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An Innkeeper's Guide to Asheville
Innkeepers live and breathe their city, and they love sharing travel tips with guests that only locals know. They serve as your very own personal concierge and have insider information you won't find in guidebooks. Below, seven innkeepers of Asheville bed and breakfasts share their secrets on what to do, see, and eat in their popular town. Settled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Asheville offers stunning views and Southern hospitality.
Top Things to Do |
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Several of our Asheville innkeepers recommend taking a walk or jog through the historic Riverside Cemetery. Many also recommend spending time at Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar. Patti and Gary Wiles, the innkeepers from At Cumberland Falls Bed and Breakfast Inn, recommend visiting Asheville’s Tailgate Markets. During the warmer months, they recommend taking family farm tours or classes at Penland School of Crafts. Another activity they recommend is taking a wine tour. The managers at Princess Anne Hotel, a large B&B, say you can’t miss visiting Biltmore Estate (pictured). They also recommend exploring Pisgah National Forest. Beaufort House Inn's innkeepers, Christina & Jim Muth, suggest going mountain biking or hiking at Bent Creek Community Park. They add that you should explore the River Arts District, where you can visit hundreds of working artist studios. The innkeepers of 1891 Cedar Crest Victorian Inn agree and add that Asheville travelers should also be sure to go to the Graveyard Fields to go hiking and see the waterfalls. They also advise that you shouldn't miss watching a sunset at Grove Park Inn. Michele Kala and Tom Boyle, innkeepers of Aberdeen Inn, recommend taking a ride down Sliding Rock, a 60-foot smooth rock waterfall that you can slide down into a natural swimming hole. They also suggest riding some of the various zip lines in the area. The Lion and the Rose’s innkeepers, Jim and Linda Palmer, recommend getting a drink at the Sky Bar downtown, which provides fantastic views of the city. Another tip they offer is to take a short drive to Old Fort and seeing live local music on Friday nights. James and Susan Murray, innkeepers of Carolina Bed & Breakfast, recommend partaking in Thirsty Thursday at the McCormick Field, which is home to the Asheville Tourists, a minor league baseball team. They also recommend visiting the Carl Sandburg Home, the former home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer. |
Best Nightlife
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Most of our innkeepers recommend stopping by The Orange Peel and Tressa’s Jazz Bistro. Several of our innkeepers also tell guests to try French Broad Chocolate Lounge, a chocolate-lover’s heaven that has a Chocolate Lounge for tasting sweets and sipping wine. |
Top Day Trips |
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Nearly all of our innkeepers rave about taking a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile road that winds through the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's the perfect route for leaf-peeping in the fall. Several recommend visiting Mt. Mitchell, the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River. Cedar Crest Inn recommends driving the Blue Ridge Parkway to Grandfather Mountain. “Once there, crossing the rope bridge is something everyone must do once,” the innkeepers say. The innkeepers at Carolina Bed & Breakfast say visitors should go hiking in the area, and they love recommending nearby trails to guests. Aberdeen Inn and The Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast suggest visiting Chimney Rock State Park, which is 25 miles southeast of Asheville and has gorgeous hiking trails for all ages. The park is home to Chimney Rock, a 535-million-year-old massive rock that provides 75-mile panoramic views of Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure. The Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast encourages travelers to visit DuPont State Forest, which features more than 10,000 acres of forest, trails, and waterfalls. Beaufort Inn suggests going to Hot Springs, which is 40 minutes north of Asheville and has healing hot springs for bathing. If you enjoy gambling, they recommend visiting the Harrah's Cherokee Casino, which is 50 miles west of Asheville. |
Where to Eat
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Here are some of the Asheville restaurants that innkeepers recommend to their guests. • Avenue M |
Where to Shop
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Asheville is filled with local shops and art galleries, farmer's markets, and craft fairs. Innkeepers recommend these for the best Asheville shopping. • Carolina Bed & Breakfast's top picks are Woolworth Walk (Aberdeen Inn agrees!), which features the work of more than 160 local artists, and Grove Arcade. • The Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast tell guests to visit Antique Tobacco Barn and Biltmore Village. • At Cumberland Falls Bed and Breakfast Inn says the best shopping can be found at Bellagio Art to Wear, Ten Thousand Villages (a fair trade retailer), and Blue Spiral 1 Gallery. • Princess Anne Hotel recommends spending some cash at Folk Art Center, Grovewood Gallery, and Malaprop's Bookstore. • Beaufort House Inn says you can’t miss Mast General Store. • Cedar Crest Inn suggests stopping by Western North Carolina Farmers Market, Screen Door, Bruisin Ales (over 1,000 brews from around the world!), and Appalachian Vintner. |
By Emily Starbuck Crone
Biltmore Estate photo credit: Smarter Destinations
Grove Arcade photo credit: imcallahan
Market Place photo credit: John Hritz
