Visiting Asheville, North Carolina

Back at the end of September, my colleague Megan and I packed up and headed down to Asheville, NC for the Type-A Mom Conference. It’s a great conference, offering insightful sessions and the opportunity to connect “in real life” with bloggers we’ve worked with and been reading for years. But more than anything, what made our weekend was the city itself.

Located two hours (by car) outside of Charlotte, the seemingly remote city of Asheville proves a hub for art, music, micro-brews and great, local food. Not to mention beautiful mountain landscapes and America’s largest home, The Biltmore Estate. I became so enamored with the city that since the trip, I’ve been jokingly telling friends and family of my plans to move there, meet a nice Southern man and spend my days taking in all the area has to offer.

For those considering a visit, let me pass along some of my favorite, not-to-be-missed attractions:

Eat

• Early Girl Eatery – stop by this local and organic restaurant for breakfast and enjoy dishes like Local Sausage and Sweet Potato Scramble and Shrimp and Grits.
• The Marketplace Restaurant – one of the best meals I’ve had recently, my advice at this restaurant is to order a bunch of appetizers and make sure the mac & cheese (with prosciutto and peas) and the pecan fried goat brie are among your choices.
• BBQ – for my fellow northerners, make sure you eat some barbeque at one of the many restaurants (President Obama favors Twelve Bones, we tried the Fiddlin’ Pig).

Drink

• Turns out, Asheville is considered the craft-brewing center of the Southeast and was named the winner of the Examiner’s “Beer City, USA” poll in 2010. Whether looking for a dark stout or a light, pale ale, Asheville’s breweries have something for everything.
• Asheville has a huge live music scene that attracts hundreds of bands and musicians each year. Whether you’re a fan of bluegrass, hip hop, jazz or electronic, spend an evening at one of the popular downtown music venues to experience it first-hand.
• Stop by the Asheville Bier Garden for a relaxed, welcoming crowd, great music and good drinks.

Explore

• Take an afternoon to visit The Biltmore, George Vanderbilt’s 8,000 acre estate, and take a tour of the 250-room house and gardens. Tickets are about $55 for a 1-day pass but worth the cost for anyone interested in history and overwhelming luxury.
• The Blue Ridge Mountains offer something for everyone: natural waterslides, hiking paths and challenging bike trails, and gorgeous scenery. These activities are easier to get to if you rent a car and are well worth the trek out of the city.
• Spend some time exploring the shops, art galleries and museums. You’ll find unique pieces that reflect the city’s eclectic, vibrant community.

Overall, what started as a normal trip to a conference, turned into an opportunity to explore a vibrant, beautiful city and I encourage you to consider taking a trip. You might even see me and Megan there, drinking a beer and listening to bluegrass.

Elizabeth Chapin (@ejchapin on Twitter) is a Senior Project Manager at Mom Central and recent Cornell University grad still trying to adjust to life in the “real world.”

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.