It may be time for a getaway

three Southern towns beckon you to visit

You’ve been stuck indoors, quarantined for months without physical contact with friends and family. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down, but now we’re trying to get back to our regularly scheduled programming. It’s time to break out of our homes, give social dis- tancing the stink eye (while wearing a fashionable face mask) and explore, once again, this beautiful part of the country.

Right now, folks are more comfortable hopping in the car for weekend or weeklong getaways. These Southern towns — Beaufort (pronounced BYOOfert), Blowing Rock and Cashiers — offer the accom- modations, restaurants, historic sites and outdoor rec- reation necessary to make any summer road trip mem- orable.

BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA

This quintessential Southern town with its antebel- lum homes and horse-drawn carriages may trick you into thinking you’ve stepped back in time. Visit the Beaufort History Museum, The Verdier House, Santa Elena History Center and the Visitors Center in the Old Beaufort Arsenal for your history lessons. Head to the Parris Island Museum for local and military histo- ry. Join Janet’s Walking History Tour. Learn about the iconic author of “The Great Santini” and “The Prince of Tides” at the Pat Conroy Literary Center.

Enjoy outdoor recreation activities: Look for dol- phins on Captain Dick’s Beaufort River Tour. Fish, hike, bike, sunbathe, kayak and paddleboard at Hunt- ing Island State Park, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Beaufort. Climb the park’s 133-foot light- house. Follow the 10-mile long Spanish Moss Trail, part of the Lowcountry’s rails-to-trails program. Take a two-hour kayak tour through freshwater and saltwa- ter with Beaufort Kayak Tours. They offer salt marsh and dolphin ecology tours in single and tandem kayaks. Staff can help guests in and out of the boats.

{at top} The Anchorage 1770 is a boutique waterfront inn located in Beaufort. Built in 1770, it is the oldest and largest Tabby structure still in use and features some 1,500-square feet of front porches overlooking the Beaufort River. Photo courtesy of Beaufort-Port Royal CVB

{at right} Low Country Produce Market & Café at 302 Carteret St. in Beaufort is an airy and stylish eatery offering cafe and market goods, from soups to sandwiches, plus grab-&-go provisions. Photo courtesy of Beaufort-Port Royal CVB

Stay: Anchorage 7070, Beaufort Inn, The Rhett House Inn

Dine and drink: Blackstone’s Café, The Chocolate Tree, Old Bull Tavern, Saltus River Grill

Info: beaufortsc.org

BLOWING ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA

Find what you love in the Blue Ridge Mountains’ Blowing Rock. Visit locally owned shops for art, clothing and home décor. Update your wardrobe at Almost Rodeo Drive or at one of the 30 stores at Tanger Shoppes on the Parkway.

Find your favorite drink at The Spice & Tea Exchange or The Speckled Trout Bottle Shop. It’s always Christmas at Christmas in Blowing Rock — stop by to get in the holiday spirit early.

Many North Carolina artists and artisans make their home in Blowing Rock. Find locally

made products — jewelry, paintings, crafts and pottery — in Blowing Rock Frameworks & Gallery, Bolick & Traditions Pottery, Gaines Kiker Silversmith, Main Street Gallery and Martin House Gallery. Pick up a handmade rope basket from The Mountain Thread Company.

Whether you hit the trails or the water, the Blowing Rock area has many options. Try the strenuous Glen Burney Trail to three waterfalls in the Johns River Gorge. Canoe or kayak with Price Lake Boat Rentals or call Wahoo’s Adventures for extreme adventure with whitewater rafting. Zip through the trees with Sky Valley Zip Tours or High Gravity Adventures. Book a guided fly-fishing trip through the Chetola Sporting Reserve.

Stay: Chetola Resort, The Victorian Inn, The Village Inns of Blowing Rock

{above} One of the best ways to get a great view and understanding of Beaufort’s historic beauty is by taking a carriage ride. Photo courtesy of Beaufort-Port Royal CVB • {below left} The Bob Timberlake Inn at Chetola Resort is an elegant, bed and breakfast located in Chetola’s Manor House Estate Home. Features include a personal pantry, wine and cheese social and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies nightly, complimentary breakfast, private parlor and library. Photo courtesy of Chetola Resort • {below right} There are a host of outdoor activities available to visitors to the Blowing Rock area of North Carolina. Among them is a guided flyfishing trip through the Chetola Sporting Reserve. Photo courtesy of Chetola Resort

{at left} There are plenty of great dining experiences in Cashiers, NC, but almost all of them involve a vista of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Photo courtesy of Jackson County Tourism Authority

{below} Located near the center of Cashiers, the Laurelwood Inn property backs up to four acres of wooded land, meaning you can walk to nearby shops and restaurants but still enjoy the beautiful grounds with the feel of being in the mountains. Photo courtesy of Jackson County Tourism Authority

Dine and drink: Blowing Rock Grilled Cheese Café, Foggy Rock Eatery & Pub, Sunset & Vine and Timberlake’s Restaurant

Info: blowingrock.com

CASHIERS, NORTH CAROLINA

Pack your hiking boots, binoculars and a water bottle because Cashiers is definitely for the nature enthusiast. Take the two-mile loop Whiteside Mountain trail or “go as far as you care” on the Chattooga River Trail. Visit the Panthertown Valley Wilderness Area — a Blue Ridge National Heritage Area because of its geologic formations, forests, streams and native plant life.

How many waterfalls can you see during your visit? Find Bridal Veil Falls, Dry Falls, Glen Falls, Hurricane Falls, Silver Run Falls, Turtleback and Rainbow Falls, Schoolhouse Falls, Toxaway Falls and Whitewater Falls. Check websites for hiking distance and difficulty level. Some may be viewed from the highway.

Stay: The Laurelwood Inn, Innisfree Bed and Breakfast

Dine and drink: Canyon Kitchen, Cornucopia, Slab Town Pizza, The Orchard, Whiteside Brewing Co.

Info: DiscoverJacksonNC.com n

Please call ahead to local attractions and restaurants to be sure they’re operating. Some businesses may have limited hours due to the coronavirus.

Silver Run Falls in the Nantahala National Forest is just four miles south of Cashiers. This 25-foot waterfall cascades into a tranquil pool with a small beach area. It is one of many falls enjoyed by visitors to Cashiers. Photo by Ryan Karcher

PACK UP + GO

Plan a surprise vacation with Pack Up + Go. It’s a travel agency that specializes in sending people on getaways within the United States. Hop on the website and choose your travel preference: land, air or train. They’re offering a staycation option now — be a tourist in your own town.

Complete the pre-trip interest survey, give Pack Up + Go a budget (There are minimums based on type of travel and number of people.) and the team will do the rest. Details about the weather and what to pack are sent one week prior to the vacation. Ideally, the envelope with the specific destination doesn’t get opened until the day you leave. www.packupgo.com