A view from the Blue Ridge Parkway
Last week my boyfriend came to visit and we went on a road trip to Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville is a beautiful city in western North Carolina, about three and a half hours away from Chapel Hill. So, for that all-American experience, we rented a pick-up truck, booked an Airbnb and off we went!
Asheville was as beautiful as everyone said it would be. It’s a very laid-back city with a strong hippy vibe. The food was amazing and the craft beer is supposed to be even better. I don’t actually like beer but the wine was pretty good!
A view from the Blue Ridge Parkway
The first day we got there we spent the day exploring downtown Asheville – our apartment was within walking distance and our air bnb hosts recommended some great bars and restaurants. The weather was perfect – not too hot and definitely not too cold which made all that walking very easy.
Biltmore House
The second day we visited the Biltmore Estate. Biltmore House, the main house on the estate, was built by George Vanderbilt in the late nineteenth century. It’s the largest privately owned house in the US. We couldn’t take any photos inside the house but the place was restored to near perfection. It really gave you a feel of what it would have been like to be one of Vanderbilt’s guests. The view from the house was nothing short of magnificent. Miles and miles of trees, rolling green hills and perfect blue sky. I really fell in love with the place because of that view!
The Biltmore Estate was designed to be self-sustaining and the Biltmore Winery is located just a short drive from the house. A free tour of the winery is included in the cost of admission along with free wine tastings. Needless to say I came home with a great bottle of Riesling.
The view from The Biltmore
The third day we drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway. This parkway runs through Virginia and North Carolina, mostly along the Blue Ridge Mountains which are part of the Appalachian Mountains. Again, the views were spectacular. The weather was cooler that day but it was the perfect time to make the trip because the leaves had just started to change colour, making the views even more amazing.
That evening it started lashing rain! And when it rains in North Carolina, it pours. The weather has been pretty miserable since but hopefully we’ll get some sunshine before the week is out. All in all, the trip to Asheville was amazing and we’re both so glad we got to see a beautiful part of North Carolina.
AnneMarie Brosnan 