North Carolina's Best-Kept Secret Is An Artsy Town Where Serene Misty Mountains Meet Quaint Shops

Home to happy coastal towns with beach paradises like Southport and charming walkable riverfront gems full of shops and eateries such as New Bern, North Carolina is a state brimming with picturesque destinations. Some of its most beautiful places to visit are nestled serenely in the Blue Ridge Mountains. While one of North Carolina's most popular mountain towns, Asheville, gets plenty of buzz for its gorgeous surroundings and rich arts and culture scene — marked by historic arts and crafts destinations like Grovewood Village — there are other hidden mountain gems nearby that deserve to be on your radar.

Resting about 63 miles south of Asheville, Cashiers is a small town gleaming with quaint shops, idyllic dining spots, and a vibrant arts scene — and it deserves a spot on your bucket list. Explore the town and its surrounding natural beauty by day and nestle into cozy inns that are perfect for a getaway in the mountains by night. If you're looking for North Carolina's best-kept secret in the Blue Ridge Mountains, plan your visit to Cashiers.

To explore the thriving shopping and food scenes in Cashiers, head to the intersection of NC Highway 107 and US Highway 64, where you'll find a mecca of charming boutiques, antique stores, and local eateries. Pop into apparel shops like Victoria's Closet for fine consignment clothing or TJ Bailey's for contemporary fashion and accessories. To hunt for vintage treasures, Vivianne Metzger Antiques is stocked with plenty of 18th and 19th-century collectibles awaiting a new home, while The Village Hound offers antique furniture and art with an emphasis on canine and equestrian themes.

When you're ready to bite into the food scene, Cashier boasts an array of dining locales, from casual pizza pit stops like Slabtown Pizza to sophisticated rustic restaurants like Canyon Kitchen. Serving elegant entrees and classic cocktails, the latter is set against a scenic backdrop of green forests and rocky hillsides — it also offers outdoor garden seating in season. If you're looking for something in between casual and classy, grab a porch seat at Cornucopia, a beloved local lunch spot housed in a former general store serving burger and sandwich fare.

With the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains in Cashiers' backyard, there are ample opportunities for outdoor adventures. Take a moderate 2-mile hike along the majestic Whiteside Mountain, lined with greenery and wildflowers, granting stunning cliffside views at the top. During two seasons per year (mid-October through early November and mid-February to early March), you can witness the "shadow of the bear," a unique phenomenon that casts a bear-shaped shadow across the valley below. For an enchanting waterfall hike, head to Panthertown Valley and travel the 2.5-mile round-trip trail to Schoolhouse Falls. If you'd rather get off your feet and on the water, you can rent a boat at the Signal Ridge Marina and admire three more dazzling waterfalls visible from Lake Glenville.

For an urban outdoor adventure with man-made marvels, wander through The Village Green, a 13.5-acre park in the center of Cashiers lined with peaceful walking paths, gorgeous gardens, and outdoor sculptures by local artists. To discover more of the town's art scene, visit the Whiteside Art Gallery to peruse contemporary works in a historic building that once housed a church. When the sun sets on your mountain town adventures, check into the High Hampton Resort, a charming century-old oasis that boasts 1,400 acres of sweeping views, a collection of onsite restaurants, and an 18-hole golf course. For cozy accommodations close to town as well as natural attractions, nestle into The Wells Hotel and unwind in the property's Whiteside Brewing Co. for Bavarian-style beers and bites.