4 Br Private Vacation Home Vacation Rental In Highlands, North Carolina

Feel like you're far away, but just minutes from town at our sprawling modern ranch! Our light-filled home with uninterrupted long range views from nearly every room was newly decorated in 2023 and designed with your relaxation in mind. New mattresses and pillows, with luxurious white cotton sheets and linen layers make for a seriously good night's sleep in the mountains. Fully stocked kitchen, great outdoor space, and more!

Enter into the expansive center of the home, with floors and walls lined in bright cypress wood. Toward the front of the house you will find a wonderful light filled room with a gas burning fireplace, 65" smart TV,  and plenty of lounge seating for relaxation and conversation. The living area opens to a fully stocked kitchen, with gas stove, modern appliances, and a wine fridge. You'll gaze out over panoramic views as you cook, then enjoy meals in the cozy dining area and separate breakfast table with seating for everyone! The dining area is flanked by a series of double sliding doors that open to let in the mountain breeze.

To one side of this central living area is the private main bedroom suite. Sliding doors look from the king size bed over to the mountains in the distance, for gorgeous morning sunrise views. A walk-in cedar closet sits next to the en-suite bathroom, with large updated shower and double-sink vanity.

Back across the central living area is a small hallway leading to a tranquil bathroom with tub and shower, and a large bedroom with two queen beds. A second hallway leads to the back wing of the home, where you'll find another bathroom with shower, a bedroom with one queen bed, and a bunk room with 4 twin XL beds and a foosball table. Each bedroom has a smart TV, and this last bedroom also looks out over the mountains.

Outdoor living here is wonderful in spring, summer and fall. The deck is easily accessed from the house and features outdoor dining space, a gas grill, and a Big Green Egg. Stairways off each side of the deck lead down to our HUGE fire cauldron for late night s'mores and/or wine sipping. This area feels secluded in the woods, surrounded by mature rhododendrons and landscaping, and away from neighbors. (Although please be respectful of the noise – sound carries a long way when you sit this high!)

Families with kids will love the additional amenities! We have three ourselves (born 2018-2023), so we keep the house ready with plenty of activities. A closet full of large building bricks for forts, a shelf or three full of children's books, an outdoor climbing dome, soccer goals, and tunnels cut through the rhododendrons out back make it easy to keep them busy. Kids dinnerware, pack-and-play, nightlights, audio baby monitor and sound machines make for a stress-free vacation without having to pack an extra car worth of stuff.

Our home is located in Little Bear Pen Mountain which is a gorgeous and quiet three street neighborhood with its entrance less than a mile from town. At one end of the road you'll find the serene Kelsey Trail, which is a fun 15 minute casual hike down the mountain and then a few more blocks into town! This well-maintained path leads to all the Highlands has to offer without having to get in your car – world-class dining, galleries, theater & art, shops – amidst spectacular mountain beauty. The surrounding area features fantastic hiking, plenty of easily accessed waterfalls (even with small kids!), mountain biking through Panthertown Valley and National Forest land, and kayaking and boating on Lake Glenville or other nearby lakes.

You'll find mountain calm, cooler temperatures, breezy evenings, and something for everyone to enjoy at our high mountain retreat!

Notes:

There's a one-car garage at the front of the home. You can easily park two additional cars in the driveway. If you drive an EV with a NACS (Tesla) port, you're welcome to use our 48A charger.

There is a second garage and upstairs apartment at the rear of the house. The apartment will be unoccupied during guest stays, but if you need a fifth bedroom it can be added to your rental for an additional fee. The second garage is for owner storage only.

Our standard rates are for up to 5 guests. Additional guest fees apply beyond that to help cover additional costs we incur for larger groups. VRBO will automatically include these in the displayed rate as long as you are booking for the correct number of guests.

For your safety and ours, the exterior of the property is monitored by security camera. The interior is entirely private.

Located in Highlands, this vacation home is in the mountains. Highlands Art Gallery and Highlands Playhouse are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Highlands Country Club and Old Edwards Club. Traveling with kids? Consider Highlands Biological Station and Cashiers Farmers Market. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and fishing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and hiking.