Snooze aboard a yacht, wine down in a tree house among vineyards or party in your room like it’s 1969. The only downside to these unique overnights: You can’t stay forever.
About the Author
Jess Hoffert
Jess is the Senior Projects Editor of People Inc. Travel Content — a division of the largest digital and print publisher in America — and has been the project manager for The Official North Carolina Travel Guide since 2016.
Introduction Text
Snooze aboard a yacht, wine down in a tree house among vineyards or party in your room like it’s 1969. The only downside to these unique overnights: You can’t stay forever.
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Featured by: Mitchell County TDA
Mitchell County TDA
Springmaid Mountain Resort
Spruce Pine
Tucked away on 400 acres along the North Toe River in Spruce Pine, Springmaid Mountain is your escape to tranquility. With 16 cabins ranging from one bedrooms to a bunkhouse perfect for large groups, it’s ideal for family getaways, reunions, weddings and group retreats wanting to bask in mountain beauty. Hiking, fishing and horseback riding are all available onsite, and the Blue Ridge Parkway sits just 1.5 miles away. If stargazing is part of your ideal evening (whose isn’t?), the nearby Bare Dark Sky Observatory is home to one of the largest public telescopes in the Southeast and offers two-hour viewing events.
After globe-trotting to overnight stays in celebrated lodgings, Sarah and Jeff Shepherd envisioned transforming their neighborhood’s sleepy 1860 mansion into a similarly desired destination. Their dream evolved into a painstaking two-year transformation of the Italianate Heights House, now back to its original glory — and then some — with gleaming wood floors; a stained-glass-topped cupola; and nine guest rooms outfitted with fireplaces, vintage rugs and gold-framed televisions that display works of art. An original piece by Salvador Dali hangs in the airy dining room, where guests enjoy pastries from Boulted Bread, another Boylan Heights neighborhood treasure.
Living in a bubble has never felt more freeing. The campground's five geodesic domes — each appointed with themed comforters and furniture — invite guests to peer into nature while maintaining privacy. Hot tubs on each patio set the stage for literal forest bathing, and if you want to stay connected, there’s free Wi-Fi and a smart TV in each dome.
Engineer a getaway to this ranch where bison roam and refurbished cabooses have literally gone off the rails to provide accommodations posher than any Pullman car. The Gray Caboose and Orange Caboose both sleep five, each with a full kitchen, bath and loft bed in the cupola for kids. Choose from more traditional cabins too. Interacting with buffalo, llamas, goats and mini horses is all part of the family fun.
An elevated walkway connects four tree houses nestled along the Cashie River, where the sights and sounds of nature put you in a state of bliss. Each home includes a queen-size sleeping platform, loft, and outdoor gathering area with chairs and benches for basking in the fresh air and views. All the dwellings are ADA-accessible and pet-friendly too. Get a closer look at the river on a kayak or canoe excursion (rentals available), and go hunting and fishing.
Totally customize your overnight or multiday experience aboard a timeless yacht sailing along the NC coast. You'll float in comfort on a yacht that includes restrooms, showers with hot water and a climate-controlled space. Make this trip whatever you wish by hand-picking the destinations, stops, food and extras. Rather stay on land? On the site of the old Wilmingtonian Hotel (once damaged by an escaped circus elephant a century ago), ARRIVE rolls out a fresh welcome mat with vintage-radio-style Bluetooth speakers, cushy robes and neighborhood field guides in each room.
A board game bed and breakfast? Game on. With a library of more than 800 games waiting to be played — plus mountain views, game-themed rooms and made-to-order crepes for breakfast — a weekend at Tabletop Inn is ideal for a playful getaway. Keep your eye out for the secret hidden games or the games that were created by the hosts themselves.
Quality time and bottles of wine are guaranteed at this 200-year-old family farm. (The on-site winery opened in 2010.) Take your pick of two overnight tree house options: the cozy 300-square-foot Papa’s Dream or the newer — and more spacious — Horsefeathers Hideaway. A third tree house named Date Nite makes for a carefree evening of vino and views.
After a serpentine ride on the nearby Tail of the Dragon (318 curves along an 11-mile stretch of US-129), motorcyclists unwind at campsites, in Old West-style cabins and bunkhouses, or even in covered wagons. When dusk arrives, swap cycling stories by the creekside firepit.
A freezer stocked with ice cream around the clock is just a taste of the perks at this 1920s-era estate, now a hotel and conference center. Guests feel like they’ve arrived at Downton Abbey when a butler greets them at the castle-like Manor House. Intricate details include hand-painted tile marble tubs in some rooms.
Talk about lodgings that blends into their surroundings. These luxury mountain cabins come wrapped with reflective exterior panels that mirror the natural beauty of the secluded setting, rendering the structures nearly invisible. Each cabin has a custom kitchen and bath, a terrace for morning yoga and late-night stargazing, and 15-foot-tall windows that maximize views of forests and mountains. For the utmost guest privacy, each unit also includes its own hot tub, pergola, patio with firepit and alfresco pizza oven. The cabins can fill up quickly, so sign up for email updates to stay in the know.
Hip meets history on the grounds of a longtime haven near the Cape Fear River. New glamping tents have joined The Cabin (built in 1874) as overnight options. The Cabin features a chef’s kitchen and private bath with a walk-in shower, while the glamping tents come with dedicated bathhouses, hot water, gas cooking and firepits.
If pop art took the form of a hotel, it would be this throwback delight with Route 66-style neon signage, retro furnishings, and a pool with multicolor lights that glow among the surrounding palm trees and miniature golf course. Reopened in 2017, the motor lodge is just steps away from sister establishment Mother Earth Brewing.
