Myer

I haven't really figured this out yet but my wife told me she read some nice things about Asheville.

Mid-September could possibly be a time for a few days.

We wouldn't have a car except possibly for one day to pop in on Great Smoky NP.

What is the prime area? I guess that would be the downtown area. Maybe not.

Obviously I'm right at the beginning on this.

grieftrip

I love Asheville!!! I go every summer! It is a great place in the hot summer months!

It will be difficult not to have a car in Asheville. The downtown area has plenty of food and hotels, but the real attraction is the surrounding mountains. If you can get a car, it is worth it!

As far as restaurants go, my favorite is Bouchon, which is a fabulous French restaurant in the downtown district. They open at 5:00 and have several specials throughout the week. Best French I have had in the US...

There are so many great places to eat for breakfast! I have personally visited Tupelo Honey and it is everything that is good in the world. Super southern and super hipster!

Another place that everyone talks about is Papa and Beers. I have been and haven't been impressed, but others LOVE this place!

The best place in town is supposed to be Curate, which often gets nationwide coverage. I haven't been there yet, but plan on it this summer!

And of course! French Broad Chocolate...sigh...I don't even know how to describe the bliss to be found here... May I suggest the salted caramel truffle drink? OMG....

As for sights...eh...

There is a drum circle on Friday nights in summer...
Biltmore is a great mansion to tour...


The beauty is the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can get on it in Asheville and take it as far as you want. I would suggest stopping and hiking down to Skinny Dip Falls. Totally worth the effort!

Be careful! You quickly fall in love with this area and have to return over and over!!!

Sincerely,
www.grieftrip.com

schmerl

If you do the tour of the Biltmore Mansion get the headset that explains everything. Otherwise you'll just be walking through without any explanation of the history of the place.

Sassafrass

The New Morning Gallery is a "must see" art gallery. It is absolutely fantastic with some of the finest work you will see anywhere: ceramics, metal work, jewelry, glass, furniture, sculpture, as well as paintings.

Just East, on the Parkway, is the Folk Art Gallery, run by a guild (sorry, can't remember the name off hand) and it is also wonderful and well worth the time.

You will need a car to visit Asheville.

Gretchen

How will you arrive in Asheville--by bus? As others say, you really need a car.

Myer

I know it sounds screwy but we're also thinking of going to Chicago for a few days. For some reason the flights on the way back from Chicago to South Florida have a very convenient stop in Asheville.

I've been taking national park trips for the past 8-9 years; Utah, Montana, Alberta, Wyoming, California, etc. However, that's not really of interest to my wife. Maybe a day to go the Park. For me, the down is that every photo I see of the park is cloudy and/or hazy. Maybe that's where it got the name.

If the city itself isn't really an attraction then I somehow don't think this would work.

Am I interpreting the responses incorrectly?

In general, art galleries isn't our thing although we have been to and enjoyed many of the world famous places.

What we really like to do is just wander around seeing the sights.

For instance, a few years ago we went to Savannah and Charleston and stopped in Beaufort for a couple of hours in between. That was an excellent trip. That was the first time we considered dinners as part of the attractions.

indyhiker

Yes, the Smokies got their name because of the fog and haze that often hovers around the mountains, but that doesn't mean it's never sunny there. . Granted, I've not yet traveled to Asheville, but I've spent a fair amount of time in park on the Tennessee side. It's beautiful there, and the views of the mountains are lovely, rain or shine. Gosh, it sure wouldn't take much to convince me to spend a few days in Asheville.

Myer

Ok. What does Asheville itself have to offer a tourist?

Architecture of a certain era?
Neighborhoods that are interesting?
More?

suewoo

There's this:

http://www.biltmore.com/visit/biltmore-house-gardens

Brian_in_Charlotte

Biltmore is the only real attraction that can be enjoyed without a car, but is worth a full day if you haven't been. Downtown is great, walkable with lots of restaurants and bars, but not particularly architecturally interesting. Downtown has a bohemian vibe which may be a positive or negative depending on your view.

If it really is more convenient or cheaper to connect through Asheville (really?) then a couple of nights is plenty in town if you won't have a car.

Myer

It's not necessarily cheaper or more convenient but it's an ordinary plane stop with good flights. I'm sure the stopover would cost more than a direct flight but not that much.

We weren't planning on a car. But if we put together a list of things to do and most require going outside the downtown area then we could do that.

So far, other than the Biltmore Estate I don't have much of a list.