This trip was a bit of a random one and we had no idea what to expect from the mountains of western North Carolina. Neither of us had ever been before, but one of Dan’s good friends works in Highlands so we decided to take the opportunity to visit while we were living in Myrtle Beach. We knew that as a part of the Appalachian Mountains it had to be beautiful, but we were blown away by how magnificent the views truly were.

It felt like a step back into New Hampshire in a lot of ways as it was such a rural area, but at the same time it also felt completely different. I drove the whole way there as we left right after Dan got off from an overnight shift, and I have never driven roads like that. We were way up in the mountains just driving along the edge of a cliff, zig-zagging like crazy. Dan was convinced I was driving way too fast, but I was actually driving well under the speed limit. The next day when he drove, he realized it really was just the nature of the roads and it was my turn to feel sick from his driving.

Despite the treacherous roads, we were both in constant awe at the views that we drove past and made it a point to make many stops along the way. We stayed at a wonderful Airbnb in Scaly Mountain that felt like a true B&B experience. While the forest, the secludedness, the stars, and the quiet all reminded us of New Hampshire, it was almost still like the South Carolina climate of heat and humidity. We enjoyed taking it slow, listening to the wildlife, walking around the resort town of Highlands, and catching up with John. We caught the most beautiful dance of hundreds of lighting bugs in a field the night we arrived that I think I’ll remember forever. It was such a beautiful place and the most relaxing trip.

Check out our video of some of the views from the trip here!

OUR HIGHLANDS FAVOURITES

• Our Airbnb was the cutest and such a serene spot in the woods, we would definitely recommend it! Neither of us have ever stayed at an Airbnb with such a charming BnB feel 🙂 Check it out here!
• Bridal Veil Falls
• Calders Coffee – great café with tasty coffee & treats, as well as wifi and lots of space to do work
• Kilwins Chocolates, Fudge, & Ice Cream – fun stop for some sweet treats
• Dutchman’s Designs – absolutely gorgeous home décor shop
• The Molly Grace – super cute clothing & souvenir shop