My birthday wish was a mini getaway. Ashville fit the bill. I wanted to immerse myself in nature, and also indulge my inner foodie. In essence, great food and nature was the perfect gift. Additionally, while I have visited the city in the Spring and Fall, I was curious about the summer experience.
Accommodation
I stayed at the AC Hotel Downtown Asheville Hotels | AC Hotel Asheville Downtown (marriott.com). It is slap-bang on Broadway Street, the heart of Downtown Ashville. I was actually able to easily find a hotel room about 3 weeks out (I assume most people head out to the coast in the summer heat – lucky for me!). My room was simple but modern, and contemporary, with the usual conveniences, and boasted great views of surrounding mountains. I liked that it included parking, however, be warned. The space in the parking deck is painfully tight and difficult to maneuver, even for smaller cars. So be aware if you’re driving an SUV or have bike racks attached.
Getting Around
The Ashville downtown area is not a very big area and is easily walkable. I left my vehicle parked while I discover the city on foot. However, you’ll likely need a car to venture further out, like driving the Blue Ridge Parkway for instance, or to go to the grocery store and other restaurants. Buses are readily available around Downtown as well.
Things to do
Rooftop Bar
It turns out Ashville boasts quite a few rooftop bars. As it were, my hotel possibly had the best. I say ‘possibly’ because I did not compare it with the others, however Capella on 9 Rooftop Bar not only has a beautiful space, but has great drinks, food, views and atmosphere. Capella on 9 actually opens for breakfast in the morning. Later, one can nibble on tapas style meals while downing both traditional and artisan alcoholic beverages. On weekend nights, a DJ amps up the atmosphere with some music. All this with a fabulous view of the city and mountains, enjoyed both indoors as well as outdoors.
On my first night, I wandered over to the bar and enjoyed an olive oil cake, and a Honeysuckle Sour. I arrived later the following night. I had no room for dessert, but I did indulge in the same cocktail. This time instead of sitting at the long bar, I sat at one of the comfortable chairs on the open patio. Despite the music, dancing and singing going on behind me, it still wasn’t as loud as one would expect somehow. I was still able to enjoy the moment and atmosphere without feeling like I was in a club. To be fair, the space is big enough that the older crowd can still relax and soak it all in even as the 20–30-year-olds get their groove on. So yes, I recommend a visit, regardless of age.
Hiking
I wanted to treat myself to a nice hike for my birthday Great Smoky Mountain National Park Hike – HER//Excursions (herexcursions.com). And so I did. Granted, I had to travel aways into Tennessee to make it happen. However, it was well worth the effort. I hiked Alum Cave trail to Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky National Park Hike to Alum Cave – Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov). It was every bit as good as I hoped it would be.
Shopping
To relax from my hike, I spent the day after wandering the streets of Ashville. Which meant I was primed to shop. While the usual box shops exist in Ashville, I love that downtown is populated by a lot of local shops.
I was excited to find organic seeds for my gardener family and friends at French Broad Food Co+Op – Asheville, NC. All the produce is organic. A cool feature of the Coop is that anyone in the community can become an owner. It also means that there is less focus on profit and more on the people instead.
Okay, so the Pepper Palace Pepper Palace – From Wild to Mild! is not exclusively local (at 160 retail locations), BUT it began just down the highway in Gatlinburg. Anyway, I found some amazing hot sauces at their College Street location. I bought the Chocolate Habanero sauce, La Diablesse Hot sauce and the Ghostly Garlic Fusion hot sauce (which is apparently a top buy). FYI, you could buy different sauces for every day of the year, if you so choose.
I found a nice Spanish cooking recipe book at Downtown Books & News (dbnbooks.com). The price of the hardcover book made the find that much sweeter in this secondhand bookshop.
I’ve passed by Tops for Shoes Large shoe retailer in Asheville NC | Tops For Shoes in the past. The store looks like a regular shoe store, until you notice that it takes up most of the block. I bought a pair of shoes only to be told at checkout that I had visited during one of their bi-annual ‘Buy 1 and get 1 for a penny’ sales. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Still, I was unable to quickly find a second pair, so I regretfully told the cashier that I was done. Only she turned around and told me that the handbags, and flipflops near the checkout desk counted as well. I made my selection in 10 seconds flat. I walked away with a pair of shoes plus a unique bag that retailed at about $200. So don’t say I didn’t tell you.
Food
Aside from nature, my other reason for visiting Ashville was to enjoy the food. As I’ve stated before, Ashville is a foodie town through and though. And what better gift to myself, than indulging my inner foodie in this food paradise? While I may have returned three eateries I loved from my prior visit, I happily made more discoveries that gladdened by foodie heart. Further Ashville Food Discoveries – HER//Excursions (herexcursions.com)
Safety
I still found Ashville to be pretty safe. Of course, that meant exercising the usual care; no dark alleys, keeping an eye on personal belongings.
Miscellaneous
There is a significant homeless population. I was approached several times with people asking for money. I did not feel harassed though. So, fyi before you go.
