There’s nothing quite like a Christmas vacation to the mountains. Retreating to the magic of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the perfect way to escape the craziness of the holiday season.
The day after Christmas, Andrew and I took off to Asheville for a mini getaway and college graduation celebration. You may recall that we took a trip to Asheville a little over two years ago (it was actually our first out-of-state trip together!), but we weren’t 21 yet and needed to come back to experience all the talked-about breweries and bars this North Carolina town has to offer. (Spoiler: they did not disappoint!)
From our staple restaurant to a new favorite hike, our trip was filled with pleasant surprises, belly laughs, plenty of good beer and memories we’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Asheville will always have a big piece of our hearts. This weekend was so special – we really felt so at peace, just us and the magic of the mountains.
Keep reading for an Asheville guide!
Places to Eat
I've been to Asheville four times now and three out of those four times I have ended up at Pack's. This place is GOLD. As soon as you walk in, you're comforted by the wood accents and warm ambiance. Seriously, I can't think of anything bad to say. This place needs to be on your list.
My recommendations: pretzel appetizer, bison burger, water moccasin shooter
I was hungry when Andrew wasn't (shocker) so we stopped to curve my taco cravings with a late lunch. This taco shop is an interesting half-circle shape right on the French Broad River. And the tacos... wow. They were GOOD.
My recommendations: the steak & cheese taco, the fish taco, queso
Looking for a quick, cool place for dessert? Find this double decker bus in the middle of downtown! I love the concept of this place. Downstairs, you can order your dessert, coffee, etc., but make sure you have cash. The top level of the bus is an indoor seating area. Such a fun place (but be wary if you're over 5'11)!
My recommendation: warm cookie sundae
I came here last summer and I had been dreaming about this breakfast ever since. Guys, A MUST. If the popular Tupelo Honey is too packed, don't forget about Isa's.
My recommendation: NC chicken & french toast
If you're visiting the Biltmore and are looking for a good place to go to lunch, Bistro is a good, affordable option! Any place that brings out baskets of bread has my heart.
My recommendation: artisan meats wood fired pizza
Places to Drink
I'm going to mention New Belgium first because this was probably my favorite brewery we went to on this trip. The sour I had was amazing, the pumpkin beer Andrew had was great and the location of this brewery makes the experience so much more special. Andrew and I sat on the back porch overlooking the French Broad River and had the best time and the best beers.
My recommendation: southern vine Andrew's recommendation: atomic pumpkin
So many people recommended Wicked Weed for their sours. I loved the sour flight so I could try four of them. These were some sours I could actually pin point the flavors in!
My recommendation: sour flight
This was the first brewery we went to and we actually took a tour here. It's a smaller scale brewery but is one of the original breweries in Asheville! Andrew and I really enjoyed the tour. We got to try two beers, learn about how the beers are brewed from start to finish and view the packaging process. The location is also really cool!
My recommendation: gaelic ale, starchaser
OH. MY. GOODNESS. We knew before going that this is the most well known brewery, but we did not expect what we pulled up to. This is the freaking DISNEY WORLD OF BREWERIES. It is massive. The customer service is stellar. The beer is magic. Andrew and I couldn't stop raving about this. We even bought two cases of our favorite beers!
My recommendation: otra vez
Andrew's recommendation: kellerwies
If you're looking for a good rooftop bar to watch the sunset in downtown, this is the perfect spot. Andrew and I spent two nights here and thoroughly enjoyed it (until we were freezing). They have an indoor area with dining and two patios with one featuring fire pits.
My recommendation: coffee & baileys (duh)
This place is so. freaking. cool. It's a swanky, speakeasy-style cocktail bar. When you walk in, you have to pay a "membership fee" of a penny. There's jazz music and all the drinks are named like medication. This really made me want to dress up in 1940s attire.
Things to Do
Hike
We didn't hike as much as I wish we could – I had a leg muscle injury and even the one hike we did was very rough on it. BUT the hike we did do was SPECTACULAR.
Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower is about a 40 minute drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville. While it's not a long hike, it was pretty steep. However, it was SO rewarding.
When you get to the end of this hike, you're greeting by a 70-foot lookout tower built in the 1940s. And guess what? You can climb it! This climb isn't for the faint of heart or those who are scared of heights – it's rickety and the wind at the top is intense. But the views... well, they speak for themselves.
Biltmore Estate
I visited the Biltmore Estate for the first time about five years ago, but Andrew had never been so we decided to go this time around. And how perfect because Christmas at the Biltmore is just magical.
The house is amazing, the property is beautiful and I just love visiting historical locations.
After we toured the house, we walked the grounds and visited the conservatory. The views around the property I personally think are the best part. From any where on the property, you have a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
We then decided to head off to get some lunch at the Biltmore Village before going to the complimentary wine tasting at the Biltmore Winery. Our lunch was great (see above), but I think the wine tasting might have been one of the highlights of our trip to the Biltmore. Neither of us had ever been to a wine tasting (we aren't really wine drinkers) so it was really cool to try different wines and see what we liked. Shockingly enough, we both loved the same two wines and purchased them! We plan to save them for special occasions.
Asheville is such a magical place. If you ever need to escape reality, even if just for a weekend, the Blue Ridge Mountains are where you need to be.