While we currently live in South Florida, we used to live in Greenville, S.C., which is only an hour or so away from Asheville. Living there, we would visit Asheville frequently. The Blue Ridge Mountains, Black Mountain, and the surrounding area are beautiful.

Asheville is a cool small city with a bit of a “hippie” vibe. Many people refer to it as “San Francisco East” from time to time. While that is debatable, you will definitely see and feel the difference from most other places in the Southeast. Some locals have adopted the phrase “Keep Asheville Weird”. There is a ton to see and do while in Asheville regardless of whether you’re there for a day or a week.

Outdoor activities include driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking or camping in the Pisgah or Natahala National Forest. There are awesome opportunities for tubing, boating, trout fishing, zip lining, rafting, road cycling, mountain biking, or paddle boarding to name a few.

Brews 

Asheville has earned the nickname “Beer City” due to the numerous craft breweries in the area. This town has a multitude of local microbreweries as well as national brands like Sierra Nevada. Most of the breweries conduct scheduled tours and tastings. In addition to being the craft beer capital of the East, Asheville is also home to some incredible food.

Bites

You must try barbecue while in North Carolina and it’s really good in and around Asheville. One of the best BBQ restaurants is 12 Bones Barbeque. If you have BBQ for lunch or decide that is not your taste (Karen does not like BBQ, but then again she’s allergic to mesquite… poor thing), then you should have dinner at Curate. Curate is an excellent tapas (small plate) restaurant in downtown. Their food is phenomenal! So much so that you should make a reservation weeks if not months ahead of your visit to Asheville. You should end your evenings with dessert at Olde Europe Pasties, also located in downtown. It’s a short walk from Curate and their cakes and pastries are delicious!

Grove Park Inn is another wonderful place to dine for lunch. Incredible views are in every direction! If you are looking to be pampered or to just relax, Grove Park Inn spa is exceptional.

Entertainment and Shopping

Nightlife in Asheville can be quite entertaining. It offers a number of bars and clubs for you to choose from. A favorite spot for us is The Orange Peel, a small concert venue. This venue brings both local and national acts to the area to perform. Most of the seating and tickets are general admission, and there are only a few tables and stools in the rear and a very small V.I.P. area. Our daughter, Chloe, and I saw Allen Stone a few years ago and loved the concert in this venue. When in Asheville, check out their website, to see if there are any bands playing that interest you.

Things to see and Do

If mountain sports are not your thing, there is still plenty to do in the Asheville area. In the fall, the foliage is beautiful and make driving the Blue Ridge Parkway a completely different experience. Whenever you’re there, there is great shopping to be had. Antique shops are all around and you can shop for most anything your heart desires. One of our favorite places to shop is Top’s for Shoes. This is one of the most incredible shoe stores you will ever find. Karen loves it and Corey’s family has been going there for more than 40 years!

Biltmore Estate

When in Asheville, a visit to Biltmore Estate is a must! America’s largest home, Biltmore House was built by the Vanderbilt family. These grounds encompass more than 8,000 acres which you can explore via hike, Segway tour, kayak, horseback, and more. Biltmore’s onsite winery does scheduled tours and and tastings.

You should allow for at least two hours to tour the residence. Our preferred way to tour, is opting for an audio tour for a small additional fee and you can tour the home at your own pace. Guided tours can be booked in advance. The grounds are particularly beautiful during the Christmas Holidays when entire home is decorated and it is really festive. Biltmore Estate has multiple options for overnight stays. Many hotel options are also in the area to fit everyone’s preference and budget.

 

In closing, Asheville is a really cool city. There are a variety of things to do and sights to see. If you have an opportunity to visit, just do so. I doubt that you will leave without having had a great time!

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