Asheville, NC – April/May 2024

At the end of April, my friend Anne flew out to spend the week exploring Asheville NC and environs with me. We stayed at Lake Powhatan State Park, which I had stayed at previously for a few nights on my way to the Smokies. The location of the state park was perfect for visiting Asheville and numerous sites in the area.  Anne had heard about the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Mills River (very close). We went for lunch and afterward listened to a live band in their outdoor amphitheater. This place was enormous and the grounds beautiful.  Food and ambience were very good. Outside was a beautiful stone patio, a garden that supplies the kitchen, corn hole and other games, and the amphitheater I mentioned.  It was a beautiful sunny day that wasn’t too hot.  The music was excellent and a great start to our adventures!

Next door to the campground was the North Carolina Arboretum and the Blue Ridge Parkway. We both had read how good the NC Arboretum was, so gave it a shot. A portion of the arboretum was planned gardens and sculptures. The rest was natural with trees, a stream, and multiple trails to walk. We enjoyed the trail while getting some much-needed exercise!  There was a lot to explore here!

Asheville has multiple districts, one of which is the River Art District on the West side of town. The area was originally industrial buildings but has been cleaned up and now contains art studios. It is a large area, and it includes a paved walking/biking path along the French Broad River. We enjoyed a portion of the studios then got hungry and headed into downtown Asheville for a bite. After lunch we did our own version of a walking tour, popping into shops along the way.  It was a nice town, but I admit it didn’t quite live up to the fantastical vision I had in my head. There was nothing wrong with Asheville at all, it was very nice. Articles I’d read hyped it up so much I must have thought it would be Shangri-La!

One day we drove out to Chimney Rock State Park. There were multiple activities to choose from or do all if you wanted. Chimney Rock is a massive rock (duh) jutting out from the side of the mountain.  To get to the top you can walk up 450 stairs or take the elevator, which we did. That left about 40 stairs to get all the way on top of the rock. As you exit the elevator, there is a snack bar and gift shop with a mountainside seating area. Whether you stay at this level, or continue up to the top of the rock, the view was spectacular!  A very large American Flag adorned the top, rippling in the wind and looking majestic!  The day was bright and sunny which allowed for extensive visibility. I really enjoyed this park.

After eating lunch and descending back down, we chose a short hike to Hickory Nut Falls. The falls were impressive which is saying a lot for me. I’m very discerning about my waterfalls, coming from the land of the Evergreen (and ever Wet) State.  There were multiple trails, a nature center, mountain climbing etc, but we didn’t do everything.

A trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains wouldn’t be complete without the requisite Black Bear sighting. This time it was right in our campground, although we were in the car.  The bear was rambling down toward the lake and a ranger was keeping an eye on it from a golf cart. Maybe the bear wanted to get a drink and go fishing like everyone else! Who knows!

Our time together was over too quickly, and Anne headed back to sizzling Arizona! 

I had one more day on my own to see the Biltmore Estate and Gardens that is the Star of Asheville. WOW! Built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt, this 250 room Chateau and 8,000-acre estate is STUNNING! I took a morning audio tour of the house (mansion?) which has 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, a bowling alley and indoor pool. The audio guide was so well done and allowed me to go at my own pace while taking pictures. What a beautiful place inside and out! Biltmore is still privately owned by descendants of George Biltmore. During WWII from 1942-44, Biltmore House was used to store art from the National Gallery of Art. In 1960, a descendant William Cecil took 40 years to refurbish the entire estate to what it is today. Fast forward to my visit, the house is authentically furnished, some was original, and some had to be recreated based on drawings or written accounts of the estate. At the time, no one was allowed to take pictures of the inside, so recreating the rooms required a lot of research and imagination. As I started my tour, a quartet was playing classical music near the indoor courtyard which gave it an old-world atmosphere. Of course, I can’t describe everything in detail (the library was huge!) but my pictures reflect the grandeur. This estate is much like one you would expect to see in England with its vast forests, gardens, streams, lakes and trails.  The gardens were of English and Italian design with walkways weaving in and out. The landscape was designed by Frederick Olmstead (the father of American Landscape) who also designed other well-known parks such as Central Park in New York. At the rear of the gardens was a Conservatory that was remarkable itself. So many plants were packed in each section and each section seemed to have a color theme. One room included a woman playing classical violin with places to sit and enjoy the music. Outside the conservatory was a snack bar. All the best things in life!

Then comes the vast forested trails throughout the estate. I chose a trail out to the Bass Pond that followed a stream much of the way. It was another beautiful day, and the walk was peaceful and invigorating. There were other people walking but it wasn’t overly crowded. The lake was so pretty! I wish I’d had another couple days to explore the woods here. The paved bike path winding through the estate would have made a grand tour. 

I could go on all day about this place. Obviously, it was right up my alley! The road and another adventure awaits!