Asheville: Great for a Quick R&R

It will take at least one or more overnight stays to be comfortable, but hubby and I just recently took a few days R&R and drove up to Asheville (with an e), N.C.

We left the house a little after 7 a.m. and arrived in time for lunch at a friendly little bistro off of Haywood Street. 

Asheville’s most coveted tourist attraction is the Biltmore Estate and just a word of caution, the entrance fee is now a bit pricey at $59 per adult ticket, but it’s the American version of a European castle and sits on thousand of acres of manicured gardens.

It will take you several hours of touring the home and grounds but worth the fee at least once so that you can ooh and aah over the grandeur in which the Vanderbilts lived in the 1890’s before all the modern technology and services that we enjoy today.

We passed on the Biltmore tour this trip, but still had a great time just wandering around the downtown area, eating European-style cheesecake for breakfast and dining al fresco listening to the street musicians serenade us during our meals.

Since most of the downtown area is easily accessible by foot, the most strenuous activity was planning which direction we should stroll next and how to avoid spending way too much money on one-of-a-kind tschotskes, custom jewelry or colorful and unique artwork.

A friend of mine asked me how I would describe Asheville and the first thing that came to my mind is dog-friendly, artsy place with a touch of European influence.

The city embraces the arts with oversized sculptures on almost every corner and graphics stamped into the sidewalks along the streets housing specialty stores.

For example, there’s a store dedicated to doggie clothes and accessories for those who love to dote on their four-legged children.

Microbreweries are the hottest new trend in town and there are so many taverns specializing in local brews that if you love to try different types of beer, this is definitely a place you’ll enjoy. 

If you have not been there before, or even if you have been, you might want to mark your calendars and consider driving up this fall when the leaves start turning colors.

For more information on activities go to www.exploreasheville.com and check out their events calendar. There’s always something going on in and around the area.