Anyone been there recently? I noticed that the Governor extended draconian mask mandates indoors a couple days ago. My question is what is really happening on the ground. Our plan was to spend an afternoon there and walk downtown hitting up a few breweries but if we are actually expected to cover up between bites or sips of beer I think we will pass.

Following. As stated in my thread the other day Asheville is our tentative destination point in late July for our trip through the Smokies.

We plan on doing a lot of outdoors stuff, but I don't want to be hounded by mask police.

We live a couple of hours west of Asheville and don't get there nearly as much as we should.

Like Soup Nazi, we like Hendersonville. But if this is your only trip to the Asheville area, I'd also recommend the Biltmore, and dinner on the patio of the Grove Park Inn.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is also a must. Also, Google Looking Glass Falls. Both are amazing.

It mostly sucked last August but hopefully things have loosened up since then.

We drive to NH every summer from ETX. Every year we try to take side trips just to see places we have never been. Asheville will not be a destination, just a stop along the way. Our plan was to reach Asheville noonish on the second day, grab lunch and walk around the brewery district stopping here and there for a beer, Probably get an early supper then hit the Blue Ridge Parkway in the morning up to Roanoke then back on the interstate HWYs. In my experience traveling about the country the last year or so, stated law/ policy is usually not exactly what happens in real life. In my little sliver of east Texas I have only worn a mask a couple of times since this nonsense started. Just wondering what's really happening on the ground in Asheville.

Edit: We leave in two weeks.

ToddyHill said:

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We live a couple of hours west of Asheville and don't get there nearly as much as we should.

Like Soup Nazi, we like Hendersonville. But if this is your only trip to the Asheville area, I'd also recommend the Biltmore, and dinner on the patio of the Grove Park Inn.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is also a must. Also, Google Looking Glass Falls. Both are amazing.

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We drove the Blue Ridge Parkway from it's north entrance to Roanoke fall of 2019. Was thinking about doing Asheville to Roanoke this time.

We'd like to do that someday. We've done Cherokee to Asheville.

Sorry...the atmosphere and feel in-town was nonexistent and sucked.

The outdoor activities were great as always.

ToddyHill said:

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We live a couple of hours west of Asheville and don't get there nearly as much as we should.

Like Soup Nazi, we like Hendersonville. But if this is your only trip to the Asheville area, I'd also recommend the Biltmore, and dinner on the patio of the Grove Park Inn.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is also a must. Also, Google Looking Glass Falls. Both are amazing.

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I have a house in Cashiers which is west of Asheville, and this is very good advice. Also consider Brevard and specifically head into the Pisgah National Forest for some hiking. You can take the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville west then go south on 276 through the Pisgah (Looking Glass Falls is on this highway) and end up just east of Brevard. You can also stop for a beer at the Pisgah Inn on the parkway assuming its now open after COVID.

Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful and scenic drive. Not sure I could handle it from the top to the bottom or visa versa but it would be a shame for anyone to be in that area and not at least do some pockets of that drive. And a motorcycle drive I would think would be great.

The wife and I are heading there this weekend. First time! Plan on doing some hiking and a visit to the Biltmore. Any food or activity recommendations welcome!

if the weather is nice, then drinks and dinner (or lunch) on the terrace at The Grove Park Inn are always a good call.

I have heard on more than one occasion that one should visit Brevard. Can you elaborate and share some places to visit? Thanks.

Live in the Raleigh area and go to the mountains as much as we can. Asheville isn't really our scene (Biltmore is cool to see once I guess but pricey and honestly rather do mountain stuff anyways) so can't offer much here. Blue Ridge Parkway is a must and amazing. We stay in Hendersonville at times (30 minutes SW of Asheville) and head to Dupont State Forest. There are 3 awesome waterfalls with relatively easy and short hikes connecting them all....Hooker, Triple Falls, and High Falls (there are others but another 5 miles of hiking). Part of Last of the Mohicans and Hunger Games filmed at these falls. Heck, Triple Falls is one of our favorite places period....had a morning picnic by ourselves one Monday morning there.

