What to do in or near Asheville NC from May 19-24?
May 3, 2010 6:06 PM Subscribe
What to do in or near Asheville NC from May 19-24?
Can be anything, we like a lot of stuff. Architecture, Crafts, Shopping, Shows, Fairs, Antiques, Music, Hiking, whatever.
Can be anything, we like a lot of stuff. Architecture, Crafts, Shopping, Shows, Fairs, Antiques, Music, Hiking, whatever.
Antiques: Antique Tobacco Barn
Hiking: many hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway
Brewery? Great IPA from Jack of the Wood
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 6:43 PM on May 3, 2010
Hiking: many hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway
Brewery? Great IPA from Jack of the Wood
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 6:43 PM on May 3, 2010
You should definitely stop in to eat at tupelo honey.
If you are into climbing, the best NC climbing is outside of asheville at looking glass.
If it's warm enough, kayaking at NOLS.
Check out the drum circle in pac square if you are into the hippy/granola scene. More music- go see a band at the orange peel, though they usually have indie rock, hipster stuff, but I've never heard of any of the bands playing that weekend.
Salsa has some of the best caribbean food I've ever had- go early, they fill up FAST.
Skip the wine, and now that I think about it the tour, at the biltmore- $50 for some really bad wine and a beautiful, but crowded tour.
If you are FANCY, stay at the grovepark inn, or just have their insane buffet.
Wanna get crazy hippie/granola- check out penland school of crafts about an hour away from asheville through some beautiful areas. Some of the most insanely awesome crafts you have ever seen! They have a full gallery and tours. I'm sure I'll think of more.
posted by TheBones at 7:22 PM on May 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you are into climbing, the best NC climbing is outside of asheville at looking glass.
If it's warm enough, kayaking at NOLS.
Check out the drum circle in pac square if you are into the hippy/granola scene. More music- go see a band at the orange peel, though they usually have indie rock, hipster stuff, but I've never heard of any of the bands playing that weekend.
Salsa has some of the best caribbean food I've ever had- go early, they fill up FAST.
Skip the wine, and now that I think about it the tour, at the biltmore- $50 for some really bad wine and a beautiful, but crowded tour.
If you are FANCY, stay at the grovepark inn, or just have their insane buffet.
Wanna get crazy hippie/granola- check out penland school of crafts about an hour away from asheville through some beautiful areas. Some of the most insanely awesome crafts you have ever seen! They have a full gallery and tours. I'm sure I'll think of more.
posted by TheBones at 7:22 PM on May 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Take a brewery tour or pub crawl. Asheville is Beer City USA (east coast) and we have more breweries per capita than any city in the country. Check out this site for information on our breweries. We seriously have some awesome beer here. You might also look at this site, one of our local papers that has a calander and music schedule so you can browse and maybe find some music or a show you'd be interested it. And seconding hiking off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Have fun while you're here.
posted by FairlyFarley at 8:01 PM on May 3, 2010
posted by FairlyFarley at 8:01 PM on May 3, 2010
It's the Montford Music & Arts Festival on the Saturday (22nd) -- small-scale, very much a block-party kind of affair, but very Asheville.
Sunday brunch at the Grove Park Inn can get busy, and I suspect that Obama's recent stay won't hurt the numbers, but you can go and have a drink in the main hall, or out on the terrace. (The Obamas went straight from the airport to 12 Bones. Take that as a recommendation.)
Music covers every genre and taste: the Mountain Xpress has listings. Beer? Well, there's the old guard (Jack of the Wood, Asheville Pizza & Brewing), the adolescent brewers (Wedge by the river), the foreign imports (Thirsty Monk), the new arrivals (Craggie and the LaB downtown). Lots of beer.
posted by holgate at 8:06 PM on May 3, 2010
Sunday brunch at the Grove Park Inn can get busy, and I suspect that Obama's recent stay won't hurt the numbers, but you can go and have a drink in the main hall, or out on the terrace. (The Obamas went straight from the airport to 12 Bones. Take that as a recommendation.)
