Wait you're already planning a October 2014 trip?

Also Indigo's rooms are usually ~$200 and Suites $250-$300 with no discount.

12/31/2013 11:12:02 AM

Indigo and Aloft are both modern. i'm not sure you'll get that cabin-esque feeling anywhere in central downtown except for maybe Haywood Park as mentioned.

To be honest you won't be in the hotel much at all.

perhaps a B&B is more your fit for this trip though.

12/31/2013 11:15:09 AM

Yeah...I try and stay ahead of the curve and like to get big purchases out of the budget right away. And I just checked availability for some of the nice suites at Indigo and a few of them only have one or two rooms left. So other people do it as well.

I mean...if you already know the date, I see nothing but advantages for booking as soon as possible.

12/31/2013 11:15:57 AM

Quote :

"I try and stay ahead of the curve "

I guess...the only issue is they're charging way more for their rooms this far out it appears.

Quote :

"and like to get big purchases out of the budget right away."

Technically your card isn't charged until you check in right?

12/31/2013 11:18:03 AM

Quote :

"Checking out Indigo and its looking pretty good, although their nice suites are coming at about $500+ a night."

on their actual website the quote I got for the penthouse was $380/night, and suites in the $300-$330 range.

If you want a cabin lodge feel check out the Inn on Biltmore Estate, The Residence at Biltmore, or the Grand Bohemian near the Biltmore area. They are as "mountain cabiney" as you will find in a hotel, otherwise you will have to rent a house or to a B&B. The Biltmore area isn't a far drive to downtown, but sometimes parking is a pain downtown. They area all 2 seconds from the parkway.

[Edited on December 31, 2013 at 11:32 AM. Reason : .]

12/31/2013 11:27:27 AM

Quote :

"on their actual website the quote I got for the penthouse was $380/night, and suites in the $300-$330 range. "

for the last weekend in Oct 2014?

12/31/2013 11:29:05 AM

Just checked out Haywood Park and the price/accommodations are looking pretty good. It also allows for your pet to stay and we're thinking about possibly bringing our dog. Is it pretty much within walking distance to all the good bars/restaurants/breweries??

Quote :

" on their actual website the quote I got for the penthouse was $380/night, and suites in the $300-$330 range. "

As ^ said...not the quote I got for my dates.

[Edited on December 31, 2013 at 11:29 AM. Reason : .]

12/31/2013 11:29:09 AM

Quote :

" Is it pretty much within walking distance to all the good bars/restaurants/breweries??"

its like smack in the middle of downtown, its as downtown as you can get

12/31/2013 11:33:54 AM

^this.

12/31/2013 11:35:53 AM

Quote :

"The Residence at Biltmore"

Oh yeah definitely check that place out. Stayed there a month ago and it was great, and within your price range.

12/31/2013 11:38:10 AM

just stayed at the biltmore village inn just before thanksgiving and loved it

12/31/2013 12:02:41 PM

Haywood is awesome.

1/5/2014 1:06:22 AM

One year anniversary is about three weeks out and I'm starting to plan the trip.

We're coming in on Thursday and I'm hoping to get there before dinner. We're staying at a B&B that is maybe two miles from downtown Asheville. I want to do at least one nice dinner, probably on Friday night. Saturday we'll probably do some breweries and going to a show at the Orange Peel that night. Trying to feel in the rest of the time with good restaurants and maybe something active.

For dining and drinking options I've been hearing the following: Curate, The Admiral, Rhubarb, Salsa (for lunch), Limones, and Thirsty Monk (beer). Definitely going to do Wicked Weed (probably before show at the Orange Peel. Someone also mentioned a LaZoom Comedy Bus Tour...anyone done that?

Thoughts on what's already been recommended and anything else I'm missing? Curate has probably been pushed on me the most as well as Salsa for lunch.