Brevard is awesome with lot's of waterfalls as well, and about another 30 minutes from Dupont. Pisgah National Forest is there and you can drive in and find Looking Glass Falls right on the side of the road and other awesome hikes and waterfalls everywhere around Brevard.

The Blue Ridge Parkway meanders somewhat around all these locations (may have to drive a bit to get on) and again is so awesome.

First pic is just a crappy cell phone pic on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Brevard (40 minutes) that doesn't do the scenery justice at all. 2nd pic is Triple Falls. Each fall is several stories high for scale reference and you can hike all around it.

hoosier has very good advice in the post above this. Brevard itself is a nice little town with a main street shops and a rail yard area with live music _ when COVID is not a thing. There are a couple of breweries there as well. The main attraction is the Pisgah Forest.

Flew in last night. Slept in and ate brunch at Tupelo Honey which was great! We walked around the downtown area for a few hours. Everyone was really nice. The state/town wants you to wear masks when indoors, but not outside. There are signs everywhere, but I didn't get a Karen vibe. Early afternoon we traveled south and jumped onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Before we got out of town we stopped in at the Arboretum. It was okay, I wouldn't recommend it. We traveled up BRP until we took a left on 276 and headed to Brevard. The entire drive was beautiful and safe. Several look outs to stop and take pics. We stopped in at Looking Glass Falls and practically had it to ourselves. It exceeded my expectations and took no effort, it's right off the road. We walked main st. in Brevard and stopped in at the Brevard Brewing Company. Sampled a flight of beers and headed back to AVL. Tomorrow we are going to head west and try to hike to Alum Cave and will likely visit the Biltmore on Sunday. Appreciate everyone's recommendations on here!

Having Looking Glass to yourself is quite the feat. That place is usually jammed. I love that road. Fishing the Davidson right there is great in the winter before the crowds arrive.

Any good BNB recommendations in the area? Wife and I are headed there in a couple of weeks, Biltmore is at the top of our list on things to do.

following... have to be in Columbia, SC in June for my wife to do a clinical exam and then we're planning on driving up to Asheville.

Which restaurant at Grove Park Inn has the good patio dining? Seems to be a few options?

Sunset Terrace

thanks, just booked for sunset one of the nights we're there. it sure does fill up quick

MAROON nailed it. Hope you have a great time.

When we went (almost two years ago), they offered a Prime Tomahawk Ribeye for two...for $180. I really wanted to pull the trigger...

The lobby of that hotel is incredible. (Be sure to check out the Lobby fireplace).

yes the lobby is incredible, Walk over and look at the historical photos. The food was good, but you are there for the view. Hopefully you have an evening with nice weather.

Yes, I looked at booking it but a room was going for $550/night plus tax and fees. Ended up doing an air bnb in downtown Asheville for $240/nt.

Heading out this weekend to Asheville. NC removed the mask mandate but anyone know what the businesses in town have been like?

We just did a trip.Smokey Mts, Asheville and then flew out of Charlotte. Asheville is a very nice city and very different from East TN. We are at Shanghai House downtown which was very good. There is a really good Indian restaurant called Annaz that we ate at. Biltmore was nice. We also drove out to Chimney Rock which I thought was very nice. There are a few good hikes at Chimney Rock. The Blue Ridge Pkway was very nice as others have said. Really nice city with the Smokies on one end and Blue Ridge Mtns on the other end.

MAROON said:

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yes the lobby is incredible, Walk over and look at the historical photos. The food was good, but you are there for the view. Hopefully you have an evening with nice weather.

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Funny about the weather. Started off nice when we got the Sunset Terrace ahead of our reservations so we got to enjoy it with a drink while walking around. Then a pretty wild thunderstorm blew in as we were sitting down for dinner. The light show it created was cool and we didn't get wet from the rain because they have the nice cover. Food and service was great. Definitely enjoyed the trip.

Any update on mask nazis in the area?

No masks seen in Western North Carolina mountains at all. Not sure about Asheville proper

country said:

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Any update on mask nazis in the area?

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Zero mask nazis.

Just got back from a 5 day trip to Asheville and everything was pretty much 100% normal.

Thanks for the update. We are arriving in the area Sunday. Really looking forward to it based on a lot of recent feedback