There is a place where time stands still, a capsule where the past and future blend seamlessly with the present.
Earth meets heaven in Jackson County, North Carolina, and its bridge is a small village community called Cashiers.
Tucked into southwestern North Carolina, just over the South Carolina state line, Cashiers emerges out of the wilds of Nantahala National Forest.
On the short hour-and-twenty-minute drive from Greenville, undulating backroads unlock Appalachian secrets.
Cashiers is quaint, with a pocketful of boutiques, antique shops, and restaurants that are as comforting as they are charming. For the weekend, I decided to sample the area from different vantages.
On the Road to High Hampton
Before a night at Hotel Cashiers, I planned a luxurious stay at High Hampton. Formerly a family property, the inn dates back to 1922 when it opened as a mountain retreat. A fire destroyed the original structure and several other buildings in 1932, but the property was rebuilt, becoming a lakeside destination for generations. In 2017, Arlington Family Offices of Birmingham, Alabama, purchased High Hampton and enlisted Daniel Communities to redevelop the golf course and manage the new resort amenities and private residences, while the Beall family of Tennessee’s Blackberry Farm revamped the inn.
Blackberry’s visionaries preserved and amplified the character of the historic structures, complementing chestnut wood with modern furnishings, rich fabrics, and abstract art. Additionally, chef-curated menus, wine and whiskey tastings, even s’mores over outdoor fire pits, are for guests’ pleasure.
I stayed in the quaint Chimney Top Cottage, one of eight cottages on the picturesque property.
Cashiers’ elevation ensures that temperatures remain much cooler than in Greenville, and it was still quite chilly during my visit. The stone gas fireplace warmed my room, while I sank into a hot bath with salts from the inn’s spa. The next morning, I grabbed a newspaper on my way to the sunlit dining room for breakfast. The recently opened Tom Fazio–designed golf course beckoned, but I opted for a Signature Unwind massage instead.
Before leaving, I toasted the past with a glass of crisp Cava, vowing to come back in late summer to see the famed dahlia garden in bloom.
Visitors Guide to Cashiers, North Carolina
On my way to Hotel Cashiers, I stopped for lunch at Cornucopia, a locals’ café with a laundry list of sandwiches, daily specials, and homemade desserts. It’s housed in a nineteenth-century building whose walls hold past conversations as a former schoolhouse and post office.
I ordered a club sandwich, then chased it with sweet tea and a slice of homemade chocolate pie.
It was Saturday, and beer called at Whiteside Brewing Company just down the road. I watched families play outside as afternoon clouds parted. When the sun sank, I made it to Hotel Cashiers before a satisfying dinner at the eclectic Library Kitchen & Bar in Sapphire, North Carolina. There, Chef Johannes Klapdohr crafts seasonally driven dishes like a white asparagus soup with grilled shrimp that stunned in its freshness.
Hotel Cashiers is a modern boutique hotel perched above Highway 107 in a stand of tall trees. Delightful outdoor seating under string lights is a fitting spot to enjoy a bottle of wine and gourmet provisions from the hotel’s lobby lounge, located in a shopping center below. The center also offers casual restaurants if a craving for Mexican or pizza hits. I had a hearty brunch at its popular Zookeeper Bistro the next day before a breathtaking hike at Whiteside Mountain.
Time exists differently in Cashiers, a place as indelible as the moments it manifests.
High Hampton, 1525 Highway 107 South, Cashiers, NC. (800) 648-4252, highhampton.com; Hotel Cashiers, 7 Slab Town Rd, Cashiers, NC. (828) 743-7706, hotelcashiers.com
