I am a woman of tradition. At every opportunity, I am trying to fabricate a new annual tradition and force my friends and family to adhere to it. In 2016 I took my siblings on a camping trip in Western Maryland and, after a disastrous long weekend of bickering and hot dogs and grunge, insisted that no one was allowed to make alternative plans for Memorial Day Weekend, ever, for as long as they live. Memorial Day Weekend is camping weekend, end of story. After all, it’s a tradition.
Yes, I am annoying, but people love me. I hope.
So obviously when my sister Meredith and I took a trip down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a long weekend in January last year, this year I insisted we take another trip down south for a few days. The thing about my sister is, though, that she rarely objects, doesn’t mind having photo shoots in pretty places, and loves to eat. Literally the three most important qualities in a travel companion. Girl, if you’re reading this, I love you. And if you aren’t my sister and you’re reading this, I LOVE YOU TOO!
Our destination-of-choice this time around was Asheville, North Carolina, an eight hour drive from my new home in Baltimore, Maryland. Asheville is a haven for hipsters, a place for all things funky, a beer lover’s dream, nestled between the Blue Ridge and Great Smokey Mountains. It was rated as the #1 travel destination for 2017. Needless to say, we were excited, and hoped it was going to live up to the hype.
Booking.com
If you’re looking to visit this unique town in the Southern USofA, here are some of my favorite suggestions to have the very best time.
Day 1
Breakfast at Early Girl Eatery
If you’re in Asheville, you’ve no doubt heard about Biscuit Head, deemed, apparently, THE BEST PLACE TO EAT IN ASHEVILLE. Naturally, being the little follower that I am, it was on the top of my list of things to do. It was also on the top of everyone else’s list, evidently, because the line was out the door and around the building when we arrived for our breakfast, and with the icy snow blowing around us, we were not down to wait.
Fuck that, Biscuit Head, you crowded-ass restaurant, you.
If you want to go somewhere a little bit less congested and mainstream, head to Wall Street and stop into Early Girl Eatery. They too have biscuits, delicious biscuits, a laid back atmosphere, and plenty of other southern cuisine to suit your fancy.
Biltmore Village
After breakfast, head over to Biltmore Village, home to Biltmore Estate. Biltmore Estate is a gigantic mansion-turned-museum built by George Vanderbilt in the late 1800s, and the largest privately-owned house in the United States.
Meredith and I drove through the adorable Biltmore Village and down the driveway to feast our eyes on this famous home, giddy with anticipation. We love big houses because we have both lived in tiny apartments and we both have no money. Rich people fascinate us. And this estate is what Asheville is probably best known for.
BUT ALAS. You need to buy tickets to even drive up to lay eyeball upon the house, and those tickets run at $70 each. It was a good thing I was sitting down when I received this news because good FREAKING lord. It all depends on your budget and how important it is to see the estate; if $70 for a museum entry is a little steep for you, don’t forget to check out Biltmore Village, with its French-ish architecture and dozens of stores and cafes.
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
I am a self-proclaimed book nerd, having read about 3 books a week back in middle school, but I have never read anything by Thomas Wolfe. He was a verbose American author of the 20th century, and he grew up in none other than Asheville, North Carolina. His childhood home is now a museum in Downtown Asheville’s Historic District, designated a National Historic Landmark for its historical significance. And entry to this museum is a little more reasonable.
Lunch at Moose Cafe
We only stumbled across this restaurant because we were trying to go to 12 Bones Smokehouse and get some hearty southern food to fill us up. 12 Bones Smokehouse is incredibly well-known and well-loved in Asheville, similar to Biscuit Head, and is Former President Obama’s favorite BBQ joint (which in and of itself makes it a good place to go).
BUT ALAS (again). They were closed, gone for a month on winter break, which I didn’t know people got to enjoy in the adult world. Still in the mood for some macaroni and cheese, though, we decided to make do with Moose Cafe, a farm-to-table country cooking restaurant. I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. We got huge biscuits with cinnamon apple sauce to go with them, and were each able to order a sizable entree with two delicious country sides (and a slice of warm cornbread) for less than $10 each. It was INSANE. We went hungry and left wanting to curl up into a ball and sleep. It was that good.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Before sunset, Meredith and I jumped in our car and hustled up the Blue Ridge Parkway, America’s longest linear park and an opportunity to see some serious scenic beauty. It was freezing cold and a bit of a walk to the overlook, but it was worth it. You could drive for hours along this parkway, through the Appalachian Highlands of North Carolina and Virginia, and never get bored.
Just look at those breathtaking views. And keep in mind this is wintertime, the ugliest season of all. NOT BAD, NORTH CAROLINA, NOT BAD. Take that, California. California is the biggest mountain snob and I am proud to recognize these gorgeous East Coast mountains that no one ever talks about.
Day 2
Donuts & Coffee at Vortex Doughnuts
In the South Slope District of downtown Asheville sits Vortex Doughnuts, a funky little coffee and donut shop offering a wide variety of unique homemade donuts and several vegan options. Because what is a hipster town without plenty of vegan options? It’s hard to choose which donut to get, but whichever you do is bound to be an incredible experience. Believe me, I’ve lived it.
