Daytrip to North Carolina….
We were on a road trip in Tennessee and heard that just a couple hours east, we could visit the LARGEST home in the U.S.A., the Vanderbilt Family’s Biltmore Estate!
So we decided to take a day trip to North Carolina and visit the Biltmore Estate, tour the property with 250 rooms, then stop by Asheville and check it out. Although we spent most of our time at the Biltmore, we visited Asheville and found an artistic community with a mountain vibe, and fantastic restaurants!
Here are our recommendations on what to do in the area, and where to dine in Asheville.
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Hungry in Asheville?
Table: Head to Table, Chef Jacob Sessom’s Farm-to-Table restaurant where you will delight in American cuisine with a Southern twist! We savored every dish he presented to us, but one of our favorites was the pasta dish with sweet peas and bacon, topped with shaved parmesan and greens. Jacob shared that he and his team “foster long-standing relationships with farmers and purveyors in Western NC and throughout the Southeast.” Another reason we loved Table! For reservations, click here
Rhubarb: Chef John Fleer won us over with the greens platter – seasonal roasted greens with goat cheese and nuts sprinkled throughout, and some charred homemade bread on the side. To top this off we shared a burger, pork and bacon burger that is, with all the toppings – WOW!
Chef Fleer shares, “I want Rhubarb to be where the important stuff happens. Congratulating your third grader on a great report card. Proposing to your sweetheart. Stopping with the kids after soccer for a meal together when you just don’t want to cook. Treating your old friends visiting from out-of-town to a meal when you simply want to catch up. Celebrating your parents on their 40th wedding anniversary. Sharing food is transformative. I have experienced it throughout my life with family and friends and strangers. As a chef, I have witnessed how sharing a meal can reveal insights and discovery – often unexpected – about who we are and why we do what we do. These experiences deepen the connections between us, connections that ultimately elevate our lives.” For reservations, click here.
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What to Do in Asheville?
The Asheville Tourism Office shared some tips for Spring Getaway planning to Asheville, “Enjoy a brilliant start to spring as Biltmore Blooms with a celebration of flowers. Take an urban tour of our lively downtown with incredible restaurants, shops and street performances. Or, get back to nature with a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, your gateway to incredible outdoor adventure—and don’t forget to bring the kids! Check out our official guide to spring in Asheville.”
We spent most of our time in Asheville at the Biltmore Estate. But, really you could spend an entire week here exploring the 8,000 acres of landscape and gardens, not to mention visiting George Vanderbilt’s exquisite Chateau Estate located in the Blue Ridge Mountains! It’s absolutely beautiful.
During our few hours visit, we walked through 179,000 sq ft of the estate that was completed in 1895, and learned about the history of this mansion. The architecture and décor can confuse you, and you might think you’re walking through a chateau in France’s Loire Valley, or on the set of Downton Abbey. We had a wonderful time, and look forward to visiting again!
If you want to stay overnight, you can check into one of these accommodations (cottage, Inn, or Hotel) on and near the Estate, click here.
Trip Map (zoom in/out with controls on left)
Details
Resources and Credits…
Asheville Tourism Office
DK Travel Guide
In preparation for this trip, we reference the USA DK Travel Guide with maps, illustrations and information to get us ready for our trip.
Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the Biltmore Estate for hosting our visit, as well as Table and Rhubarb hosting us for our meals. Also, an ongoing thanks to DK Travel for providing our USA DK Travel Eyewitness Guide to help plan this trip.
