Vacation in Asheville!

Asheville N.C. is only home to about 70,000 people but has been repeatedly written up as one of the 10 best places to live in the United States. That might have something to do with the beautiful backdrop and countless activities offered by to its location in the Blue Ridge Mountains. You get 4 temperate seasons, which as normal as that sounds, isn’t offered in every part of the country. It is an affordable place to live and holds more gourmet and creative dining venues per capita than almost any small cities of the Southeast. Several artists and writers have spent time working in the area, making it the cultural center it is today and paving the way for the interesting historical family vacations it provides. For years preserved buildings such as the Thomas Wolfe House and the Biltmore Estate have presented satisfying weekend get-aways to people from all over the country.

Along with the countless delicious cafes and cantinas of downtown Asheville, there is a considerable number of entertainment venues that provide an exceptionally lively nightlife. It is no wonder Asheville has become the performance capital of WNC. The biggest crowd-seducing venues are the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, the Civic Center, The Orange Peel, and The Grey Eagle. They are not the grandest and most spacious theatres, but when a greatly distinguished musician comes to town, like David Byrne did this year, it can really be quite intimate. Beer drinkers are often pleasantly surprised by the many award-winning microbreweries. Even better is the annual Brewgrass festival that gives attendants a chance to sample all the beers local to WNC and rate the best ones. Asheville offers a real mountain vacation with atmosphere and attractions of a cultural capital. After a night of quality beer tasting or listening to a great show, it is just a short drive to the quiet and crowdless hiking trails of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Several Asheville bed and breakfasts located close the Biltmore Estate can be a spacious alternative to commercial hotels (most of which located much further from downtown Asheville). Plus the location is unbeatable—the Biltmore Estate is the most visited residence of WNC. It was originally completed around 1895 with the financing of George Vanderbilt and the designs of architects Richard Morris Hunt and Richard Sharp Smith. Frederick Law Olmsted—the same landscape architect that did Central Park in New York City, designed the Biltmore gardens that hold enormous tulip beds among other attractions. The original property was 125,000 acres of the Blue Ridge Mountains and had a working railroad and glass conservatory.

There are other historical buildings of significant designs located in downtown Asheville. The City Hall and County Courthouse among other buildings were started in the 1920s. However the great depression left the Asheville in more debt than any other city in the country, thus building in the city came to a halt. Instead of filing for bankruptcy, Asheville’s leaders wanted to pay every penny they owed back. Not does the city offer countless historical and entertainment attractions, it has a long line of honest and hard-working people! For some good resources providing rentals or bed and breakfasts in Asheville, see http://www.vacationsinasheville.com.