Time to start asking questions! The Yankee and I are going to spend a week in the mountains in July. Right now, all I know is that it is in Sapphire Valley.
I have looked up Cashiers.com and found a calendar of events..very exciting, Beeeg Church Bazaar and a beeeger Antiques Fair the weekend we arrive.
I would love to hear from anyone who has been in the area, need restaurant recos and any ideas for fun in the woods ~
Thank you

Hi Scarlett,

I have spent a good part of every summer in Cashiers (Lake Glenville) since I was a child so I know it well. I'm married to a Yankee too and he loves it also. If you're from NC then you probably know that the locals pronounce it "Cashurs"! Sapphire Valley is likely the Fairfield community between Cashiers and Lake Toxaway. It's a huge resort community and it's very nice and friendly. They have golf, tennis, fishing, swimming--all the resort perks.

Our favorite restaurants are Cornucopia (when it's good, it's very good), Market Basket (it's also a great little gourmet market), Horacio's (Italian), Carolina Smokehouse (as close to "redneck" as you'll get in Cashiers! they have live Bluegrass on the weekends and it's quite fun). There are as many good restaurants in Highlands.

Both communities have great shopping; more so in Highlands. There are a lot of little places we love to shop for fun and unique things.

I LOVE the annual antique fair in Glenville--it's at the little school on the way to the lake. There's also one at the community center every summer. The Methodist Church also has a great tour of homes in the summer. Southern Living Mag usually has a new home they open every summer.

The road from Highlands to Franklin has several short hikes to beautiful waterfalls. You can also rent boats on Glenville and Toxaway.

At risk of making my kids sound like spoiled brats; we were taking them to Europe for the first time a few years ago and they whined "Do we have to go to Europe? WE WANT TO GO TO NC"!

We love Cashiers. We were there one August and it actually went down to 50 degrees in the evening. Of course, Floridians flock there to escape the heat. Lots of people there from Tampa with summer homes. Lake Glenville is a lot of fun. We rented a house on the lake one year and rented boats, it's just gorgeous.

Stop by the chamber when you arrive in Cashiers, they have a map of the waterfalls -- go to every one of them with a picnic lunch, some are strenuous, all are fun -- be prepared for cooooold water. There's a mountain nearby -- Bald Mountain, maybe? It's a nice hike up to the top with a great view of Cold Mountain.

There is a great music festival in Asheville in the summer, but maybe it's in August. And the Biltmore is there too.

I don't recall any food that was memorable but I'm sure there must be some good food -- it all seemed more expensive than it should have been for the quality. We had dinner one night at a country club, again nothing great.

But there's something magical about the place. you will enjoy...

I live in nearby Brevard. Whenever we pass through, we stop at Carolina Smokehouse. Very good bbq, not fancy, just good.

Oh Wow, thank you!!
I was afraid my question was too vague..We are staying at the FoxHunt Resort..in Sapphire Valley. That is about all we know, so any advice/recommendations are good. I am copying all of this..so Thank You again!
Looove good old fashioned BBQ places, sometimes the darker and smokier the better. (sigh, childhood memories)
I haven't been to those mountains since childhood, so the memories are foggy at best
Bazaars, flea markets, antiques fairs, auctions, all are very appealing. I think we will be about an hour from Asheville?
Pup may or may not be with us, so if he is, there will be a lot of picnicing, can't wait!
So ... Thank You~

Scarlett--

Curious--have the Carolina laws changed so that you can bring your poochie if you're renting--it used to be "illegal". My parents have a place there, so we've always brought ours when it was just the two. I don't know if it's going to be possible to travel with three since one is a 50-pound-puppy! But how could I leave only one behind?!

If you'll be there July 23-25, I think that's the weekend of Bele Chere in Ashville. It's one of the best street fairs I've been to. We go just about every year. If you go early Sunday morning you have it all to yourself.

Since you like BBQ there's a really good place in Highlands. I can't remember the name, but it's just off the main drag and all the locals know it.

I have a question for you--Elon College in Elon,NC has been talking to my daughter's coach about her playing volleyball there next year. Do you know anything about the school or that area?

Hi Jayne~
I grew up in Charlotte..I really know nothing about schools there now.
We will be staying in a timeshare so there is no rental involved..if Pup is not able to stay, he has someone who will come stay at our house and keep him company (and spoil him even more rotten).