Hotel at a Glance: Kingwood Country Club & Resort

It’s hard to find a spot where you can’t see the Blue Ridge Mountains’ green foothills at this sprawling golf resort. Several thousand acres of lakes and thickets of trees surround Kingwood, which sits in the midst of Nantahala National Forest. When guests aren’t taking nature hikes, they can practice their swings on the onsite 18-hole golf course, open year round. On the idyllic par 71 course, hardwood trees shade more than 6,000 yards of rolling bermuda-grass fairways.

• Dine in style at one of the three onsite restaurants. Guests can dress up and savor upscale seasonal cuisine at The Lodge, or fill up on a housemade buffet breakfast by the warmth of a roaring fireplace in the laid-back Fireside Lounge.
• Gaze at the mountains from the balcony of your double-queen room. The comfy rooms also feature free WiFi, so it’s easy to send pics of the view to your friends back home.
• Take a dip: Natural light pours in through walls of windows onto the spa area’s indoor pool and hot tub. 
• Indulge: An option of this deal includes $25 credit at the spa, which you can put toward a manicure, hydro-active mineral salt scrub, massage, or facial.

Clayton, Georgia: Small Town in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Clayton, Georgia, might be small—its population hovers around 2,000—but its landscape looms large. The city is part of the Nantahala National Forest, more than half a million acres with waterfalls, river gorges, and old-growth trees. It’s a natural playground where tourists come to go whitewater rafting or fly-fishing for trout on the Chattooga River and ride horseback on tree-lined trails fringed with wildflowers. Back in town, step back in time at Clayton Drug Store, where cola and strawberry drinks are poured from an old-fashioned soda fountain. Guests can also visit the Main Street Gallery to see works by local artists.

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