There are two areas we would like to visit--Asheville NC and Charleston SC. Appreciate your input as to the best way to manage these two destinations in one trip. Good overnight stop(s) between if driving? Will the driving take too much time? Thanks.

Where are you starting from? Otherwise, haven't done it but can't believe the trip from Charleston to Asheville is more than 250-300 miles (Rand McNally puts it at 267 miles, 4.5 hrs), so you could easily do it during the day and still have time at beginning or end..... depending on when you go, you might very well want to be arriving in the mountains by daylight.

Charleston is a straight shot down I-26. It should take you between 4 and 5 hours depending on traffic. I wouldn't make it a two day trip.

Asheville, The Grove Park Inn and Richmond Hill Inn are my two favorites.

Charleston: Wentworth Mansion, The Planters Inn, and Charleston Place Hotel are my favorites.

Maureen, Like the other posters have said, it is about 4-4.5 hrs from Asheville to Charleston down/up I-26. A midway stop is Columbia SC where you could visit the State Museum or Zoo and have lunch. When I lived in Columbia I heard it best explained as "Columbia is a great place to live but you wouldn't want to visit." You can find posts on restaurant spots on www.chowhound.com. There are some nice shops and antique dealers in the Huger/Gervais area if that would encourage you to spend a nite exploring Columbia.
GoTravel gave you great recommendations for spots to stay, albeit more high end in Asheville & Charleston. I live in Asheville now, but both Asheville and Charleston have tons of wonderful B&B's if that is more your speed. Otherwise I can recommend some other hotels at least in Asheville. Grove Park Inn is pricey for what you get, but it is historic. I usually recommend people stay elsewhere and go there for a drink on the Terrace to see the wonderful view of Asheville and the mountains. Richmond Hill Inn has magnificient food - haven't stayed there as I live only a mile from both GPI and Richmond Hill.

In Asheville check out the Haywood Hotel. It is downtown, very appealing and less expensive than GPI. I have stayed at both. The GPI gave us very ordinary rooms. Their common areas are lovely, the terraces are beautiful with a great view, but otherwise it is not that nice (unless you spring for Club level). On the other hand, the Haywood room was huge, well appointed and the location was super. Asheville also has an excellent range of b and b's.

Sorry, the Haywood Park Hotel

I just visited Asheville for the first time and discovered a gem of a coffee house, Izzy?s Coffee Den. I was so impressed as a caffeine-addict, I had to write a review. First, the couple who owns the new cafe treated me incredibly well. I liked that they were young and hip without being pretentious. It?s rare to find that kind of service in today?s environment. I wasn?t surprised to learn they were recent transplants from New York. Second, I prefer the Italian espresso drinks and organic coffees to the chain stores. It was a relief as a tourist to find a substitute for Starbucks, someplace more local in feel. Third, my friend and I were starving when we happened upon Izzy?s after a day of shopping (great galleries, music shops and vintage clothing stores nearby) so were thrilled to find sandwiches with freshly baked bread and comfort food. It cracked us up they sold Coco Pebbles next to organic granola! Obviously, they don?t discriminate. I HIGHLY recommend anyone visiting the Lexington neighborhood in Asheville to duck into Izzy?s.

Izzy's Coffee Den
74 N. Lexington Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
#828-258-2004
Opened June 29, 2004
Owners - Jenée Navlin and Rob Ovitt

I think Asheville is one of the nicest smaller cities I've ever visited. I always stay with a friend there, so I can't recommend a hotel, but the downtown area there is wonderful. Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe is a real gem with frequent readings and book signings. Lots of little boutiques, cafes and restaurants all within walking distance of a convenient parking garage downtown. On a clear day the surrounding mountains are beautiful, and there are lots of little towns & villages within a 20-30 drive of Asheville that are picturesque and feel like a step backward in time (in a good way, not a scary way).

You have asked about two of my favorite places to visit. The driving distance is as the others have said -- I-26 for 4.5 to 5 hours. Not particularly interesting, but I-26 is a major highway between NC & SC, so it is an easy drive.