Admiral is booked already (well...9:00+ pm dinner times...no thanks). Look at Curate and it looks to be a Spanish tapas restaurant...which I love, but don't want that to be the nice dinner. So we're going to do Rhubarb for the "nice" dinner on Friday night. Might hit up Curate on Thursday night if we get there in time. Now looking to fill in the rest.

[Edited on September 29, 2014 at 4:46 PM. Reason : .]

9/29/2014 4:25:55 PM

We went to Limones when we were there a few months ago. Fancy Mexican fare. It's near the Wicked Weed/Orange Peel.

[Edited on September 29, 2014 at 4:40 PM. Reason : ]

9/29/2014 4:40:32 PM

i thought i had pushed Limones in this thread before but i don't see the post. It's a great place for brunch, lunch or dinner. I've been there for brunch the last couple times and it's a great alternative to the standard Tupelo Honey,etc. brunch recommendations. I would call the food more southwestern than "mexican" and there are always some very eclectic and interesting specials.

9/29/2014 5:09:31 PM

I forgot to mention that i was very impressed with it (we did dinner). And you're right, it's definitely eclectic, more southwestern than mexican. and they have a large selection of drinks. i got a moonshine margarita.

[Edited on September 29, 2014 at 5:12 PM. Reason : ]

9/29/2014 5:11:47 PM

This thread is relevant to my interests. I plan on going during a weekend in mid October with the significant other. We have been to Biltmore several times and aren't planning on going there during this trip. I am working on a list of places to check out. So far I have:
- Wicked Weed Brewery
- Green Man Brewery
- Asheville Art in the Park
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- 12 Bones Smokehouse

What am I missing?

9/29/2014 9:02:20 PM

food lion skate park
Asheville music hall
DuPont state forest
French broad river (white water rafting?)
some sort of haunted tour downtown, perhaps?

how outdoorsy are you two?

9/29/2014 10:26:21 PM

We're both extremely outdoorsy, but we also like to eat and drink just as much. I keep saying that we want to do something "active" on one of the days, but I just don't think we're going to have the time unless it's something short and sweet.

I think we're probably going to do breweries all day on Saturday, which leaves Friday open. But she's also never been to the Biltmore house (I went several times as a kid). I forgot how long it takes to tour that place. So maybe we could do that in the morning and then go for a hike or something similar before dinner at 8 pm?

9/30/2014 6:40:28 AM

if you're going to tour the biltmore house, you could do some hiking around the trails there (would only recommend this if visiting the house anyway 'cause tickets are pricy unless you have an annual pass)

9/30/2014 7:12:16 AM

Biltmore will steal an entire day from your trip. Unless it's something she really wants to do I would forego the tour and walk the grounds and get your couples picture in front of the house like everyone else .

9/30/2014 9:06:43 AM

You can't do the Biltmore in half a day?? (9am - 1ish??)

I can't imagine my parents being able to keep me on the Biltmore grounds for an entire day as a kid.

9/30/2014 9:15:37 AM

you can easily do it in half a day

1-2 hours for house tour
1 hour walking gardens
1 hour for wine tasting and exploring the rest of the property

[Edited on September 30, 2014 at 10:11 AM. Reason : .]

9/30/2014 10:09:49 AM

you people

not sure how asheville beer lists keep getting made without the wedge. go there, hang out with the natives, enjoy IPA and peanuts.

also the bywater is a pretty cool place to hang out when the weather is nice. pretty small inside when it is crappy out though.

9/30/2014 12:49:54 PM

When it comes to beer and asheville Wedge is good also check on one world brewing whch is right in downtown like 2 minutes from tupelo honey also Hi Wire is a good brewery to check out. The wife and I with another couple spent a whole weekend going to breweries it was great. Also check out the sky bar in downtown it opens at like 4 and is kind of hidden as you just walk in a building and an elevator operator takes you up but great views and good drink selection.

9/30/2014 2:21:49 PM

Good stuff. Thanks guys.

