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DEL.ICIO.USFalling for the mountains of Asheville
Are you planning a trip to southwest NC?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It has been awhile since I took a trip to Asheville, but lately the mountain city has been calling me. A massive ASHEVILLE NC billboard near my grocery store might have something to do with it. Still, I prefer to think my wanderlust stems from a desire to experience the beauty of the Blue Ridge at its most picturesque time of year, instead of a confirmation that outdoor advertising does indeed work.
The city itself mixes an artist colony vibe with plenty of shopping, historical touring, great dining and sidewalk coffee-sipping. But what I like best about Asheville is that it serves as a great jumping off point for so many outdoor activities nearby.
As autumn rolls round, Asheville and its environs really kick into gear. Over the next few weeks, you can participate in numerous heritage festivals in the southwestern corner of North Carolina, including the 96th annual Cherokee Indian Festival. Or head to the Chimney Rock Park southeast of Asheville to climb the 315-foot tall Chimney and watch hundreds of broad-winged hawks fly over as they migrate south for the winter.
A fan of colorful autumn leaves? You can get up close on many guided hikes in the area. Or see the beauty of the leaves from the comfort of your train car on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad’s leaf-viewing train trips.
Back in Asheville…if you’ve ever wondered what wine you should pair with your Gran’s best pot likker or fancied a taste of homespun bacon cotton candy, head to the Biltmore Estate for its annual Field to Table Festival (Sept. 19-28).
Another good thing about Asheville is that it’s only about 200 miles away, making it an easy weekend trip for Atlantans. (Click here for a full listing of things to see and do around Asheville.) As soon as I can find an open weekend, I’m packing the car and taking the family on a trip up there. With any luck, we’ll make it before the last leaves fall.
Let us know what you think about Asheville as a travel destination. How often do you go there, and what would you recommend fellow travelers see or do on their trip? Do you go for the atmosphere? Outdoor activities? The shopping? The Biltmore Estate? Where do you stay? Do you stick to town or take day trips out from Asheville? When is your favorite time to go? When is the best time to beat the crowds?
• MORE: Deals in Asheville, Asheville travel guide
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By t pie
September 17, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this
Any town with an organized, well-attended Tuesday morning bike ride is tops to me. I joke that when you register to vote in Asheville they issue you a Subaru, kayak, mountain and road bike. So much outdoor activity! Visited the Bilk-more house. Nauseating. Expensive. Grounds are nice, though. Have stayed at Grove Park Inn….excellent service! In fact, Asheville is a Tourist-Friendly town….from the restaurant staff to merchants…they know about customer service. If you go, take your bike!
By Luv2travel
September 17, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
We too went to Asheville and loved it. The distance is just right, and we would like to return. We actually stayed at Ridgecrest, about a 20 minute drive away. We went in the winter, to see some snow though the man-made stuff was disappointing, it looked and felt like sno-cones, and packed into an icy slick. Maybe the fall will be a nicer time of year to visit. The Mast general store was really cool, adults and kids alike enjoyed the nostalgic candy in bins and barrels. We avoided the “bilkmore” as t pie called it, knowing that we would not get our money’s worth with four of us in the family. We found better uses for that cost of admission. By all means, though, go near the Biltmore to the McDonald’s, it is one of a kind, the fanciest McD’s you’ll ever set foot in, with a grand piano and fireplace! A must see and it fit our budget nicely.
By luv2travel
September 17, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Don’t think my first post went through so I’ll try this again, sorry if it duplicates. We visited Asheville last winter looking for snow but were disappointed in the man-made stuff. Looked and felt like sno-cones that packed into an icy slick. We loved the town though with all its art-deco architecture, and would like to return. The Mast General Store was so cool, kids and adults alike loved the old fashioned candy in bins and barrels. We avoided the “Bilk-more” house, as t pie calls it, knowing we wouldn’t get our money’s worth. Our family of four’s admission price was better spent on other things instead. A must-see though is near the Biltmore, it is the McDonalds, a one-of-a-kind wonder, the most luxurious McD’s you’ll ever see, with a grand piano and fireplace if you can believe that. It fit nicely into our budget as well. Grove Park Inn had a sumptuous buffet, though pricey. There is a blast from the past at the Woolworth, they have converted it into an art gallery, but had the luncheonette counter with good, cheap eats. Hope it’s still there when we return! Also, there is authentic NY pizza at Circle in the Square Pizza and real NY bagels just down the road from there. Take it from a NY’er, the real deal, not NY-“style.”
By Green
September 17, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
We just went to Asheville over 4th of July weekend. It’s a beuatiful place and very outdoorsy. I liked it, but my husband didn’t really like the laid back locals. It seemed like everything was closed early and the restaurants are flaky with service at best. We stayed in a secluded cabin in “apple country” in Hendersonville. It was nice and inexpensive compared to the hotels around Asheville. There was even a hot tub on the porch with rocking chairs. While we were there, we went hiking on some of the trails on the blue ridge parkway, went to the arboretum, and went downtown to go shop and go to Pack Place museams (skip these if you are from the big city because these are laughable at best). There are lots of funky places to pick up some hippy gear. It was interesting to find a hippy downtown area as compared to the ghetto downtown area we have in Atlanta. We avoided Biltmore altogether due to the price and lines. The best places we went were the Arboretum and the Blue Ridge Parkway. I’d recommend going there.
