The High Hampton Resort in Cashiers, NC is a magical resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains that is the perfect place to disconnect from the chaos of daily life and reconnect with family and nature.
For my family, the stay at High Hampton Inn could not have come at a better time. With his junior year of high school around the corner, my husband and I really needed to spend some quality one-on-one (or two-on-one in our case) time with our son, who is usually tethered to his phone or computer.
Rock Mountain at Dusk
My husband took time off of work and we left the Heart of Dixie and headed to Tar Heel territory. Our GPS took us through the Nantahala National Forest along scenic winding roads. Arriving at the resort, the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains surrounded us.
High Hampton Resort Lobby
As we walked inside the nearly century-old historic inn, my son discovered that he would have some difficulty using wi-fi. For my husband and myself, we found that to be a good thing. A really good thing.
We walked around the outside of the inn and spotted a ping pong table. Nearby were paddles and a ball, free for guests to use. I played with my son for a bit and then my husband took over. It was a great way to begin our stay at the High Hampton.
High Hampton is where the remake of Dirty Dancing was filmed.
The day that we arrived was the day that the manager’s reception takes place at the Rock Mountain Tavern on the lower level of the resort. The walls of the hallway to the tavern are lined with artwork by local artists.
We were able to enjoy some fruit and cheese and met some employees who have worked at the resort for years.
Rock Mount Tavern opens up to the outside patio – the perfect spot to sit and relax.
We brought our drinks outside and took in the unobstructed views of the 35-acre Hampton Lake and Rock Mountain.
Around the High Hampton Resort
The Inn at High Hampton Resort has maintained its 1933 charm – the rooms are rustic chic and the floorboards creek every once-in-a-while. Many rooms do not have a television, the air conditioning is via ceiling fans and Mother Nature, and there are no telephones in the room. We found our room to be spacious and had all that we needed.
Cottage
In addition to the main lodge, there are several cottages around the property where guests can stay. Some even have a screened-in porch with a bed.
High Hampton’s Dining Room is located on the main level of the lodge and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests who have the resort meal plan have “their” own table to sit at for each meal and do not have to make reservations.
In keeping with tradition, coats are required for dinner with the exception of casual nights (typically on Monday and Thursday). Fortunately, ties are completely optional for men. Since we rarely have the need for my husband and son to wear a coat, we were able to borrow one from the resort.
Chef Sean Ruddy is the executive chef at High Hampton. Chef Sean serves the inn’s classic dishes such as Brunswick stew and Sunny Silver pie, among other tasty dishes.
We enjoyed how the food was served buffet-style, with cooked-to-order omelets for breakfast and meat carving stations at dinner. The buffet options make it easy for everyone to leave happy and full.
Prime Rib
Activities at High Hampton
Children’s Play Area
Hampton Lake activities include swimming, relaxing, paddle boarding, paddle boating, canoeing, and fishing.
Beach/Swimming Area
The resort is dog-friendly.
Even though there was limited wi-fi around the resort, we were able to find so much to do outside that it didn’t matter.
My son left his phone in our room and took on the kayak like a boss while my husband and I went out on a canoe. (There are fish in the lake – my husband caught two small largemouth bass in about 30 minutes time.)
The resort has 18-holes of golf, though while we were there only 9 holes were open. The resort is beginning a redesign of the course by Tom Fazio. The course is going to retain its famed number 8 “island” hole which was dubbed by Golf Digest as “One of America’s Great Holes.”
We also took the opportunity to play on the resort’s clay tennis courts. If you are like us and left and your rackets at home, you can rent them for $3/racket and you can buy a 3-pack of tennis balls for around $4. That’s a small price for fun. (Look how he is smiling!)
My Favorite High Hampton Activity
My favorite thing to do at the High Hampton Resort was to go on a hike with llamas. Llama hikes take place two days a week around the property. In addition to being able to take some cool llama pictures, it’s a great way to take in some of the natural beauty around the property.
More High Hampton Resort Activities
Since our short two-night stay did not permit enough time to do everything at the resort, here is a list of some of the additional activities that guests can sign-up for (some additional fees apply):
- Falconry,
- Fly-fishing lessons,
- Junior Golf Clinic,
- Junior Tennis Clinic,
- Tennis,
- Kids Club – Day Camp,
- Kids Club – Night Camp,
- Rock Wall,
- Bingo, and
- “Horse Racing.”
It was really nice getting away from our daily routines – getting away from computers and screen time to spending time together. Go there once and you will see why many families return year after year.
For more information about the resort, click here.
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