Beautiful Asheville, North Carolina

Home to the Biltmore House, Grove Park Inn, Thomas Wolfe Memorial, and the spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains.
Asheville, North Carolina



Asheville is a fun, free spirited city nestled in the Western Carolina mountains. It has become a center of cultural diversity, and a place where nature lovers and explorers  come to play.



This blog is dedicated to Asheville and the surrounding areas. This first blog will list places to stay, eat, see, and things to do. Future posts will include more kid activities, updates on events (especially the always anticipated Bele Chere Festival), and seasonal activities.

Hope all who read and follow the blog will visit this beautiful city, and enjoy some peace in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Places To Stay

Resorts/Upscale

Grove Park Inn
Inn on Biltmore
The Grand Bohemian Hotel-Asheville
Pisgah View Ranch
Crowne Plaza-Asheville

Hotels in or close to Asheville

Aloft Asheville Hotel
Brookstone Lodge
Renaissance
Haywood Park Hotel
Country Inn and Suites by Carlson-Asheville and Biltmore Square Mall
Courtyard by Marriott
Double Tree by Hilton-Biltmore
Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park
Holiday Inn-Biltmore

(these are a list of hotels that I have been to and know to be nice and convinent for anyone looking to be able to get to Asheville and surrounding areas easily, or to step outside and walk around the city, whether it be Asheville or Biltmore)

There is also a lot of camping and bed and breakfast options throughout the area. For the true outdoor family, couple, or singles, the camping and hiking in this area is a must. A must camp in forest around Asheville is definitely Pisgah or Dupont State Forest.

Where to Eat!

Asheville is home to many chain restaurants, one of which is a definite go to, which is called Cheddars. Two other must eat at fast food chains for those who do not live in the south, is Bojangles and Chick-Fil-a.

Alright, enough with the chain restaurants, here is a list of personal favorites. However, there is no shortage of restaurants for those looking for vegetarian or international fare.

Downtown Restaurants

Tupelo Honey Cafe (A must eat at establishment!)
The Market Place
Bouchon
Early Girl Eatery (featured on Racheal Ray)
Laughing Seed Cafe
Magnolia's (great place to enjoy live music after hours)
Barleys Taproom & Pizzarie
The Bier Garden (great place to sample beers worldwide, and awesome mushroom burgers)
Pack Place Tavern-very popular hang out

There is much more downtown to eat at, including the bakery who almost won a recent cupcake war on the Food Network, Take the Cake. A newer eatery (to me at least) is an inspired New Orleans style place called, Sazerac. It has great reviews and would be worth checking out.

Area Restaurants (pick up or eat in)

Grove Park Inn dining (there are several place to eat in the Inn, but the terrace is the best)
Pisgah Inn (April-October)
Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village-nice, delicious, perfect to stop for a bite and then continue shopping in the village
Deer Park on the Biltmore Estate-a one of a kind dining experience
Asheville Brewery and Pizza Company
12 Bones (Arden and River Arts District)
Moe's BBQ-on Sweeten Creek Road
Black Bear Pizza-great pizza and sandwiches on Sweeten Creek Road
Black Forest Restaurant on Hendersonville Road

Just north of Asheville is Weaverville, N.C. It is a great place to spend a day, and worth the drive to eat at one of these great restaurants.

Blue Mountain Pizza
Athens (awesome Greek, Cheese, Pepperoni and Meat Pizzas and great gyros and subs)
Stoney Knob Cafe (a bit pricey, but a great Greek restaurant)
Well Bred Bakery (a must eat or pick up something to go place. It is a must when visiting Weaverville, and try the mountain eclairs)

Seeing as how it is my hometown, I will definitely post more on this great place.

What To See

There is a lot to see in the area. Especially for those who want to hike or experience the outdoors. The main attractions are:

The Biltmore House and Winery
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
Vance Birthplace (Weaverville)
Asheville Art Museum
Grove Arcade
Urban Trail
Carl Sandburg Home (Flat Rock)
Cradle of Forestry (Pisgah forest-a very fun and unique experience for guests)
Dupont State Forest
Chimney Rock (Lake Lure)
And of course, the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway and drive through the Smokey Mountains

For Those wanting to tour a brewery and experience why Asheville has been voted Beer City USA, take a tour of Asheville Brewing or Highland Brewing companies, or go to Hendersonville to Southern Appalachain Brewery. Other companies coming to the area include: Sierra Nevada and New Belgium. Colorado Beer will be coming to Hendersonville as well.

This is not even the tip of the iceberg (so to write) of what to do in the city. While here, guests should definitely take advantage of a historic or ghost trolley or walking tour. Take time to see what events are happening at the Civic Center, the Orange Peel, and in the summer, the Biltmore House Concert Series. Be sure to check out the antique cars at Estes-Winn, located at the Grovewood Gallery, and buy fresh produce and homemade products as souveniers at the local Farmer's Market. Again, this is only some features, and be sure to visit the grand Grove Park Resort (especially if visiting during the holidays).

Kid Activities

Some fun options for the kids in Asheville is:

Going to McCormick Field to enjoy an evening of baseball and (on occasion) fireworks
Take a few hours to just have fun, go-cart, bat, play games, laser tag, and more at Fun Depot
Check out the Health Adventure and the Colburn Science Museum
WNC Nature Center
Climb Max Climbing Center on Wall Street
Great Smokey Mountain Railroad in Dillsboro, N.C. (features "The Great Pumpkin Charlies Brown" during Halloween, "The Polar Express" at Christmas, Thomas the Train, Dinosaur Train, and other fun adventures)
Santa's Land in Cherokee
Holmes Educational State Forest (a very Unique Experience for kids)

One of the best times to visit is Autumn and Christmas. Even so, for those who love to see the trees, bushes, and flowers in full bloom, late spring and summer are perfect. Another popular place to visit would be Linville Falls, Sliding Rock, Little Switzerland, Grandfather Mountain (check out the play "Horn in the West" if able), and N.C. Arboretum.

Hopefully, future blogs will provide some more insight on many places in the area. There is no shortage of things to do.