Dan surprised me with a trip to Asheville for my birthday last week with the Beverlin’s and we all had the best time! It was laid back and we honestly had no plans, which I’m not sure if I recommend lol! Thankfully, we were able to do everything we wanted to and it all worked out, but I would recommend making food reservations ahead of time. You guys were all asking for recommendations on things to do, restaurants so here you go!
We stayed at the Grove Park Inn, which is where we got married last October. If you’re looking to take a special trip to Asheville, The Grove Park Inn is the place to stay. Dan and I have stayed at the Biltmore Estate, but it honestly didn’t compare to the OGPI. That being said the Biltmore Estate is absolutely worth visiting. Plan to spend the entire day there to really take it all in. I highly recommend doing the audio version of the guided tour. It takes about 5 hours, but is SO worth it! Neither of us are history buffs, but it was very interesting and I’m really glad we did it. You can purchase tickets just to see the grounds and not see the house if you prefer. There are beautiful gardens and tons to see just exploring the grounds. If you like wine, I highly recommend visiting the winery. I believe it’s called Antler Hill Village. We did a wine tasting there last year and loved it! They also have several cute holiday shops and restaurants near the winery. Wear comfortable shoes for this! Asheville is a pretty casual town in general just FYI. Here’s a couple pics of Laura Beverlin and I at the Biltmore Estate:
If you like outdoorsy/nature things to do, I highly recommend Chimney Rock. You could also spend a day hiking and exploring the area. The town of Chimney Rock is adorable! There’s a creek at the bottom where you could set up your own picnic and just hang out with your crew. You can also drive into the park and go to the top of the rock if you’d like. You can hike the entire way, which is a bit strenuous. If I weren’t pregnant, I’m sure we would have done it! Being almost 7 months pregnant, we all took the elevator and then climbed about 50 stairs to get to the top. It wasn’t bad at all and the views were spectacular! There are also waterfalls that you can hike down to, and again if I weren’t almost 7 months pregnant, we would have done that too. There is something for everyone to do at Chimney Rock, and kids and adults both would really enjoy it! Here are a few pics of us there:
Another day, we decided to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway and headed towards Mount Mitchell, which has the highest elevation East of the Mississippi. The park was closed at the time we got there (we were never sure why, but maybe thought they reached capacity?), so we ended up stopping at a few lookout points along the way and did a few short hikes. We drove for several hours that day, and even though we weren’t able to go into the park, all of the views, hikes, and the drive in general was totally worth it. I highly recommend! The pic below was along one of our short hikes off the Blue Ridge Parkway:
WHERE WE ATE:
I highly recommend the buffet breakfast at the Grove Park Inn–everything is incredible! I’d probably call for a reservation if you’re not staying there, but otherwise we just walked down and got a table no problem. Get a table by the windows for the best view! Laura and I went to Tupelo Honey while the guys golfed and it did not disappoint! We split the biscuits (literally the best biscuits I’ve ever had) and the Shoo Mercy Sweet Potato pancakes. They came with fried chicken on top. ALL TO DIE FOR.
For dinners, the Sunset Terrace at the Grove Park Inn, is probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Call at least a week ahead for a res here. It’s hard to get into, but the views at sunset along with the food is spectacular. If you don’t want to have dinner, you could try to come down to the terrace (tables are first come, first serve) for appetizers and cocktails. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed with this either! Pack’s Tavern is a must for casual, southern cooking! The meatloaf, brussel sprouts, Mac and cheese and basically everything is insanely delicious! The Red Stag Grill is another favorite, which is located in the Grand Bohemian hotel. They offer European comfort food with a southern twist. It’s definitely a special night out! Here are some pics from our sunset dinner on the terrace at the OGPI:
