These places are all the rage! If you aren’t familiar, escape rooms are where you are locked in a themed room and given clues to figure out how to escape with the help of your team. If you end up figuring out the clues, you win! If you take a drive down the road from Cashiers, NC you’ll end up in Sylva which is home to 828 Escape Room, the closest one to the Highlands-Cashiers plateau. Escape rooms are a fun way to get the whole family involved in a group activity that gets everyone into the spirit of team work, and of course, keeps you dry and out of the rain. You’ll be sure to leave laughing and loving seeing how everyone handles the pressure of the game!
Embrace the rain like a true Western North Carolina local and throw on your rain jacket to go on a waterfall drive! If you go through Highlands and take the Franklin Road, you’ll pas several waterfalls, like Bridal Veil Falls and Dry Falls, to name a few. For most of these, you only have to walk a few steps to see them! if it’s raining hard, you can pull off to the side of the road and look at them from your car, or if the rain has eased off, you can get out and get up-close and personal. Sometimes while it’s raining is the best time to see waterfalls, as it makes the water flow more dramatically than usual, and there are fewer crowds.
At Landmark, we are pretty used to the rain and we’ve learned to embrace it! But we understand if you might be a little bummed that it’s raining while you’re on your long-awaited vacation. Don’t worry; we are used to finding way to keep busy on rainy days and we can help you decide what activities are going to suit you and your family best. But we do recommend that you bring a rain jacket and umbrella so you don’t get wet in case of a down-pour!
Get in touch with us today to plan your North Carolina mountain vacation and we’ll make sure you have fun no matter the weather!
Waterfalls are the most beautiful natural attraction in our little slice of North Carolina. The scenery of a waterfall is a great reward after a long trip to the mountains, or a long hike to get to your destination, and they are so worth it. Here are just a few of our favorite Western North Carolina Waterfalls.
This waterfall is one of the most popular in the state of North Carolina, and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Falls Trail is declared an “easy” 1.6 miles, but you can take a slightly more strenuous 1.4 mile trail called The Gorge trail, if you want a more challenging incline. On that harder trail, you get the payoff of five gorgeous viewpoints of the waterfall. No matter which route you choose to go, you’ll be enamored with this three-tier waterfall that plunges from a dramatic 90-foot drop. If you happen to go by this Western North Carolina waterfall in the winter, and the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed, there is a second parking area near the village of Linville Falls that will get you to a trailhead.
It’s called secret for a reason, but the secret is starting to get around. Equipped with a tiny parking lot and one lone post declaring “Secret Falls” this place is somewhat hard to find, but it’s worth it! The trail is .7 miles in and out, and it’s rated as moderate. At the bottom of the trail, you’ll find yourself in awe, sandwiched between two waterfalls. This is a great place to bring a picnic, and even the family dog, if they love swimming, as this waterfall destination provides an awesome swimming hole. The best part? It’s typically less crowded, even in the summer, thanks to its discreet location! Ask around Highlands, NC and locals who have discovered it will rave about how beautiful it is. If you are in this part of North Carolina, you can’t miss this one.
Nestled in Gorges State Park in Sapphire, NC, Rainbow falls is a 150–foot waterfall that sits at the end of a 1.5 mile hike that is considered moderate to strenuous. On sunny days, when the light peaks through, you might be lucky enough to see the rainbow emerge from the waterfall, that it’s so aptly named for. When the water is low, there are many rocks for seating and potential picnics for hikers, but the park warns visitors not to try and scale the rock face, and to be aware of the water levels before going on a hike. The park has other Western North Carolina waterfalls worth visiting as well, if you are an avid hiker! The park is a well-loved gem of Sapphire and the surrounding communities and can take up an entire day of your time with its various hiking and biking trails.
This narrow waterfall in Canton is a popular swimming hole in the summertime. Just an easy to moderate hike, this waterfall is accessible to the novice hiker. Located on the famous Blue Ridge Parkway, and while there is no fee to park here, the parking lot will most likely be packed on summer weekends. If you can, we recommend going to this destination on weekdays to beat the crowds. If you can manage that, you may even have the place to yourself. Despite the crowds, you’ll see why this waterfall is so popular. In the summer it’s surrounded by lush greenery and in the fall, bright orange, yellow and red leaves are at their peak.
