Asheville NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Asheville NC is an exciting town surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina. Asheville, NC is a place of natural beauty with a lot of culture added to the town. It is home to several popular tourist sites such as the Omni Grove Park Inn and Biltmore. Just east of historic downtown Asheville is the Blue Ridge Parkway Center and Folk Art Center at mile marker 384 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. In the fall Asheville is a great place to see the fall foliage color show that turns the North Carolina mountains into a colorful landscape of vivid reds, purple and golds.
Asheville NC has things to do for all ages. Enjoy the numerous live street musicians that play folk music while eating at a fine dining restaurant or enjoy outside dining while watching the people stroll along downtown. The restaurants of Asheville, NC have a varied choice in their menus that will entice anyone’s taste buds. There are several coffee & tea shops to stop in and they carry a wide selection to try. If you have a sweet tooth you will find the Chocolate Tour heavenly. The adults will find that the night life downtown Asheville is a place to unwind after a long day with drinks from the local breweries and wineries then listen to jazz and live music along with dancing.
Families and people who want to enjoy a slower, easy going day will enjoy the Asheville Downtown Gallery Association Art Walks that are help the first Friday of every month from now to December. The wine enthusiast will enjoy the North Carolina Wine Month be held in September at the Biltmore Winery. Adults can wine taste a variety of wines made right there at Biltmore. In early September there are a number of unique and exciting festivals for everyone to enjoy. A favorite festival is the New Belgium’s Clips Beer and Film tour. Here try a number of award winning beers including the Amber Ale then view the New Belgium’s Lips of Faith Series. The Hazel Robinson Amphitheater host during August through September on Friday, Saturday and Sundays shows of Hamlet.
People who are adventurous will enjoy the activities of the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Mountains by taking hiking ar taking one of the zip line canopy tours. People can enjoy the natural beauty of the fall season by taking a hike or a ride on the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway. There are several hiking areas, hike at a number of the state parks, the CMLC Florence Nature Preserve, and National Parks. The hiking trails are for people of all fitness levels to use, along with being free. People just need to remember to read the regulations or rules posted for personal safety. There are many beautiful waterfalls and views that are perfect for couples newly married, honeymooners, or people who are celebrating special occasions. If a more romantic spot is needed then Devil’s Courthouse and Craggy Gardens will be a wonderful place to watch a beautiful sunset beyond the mountains. The people who want to get wet and wild there are companies that offer white water rafting, canoeing and kayaking trips along the Nantahala River which has class 1-3 rapids to enjoy.
Biltmore Estate is a large private estate with 250 rooms and it is a popular tourist attraction in Asheville. Biltmore House, the main house on the estate, is a Châteauesque-styled mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 and is the largest privately owned house in the United States. Touring Biltmore Estate at Christmas when it is decorated with hundreds of Christmas Trees, lights, ornaments, wreaths and poinsettias is just breathtaking. And the Candlelight Christmas Evening tours during the Christmas season is magical to all. There is also a winery on the grounds for tour and for taste testing, and there are shops and a restaurant on the grounds. There are many hotels is downtown, stay in one of the bed and breakfast places as a romantic get-away and families enjoy the rustic cabin by renting in Asheville and the surrounding area. The Omni Grove Park Inn is a nearly one-hundred-year-old historic resort hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. It is a AAA Four-Diamond Hotel with fine dining, spa and luxury accomadations.
Asheville NC is a unique city in a beautiful setting surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. A visit to Asheville makes for a memorable trip no matter what the season.