Here’s what it’s like to stay at The Horse Shoe Farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
If you grew up going to a summer camp in the South, then you may feel a particular pang of nostalgia this time of year. Memories of flashlights and fireflies, s’mores and scavenger hunts flit through your mind, and you’d give almost anything to feel that carefree again. While your work schedule and general life responsibilities may not allow you to spend weeks on end among the great outdoors—kayaking, swimming, and perfecting your archery skills—there are a few places you can go to experience the adult version of summer camp, if only for a couple of days. And I recently found one in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
At The Horse Shoe Farm, an 85-acre boutique resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Turchin family has created a unique enclave of creativity, serenity, and natural beauty. They’ve owned the property since 2017, taking their time to purposefully and meaningfully update the buildings and the landscape—keeping the DNA of the property intact while simultaneously adding modern, and often unexpected, touches.
An old horse barn became the aptly named Stable Spa, a one-of-a-kind space where the stalls now serve as treatment rooms. What was once a farm building filled with classic Corvettes has been transformed into an art-filled game room (the family members are avid artists and collectors) with a decidedly retro vibe. White picket fences lead down to the pool house, where an outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, and cold plunge await.
It’s the type of place where you’re encouraged to explore as much, or as little, as you want. Unlike the camp days of your past, though, there’s no set-in-stone schedule you need to follow. No wake-up bell or lights-out hour. But similar to your time at the likes of Camp Merrie-Woode or Camp Sea Gull, there’s always something you can do or learn, whether you’re fishing in a spring-fed pond, waking up for sunrise yoga, or taking a breathwork class.
Amenities and Activities
When you’re not lounging by the pool, admiring Mount Pisgah in the distance, grab a property map from your room or the Welcome Barn, and begin to familiarize yourself with the various surprise-and-delight moments around the property. Discover the labyrinth, a quiet space dedicated to meditation and mindfulness. Bring a book to the hammock, walk by the beehives—you can get a full tour of the honey-making process during the newly launched The Art of Bees program—or greet the black stallions, Marley and Nelson.
If you prefer a bit more structure to your days, plan your trip to the resort around its wellness-focused programming. Yona FrenchHawk, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, leads a monthly sweat lodge ceremony, guiding guests on a journey to connect with the earth and introducing them to the stories and songs of his culture. “The Breath Nurse” brings her expertise as a registered nurse and certified master breathwork facilitator, walking participants through exercises that lead to stress reduction and enhanced clarity, among other benefits. You’re also welcome to join the Sound Meditation Journey, a sound-bathing experience designed to “recalibrate the nervous system into a state of harmony.”
Accommodations
The Horse Shoe Farm can sleep up to 75 guests, but don’t expect any cookie-cutter rooms (or buildings) here. The accommodations are spread out between three-plus-bedroom estate homes, two and three-bedroom cottages, and one-bedroom suites located above the spa and the game room—all outfitted with Wi-Fi, s’mores kits (a fire pit is lit every evening), and extra-soft sheets and bath linens. I’ve slept in dozens of luxury hotel rooms during my years as a travel writer, and I can confidently say The Horse Shoe Farm has some of the silkiest, fluffiest bedding I’ve ever slept in.
In 2024, the team announced the opening of their newest offering: the Pond Cottages. Several steps up from the camp bunks of your youth, the suites come with a kitchenette, a freestanding gas fireplace, and an en-suite deep soaking tub and rainfall shower. The real highlight, however, is the deck. The cottages overlook a pair of Adirondack chairs sitting by Willow Pond and the mountain vista in the distance. There’s no better place to watch the sun set each evening.
Dining
It’s nearly impossible to compare the fare you were fed at your beloved overnight camp to the dining experience at The Horse Shoe Farm. Meals are taken at The Silo Cookhouse, where food and beverage director Dan Williams, executive chef Brett Suess, and sous and pastry chef Kyle McAlee serve up breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus that are inherently tied to the local area.
The granola bowl is topped with honey from the farm’s bees; the team uses beef from French Broad River Cattle Farms in nearby Etowah; and, when in season, many of the vegetables featured on the menu are harvested from The Horse Shoe Farm gardens. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant is cozy and convivial. Locals come for dinner, dining elbow to elbow with out-of-town guests. You may even find that the long family-style tables are reminiscent of the ones you’d saddle up to with fellow campers at your favorite childhood retreat.