Weekend Getaway: Asheville, NC

Nestled right in the midst the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the small town of Asheville, NC. For us, it’s an easy weekend getaway that has the best of both worlds. Great hiking with pretty views and a bustling town full of many fantastic breweries. Home of The Biltmore Estate, it's become a vibrant art town with so much to offer.

A few things we experienced while we were there…..

In Asheville:

-Mast General Store (mastgeneralstore.com; 15 Biltmore Ave Asheville, NC 28801)- Huge general store that is just that, the seller of general goods. If you’re looking for backpacking gear, check out the downstairs for a decent supply of backpacking and hiking gear. Upstairs has more of a touristy feel with games, snacks and t-shirts.

-Salsa’s (salsasnc.com; 6 Patton Ave. Asheville, NC 28801)- A Latin restaurant with large portions and good food. A small restaurant with a little bit of outdoor seating. What it lacks in physical space it makes up for in the food portions. Huge portions of food are served here, so don’t be afraid to share. We settled on the Pom Pom Pom steak bowl. Essentially, it’s a burrito in a giant bowl... and it’s dang good.

-One World Brewing (oneworldbrewing.com; 10 Patton Ave Asheville, NC 28801)- Down an alley, into a nondescriptive door, down a couple flights of steps you will find the downtown location of this brewery (the other location is in West Asheville). It’s small, cozy and serves up a rotating selection of beer from their small brewing space. We had the Citrabomb IPA and the Smoke Em If you Got Em, both equally refreshing and delicious. Live music is offered almost every night of the week. But if this isn’t your spot, trust me…. there is no shortage of breweries in this town.

One World Brewery

Outdoor Activities Around Asheville:

-Mt. Mitchell State Park (ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park; About an hour drive North from Asheville on the Blue Ridge Pkwy)- This is where you can "hike" to the highest summit east of the Mississippi River. The hike to the summit is an easy, paved road and is accessible for most people. This hike also includes the grave of Dr. Mitchell, who the peak is named after. Be sure and read about how Dr. Clingman, his former student, tried to claim this peak as his own (Spoiler Alert: Dr. Clingman basically put him on a path to his death). This park has a few trails within it. We were there during a holiday weekend, so it was quite crowded. To beat the crowds, do an early hike and finish with a picnic lunch at the wonderful picnic area they offer.

-Linville Falls (About an hour northeast of Asheville off the Blue Ridge Pkwy)- Located within the Linville Gorge Wilderness, Linville Falls is an easy 1.6 mile roundtrip hike from the visitors center. The Erwins View Trail is one trail from the visitors center that has 4 vantage points to view the falls. The Linville Gorge Trail takes the hike down to the base of the falls. It’s a quick 3/4 mile downhill that’s perfect for a picnic at the water. This is also a popular spot, so be ready for crowds.

-Babel Tower Trail (located within Linville Gorge Wilderness)- If you’re looking for a more challenging hike, this is your trail. This is a 3 mile round trip hike with waterfall payoff. The trail to the waterfall is not marked, so it will require scrambling down to the water.

Waterfall on the Babel Tower Trail

-Grandfather Mountain (ncparks.gov/grandfather-mountain-state-park; about an hour and a half outside of Asheville)- Do not get sucked into the tourist trap area! They charge $20.00/person to go to something that you can hike into. Granted, there is a swinging bridge that you can walk across but it doesn’t justify the cost. To get to Grandfather Mountain without paying, hike the Profile Trail. It’s a 3.6 mile (one way) difficult hike that runs into the Grandfather Mountain Trail. Yes, it’s harder and you have to walk more. But if you hike, this should be a breeze.

Hiking up Grandfather Mountain.

Asheville has no shortage of outdoor activities, along with plenty of shopping and dining to keep everyone happy. And if all else fails, take a drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a perfect long weekend getaway, without getting away too far.

-Bink