So I leave for Asheville, NC tomorrow

[AwakeAtLast]

Is there anything (beside Biltmore Estate) that I shouldn't miss? :shrug:

[lizziegrace]

1. Grove Park Inn

Beautiful. The patio off the bar faces west and the sunset is breathtaking.

Have a wonderful time. I love Asheville. :)

[Inchworm]

2. you hit that on the head

stay here if you have oppurtunity

:hi:

[AwakeAtLast]

3. I've been through, but never stopped

so we made plans to stop and explore.

Thanks for the tip! :hi:

[lizziegrace]

4. The Grove Park is expensive for a stay

We had lunch there and wandered around the grounds. (They don't mind.)


Also, Valle Cruces is beautiful, as is Boone and Beech Mountain.

The Mast Farm Inn is a beautiful B&B near Boone. (they have a web page)

[Inchworm]

5. Boone?!? weee!

You are close to me then. That is my "mall" hehe.

Do the parkway if you are this far north. It's perdy.

:)

[lizziegrace]

6. I don't live there

I lived in SC years ago and my ex played in the Asheville Symphony, so we were up there a lot.

:)

[stuntcat]

9. oh Mast Farm :D

My college roommate was related to the Masts.
That inn was what got my mom into the B&B thing, now she runs her own inn in Waynesville. There's a Mast store there that I go to when I visit her.

[lizziegrace]

10. Loved the Mast General Store

my favorite part of the country.

:)

[AwakeAtLast]

11. Well, Mr. WMU scored a great hotel deal w/ his military ID

We plan to be out and about most of the time, so hotel wasn't important as long as it is clean.

I'm just excited to be getting away!

[Inchworm]

21. I'd offer you my house

but I'm a slob

:P

[CottonBear]

32. The Grove Park Inn lobby and bar. Have a cocktail facing the patio/balcony. DELUXE! n/t

[stuntcat]

7. be sure to ride around in the mountains some!

I mean, if you have time to drive to the Parkway. Biltmore is a most-do I think, you can see for miles from the gardens there. Really you can't miss the mountains, from anywhere near Asheville. It's my favorite place in the world, that part of the Blue Ridge :loveya: I'm really jealous. There's a cool music store in the downtown part of Asheville, I guess it's what every college town has though.. the parkway is what I love most.

[AwakeAtLast]

12. We do plan to!

Mr. WMU is from Eastern PA, so he can't wait to see some real curvy roads again, not what passes for a curve in Central IN.

My parents drove me through parts of the parkway when I was about 12, but we never got to stop in Asheville.

I just hope the weather holds out!

[stuntcat]

16. the CURVES :o

Once we were driving from Waynesville NC to Arlington VA and we thought we'd take the parkway half the way :o After 2 hours we gave up. It's beautiful as long as you aren't trying to go somewhere, it's so wind-y. It's worth it for little while though.. to ME I mean, it's the best! Have a great trip, I'm totally jealous of this.

[AwakeAtLast]

13. Whoa! DU bug!

[AwakeAtLast]

14. Whoa DU bug!

[supernova]

8. You might like exploring Black Mountain

which is only about 20 miles away. It's a little artsy town, lots of Western NC craftspeople have shops and it's worth exploring.

[AwakeAtLast]

15. Is that the area with the hiking trails and waterfall?

The weather will probably dictate whether or not we hike.

[Flaxbee]

17. the downtown area, and the Grove Arcade, are cool --

lovely examples of art deco architecture.

There is a really good Indian restaurant in a strip mall -- called "India Gardens" on Tunnel Road, in the TJ Maxx / Books-a-Million / Ross mall across from the Barnes & Noble/Best Buy mall (also relatively close to the main Asheville mall). Closed from 2:30-5pm, open though for buffet lunch and dinner. If you're in the area, check it out. Address and phone:
156 South Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC
Phone: [phone]

[Rhythm]

18. Take a drive down US 74 East to Lake Lure

If you're looking for gorgeous 'curvy roads', this and the Blue Ridge Parkway are the best drives i can think of. 74 goes past Chimney Rock, and through the town of Bat Cave (good antique store there, btw) before getting to Lake Lure, the 'real' home of "Dirty Dancin'" (most of the outdoor scenes were filmed there)

[aquaman]

19. Lake Lure.....

My wife and I go there twice every year. One of the best places in the south. We go in non-tourist seasons.

[Rhythm]

20. The whole drive on 74 between Shelby and Asheville is to die for...

One of the most naturally picturesque places i have been in the US; definitely on the eastern half.

[tinymontgomery]

34. Driving 74 from Shelby

I live just over is Cherryville, next to Shelby.

[AwakeAtLast]

26. OMG, you were not kidding!

We had soooo much fun on that drive!!! Ten times better than the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We even decided to come back some summer just to stay on Lake Lure. Beautiful!!!

[AwakeAtLast]

22. Thanks everybody, we're here!!!

Gotta love free Wireless!

We have made quite a list from all the great ideas, thanks a bunch!!!

[stuntcat]

27. Have a Fabulous time!

:headbang: I'm jealous.

[bermudat]

23. There is a delicious asian noodle eatery. Sorry, can't remember the name.

[Lorien]

24. The many galleries and the Tupelo Honey Cafe:

http://www.tupelohoneycafe.com/ along with the Well-Bred Bakery and Cafe in nearby Weaverville: http://www.well-bredbakery.com/ (especially good Friday and Saturday evenings. The pastries are even better than most that I've had in Paris)!

:9

[AwakeAtLast]

25. We will try to get into Tupelo Honey tomorrow

They (and a lot of restaruants around here) are closed on Mondays.

Thanks! :hi:

[racaulk]

30. OMG, Tupelo Honey has the best biscuits EVAH!

I love that place! I always make time to stop there whenever I visit Asheville.

:hi:

[underpants]

28. I hear that it is like a tiny little Austin TX out in the woods

Vibrant
Arty
VERY liberal/progressive
Supposedly really cool

I would stop by the farmer's market-I'd be willing to bet that the local farm movement is alive and well there and you will get some good tips on where to eat. Hey, it works for Bourdain :shrug:


Oh Harry Anderson moved there (from New Orleans) and has a bar there.

[Sequoia]

29. Tell my friends hello.

Don't forget the Blue Ridge Parkway. Check out the cute little town of Brevard which is about 40 miles away. Chimney Rock, Cherokee...

[racaulk]

31. If you're downtown, check out Malaprops Bookstore.

A great indie/alternative bookstore with lots of great and unique titles. And it has a nice little coffee shop where local musicians sometimes play.

Right down the street from there is the Basilica of St. Lawrence. It's a free-standing elliptical building and its architecture, inside and out, is truly breathtaking. I'm not even a religious person and I think the building is beautiful.

I used to live in Asheville and I miss it terribly. Have fun on your trip! :hi:

[Orsino]

33. Skip the Biltmore.

I went when I was twelve, and I only recall room after endless room full of old furniture. There was a greenhouse that was okay, though, and ice cream.