Highlands, NC: Girls Trip Edition
Three years ago I found myself on a day trip outing with four girls that I barely knew. If you are a military spouse, this scenario is not something new to you. I had barely been in Germany a month and had been invited to go on an outing to a nearby spa with four ladies—definitely my kind of “first-date” adventure. We had a delicious lunch at a pizzeria and settled into a fun afternoon at the spa. Laughter and good conversation filled that day where four ladies who were somewhat-strangers to me in the morning turned into friends by mid-day. I can distinctively remember that afternoon, enjoying the spa day and finding out that one of my new gal pals, Marissa also shared my birthday of September 8.
Fast forward to this year — I’m living in Montgomery, AL and Marissa has just moved from Germany to Atlanta, GA. We both have toddlers running around, and the idea of a girlfriend getaway popped into my head as a fabulous way to celebrate this birthday together! I had come across a picture of the pool view from Old Edwards Inn & Spa in Highlands, North Carolina and I was sold. It was a gorgeous property with several great restaurants and, of course, a spa! Plans soon started weaving together and we secured our husbands/family members to tend to our respective babes while we were away.
Montgomery is just about 2.5 hrs away from Atlanta so I set out on the road in the morning and picked up Marissa in the early afternoon, and we set course for the mountains. We arrived in Highlands and found our way down the Main Street heading towards Old Edwards Inn. As we checked in, we were handed glasses of champagne (alcohol-free for Marissa who is pregnant with her second baby) and the vacation was ready to get started! We meandered out to the pool area and enjoyed our glass of champagne while breathing in the fresh mountain air and views. We couldn’t stop pinching ourselves that we were — 1. on a ladies getaway together 2. away from our babies.
After our welcome drink, we headed to our room to get settled in and were welcomed by a lovely spread of snacks and flowers. We open a note and discovered that our sweet husbands had been extremely thoughtful in treating us and getting the vacation started on the right foot! We enjoyed our snacks on our gorgeous balcony, draped with flowers and greenery, before heading to dinner just down the street at Four65 Woodfire Bistro & Bar. Wood-fired pizza is the way to my soul and this spot did not disappoint. We shared a delicious white pizza with mushrooms, topped with arugula and a salad of fire roasted brussels sprouts. We left with full bellies and happy hearts.
Day two we started out the morning with a delicious breakfast at Madison’s Restaurant, right downstairs from our room. The restaurant is gorgeous in the morning with light pouring in beautiful, tall windows overlooking the street and outdoor bar area. We soaked up the morning and sipped our coffee and tea slowly. Next up, one of the most awaited parts of our trip—spa time! We headed to the spa, got in our cozy robes and relaxed in their gorgeous solarium before our massage appointments. Happy birthday to us, indeed! We spent quite a bit of time using their spa amenities (as COVID-19 guidelines allowed) and ended up enjoying a light lunch at the Spa Cafe.
We decided an adventure was in store for the afternoon and traveled down the windy mountain roads to the Secret Falls Hike Trailhead. After a little bit of a bumpy start on my part (the curvy roads had put my stomach in knots) we hiked down to the beautiful waterfall and enjoyed the beauty of hidden oasis.
That evening we got ourselves fancied up for our dinner at Madison’s Restaurant—our final dinner of the birthday outing. I barely made it through course one though before I felt incredibly nauseous. Apparently altitude sickness had set into my body! Marissa enjoyed the rest of her delicious meal as I retired back to the room. I still need a do-over for that meal as I was so excited about the crab cakes I was about to enjoy! Marissa was such a sweet friend, tending to my sick-self and making sure I was as comfortable as I could be on our bathroom floor.
I woke up on our last morning feeling much better than the night before. Whew! We headed to Mountain Fresh Grocery to pick up some breakfast and coffee before heading out. We ended up finding some local craft beer to bring back our husbands as a thank-you for holding down the fort so well while we were away.
I truly enjoyed our short time in Highlands, even with the bout of altitude sickness! It felt like such a mystical place situated on top of the mountain with rainy spells at night and a chill in the air in the morning. We both loved The Old Edwards Inn and all the hospitality and attention to details from all the staff we came across. It’s definitely on my radar to head back there and have a getaway with Ara!
**Photography credit on most of the pictures goes to Marissa Ceci.
