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I am researching for a vacation spot in winter time during the christmas break. Is Asheville worth visiting during christmas? Is the winter weather sunny or gloomy? Am I likely to see some snow if I go to the smokies? It seems that Asheville is a great place for fun during summer time but not sure what winter is like.
I live in the SF bay area and it's little bit crazy to think about vacationing out of CA during winter time given how the great the christmas weather is in CA! But we want to do something off the beaten path and prefer to visit a spot off-season. LA and San Diego is madness during the winter break!!!
This is probably not a big deal but I am a little bit wary of vacationing in the south given all the racial tension and gun violence that's on the news lately. We are foreign born and not white.. which is absolutely a non issue in CA but the south is not as cosmpolitan as here. So I wonder what is the typical tourist profile like Asheville?
It's very hard to gauge what the weather will be like for your visit. Snow is possible as soon as October comes around, but we only get a handful of bigger snows per winter. Going to The Smokies will give you a better chance of catching snow. It may be quite cold, or it may be mild, but winters are generally sunny no matter what the temperature. As Christmas approaches, downtown will be bustling with activity and tourists.
Your race should not be a concern when visiting Asheville.
I have multiple family members that live in both Northern and Southern California...
I'd argue there is just as much gun violence and racial tension in CA compared to anywhere in the Southeast - unfortunately, we are dominated by "in-your-face"/"breaking-news-all-the-time" media from all devices - so, whatever is the most racially-charged, violent event will dominate online - did anyone see what happened in the city of Charleston AFTER the Dylan Roof murders? Probably not... (hint: there were no riots, looting, racial dignitaries rushing from out-of-state, etc)
"but the South is not as cosmopolitan as here" - have you been to Atlanta? or Charlotte? or The Triangle?
As for Asheville: it will be a much different place than anywhere in CA - lush, gentle mountains, slower pace - go to the Biltmore at Christmas - amazing (but pricey). Great restaurants for such a small city. In Asheville, it's all about elevation - the city sits at ~ 2,200 feet - surrounding mountains are > 6,000 feet and will most likely have snow in December (but access roads/Blue Ridge Parkway may be closed).
Asheville is welcoming of anyone - and the Western NC area is "live and let live".
Romantic Asheville is the most comprehensive website for everything Asheville.
Last edited by drfranklin; 08-30-2015 at 09:25 AM..
It's very hard to gauge what the weather will be like for your visit. Snow is possible as soon as October comes around, but we only get a handful of bigger snows per winter. Going to The Smokies will give you a better chance of catching snow. It may be quite cold, or it may be mild, but winters are generally sunny no matter what the temperature. As Christmas approaches, downtown will be bustling with activity and tourists.
Your race should not be a concern when visiting Asheville.
Thanks! I have nothing against the south but I must say the constant bad news has created an environment of mistrust. I really doubt this will be an issue in a tourist town like Asheville.
Based on online research it does seem Asheville would be great for a short trip during christmas. How bad is the crowd factor? I am tired of the constant crowd, lines and pushiness that is present in every large city in CA and also don't like the general run down look all around with overpriced ugly hotel rooms. I am looking for a more relaxed environment. Will Asheville be as overcrowded like say Santa Monica during the holidays? Asheville seems fairly pricey/sophisticated but at least looks like lots of nice lodging options in $200 or so price range. This is much better than $200+ motel room in dumpy area that can be expected in LA or SF. Also Asheville looks like a child friendly environment in general and that would be a huge plus if its true-
Plenty to do, plenty to see. Laid back, relaxed more or less. Do remember, however, that Asheville itself is a tourist oriented city and there most likely will be traffic around the holidays. Nowhere near what you experience in Santa Monica, San Diego etc. Make your lodging reservations wayyyy ahead of time, however.
Chances of snow in the Asheville area Christmas are slim. It could easily be in the 50s. It will be mostly sunny and if like most years lows in the 30s highs in the 50s and sunny.
If you're wanting snow, you might want to have lodging at a higher elevation (like Boone) and go to Asheville for the day. Of course, there's no guarantee there, either, just a higher likelihood.
I would advise staying in Asheville and visiting the higher elevations for a day trip if there is snow. Of course the ski resorts will make snow if it is cold enough.
I am researching for a vacation spot in winter time during the christmas break. Is Asheville worth visiting during christmas? Is the winter weather sunny or gloomy? Am I likely to see some snow if I go to the smokies? It seems that Asheville is a great place for fun during summer time but not sure what winter is like.
I live in the SF bay area and it's little bit crazy to think about vacationing out of CA during winter time given how the great the christmas weather is in CA! But we want to do something off the beaten path and prefer to visit a spot off-season. LA and San Diego is madness during the winter break!!!
This is probably not a big deal but I am a little bit wary of vacationing in the south given all the racial tension and gun violence that's on the news lately. We are foreign born and not white.. which is absolutely a non issue in CA but the south is not as cosmpolitan as here. So I wonder what is the typical tourist profile like Asheville?
Nobody can predict the weather. Even extended forecasts for a month are wrong. You might experience warm (50-ish) sunny weather or get here when it's windy and rainy. Snow is possible, but unlikely, especially in large accumulations.
If you want to see the actual 2014 temperatures, go to accuweather.com, enter Asheville in the search box and then click on "month." Use the drop-down arrows and enter Dec 2014. Of course that doesn't mean Dec 2015 will be the same.
It's certainly not the prettiest time of year to enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains when everything is lush and green. Usually the coldest temperatures in the South are from late Dec to mid March, even in Florida. However, I once vacationed in San Francisco and traveled up the coast (Carmel, Monterey, Big Sur) and I was freezing in early Oct .. and I lived in New Hampshire at the time!
Asheville is a big tourist town, so I wouldn't worry about "racial tension" while you're visiting. It's a little different in the smaller, rural towns.
Maybe this will ease your mind a little.
[url=http://www.exploreasheville.com/about-asheville/asheville-history/african-american-heritage/]African American Heritage | Asheville, NC's Official Tourism Web Site[/url]
[url]http://www.ymiculturalcenter.org/[/url]
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