With the burgeoning interest in adventure travel and learning vacations, travelers no longer have to venture to Costa Rica or beyond the U.S. to fulfill their quest for more enriching leisure. The North Carolina Mountains are ready with their abundant treasures just waiting to be discovered—including locally residing global experts in several fields to help make the experience more enriching.

Learning vacations, experiential travel, eco-tours and adventure vacations—these are all ways that people are making more of their treasured leisure time. Studies have shown that people who normally lead busy lives can actually feel more angst on vacations because they have plenty of time to worry about what is going on at the office that they should be involved in. They have trouble unplugging by sitting around the pool, going to social functions and trying to just vegetate.

Many of these people find relief in “active” relaxation by doing things like yoga and massage. But the newest prescription for beating the vacation doldrums is “experiential vacations.” And they’re taking the travel and leisure industry by storm.

Experiential travel is exploding for all ages and fitness levels. And the Highlands/Cashiers are of North Carolina is a goldmine of natural assets that people can tap into escape the day to day and re-focus their minds on something completely of the ordinary.

Global survival and preparedness expert Dale Stewart trains vacationers in survival and preparedness skills. In addition to bonding groups of friends or families, these are real life skills taught by a seasoned expert that will see people through unexpected events in their lives. Dale says, “After traveling globally to deliver my services to governments, agencies and private corporations for over 20 years, the Highlands/Cashiers area of North Carolina offered the perfect home base from which to provide survival training and family preparedness.

Jordan Kenter, head golf professional for Old Edwards Club says, “In a club atmosphere, especially in the mountains which are rich with recreation opportunities, the family bonding experience is key. Our Golf Learning Experience allows families or friends who have always wanted to dabble in the game to do it in a non-threatening environment that includes a relaxing lunch and some golf goodies. It’s all the benefits of learning a new sport without the intensity or pressure of playing with seasoned golfers—it makes learning fun.”

Noted global artists are also drawn to the inspirational allure of the North Carolina Mountains. Many of them make Highlands their summer home, including Jane Smithers who spends the other part of her year in France. Jane, the 2010 Artist in Residence at Old Edwards Inn and Spa, provides lessons for guests. Jane’s lessons delve as far as one wishes to go into self expression or self discover through art journaling or simply enjoying the beautiful outdoors while painting en plein air. The Bascom Center for the Visual Arts also features a full schedule of art lessons and summer workshops for all ages and experience levels.

Sue Blair’s Carpe Diem Farms has been providing Horse Whispering and Exploring Human Potential Through Horses experiences for years. “There is something about the healing power horses, particularly when the experiences are offered on ‘magical land once walked on by the Cherokees,’” says Sue. “People are amazed at the self-discovery, healing and simple openings that occur when they connect with the energy of a horse—whose personalities, moods and attitudes closely mirror those of humans. And whose perception and intuition far exceed it.”

Beyond the learning vacations, the opportunities for adventure—including river rafting and family float trips—are endless in the North Carolina Mountains. Gem mining, eco-excursions, rock climbing, canoeing—are all ways of meeting the needs of the “active leisure” traveler while still taking them so far out of their zone that they return refreshed, renewed, enriched and recharged.