North Carolina Nesties
sparty426
member
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Biltmore
Hi All!
DH and I have been living in NC for four years now and still haven't made it to the Biltmore. We're planning a trip there in November to see the Christmas decorations.
We were going to get the day pass, but I noticed they do a candlelight evening event too- has anyone ever gone to that? Is it worth it to pay the extra for that?
Also, are there any nearby hotels in the area you can recommend? Any restaurant recs?
We really haven't gotten over to that side of the state at all (we're in the Raleigh area)...what else should we do while we're there?
Thanks for any tips!
Re: Biltmore
Some of my favorite Asheville restaurants are:
Bouchon - French food downtown, a little pricey but really great food
Corner Kitchen - (in Biltmore Village)
Tomato Jam - Good for breakfast or lunch, near the hospital between Biltmore Village and downtown. I love their cat head biscuit with gravy and their Buster burger (try the black bean patty)
Doc Chey's Noodle house has great cheap food, good for lunch or dinner. It's technically a chain but this is their only NC location. It's downtown.
Salsas is great Mexican, also downtown, worth the wait if there is one, the seating area is small, but the food is delicious.
Fiore's is good Italian
You should go to the French Broad Chocolate Lounge while you're there
Gianni Panini is a great place to stop for a quick lunch in Biltmore Village
Tueplo Honey is good and pretty "classic Asheville" if there is such a thing. There are two locations, the downtown one is my favorite.
Bistro 1896 is really good and right downtown
I've mostly been there for work, so we stay in an extended stay hotel up there. It's functional, but not very fancy. There are a lot of B&Bs in the area.
Biltmore really goes the extra mile at Christmas. I would pay the extra $ for the candlelight event.
West Asheville has a cute historic district & it's less busy than downtown. Also, the farmer's market is on that side of town. Restaurants there: Sunny Point, The Lucky Otter, Standard Pizza Company, West End Bakery. All good.
Downtown is definitely worth a visit. Most of the shops close early in the evening, but there are a lot of restaurants and bars still open at night. The Civic Center and The Orange Peel usually have something going on too. We haven't eaten in a lot on places downtown, but I can recommend Carmel's and Barley's Taproom.
Tupelo Honey is good, but frankly I don't think it quite lives up to the hype. There is always a wait, even if there isn't a line & you can see empty tables, they make you wait. There are so many other really good places to eat in Asheville.
Depending on how long you're here you might consider a day trip. Chimney Rock park is about a 45 minute drive. Also downtown Waynesville is fun. Just past Waynesville is Barber's Orchard Fruit Stand. Totally worth the trip. Their apple pie is fantastic!
We've only been living here for about a month and a half. There's so much to see & do. Have fun!
ETA: The current issue of Southern Living (October) has an article in it about Asheville. It gives a lot of suggestions for things to do.
Yes the candlight tour is worth the additional price. Here's the difference:
Regular daytime tour: see the house in the present, listening/reading about the oppulence of the past. Architectural details galore. the planning and details that went into the creation of the house is truely impressive. It's a gem of a historical landmark. BTW, I highly recommend the optional behind-the-scenes tour if you or your DH are into architecture &/or technology. The rooftop tour is also nice.
Candlelight tour: You know that warm "everything is good with the world, peace/love/squishy warm heart" feeling you get sometimes at Christmas? Yeah, that; that's what it feels like roaming around Biltmore in the evening. You're no longer in the present; You're stepping back in time. It's not so much about detail now. You're in the soft-focus golden glow of Christmas past. You drift from room to room. You hear faint music. Perhaps it's a children's chior singing in the conservatory. Or you may turn the corner into the guest area upstairs & be treated to a small acoustic trio playing Christmas carols. Sure, there's other people around, but they don't matter. Past the first 3 or 4 rooms, you barely notice anyone but your DH.
And The Dining Room at the Inn At Biltmore is deliscious. I'd recommend it over the Bistro at their winery. HTH
I don't have any suggestions as I haven't been since I was like 8? However, We've been wanting to go and maybe after reading this thread, I might talk DH into going as a graduation celebration
I hope you have a blast!!!
We also had a good experience staying at Doubletree and it is very close to Biltmore.
As for restaurants, one we like that has not been mentioned is Rezaz
Have fun!
I live in Asheville so I don't really have any good hotel recs though I've had friends stay at some of the various B&Bs and they had nothing but good things to report. I think some of the ones in Montford are supposed to be really lovely.
In terms of restaurants, Salsas and Doc Cheys are both good as pirategal mentioned. And Bouchon is great but definitely a little pricey so if you want an alternative that's a little easier on your wallet you should check out Creperie Bouchon (http://creperiebouchon.com/).
OMG you have to go to French Broad Chocolate...it is SO good!
As for Biltmore, if you have never been and are taking a trip just to see it, totally splurge for the candlelit tour. Biltmore at Christmas is amazing. I can't even begin to describe it. But one of my best memories is of going to the Biltmore House at Christmas with all my family, it was just great. Oh...and they have a pretty nice winery too.
As for places to stay...since I live here I really have not stayed anwyhere. But they did just put a Hilton in at Biltmore Park, which is a nifty area with shops and restaurants. There is also the Crowne Plaza, which is near downtown Asheville.