9/30/2014 2:54:28 PM

i'll toss in stopping by the original location of Oyster House Brewing, a restaurant downtown called The Lobster Trap and enjoy some oysters and a fresh local Moonstone Oyster Stout

9/30/2014 3:05:31 PM

I almost went to the new pin-ball arcade but i knew my gf wouldn't enjoy it that much. It has a bunch of games. I forgot what the deal was... It was maybe $20 and you can play unlimited games. I always like to drive up on Town Mountain Road too and look out over the city.

9/30/2014 3:32:44 PM

papas & beer on tunnel road for mexican - not fancy mexican/southwest - burritos & tacos and an awesome salsa bar. get the mexico city tacos.

9/30/2014 4:44:25 PM

if you go to rhubarb and they have the gnudi - order it

9/30/2014 4:47:05 PM

lotsa muff in this b

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

9/30/2014 5:50:34 PM

The pinball place is the tits, and the owner is a state alum. When I went, he spotted my state gear and we shot the shit and trashed unc for a good 20 minutes.

I second the bywater...Tube down, get a beer and/or bring your own food and grill there. Good hippie watching too. Sometimes its hard to find a parking spot though, since all the tubers use it as a takeout spot.

Hit up 12 bones for lunch, then slide over to wedge for a beer.

rocky's hot chicken shack and neo burrito are really good too.

and go to the farmers market restaurant and get a livermush sandwich while youre in livermush country.

[Edited on September 30, 2014 at 6:07 PM. Reason : and craggy gardens/mt mitchell are cool spots to hike on the parkway.]

9/30/2014 6:02:27 PM

I'm gonna head to Asheville after my wedding in Raleigh for a night as we travel back to Tennessee. With work we aren't able to do a true honeymoon until the summer. We're staying in downtown Asheville for one night and leaving the next morning. Any recommendations for dinner or something casual that night? Biltmore would be cool but after getting there around 2:00/3:00 I don't think we'll be up to do our entire day there.

10/1/2014 11:50:30 AM

go to Bouchon for a nice romantic dinner. French food, its pretty casual but has a very nice atmosphere, absolutely delicious, walkable if you're staying downtown

[Edited on October 1, 2014 at 5:20 PM. Reason : $$$]

10/1/2014 5:20:00 PM

Bouchon is great

If you want something a little fancier (not in terms of dress, just that the food costs a bit more), you could also go to Curate

10/4/2014 3:59:08 PM

We're going to try and sit at the bar at Curate when we get in on Thursday night. I've had too many friends recommend that place to pass it up. We're doing Rhubarb on Friday night for our "special" anniversary dinner.

Going to hit Biltmore up early when they open at 9am on Friday. Then try and drive out and do a hike at Sam's Knob or Mt. Pigsah. Then be back for dinner at Rhubarb. Saturday is going to be a drinkfrest. We might hit up the arboretum in the morning, but plan is to hit as much breweries as possible, ending up at Wicked Weed and then over for a show at the Orange Peel that night.

Wish I could hit the fast forward button...especially with this Clemson game on....

10/4/2014 4:45:51 PM

What's the parking like downtown? Onstreet? Parking decks? Our B&B is about a mile and half from downtown, so we won't be walking. Also plan on drinking enough to be cabbing it back at night. Is this feasible?

10/23/2014 10:19:47 AM

I've been several times in the last year on weekends and holidays and, parked in parking decks and found some spots on the road a few times, no problem. I never took a taxi, but I imagine it'd be pretty easy to get one.

10/23/2014 10:23:17 AM

Street parking will fill up fast, especially on the weekends. Your best bet are the parking decks. I feel like they were free, but i'm not positive. There are several right in the center of the city.

10/23/2014 11:24:18 AM

Uber is up and running in Asheville.

10/23/2014 1:52:54 PM

The deck adjacent to the downtown library was always my favorite. Elevator to 4th floor and walk right onto college street near the bier garden. It wasn't free back then but I think it may have been $1 or $.50/hour.

10/23/2014 4:30:11 PM

I think we paid $6 to park in a parking deck last weekend. The Market Restaurant on Wall Street is excellent. I think the place next door is Cucinia 24 or 21 or something and it's also good. Can't beat Curate though.

