The perfect summer getaway weekend in Cashiers, NC

Lake Glenville

First of all, it’s pronounced cashers. Not like a grocery cashier. You will be steps ahead if you know that. Second, in full disclosure, we bought a small cabin outside of Cashiers in spring. You can read the details of our journey with the tiny cabin and detailed adventures around this part of Western NC in the Tiny Living section.

In our short time exploring the area, these are the things and places we’d recommend you put on the top of your list, if you have a long weekend in the area. Almost everything has been tested first-hand unless otherwise noted. And if you’ve never been to Cashiers, you really need to go. It’s a pretty magical part of the state. Laid-back, beautiful and welcoming to all.

Where to Stay

Since we have a cabin, we ourselves have always stayed there. However, we did put up my parents for three nights at the Cashiers Village Inn. It’s a no frills, old-school single-story style motel where you park in front of your door. The location couldn’t be better. It’s right near the main town intersection located up on the hill behind a small retail strip. Slab Town Pizza and Chile Loco are right nearby. If you are somewhat mobile, you can easily walk to most of the downtown attractions. My parents gave it a huge thumbs up. They said the beds were comfortable and the price was right. We grabbed a three night stay pretty easily a few weeks before Labor Day weekend.

Other places to stay are the ultra cute Laurelwood Inn which was booked up when my parents were coming and the higher end High Hampton Resort further outside of town. We hope to put future guests up at each so we can compare them all.

Where to Eat

In Cashiers itself, there aren’t that many places. You can easily drive to Sapphire, Highlands or Sylva for more choices. The conversation with most locals seems to be the same - you don't come to Cashiers for the food, but for the outdoors. With that said, there are some places we think are worth the drive in from our cabin. If you are here outside of Memorial Day - Labor Day, check hours. Many places close during off-season.

Breakfast is an easy choice with Randevu. They open early and get crowded pretty quickly. The patio overlooking a small pond is quaint and comfortable but inside is really pleasant, too. The menu serves all the expected breakfast options with healthy options that met even my picky requirements. We go here every visit and sometimes take the pups to sit with us outside.

Cornucopia Restaurant

Lunch and Dinner are both good at Cornucopia. I preferred the ambience at dinner in the open aired structure but it tends to be “the” place for lunch even well into the afternoon. Don’t let the wait deter you. It goes quicker than they normally tell us and you can kill time in the cute store attached. Lunch is about the sandwiches and the dinner menu is a bit pricier. The local drawings on the kids menu stole the show for me.

We have not been yet, but the Orchard is rumored to be the best place for dinner in town. We’ve had reservations twice. Once the power to the town went out. The second time we were beat from a long day of rafting. (see later) They have always been super accommodating and we can’t wait to get our turn and update our notes.

What to Do

This part of the state is all about getting outside. You are in waterfall country. And let's be honest, that's why people come to Cashiers. Head over to Highland Hiker to stock up on gear, buy one of their personally made hiking guides or just pick their brains on where to explore. They help us come up with itineraries based on who we are with. There are so many great hikes, good for every level and distance. Their hiking guide stays in our car the whole time we are in the area and we use it religiously.

If you have kids, Sliding Rock is a must. Make sure you get directions. It isn’t marked on the roads. Make sure you notice where the water is running and avoid the dips to avoid injuries. It’s cold, so be ready. Kids may incessantly beg to go back. So be ready. Whenever locals ask us where we have tried so far, a smile always spreads across their face when we mention Sliding Rock. It has been a part of childhoods for a long time here. 

Sliding Rock

Silver Run Falls is a super easy walk to a very pretty waterfall. It’s a great way to quickly get into nature without strenuous activity. Our kids took a swim when we were there but you could just as easily sit on the rocks and enjoy the view for a bit.

Lake Glenville is a hidden gem of a lake in the mountains. It’s only a few miles north of Cashiers and is one of the prettiest lakes I’ve ever seen. Rent a boat for half a day from Signal Marina and explore the three waterfalls on the lake only visible from the water. And then be envious of the houses that have these wonderful waterfalls located alongside them. There was barely any boat traffic even on labor day, before lunch. We had almost the whole lake to ourselves to explore and tube.

The Tuckaseegee River is the other well known body of water running up to Dillsboro. The tiny artsy town is also home to several tubing and rafting companies. We had planned to go tubing down the river with Dillsboro Rafting Company. However, when we arrived and they saw we had two kids and two grandparents, they suggested we take a raft instead. They advised that the Class 2 rapids might be a little daunting for us in tubes. I will admit that I was a bit nervous keeping an eye on my almost 70 year old parents, albeit very active. However, they loved it. Next year we want to try the tubes. There is even a spot to stop midway and do some rock jumping.

Last but not least, pretty much everyone in town attends the Friday evening Concerts on the Green. Bring your chairs and a picnic or buy some hamburgers there. For holiday weekends the concerts are on Saturdays and an arts festival is open during the day. Dogs are welcome and you can bring your own alcohol.