Highlands Shopping & Dining

If you’re looking for upscale shopping and dining, Highlands boasts fine dining options, excellent shopping, and a great cultural arts scene. On the dining front, this quaint town offers everything from coffee shops, casual dining (indoors and outdoors) to gourmet dining with great wine selections. SeeTrip Advisor’s list of top dining picks, based on traveler…

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Lake Nantahala (Fishing & Boating)

Nantahala National Forest

Lake Nantahala is one of the most pristine lakes in North Carolina. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains in Macon County, the Lake has a surface area of 1,605 acres; sits at over 3,000 feet above sea level and boasts over 20 miles of shoreline. About half of the lake sits within the Nantahala National…

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Scenic Drives

There are three recommended Franklin trips including the Scenic Highway 64 to Lake Lure. Along this roadway, you will see beautiful waterfalls, such as Bridal Veil Falls, Dry Falls, and Cullasaja Falls. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers more than half a million acres, making it the largest national park in the East. A scenic…

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Whitewater Rafting, Canoeing & Tubing

White water rafting or kayaking are available on the famous Nantahala and Ocoee Rivers. Other area streams include the Little Tennessee River and Tuckaseegee River, both of which are perfect for Canoeing & Tubing. Learn more here.

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Zip Line Canopy Tours

Highlands Aerial Park is 24 miles south of Buttercup Haven located at an elevation 3,400 feet high atop High Holly Mountain in Scaly Mountain (click here for directions from Buttercup Haven). The “Brave Indian” zipline course is designed for families and those who desire to start ‘slower and lower’ than the thrilling World Class Canopy…

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Dupont State Forest

Dupont State Park

Noted for being the main filming location for the Hunger Games, the DuPont State Forest is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Hendersonville and Brevard, North Carolina. Its 10,400 acres of forest feature four major waterfalls on the Little River and several on the Grassy Creek. For key attractions and additional information, visit the…

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Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway

This is America’s most visited National Park unit and there’s plenty to see and do, including hiking, picnicking, waterfalls and scenic overlooks. Its 469 miles connect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Check out the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Travel Planner for places to…

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Pisgah National Forest (PNF)

Established in 1916, PNF was one of the first national forests in the eastern United States. With elevations reaching over 6,000 feet, it also has some of the highest mountains in the eastern United States. The Forest offers hiking trails, fishing, camping, picnic sites, and spectacular waterfalls. Some of PNF’s attractions include Looking Glass Falls,…

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Nantahala National Forest (NNF)

Nantahala National Forest

Adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains, NNF was established in 1920 and is the largest of NC’s national forests with a half-million acres of pristine woodlands, spectacular waterfalls and over 600 + miles of trails. Nantahala is a Cherokee word meaning “Land of the Noonday Sun”. The forest’s highest point is the Appalachian summit of…

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Established in 1934, this park has endless ridges of forest that border North Carolina and Tennessee. World renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal life and the beauty of its mountains, it is not surprisingly the most visited national park in the U.S. With over 800 miles of maintained trails, nearly 80 historic…

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