Charleston: We have stayed at many places and can say we never had a bad experience EXCEPT for the Days Inn on Meeting Street -- fleas, yikes -- and I swear someone stood outside our room all night long throwing gravel into a metal bucket one stone at a time. One miserable night made even more so by the certainty that steps away were comfortable, quiet accommodations. Some moderately-priced suggestions: Planters Inn, Mills House (we stayed there in July for $99.00/night), Indigo Inn, Meeting Street Inn or check with Historic Charleston Bed and Breakfast for a whole litany of B & Bs from simple to completely elegant. Favorite restaurants: Garibaldi's (no one even comes close - get the crispy flounder OMG), A. W. Shucks (casual), Magnolia's, Slightly North of Broad, just to mention a few. There are so many from which to choose, and I have never had a bad meal there.

Asheville: We have stayed in several very modest hotels on business or visiting family including the Grove Park Inn. Very nice, but not worth the $$$ in my opinion, especially since they have opened a spa there. We've stayed at the Hampton Inn, Sleep Inn, Quality Inn right off I-26. All very comfortable, clean and super service. Our favorite restaurant there: Barley's Taproom and Pizzeria downtown. It is a beer lover's haven, with more than 25 micro-brewed beers on tap. My husband adores this place, and the food is excellent -- sandwiches and pizza, if that is to your taste. If you like Italian, go to Vincenzo's on Market Street, just a block over from the main street downtown. When you enter, down the steps is a smoky piano bar, but up the steps is an elegant, intimate dining rooms. Very good wine list and the best calimari in the free world. Fresh, fresh pasta and all the right accompaniments. I adored this place.

We have also stayed at the Colby House, which is a superb B & B five minutes from downtown. The host and hostess are gracious, breakfast is so good you will not believe it, and we even stayed in the "Charleston Room," while our friends from Charleston stayed in the "Williamsburg Room." Check their website at www.colbyhouse.com

This is just off the top of my head. You will have a hard time deciding which you like the best. I know I do.

Asheville has one of the great shoe stores in the world, TOPS. Ask any hotel clerk and they can direct you there. Try Salsa's and the restaurant in the basement of the Haywood Park for meals.

My favorite restaurants in Charleston are 39 rue de Jean and Ansons. Jestine's for country cooking. Hominy Grill for shrimp and grits...don't go "yuck", it is delicious.

I have a choice -- I COULD write that we went to Izzie's and got serious food poisoning and a rash from the restroom. Or I could remain honest and just point out that "coffee-lover" has only posted 2ce on this forum, and here and one other thread on which this same post appears word-for-word. The point is, Izzie/Rob/Janee/friend of Izzie, this is not an advertising venue and you seem to have broken the rules. Suggest you not do it again or you risk having ticked-off Fodorites post counter-advertising you don't want.

Maureen? Still would like to know where you're starting from and what your taste/budget is.

Maureen, I saw the post about Izzy's and even though I live within walking distance I am not familiar with it. Lexington is a rather different street and tends to attract a different crowd...tattoo parlors and vintage clothing stores- seems to be where the younger/hippy/pierced/occasionally panhandling set hangs out. The latter the police are working on. Depending on what your interests are you may be more comfortable in a different part of town and a different coffee shop. As one of the other posters mentioned, give us some clues about your tastes & budgets and I can recommend all sorts of places.

I would suggest the Blue Moon Coffee House.

My main advice for Charelston is to stay IN Charleston, in the old historic area, not in one of the more reasonabley priced outer areas across the bridge. We did this to save money (Microtel) but though it was clean, nice staff, etc, we missed something by not being right IN Charleston. The area around the city is industrial and not particularly interesting or attractive.
The outstanding house tour for us was on the outskirts--but less than a mile-- of the "central part" of Charleston. Unlike the other homes which are beautifully restored, this one is deliberately kept with old peeling wallpaper, few furnishings, etc. Darn, I cannot recall the name, maybe someone here can help?? You really get a sense of the old days in this home.

In Charleston we stayed at the Embassy Suites. It is in the old Citadal and the lobby has a lot of charm. The rooms are standard suites and you get the full breakfast.WE called and recieved a weekend package. It was easy to walk to Market street but we rented a car to tour a plantation. We ate lunch at Jestine Kitchen. Great southern cooking!!

I would 2nd the suggestion of staying in downtown/historic Charleston rather than at a hotel outside the city. Yes, you will save $$ but you will miss out on the charm of walking the streets of Charleston in favor of trying to find parking and navigating in and out of the city.