I also recommend HOLE Doughnut's, which is new and just opened last week.

10/23/2014 4:47:58 PM

My parents took my girlfriend and I up there about a month ago for a long weekend and booked us a walking food tour ( eatingasheville.com ). Really chill time, we took the longer tour with drinks so each place had a personal sample and a drink pairing to go with it. From what I understand they rotate through different places, my parents had been once before and said they only hit maybe 1/2 the same places.

It's a mid afternoon tour so we finished and meandered around for a while an wound up going back to one of the places for a full meal.

10/24/2014 8:49:05 AM

Wedge and then White Duck Taco (just down the street) afterwards, White Duck is the best taco's I have ever had. If you go Wednesday's you will probably see me and the rest of the WNC dual sport motorcycle crowd there.

10/26/2014 7:22:40 AM

Drove out there in the morning, went to 12 Bones south location for lunch, drove the Parkway up to Blowing Rock and came back home. In my 14 years of going out there to see the leaves, yesterday was the best and brightest I have ever seen them!

10/26/2014 11:42:56 AM

The weekend was great. Food was good, beer was great, weather was awesome, and our accommodations were bad-ass. Highly recommend the Sweet Biscuit Inn if anyone is looking for an Asheville B&B in the future. About a mile and a half from downtown, nice rooms, and a 3-course breakfast every morning that is pretty ridiculous. Probably the best priced out of all the B&B places we looked at as well.

Curate and Rhubarb were really good. Recommend getting a bar seat if you're at Curate. From a food and beverage perspective, watching that kitchen work like a well-oiled machine was pretty impressive.

Did the five brewery ale trail. Twinleaf, Hi-Wire, and Greenman all put out some tasty beer in cool atmospheres. Preferred Twinleaf beers out of the three, but they were all good. I'd say avoid Asheville Brewing Company downtown (heard their original brewery location is better just to drink beer). Felt like Applebees and the outside seating was under a roof that had a dozen pigeons flying over your table and shitting everywhere. Wicked Weed looked awesome, but we didn't have time to hang out much and try as many beers as the previous breweries. Had a tasty doublecheeseburger though.

Biltmore is definitely a must-see if you're in the area and haven't gone before. Do the audio tour, it's worth the $10. As impressive as the house is, I would have been bored out of my mind without the audio part. And if you do the winery and gardens, its basically a full-day affair. On future trips, it will be nice to have that "out of the way" and be able to do other things.

Arboretum was kinda lame. We expected some Biltmore-esque gardens, and it was definitely lacking in that department. Got a nice trail walk in, but that was about it.

That's about it. Want to go back in the summer and do more outdoor activities and just walk around downtown more.

10/27/2014 11:01:33 AM

Two places that I have not seen mentioned in this thread that are always a must for me in Asheville are Mela Indian Restaurant and French Broad Chocolate Lounge. Mela is great for dinner but their lunch buffet is inexpensive and the best Indian food I have ever had. French Broad is great for a desert and coffee, but there is usually a line, especially at night.
Wicked Weed is also a must if you are in aville but I prefer the outside patio and/or downstairs. The upstairs is always crowded there is no standing room.

10/27/2014 11:28:27 AM

Anybody got recommendations for places to eat downtown with your dog?

4/22/2015 3:08:38 PM

A ton. Most places are dog friendly. I saw quite a few water dishes set out for dogs when I was in town 2 weeks ago.

4/22/2015 3:17:00 PM

Meant to rep the B&B we stayed at. It was awesome. Bad-ass breakfast every morning. Its an older German couple that owns it and the wife is a classically trained French chef and they use to own a B&B in the south of France before they moved to the States. Compared to most of the B&Bs we looked at, it was extremely affordable and it took us maybe five minutes to drive to downtown. Highly recommended:

http://www.sweetbiscuitinn.com/

4/22/2015 3:28:11 PM