VACATION HOMES THAT FEEL LIKE SUMMER CAMP

When Marc Walters and 15 of his closest friends converge on Cashiers, N.C., in June, a spirited competition awaits. Eight, two-man teams will compete in 10 events, including Frisbee golf, shuffleboard, darts, croquet, pickleball, ping pong, pool and cornhole. Mr. Walters, a 48-year-old financial planner from Tampa, Fla., is organizing the competition, one he dubbed the Tournament of Champions, complete with a trophy. A more apt characterization, however, is this: Summer Camp for Grown-ups.

 Mr. Walters belongs to Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club, a private residential community located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina. While golf is a big part of the lifestyle—Mr. Walters and his 10-year-old son played 42 rounds there last summer—clubs like Mountaintop know that offering a raft of activities for all ages will attract affluent young professionals and their families. In the summertime, Mountaintop could keep even the most energetic scouts awash in merit badges—with kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, fly-fishing and clay pigeon shooting, among other options

 Mountaintop is just one of a dozen or so private clubs located on what’s called the plateau of Cashiers-Highlands, N.C. With an elevation of about 4,000 feet above sea level, the plateau is popular among wealthy homeowners escaping the summer heat in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana.

 “Tampa is bludgeon hot in July,” says Mr. Walters. “We’re outdoor people, and in Tampa we would walk to the garage and be dripping wet.”

 The majority of second-home buyers are working professionals with children, and the community’s activities directors ensure there is plenty of programming for everyone.

 The market for high-end homes in the Cashiers-Highlands area has been particularly strong in recent years, according to the Highlands-Cashiers Board of Realtors.

 Stonefly, a development that—like many of the clubs and communities on the plateau—is located along Highway 64 between Cashiers and Highlands. Hiking, concerts, restaurants are abundant and quite varied, and many are just five minutes away from Stonefly. Proximity to an airport is also an important thing since Asheville is just an hour away and is newly expanded in capacity.

 The Highlands plateau is beloved for its countless waterfalls, woodland trails and abundant wildlife. Talk to almost any local and you’ll hear of a bear encounter—how one nabbed a bag of blueberries from a garage freezer or copped some dog treats out of the cab of a pickup truck.

For shopping or a bite to eat, residents typically head to downtown Cashiers, with restaurants and shops. Tourists are welcome here, but fast-food restaurants and mass-market chain stores are not.

Cashiers also has much to offer in local activities like antique shows, art festivals and weekly music concerts in the local Village on the Green during the summer months. It is a popular spot for weddings and family reunions. There are always things to do in Cashiers.