Ashville, NC, is all about Biltmore, breweries and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Tucked into the mountains of western North Carolina, this city was the summer home (among a few!) to the Vanderbilts, who resided at the 19th century Biltmore Estate. Boasting more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the US, there is a whole downtown districted devoted to local breweries - as well as a vibrant River Arts District. Only a 1-hour flight from Philly made a great long weekend destination for sights, hikes, and some great beer.

Biltmore is the largest home in the United States, with over 250 rooms, with a celebrity status to match - as the home of George and Edith Vanderbilt, George was the grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the famed industrialist and philanthropist. In addition, the house is surrounded by gardens designed by America's foremost landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. There's also a winery and a hotel as part of the sprawling property. 

There is a self-guided tour of the house, but - as you can spend the majority of the day here - I would spring for the Exclusive Experience to get a personalized tour, more behind the scenes looks, and a lot more family history than the audio tour. The time warp back to the gilded age of American history is fascinating, and Biltmore's dominance and prominence in Asheville make it a really unique spot. 

Here are some rooms that I wanted to highlight that I thought were spectacular...

The billiard room is just really elegant; the library houses George Vanderbilt's collection of over 2,000 books and the Oak Sitting Room is finally open to the public after a 15-year hiatus, where diary notes revealed that the room was presented incorrectly. Extensive research, craftsmanship and historical preservation went into reopening the room in a more accurate representation. Check out the article here:

The Biltmore's Oak Sitting Room Returned to Original Glory After 15 Years of Restoration Work | Southern Living

Hiking & The Blue Ridge Parkway

Asheville is surrounded by numerous state parks and hiking trails that make it an incredible outdoor destination. A half-hour south of the city is the DuPont State park that has a very accessible and rewarding trail system. The Triple Falls is truly a cinematic spot, having been featured in both the Last of the Mohicans and Hunger Games. There's also High Falls a bit further up the mountain and a very short hike to Hooker Falls from the parking lot. Pro tip: go here FIRST on your trip as it's very close to the AVL airport and rental cars...going to your hotel and back to the big parklands only adds hours of extra travel time plus it's a great first impression to get in some hiking and embrace nature!

Blue Ridge Parkway

Speaking of rental cars, I suggest you splurge on a good old American muscle car, like this cherry red Dodge Daytona. This car was a beast and so much fun to drive on Blue Ridge Parkway!  Asheville has some of the best access to this classic American highway than at any other point along its 470-mile route. Pick up one of the local access points and wind along the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I drove about 1 1/2 hours each way to hike the "Craggies" - Craggy Pinnacle and Craggy Gardens. These were both fantastic but challenging hikes, but the views were totally worth it. There are tons of hiking options in Asheville; however, I thought this combo of driving and hiking made for a perfect day to explore. Check out the views!  

Craggy Pinnacle Hike

Breweries and the River Arts District

There are over 100 independent breweries in Asheville, most concentrated along the South Slope Brewing District and a few gems as part of the incredible River Arts District. Wedge Brewing Co is a great spot within the converted factory strip that now houses art galleries, coffee shops and breweries called the River Arts District. Distinctive graffiti covers every building and there's a lot of outdoor seating to enjoy your hoppy beverage of choice. Also within the South Slope, Green Man Brewery is a laid back small spot that I really enjoyed, as well as a great lunch and brews at Wicked Weed Brewing Co. You can check out all of the Asheville beer scene here and they're all so close you can literally wander from one to the next to find the right level of hop in your IPA. I found mine at Wedge! Here's the artsy pic of my beer 

Bars and Restaurants

The Montford was one of the best rooftop bars I've been to...they make table reservations, so there is no jostling three deep for a drink, the bar bites menu is edited and straightforward, and the view is outstanding. Distancing, reservations and some crowd control really help a bar like this- so you can really enjoy the ambiance and the incredible view. I went at sunset for my last night in town and it was the perfect way to capture the natural beauty of the area from a private-feeling glass-walled perch.

As far as restaurants go, I didn't give them a lot of attention here, but I did want to shout out some really excellent places. Cucina 24 had an inventive tasting menu and Italian wine pairing with some great, if offbeat, selections. All part of the charm of this place that had great staff and a 'we are serious about food' vibe. Jargon, in the West Ashville part of town, was outstanding as well. Instead of rolling my eyes at the uber-hipster turntable playing Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, the vibe won me over. The food was fresh, up to the moment American seasonal offerings and the staff was super helpful and friendly. Brunch is also a blood-sport in Asheville, and I was glad to get the tip to reserve a bar seat at Tupelo Honey for some grits, waffles and southern comfort food at its upscale diner best. 

So much to do in Ashville - I felt like I never spent anytime inside and it was an incredible long-weekend adventure. I'll be back, Asheville! 

Parting shot!