Music covers every genre and taste: the Mountain Xpress has listings. Beer? Well, there's the old guard (Jack of the Wood, Asheville Pizza & Brewing), the adolescent brewers (Wedge by the river), the foreign imports (Thirsty Monk), the new arrivals (Craggie and the LaB downtown). Lots of beer.
posted by holgate at 8:06 PM on May 3, 2010
In my humble opinion, the best way to experience the Grove Park Inn is to go early evening (5-ish) and order a cocktail on the Sunset Terrace before they kick you out for the dinner crowd. The drinks are expensive (hotel prices) but the views are superb. I grew up right around the corner from the Inn and I spent a lot of hanging out on that Terrace until the staff kicked me out.
posted by thivaia at 8:14 PM on May 3, 2010
posted by thivaia at 8:14 PM on May 3, 2010
The Folk Arts Center is on the Blue Ridge Parkway and has a lovely gift shop. Also second the Tobacco Warehouse, though I don't know what it's like nowadays. I grew up in Asheville, and when I lived there as a young adult (15 years ago), it was a huge gritty place with some great finds and lots of old architectural stuff that was fun to dig through. I think several more antiques places have sprung up in that immediate area, in recent years.
Biltmore and Grove Park, of course. I shined shoes in the GPI lobby for a couple months when I was 15. There's a lot of fascinating history to be seen just walking the halls there and looking at the old photos they have displayed.
I don't know about the current food scene, but my sister was back in Avl a few days before the Obama visit, got food from 12 Bones and loved it.
Based on the interests you listed in your question, you'll have a great time.
posted by torticat at 10:33 PM on May 3, 2010
Biltmore and Grove Park, of course. I shined shoes in the GPI lobby for a couple months when I was 15. There's a lot of fascinating history to be seen just walking the halls there and looking at the old photos they have displayed.
I don't know about the current food scene, but my sister was back in Avl a few days before the Obama visit, got food from 12 Bones and loved it.
Based on the interests you listed in your question, you'll have a great time.
posted by torticat at 10:33 PM on May 3, 2010
Oh, and since you said "near" Asheville--
Max Patch. This is I think about an hour's drive away, but the 360 degree view all of mountains all around is really unbelievable.
posted by torticat at 10:45 PM on May 3, 2010
Max Patch. This is I think about an hour's drive away, but the 360 degree view all of mountains all around is really unbelievable.
posted by torticat at 10:45 PM on May 3, 2010
There's lots of whitewater rafting around, which is fine, but don't miss out on your chance to tube the French Broad.
Mount Mitchell is the tallest mountain east of the Rockies. There are several hikes (the ascent can be anywhere from 5 to 13 miles with up to 5000 ft of elevation gained), and you can also drive to the top. In either case, there is a snack bar near the top and it will in all likelihood be 40 degrees and raining.
Downtown Asheville is fun to walk around, with gorgeous Art Deco architecture, lots of crafts, a great bookstore, which is always having readings by local authors, as well as good food and microbrews and possibly the only used bookstore/winebar on earth.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:46 AM on May 4, 2010
Mount Mitchell is the tallest mountain east of the Rockies. There are several hikes (the ascent can be anywhere from 5 to 13 miles with up to 5000 ft of elevation gained), and you can also drive to the top. In either case, there is a snack bar near the top and it will in all likelihood be 40 degrees and raining.
Downtown Asheville is fun to walk around, with gorgeous Art Deco architecture, lots of crafts, a great bookstore, which is always having readings by local authors, as well as good food and microbrews and possibly the only used bookstore/winebar on earth.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:46 AM on May 4, 2010
Response by poster: Fantastic stuff guys, I cant "Best" everyone, I have 15 tabs open now working up an itinerary, thanks to everyone.
posted by Kensational at 6:18 AM on May 4, 2010
posted by Kensational at 6:18 AM on May 4, 2010
The North Carolina Arboretum is nice.
posted by iceprincess324 at 9:25 AM on May 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by iceprincess324 at 9:25 AM on May 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh, I forgot about the Arboretum. It is incredibly nice. I especially love the bonsai garden with local native plants bonsaied. And the cafe there is surprisingly good.
posted by hydropsyche at 10:17 AM on May 4, 2010
posted by hydropsyche at 10:17 AM on May 4, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kimdog at 6:40 PM on May 3, 2010