Curator’s statement
Asheville was a wonderful surprise and I have to say I will be going back as much as I can! Nestled in a holler-up in the mountains, it has a small-town coziness, with the personality of a large one. The arts district was my favorite! I spent way too much time and money there, but supporting local art is something that I love to do. The amount of breweries in one location is absurd and so worth the visit just to hop around those as well. This is a wonderful location for a long weekend or a place to celebrate! Depending on where you are traveling from there can be some cool stops along the way as well if you want to make a small road trip out of it. Coming from the north/west you can drive along the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway and drop into both New River Gorge and Shenandoah National Park. If you’re coming from the east, check out Congaree National Park!
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Things to do in Asheville
Omni Resort and Spa: Highly recommend getting some sort of spa treatment (I got a-many) and then utilizing the spa day-pass that comes along with it! The massage packages were also very tempting if I had had more time in town.
River Arts District: I spent the majority of the day in this area! I dropped into shops and spoke with artists, bought so much art, and just had fun admiring their creations.
Congaree National Park: If you have the time, take a kayak or canoe into the park to really get to see it up close. This was definitely the best way to see the park. If you go in the spring, early May-ish, be sure to stay up late enough to see the synchronized fireflies! One of the coolest things I’ve seen.
Biltmore Estate: Choose your own adventure. You can wander the estate grounds and get a walk-in (which is typically my vibe and I loved seeing all the flowering plants), get some pampering in at the inn, or tour the estate itself.
Brewery tours: I honestly have no idea how many total breweries there are in Asheville, but there is one for literally every vibe! My personal favorite for ambiance being Cursus Keme. Best beers were right next door, called Origin. And if you’re already down in the arts district and want a brew, stop in at Wedge.
Places to eat & drink in Asheville
Tandoori chicken
PennyCup Coffee Co: Tiny coffee shop located in the arts district. I loved it and went back each day I was in town (three times).
Daddy Mac’s Down Home Dive: I highly recommend the chopped brisket sliders. Packed with flavor, but not heavy or greasy.
Little Pigs BBQ: Turns out this BBQ is different than what you find in Texas—highly recommend trying all their sauces on the pulled pork.
Tupelo Honey: Your classic southern food eatery, as always, get the fried chicken.
Chai Pani: The Tandoori chicken was so good!! Definitely a must if you enjoy Indian cuisine.
Need to know
The area is great for hiking and there are lots of watering holes to go jump in!
Travel Advisor
Ellen Reinhold
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