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Hi there, my husband and I (late 30's/early 40's) will visit Asheville for three to four days in January. We are sort of history enthusiasts and closet foodies. I'll be five months pregnant, so strenuous activities aren't an option this time. Besides the visit to Biltmore we've already planned, what else might we consider while in town? Also, are Early Girl Eatery, 12 Bones or Red Stag Grill worth a visit?
Hi there, my husband and I (late 30's/early 40's) will visit Asheville for three to four days in January. We are sort of history enthusiasts and closet foodies. I'll be five months pregnant, so strenuous activities aren't an option this time. Besides the visit to Biltmore we've already planned, what else might we consider while in town? Also, are Early Girl Eatery, 12 Bones or Red Stag Grill worth a visit?
Early Girl Eatery is awesome, we do lunch there often. You may want to dine also in Biltmore Village. Corner Kitchen is on the expensive side but well worth it, a treat. The Bistro is very nice too, right in Biltmore itself. Also check out the gift shop and gallery at the Grove Park Inn. (I'm not impressed w/the food there though.) A lovely place to dine, either upstairs (fancy) or downstairs, usually as a 3 pc. band, also on the expensive side, but well worth it is Vincenzo's downtown. The list can go on and on depending on your budget. Tupelo Honey has two locations, excellent also. If you go to the Early Girl Eatery, you will be near the famous bookstore: Malaprops, a treat in itself, and a nice coffee bar.
People love to eat around here; but in your condition stay away from those southern biscuits! Well, maybe one? Have a wonderful time.
Thanks, QuilterChick! That certainly fills up my working list of dining options. Southern biscuits, eh? We'll have to at least have a look at those. ;-)
That Red Stag Grill you asked about is also located right in Biltmore Village as part of the Bohemian Hotel. Just being in that building is quite a treat, so I would eat there, the food is good but expensive. By the way, Biltmore Village is just outside the gate to the Biltmore Estate, it's a collection of old-timey buildings that are shops now.
If it's not too cold, you should probably go downtown, park in the Wall Street Parking Deck, go out its north entrance, and across the street is the Grove Arcade, it's a historical building, atrium, and all the way to its north end just outside the doors are these big Griffin Statues that you should look at. And to go to Malaprops in a mostly enclosed way, go out the east doors of the arcade, cross the street and thru a parking lot, thru some glass doors into a walkway that takes you to a glass elevator. Go down to that atrium's floor, go left thru a walkway, and the street doors open almost across the street from the bookstore.
You could search this forum, there's a search rectangle where you can type in a couple key words, and you can find restaurants and stuff to do that way. And I agree with Quilter, you should at least visit the Grove Park Inn, it's off North Charlotte Street, north of downtown, and it is historic, that lobby and the shops and view is pretty spectacular and you don't have to eat there to visit it. F. Scott Fitzgerald stayed there, as well as other luminaries, including our current President Barack Obama.
Not sure, but the Gingerbread Houses at the Grove Park Inn are still on display (awesome exhibit); that is a treat to see so much talent and walk around the Inn. Try this website: www.romanticasheville.com Hopefully it is up to date for the seasonal activities. Also, www.citizen-times.com, the Asheville newspaper.
Warm jackets, gloves and maybe a hat at this point, we're having a big cold snap.
The River Arts District is fun to walk around and visit artists working in their studios. The Grove Arcade downtown is nice to walk through (and warm!). The Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway is also a great place to spend some time. Restaurants to add to the list - Zambra (great tapas) and Table - it's different and pricey but amazing. And don't forget Topps for Shoes - shoe heaven! okay now I'm jealous - have a great visit.
Zebulon Baird Vance was a famous military man and politician in North Carolina during the civil war period. The tall obelisk in downtown Pack Square is a monument to his leadership. A 20 minute drive out of Asheville just past Weaverville will take you to the Vance birthplace in the Reems Creek area which is my favorite area outside of Asheville.
This region is rich in history from the civil war and also the cotton and tobacco industry. You can still find tobacco being grown locally but I have not seen any cotton growing. Many of the old brick cotton mills have been converted into businesses of various types including art studios.
I highly recommend getting outside of Asheville and exloring the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Arboretum, some local organic farms, maybe some local kayaking or a hike to view the fabulous waterfalls. Our area has so much more to offer visitors than restaurants and shopping.
Part of the Parkway is closed right now and closes if the weathr if bad. The Arboretum, farms and kayaking won't be much fun in Jan or in your fifth month. Plenty of fun things to do though.
Wow! Thanks for all the tips! Especially love the historic sites. We just returned from Chicago and I suspect we'll prepare for NC in similar fashion, coats, hats, gloves, under armor...
My curiousity is working overtime. Why are you coming for such a short time in January, of the worst months of the year here weatherwise, and pregnant? Tourist months here are from April through end of October, a bit of November. There is plenty of info on this WNC topic about the winter weather here. Asheville is a bit colder and gets more snow than Hendersonville, but we woke up to about 3" this morning. It looks wet and heavy, and it will either be gone by mid afternoon, or it will be ice.
(We do realize that folks come for job interviews* or visit around the holidays and just want a few things to do in a few days.)
*Jobs around here ?? not many.
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