Eats, Hikes, Etc.
Eats
Coffee/Snacks:
Calders Coffee Cafe: The primary coffee shop in Highlands and it’s right on the main drag.
Edelweiss Highlands: Pricey, but this is a high end patisserie! If you like GBBO, it’s cool for a little splurge.
Outpost Inn: Coffee bar in the lobby. Very cute and a nice vibe to read a book or hang if you have some time!
One Wicker Cheese Co.: Artisinal cheeses and meats! CHEESE FLIGHTS.
Lunch Spots:
Four65 Woodfire Bistro and Bar: Great cocktails, pizza, salads, etc.
Highlands Smokehouse: BBQ, burgers, good grub.
Highlands Burrito: A local Moe’s/Chipotle type joint.
Mountain Fresh Grocery: Great if you want to grab a sandwich or some snacks to bring on a hike. They also have beer, wine, an Italian deli and local products. Right at the end of the main drag so you can walk and grab whatever you need!
Dinner Spots:
Stubborn Buddha: Asian fusion with a rooftop bar, right downtown. The samosas are bomb.
Wine Garden at Old Edwards Inn: Very pretty, a little pricey.
Highlands Supper Club: Located right behind Trailborn Highlands. Southern favs, lovely service.
The Stubborn Bull at Mill Creek: Tapas, spanish wine, cute atmosphere.
Lakeside Restaurant: Southern classics with a view of the lake.
Oak Steakhouse: A bit off the beaten path, but lovely. Wayyy at the top of a mountain with great views and very good eats!
Ristorante Paoletti: Italian. Because we know y’all are gonna ask.
Bars:
Ugly Dog Public House: Cool, upscale dive bar.
The High Dive: Dive bar with pool and darts. This is the spot in town that’s open the latest (midnight).
The Ruffed Grouse: Drinks and they also do dinner! It’s in the bottom of the Highlander Mountain House.
Hikes
Easy:
Botanical Gardens Loop: Very easy, short, in town. Hardly a hike, but lovely little loop around a pond if you want to walk off some dinner, but not get all sweaty.
Dry Falls Trail: Easy, . 25ish miles, out and back, close to town. If you do no other hikes, do this one!! So short and accessible with ramps and stairs and absolutely gorgeous! You get to walk behind the waterfall and it’s huge!!
Sunrise/Sunset Rock Trail: Easy, 1.5ish miles, out and back, close to town. Right across the street from the Botanical Garden in town. Easy, slight/moderate uphill hike with a view on either side (sunset on west, sunrise on east)
Adventurous:
Secret Falls: Medium, 1.3 miles, out and back, 15 min from town. Fun, woodsy hike. Mostly downhill in, uphill back out. End is a beautiful waterfall and swimming hole.
Hard:
There are tons of trails on trail finder in this area if you’re wanting a harder hike. We didn’t want to recommend something we didn’t go on, but it’s gorgeous out here! Bring lots of water, some good hiking shoes and you can’t go wrong.
Etc.
Shopping:
There are tons of cute shops on the main Highlands drag. Some of our notable favs are Spartina, Mirror Lake Antiques, Barto Style and Citizen Wilder .
Off the Beaten Path:
Highlands Outpost: Appalachian gravity roller coaster!
Highlands Biological Station: Trails and botanical gardens.
Highlands Aerial Park: Ziplining in the mountains!
Signal Ridge Marina: Explore Lake Glenville on kayak, canoe, paddleboard or rent a boat if you’re wild like dat.