By Lee
September 17, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this
Sssh! Asheville is a secret! Y’all stay away!
By Mrs. Warren
September 17, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
I love Asheville. My friend and I went up there in February for a girl’s weekend. We stayed at the Double Tree. Very nice and great location. Easy walk to Biltmore Village. I recommend the Spa at Biltmore Village. I actually like visiting Biltmore. Maybe its not for everyone but we booked a package through the hotel so it was very inexpensive to visit. Maybe its not for everyone but I love interior design, history and architecture. The mountain biking around Asheville is excellent as well. As they say up there “It ain’t flat.”
By Bob
September 17, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
I love the Grove Park Inn AND some of the secluded cabins with hot tubs.
By Tom
September 17, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
I have been to asheville many times and each time I go I fall in love with that place again and again. From the friendly locals and cosmopolitan yet very laid back atmosphere to the beautiful natural scenery it is as charming as it is eclectic. There are many things to do when there such as driving the Blue Ridge Parkway to the exploring the vast Biltmore estate.
It has easy access via numerous interestates(I-40, I-240 and I-26)
From my experiences this is definitely one attitude-free little mountain city that you should visit if you haven’t yet.
By Stephanie Boutwell
September 17, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
Asheville is one of my all time favorite places to go. I have friends that live in Hendersonville and I always stay in Asheville when I go. The best part is the town is SO dog friendly! I can always find a good hotel and the Biltmore allows dogs on property as long as they don’t go in any buildings.
The food and shopping and people are great! And there are a lot of hiking trails and beautiful scenery.
By Bruce
September 17, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
My boyfriend and I love Ashville. I usually tell my wife I have a business trip, so I can get a few days free from her. He and I go up and spend a few hedonistic days of bliss at the Grove Park Inn before I have to go back to my family. One of these days I may stay up there forever with him, but I have to stick around long enough to raise my kids.
By URnotnormal
September 17, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
Bruce, you should do your wife and kids a favor and remove the pox that you are from their lives while they are young enough to forget you. What they need is a real man. Sadly, the downside of Asheville is the number of hms to whom it caters but you people are everywhere these days. BTW, nobody really cares about your degenerate lifestyle, this was a blog about travel so leave out the garbage.
By Cheryl
September 17, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
We love Asheville for a long weekend. The restaurants in the city are really great. We loved the Early Girl Eatery and the Tupelo Honey Cafe. There is also a great restaurant at Biltmore Village—Corner Cafe? I can’t remember the name but the name is misleading. Sounds like a meat and three but the food is more gourmet. Downtown Asheville is great for shopping, from the Mast to the old indoor mall. There is definitely a “hippie” feel to some of the places which suited this old hippie just fine!
By Bob
September 17, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this
Tupelo Honey Cafe is our favorite place to eat when we go to Asheville.
And the two crazy blogs above, both need to go.
By Bruce
September 17, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
I think Ashville has one of the most gay friendly atmospheres of any southern cities of its size. I wish they would add more PRIDE events there and maybe get into Gay PRIDE weekends throughout each season.
By mohammed el al mushtar
September 17, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
Our group Islam of America is currently in the process of raising enough funds to build a series of Mosques in the great city of Ashville. It is our goal to encourage our brothers from Michigan and Iraq to relocate to the greater Ashville area and make it our own.
By Queens
September 17, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this
I agree with Bruce, I would like to see more gay friendly places across American and especially the south. Another city that I think could be the next Key West is Savannah, GA.
By Lisa T
September 17, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this
Well, I grew up in Asheville in the 60s and 70s - it’s always been a tourism mecca, with a big crafts movement, but ever since its “discovery” by the New Agers and the chic-boutique set it has just become way too cute-sy for me. Agree with everyone about it being the perfect jump-off point for a multitude of regional outdoor activities, though - I don’t miss “Trashville” as the surrounding counties call it, but I sure do miss the mountains!! BTW, ate many times at the Woolworth luncheonette when it was still a Woolworth in a bustling downtown that included Ivey’s, Bon Marche, Belk, Thalheimer’s, Tops for Shoes, the Municipal Auditorium, S&S Cafeteria. All that disappeared after the first location of the Asheville Mall opened.
By Lisa
September 22, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this
My husband and I recently visited Asheville for along weekend. We stayed at a great little hotel/b&b in the b&b district, The Princess Anne. I highly recommend it. The service was lovely. The rooms were well appointed, modern and still charming at the same time. I wish we had taken our bikes. I love the records stores, the book store ( Malprop’s? the name escapes me at the moment - so many bookstores, so many towns) and the jewelry stores that feature local artists!