You might drive over these falls on U.S. Highway 64 and not notice the rushing falls underneath! The best way to see these falls is to look for the stone bridge you are driving over, and then park in the closest parking area and walk to the viewing spot for Toxaway Falls. If you or anyone in the group you are traveling with might have a hard time participating in a hike, this would be a great way to see a beautiful waterfall with no extensive walking required.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is equipped with some gorgeous hikes and waterfalls, and Crabtree Falls is no exception! This waterfall is towering, and it offers a bridge below for hikers to view the falls looking up, giving it a more dramatic viewpoint. There are two routes you can go for this hike: The 3-mile trail or the 3.5-mile trail. The shorter trail has more of a moderate incline/decline, making it the better choice for less experienced hikers (however, this is still quite a trek even for those who are less experienced). The more strenuous, longer path actually takes you above the falls, bringing new meaning to the phrase “the road less traveled” as you’ll be seeing the falls from a place many don’t. If you head 3/4 of a mile south of the falls, you’ll come across a beautiful picnic area with breathtaking mountain views.
On your way up Cullasaja gorge, you’ll be subjected to gorgeous roadside views of huge waterfalls cascading down the mountainside. These waterfalls are beautiful and worth a visit, but we would be remiss if we didn’t strongly encourage you to drive a little ways up the road to Dry Falls. A Nantahala National Forest sign alerts you just before the upcoming parking lot for Dry Falls. Pay the parking fee and descend down the staircase (which can be slippery if it has recently rained) and you’ll make your way down a slight decline to Dry Falls.
You’ll love this up-close-and-personal interaction with a huge waterfall. If you go after it’s recently rained, the waterfall roars even louder. You can even safely walk under the falls, but bring a jacket, because you might get a little misty if you get that close!
While it may not be the most impressive falls in terms of height, at only 20 feet tall, you’ll love the tranquility of the pool that surrounds this waterfall. Located in Panthertown Valley, a hiking mecca in Western North Carolina, this is one of several waterfalls in the Panthertown Valley hiking trail system. If you go to visit Schoolhouse Falls, you can hike around and visit various waterfalls, rather than just one. The main route to Schoolhouse Falls is a moderate 2.5-mile hike.
Looking Glass Falls is a very well-known Western North Carolina waterfall, partly because it’s one of the few roadside waterfalls that you can drive almost right up to for viewing, and even let the kids play in! Looking Glass Falls is right off U.S. 276 and is in the heart of the Pisgah National Forest. The best part about Looking Glass Falls is how accessible it is for everyone of all capabilities. Even if you aren’t able to complete a full scale hike to view Western North Carolina waterfalls, this 60-foot tall beauty is right at your fingertips. There is no fee to park here, either, but it is a popular destination, so the best option would be to try and go during a weekday or off-season.
Yep, twin waterfalls! This is a fun day trip visit if you are chasing Western North Carolina waterfalls. The falls aren’t that high, standing at approximately 15 feet tall. But there are boulders surrounding the falls that can make for perfect makeshift picnic tables, and an old red mill sits proudly in the background, making a perfect backdrop for a date. You can actually walk about a quarter of a mile downstream and view a smaller waterfall called Cathedral Falls. Although these waterfalls are smaller than most on our list, you can see three at once, which feels like a bargain if you are waterfall hunting for the day!
If you are planning your mountain vacation, or even thinking about a future vacation to Western North Carolina, we can help you every step of the way. We live, work and play in the mountains. On the weekends, you can find most of us getting out and about to explore some of the same waterfalls listed above, and more! Let us help you plan your perfect North Carolina vacation and find the best place for you and your family to stay in while you are here.
As you can imagine, people flock to vacation in the Western North Carolina mountains for the abundance of outdoor activities there are to choose from. Hiking, fishing, biking, skiing, the mountains are an outdoor lovers’ oasis. When it comes to golf, there is no exception. People love to visit golf courses in North Carolina, because you get a wide range of landscape and gorgeous views.
