Asheville, Take Me Away!

THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING AND I MUST GO!–John Muir

If you want magnificent mountain views with breath-taking colors then Asheville, North Carolina is a place for you!  If the fall trees don’t tease you with their colorful palate, the sun and sky over the mountains will for sure make you take notice. As you wander down Asheville’s eclectic streets you will find artists of every genre: those who paint, those who play musical instruments, those who dance, and even those who claim they can tell your future. Everyone walks to a beat of a different drummer and that’s quite alright with everyone else.

My husband and I arrived in Asheville for a little birthday adventure. It was actually an unexpected trip that we had not planned…..which made it even more Fun and Exciting. We arrived on a beautiful crisp autumn day. The trees were all decorated with their colors and the skies were so clear you could spot the mountains in no time. As we wondered about enjoying the day we decided to stop in for a little FOOT treat. My husband is always BEGGING for a foot rub. So what better place to start than the Wake Foot Sanctuary! Here they take you into this Cozy quiet Zen-like room where they roll out a huge copper foot tub full of warm soothing water with your pick of accompaniments like rose petals, herbs, and salts. It smells delightful. While you Soak and breathe in the aroma; you can add a shoulder, neck and scalp massage or just go with the soothing foot massage. It’s so peaceful and relaxing. I think he really enjoyed it! I didn’t mind it so much either!! Ahhhhhh.

Even though we were relaxed and could have headed straight to the hotel, we decided to grab a bite to eat at one of our favorite tapas places. Curate.  They have a wonderful selection of aged ham, cheese, and tapas. It’s so much fun to try a few dishes to share and savor the crispy crusty bread and cheese with the perfect glass of wine.

After enjoying every morsel of our food, we decided to take a walk and see what was around. We passed a bookstore that serves Champagne, gift stores with unique trinkets, a little street market with local handmade gifts and a coffee shop in an old double-decker bus. We could have walked much longer but we wanted to head on to the hotel.

The Grove Park Inn. Listed on the Historical National Registry, this is a hotel that is over 100 years old. Some of the most famous actors, writers, artists and presidents of all time have stayed here. It has true character and charm. It has an amazing world-famous spa and 18 hole golf course.

The hotel is a history lesson. They have tiny elevators that are run by an attendant. Our room was in the original section of the Inn and it had so much character and charm. The rooms weren’t truly fancy like some resorts but they were unique and we loved everything about it. There are many highlights to the Grove Park Inn but the Terrace has a million-dollar view. One not to miss. As you know from my past posts, I love it when those “TROUVAILLE” moments happen….something lovely found by chance. This was actually the very last evening the patio would be open for the season and we got the very last reservation for 4 p.m. Perfect timing for a meal with a beautiful view and to top it off……SUNSET.

It was a beautiful, relaxing day. If you have the opportunity to visit, please do. You won’t regret it. It’s the beginning of the Holiday season at Grove Park so the Christmas trees were all lit up and ready to welcome the guests for the famous Gingerbread competition they hold here each year. Food Network was onsite shooting the day we left. Lots of excitement and buzz around the place.

Asheville has so much to offer. These are just a few quick highlights. I didn’t include Biltmore Estate because it has been written about so often. You must go there if you haven’t been. Since we were limited on time, we weren’t able to do any hiking. This is something that we usually enjoy.  If you like the Great Outdoors you will want to add that to your itinerary. I will provide more on hiking in a future post.

TIPS:

• Go see The National Gingerbread House Competition display going on from late November-January at the Grove Park Inn.
• If you want to eat on the Terrace, make a reservation and check the dates to see if it is open or in Season.
• Make reservation at Curate ahead of time. It’s hard to get a seat. It is possible to get a seat if you go at an off time or chance it for the bar.
• If you do make a reservation or appointment downtown, Parking is very hard to find. Allow plenty of time or take an Uber, Lyft or taxi to avoid the hustle and bustle.

Thanks for joining us on this Quick little adventure. We hope you too will want to go explore Asheville yourself!

*I was not paid for any of these suggestions. These are just some of my favorite spots I wanted to share because I enjoy them! Try them at your own risk! 

Until Next time,

Joys On A Journey