Brewery Tour
Would it be wrong to say that this was my favorite part of our trip? Does it make me a lush? Does it make me someone who can’t have fun without a good glass or ten of alcohol?? Should I even admit this to the world?!
Well, I can’t deny facts. There’s a reason Asheville has become so popular as of late, and it is because it has the most breweries per capita of any town in the entire country. “Beer City USA,” it’s called. Americans love beer, and plenty of frat boys flock to Asheville for the sole purpose of crawling from brewery to brewery for an entire day, their beer bellies expanding by the minute.
Meredith and I aren’t frat boys, but we have some of the same proclivities as frat boys. Jumping at the opportunity to drink beer all day long is one of them, I am ashamed to say.
The South Slope District, surrounding Vortex Doughnuts, is FILLED with breweries. Like chock-full of them. You can’t walk a block without passing at least two of them. And they are all different, with unique character and unique beer options. There are about 100 beers local to Asheville, and 26 breweries within the city. In total, we visited ten of them, from 1 o’clock in the afternoon until 10 pm. Excessive? Perhaps. But an amazing time and a look into the culture of this tiny little mountain town.
Dinner at Red Ginger Dim Sum & Tapas
I know that I describe every single place I eat as an orgasmic experience, and it probably gets old. I am a fan of food, okay? I apologize, but I just really, really love eating. And eating good food is an ethereal experience; there is nothing quite like it. If you’re feeling peckish after a long day of downing tasty craft beers, look no further than Red Ginger, a dim sum place downtown that has the tastiest and most creative take on a sunset roll I have ever had the pleasure of eating.
Day 3
Breakfast at Taco Billy
Taco Billy: the best tacos in the entire world. White Duck Taco in the River Arts District will probably try to claim that they, in fact, have the best tacos in the world, and many people would probably agree. But I’m here to tell you that this slightly lesser-known taco spot, with tacos named after the famous Billy’s of the world (try the Billy Joel if you’re in the mood for some breakfast taco, or Kirb Service if you’re more in a lunch mood), trumps any other taco place you can think of. So much flavor for such a reasonable price. Meredith was close to tears as she ate her Grandberry taco. I think she went to another world there for a minute.
The point is, we still think about Taco Billy every day and will probably be planning a trip back just to get our hands on some more of it.
River Arts District
Taco Billy is conveniently nestled in Asheville’s River Arts District, and Meredith and I actually stayed in an Airbnb in the district as well. It is a very interesting place: industrial warehouses, factories, and cotton mills lining an old railroad track, which have all been converted into art studios to accommodate the influx of artists into the area. Now everything is painted a bright green, pink, or blue, and street art covers walls and silos everywhere you turn.
If you’re creative yourself, join a drop-in class at Odyssey Clayworks. In the spring and fall, the district offers the Bi-Annual Studio Stroll, where artists open their studios and provide demonstrations to visitors.
And don’t think this town is just limited to visual art. Asheville is also known for its street performers, who are scattered all around the town. Exploring on foot is the best way to go. Even in the blistering cold wind, we still managed to catch a street performer or two. Kudos to them, because we were only able to enjoy about half a song before we sprinted away, sobbing in the frigid air.
Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar
This bookstore/champagne bar hybrid was one of the most pleasant surprises of our trip. We stumbled across it while walking downtown, and ducked in to enjoy the warmth and to peruse the literature selection. How convenient that there was also a fully stocked bar and that we were desperately in the mood for mimosas to ward off our beer hangovers from the night before.
This bookstore is huge, with tens of thousands of unique, used books stocked on its winding and seemingly endless shelves, art covering every inch of the walls. It is the most elegant bookstore I’ve ever stepped foot in, almost like stepping back into another time and place. Meredith and I sat awkwardly at a table just looking at the other customers with a tinge of envy. We were definitely not cool or stately enough to be there, but no one else seemed to notice that we did not belong. We probably made it worse by loudly whispering about how beautiful a woman’s massive engagement ring was, but hey, we never claimed to be sophisticated.
There are two levels to the store, with leather couches and plush chairs in every nook and cranny, all of them filled with people sipping wine or espresso, their noses buried in books. Definitely one of the coolest spots in Asheville, and we were so happy to have found it.
This itinerary is hardly comprehensive, but the vibe of Asheville is slow and relaxed, so we took it slow and relaxed as well. Bohemian, if you will. We people watched while slowly sipping our mimosas in a quaint bookstore. We wandered along the river and admired the ubiquitous street art. We enjoyed a leisurely hike among the mountains. We played trivia at a brewery for hours and enjoyed cold, fresh beers. It is one of the most interesting and unconventional towns I’ve visited, with a little something for everyone, and you’d do yourself a disservice if you didn’t stop, look around, and take it all in.
Until next time, Asheville. We already miss your beer.
