Road trip to Asheville, NC

Asheville, NC was our second planned stop on the road trip to evade Hurricane Irma.  We had heard many good things about this hip mountain city and it did not disappoint!

Asheville, NC is a thriving mountain city that features a funky and eclectic downtown with several art galleries, a burgeoning culinary scene, a thriving live music scene and, of course, the awe-inspiring backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains.  This city boasts more breweries per capita than any U.S. city, roughly 100 local beers can be enjoyed in Asheville, served on draft and in bottles.

Hotel Stay

Country Inn & Suites Downtown (Tunnel Rd.): We chose this straightforward hotel with an indoor pool & an exercise room, plus free breakfast, cookies & parking due to the limited availability of hotels during Hurricane Irma.  It served as a good central base in town as it is located a short drive away from downtown as well as the Biltmore estate.

 

Sightseeing

Biltmore Estate : America’s largest home, built by George Vanderbilt.  Explore the 8000-acre beautiful and grand estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC.

We arrived at the estate but, didn’t get to explore due to the weather and the $65/pp entry.  The rainy weather was not conducive to fun exploration of the grounds so we opted out.

Some helpful tips for your visit:

1. Buy tickets online and purchase the self-guided audio tour for an additional $11 as it’s deemed to be well worth it.
2. There are no PUBLIC bathrooms inside the Biltmore house–use the ones outside–to the right side as you face the house.
3. Park in the shuttle lot and take your tickets with you as you will need to show them at front door.
4. The food is good but, expensive: Expect to spend a lot on food if you plan to eat and everything is overpriced here but, good.
5. If you like the outdoors, take one of their trail rides or rent one of their bicycles to ride around the estate for some extra fun.
6. Since it is a historic building, there is only elevator access to the first and second floor, so it can be problematic with mobility impairments, strollers, and wheelchairs.
7. There are gift shops and a few mini restaurants located directly next to the estate itself @ the Antler Hill Village & Winery, but you do have to drive across the grounds for the equestrian center, winery, and certain restaurants.

Overall, if you are history/architecture buff, you will enjoy it!

 

Exploring The Town

Well Played: North Carolina’s first board game café/bar where you choose from selection of over 500 games.  If you’re out with a group of friends or family and looking to change it up a bit from the usual bar scene, you should definitely this place a try.  Basically, you pay five bucks each which allows you to play as many board games as you want for as long as you want while you’re there.  Their board game selection is quite impressive and extensive, and there’s bound to be options for just about to anybody. They’re organized from easy to complex so if you’ve already have a bit to drink, there are more mindless options available for you to play.

Tip: In case you don’t want to pay any money to play games, there are a couple of games available to play for free outside where you can also order food and drinks.

 

Chai Pani: Indian chaat (street snacks) plus homestyle platters (thalis) in a funky, laid-back space.  It has a great Indian street food menu and everything we had tasted authentic.  This place is quite popular with the locals and visitors alike so plan ahead and avoid the wait during peak times.

 

Wicked Weed Brewery: Huge hip brewery with a tasting room & a restaurant serving high-end, locally sourced New American fare.

 

Mela: Indian hub known for a lunch buffet & tandoori dishes offered in a casual but, modern setting.

Asheville is a great place to explore as there are tons of activities to do around town.  Its lively downtown has gorgeous architecture, fantastic locally-owned stores, a huge variety of restaurants, interesting museums, fun street performers and many free festivals.  We had a short itinerary there so didn’t get to fully explore the city and surrounding attractions but, would definitely go back and recommend it to our family and friends.

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