The Highlands-Cashiers plateau and surrounding areas are especially popular for golfing. With approximately 16 public and private golf courses, this is a golfer’s paradise.
So where can you golf on the Highlands-Cashiers plateau, whether you are visiting for a brief time or planning to stay forever? Let’s dive in.
Golf clubs that are completely open to the public are not as common, but there are a couple that you can visit here in the mountains.
With so many few public courses in the area, Red Bird Golf Links is a good golf course to give you a small taste of what golf courses in North Carolina have to offer. Red Bird Golf Links is a nine-hole course designed by Reid Horne and in 2020, this course will have been open for 19 years. While it’s a smaller course, Red Bird offers a 15-tee driving range to practice. There is also a full pro shop. So if you are only in town for a day, or maybe even just a week, this would be a great course for you, especially if you have people in your group who are beginners. Red Bird is located within the Sapphire Valley community.
Everyone who lives in Sapphire Valley or has an amenity card to Sapphire Valley absolutely loves it there. Since Sapphire Valley is home to the only public golf courses in the area, you’ll get a rare opportunity to see why. Sapphire Valley boasts a 4.5 star rating from Golf Digest, and for this they give partial credit to the variety of landscape that is situated on the course. This full 18-hole course was designed by award-winning designer, Ron Garl to accommodate the natural landscape that embodies the course.
Various rates for 9/18 hole games are subject to change by year and season, but you can find rates for you, your family and your corporate family on Sapphire Valley Golf Course’s website. They offer special discounts for students and members of the military, fire department, and police force.
While open to the public, Sapphire Valley still requires that visitors, whether they are residents, amenity card holders, or guests for the day, abide by the dress code. Denim, tank-tops, and gym apparel are a few of the clothing items that are prohibited on the course. For a full description of the dress code of the Sapphire Valley National Golf Course, check out the rate page on their website.
Sky Valley Country Club is a short drive from Highlands, NC, right near the Georgia-North Carolina border. Sky Valley is the highest elevated golf course in Georgia, and lucky for you, it’s open to the public! Opened over 40 years ago, with a course renovation in 2007, Sky Valley’s golf course is now considered a championship course with approximately 6,900 square feet of yards of green to enjoy. Rates vary, and those interested in golfing at Sky Valley will need to inquire about booking a round of golf.
Here is the most important thing to take away from learning about our golf courses: Many golf courses in North Carolina are private. Each golf course and community they are located within have their own rules about membership, and they are subject to change. Some clubs change their membership rules frequently. If you are an avid golf player and a frequent visitor to the mountains, it would be worth it to look into purchasing some type of membership so you have a familiar place to come and play every time you visit the mountains.
If you are not looking to purchase real estate and you are solely looking for a golf membership, there are still plenty of options for you, though they are narrowed down. Below are just some of the communities that offer golf memberships to people who don’t own property in that given community:
You’ll find that a few communities are very exclusive. The golf club is only open to those who own homes or property in that community. If that kind of exclusivity and privacy is what you are looking for, Landmark Realty Group can help you find the perfect community for you to purchase your next home in. Some of the communities that reserve their golf courses exclusively for property owners as of February 2020 are:
To sum it up, all golf courses and country clubs have their own rules and regulations. It can be overwhelming to try and explore them all and stay current on what is required, since it can change. At Landmark, we are happy to explore these courses with you and find one that fits your lifestyle.
When you decide to rent a vacation home in Western North Carolina, you don’t make that decision lightly. You want it to be perfect for you. For some, their definition of perfect includes either staying on a golf course, or having the easiest access possible to a golf course within the community. If spending your days playing your favorite sport and then easily walking home sounds like your thing, we have homes that are perfect for you. We have a variety of rental properties to choose from that overlook golf courses or are located within golfing communities. We’d love to give you a tour of any of our private courses, and the communities they are nestled in. Get in touch with us today so we can help you find the perfect golfing community for you to stay in during your next vacation to Western North Carolina.
