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THE SMART GUIDE<br />
A North Carolinian getaway, travel accessories,<br />
mouthwatering spirits, Rolls-Royce-plus, and more—<br />
herewith the best, the boldest, and the brightest.<br />
SOUTHERN<br />
COMFORT<br />
The team behind Blackberry<br />
Farm resort has breathed<br />
new life into a beloved<br />
North Carolina retreat.<br />
FOR WELL OVER a century,<br />
High Hampton has been the<br />
annual vacation getaway<br />
for generations of Southern<br />
families. Tucked away in the<br />
heart of North Carolina’s Blue<br />
Ridge Mountains, 90 minutes<br />
southwest of Asheville,<br />
the historic resort oozes<br />
childhood camp nostalgia<br />
with its private 35-acre<br />
lake, miles of hiking trails,<br />
and bark-sided cottages.<br />
Set across more than 1,400<br />
acres near the Nantahala<br />
National Forest, the property<br />
is reminiscent of Adirondack<br />
Great Camps and the National<br />
Park lodges of the 1930s.<br />
Long a Southern secret,<br />
the inn is gaining national<br />
attention after the team<br />
behind Tennessee’s acclaimed<br />
culinary retreat Blackberry<br />
Farm recently helped oversee<br />
a complete property refresh.<br />
A National Register of<br />
Historic Places designation<br />
meant the Blackberry Farm<br />
design team had to work<br />
closely with the North Carolina<br />
Historic Preservation Office to<br />
update and enlarge the 12 inn<br />
rooms, 40 cottage rooms, two<br />
freestanding cottages, and rustic<br />
log cabin. Much of the original<br />
antique furniture was cleverly<br />
repurposed (doors have found<br />
new lives as coffee tables) and<br />
stylish design touches include<br />
bright vintage kantha quilts and<br />
botanical-print cushions and<br />
drapes. Longtime guests are<br />
thrilled with modern updates like<br />
spa-worthy bathrooms, central<br />
heating, and soundproof walls.<br />
The biggest improvement—<br />
no surprise—is the food. A<br />
run-of-the-mill dinner buffet has<br />
been replaced with a high-touch<br />
multicourse dining experience<br />
inspired by Blackberry Farm.<br />
Locally sourced dishes such<br />
as green garlic gnocchi with<br />
fava beans and preserved<br />
lemon, and poached farm egg<br />
with wilted pea tendrils and<br />
country ham are served in<br />
the reimagined Dining Room,<br />
which looks out over Rock<br />
Mountain. Be sure to save room<br />
for decadent Southern desserts<br />
like the chocolate cake with<br />
caramel buttercream. The more<br />
relaxed Tavern serves gussiedup<br />
versions of comfort foods<br />
like pizza and burgers for lunch.<br />
There are plenty of<br />
opportunities to work up an<br />
appetite in the fresh Appalachian<br />
air. Fall is prime time to explore<br />
the <strong>15</strong> miles of trails, lined with<br />
brilliantly hued maples, black<br />
birches, and yellow poplars.<br />
Golfers can tee off at the new<br />
Tom Fazio-designed course.<br />
And tennis and pickleball<br />
courts have been added to<br />
complement lake activities like<br />
kayak and canoeing. Doing<br />
absolutely nothing is also highly<br />
acceptable: Parasol-topped<br />
daybeds on the lawn and a<br />
new six-room spa might even<br />
encourage you to embrace a<br />
long, lazy day.<br />
highhampton.com<br />
R<strong>US</strong>TIC RESPITE<br />
High Hampton embodies<br />
the best of North Carolinian<br />
rural hospitality.<br />
© HIGH HAMPTON<br />
ASHEVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT: 49 miles<br />
14 NetJets
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