For fewer crowds and better travel rates, visit Jackson County, North Carolina, slightly southwest of Asheville, before spring is in full swing. March is part of the area’s shoulder season, allowing you to explore the region’s great outdoors and culinary scene with ease.
© Baxton Miller
If you plan on spending a weekend here, make sure you get in some hiking. Whiteside Mountain Trail offers the highest vertical cliffs in the eastern United States, towering at nearly 2,000 feet. The mountain’s summit stands at nearly 5,000 feet, and the 2-mile loop trail to the top is considered moderately difficult and takes only about an hour due to very little elevation gain. Prefer waterfalls to mountain views? See one of the highest waterfalls in the East when you visit Whitewater Falls via a short, easy quarter-mile hike.
When you’re hungry, consider a visit to Dalaya, a Thai restaurant helmed by Chef Kanlaya “Gun” Supachana, a 2024 James Beard Foundation “Best Chef: Southeast” semifinalist. For something a little more traditionally southern, try The Orchard.
Stay Outland © Jackson County Tourism Development Authority
When booking your stay, check out one of the area’s rustic-but-stylish options, like The Wells Hotel or one of the options from Stay Outland.
Read This Next
World’s Best Beaches 2025 Revealed
Destinations
May 8, 2025#TrazeeTravel
Insta FeedDining/Entertainment
May 6, 2025What to Expect from This Year’s Food & Wine Classic in Charleston
Mark your calendar now for the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston. The second annual event takes place Nov. 14–16 and is the perfect excuse for traveling foodies to make their way to the South Carolina city.
Sponsored Content
AmaWaterways’ Specialty River Cruises
When you embark on a river cruise with award-winning AmaWaterways, unpack once and step aboard a world of unparalleled experiences. With enriching excursions, exquisite locally sourced food and wine, nightly entertainment and more included in the fare, you will learn why AmaWaterways has the most returning guests out of any river cruise line.
Airlines
May 6, 2025SAS Introduces Flavors by SAS
Scandinavian Airlines will unveil its Flavors by SAS food and beverage concept. Launching Oct. 1, the new service will offer passengers a more varied, globally inspired culinary offering, coming first to the new European business class and later to lounges and intercontinental flights.
Hotel
May 6, 2025Why You Should Head to This Unique Costa Rican Surf Club
In Nosara, Costa Rica, you’ll not only find coastlines with exceptional surf breaks, but also The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel, a family-owned and locally run boutique hotel offering travelers a comfortable stay.
Hotel
May 5, 2025New Orleans Marriott Unveils Shepard Fairey’s “Harmonious Elements” Mural
New Orleans Marriott recently unveiled Harmonious Elements, a new mural from artist Shepard Fairey. The large-scale artwork celebrates the city’s connection to art and dynamic culture.
Airlines
May 5, 2025Corendon Dutch Airlines Launches “Tattooed” Aircraft
Corendon Dutch Airlines recently celebrated its 25th anniversary by unveiling some eye-catching new livery. The airline partnered with tattooist to celebrities, Henk Schiffmacher, to create what it’s now calling the first fully tattooed aircraft in the world.
ShareThis