March 6, 2023

Romantic Asheville




You know you are in the right place for romance when your destination has an entire 200-page guide with activities dedicated to the subject. And, in Asheville, North Carolina, many of these will not break the bank. Hold hands strolling through downtown (the Paris of the South), fall for each other on a waterfall hike, and get cozy at an incredible-and-breakfast – The Chestnut Street Inn.

Asheville’s four distinct, yet moderate seasons coupled with its natural beauty make it a great place to live and a great place for a romantic visit. This mountain city of 70,000 proudly calls itself the Paris of the South. Asheville is not only a popular tourist destination for couples, it is also known as a liberal, artsy community. This "Paris of the South," has also been described as the "San Francisco of the East," "New Age Mecca," and "Land of the Sky." Asheville has been recognized for its splendors by dozens of magazines, Web sites and publications in recent years, ranging from the recent designation by Frommer's as one of a dozen top travel destinations in the world for 2007, to accolades for the local arts, outdoor adventures, cuisine, organic and vegetarian eats, as a top place to live and retire, and much more.

Located in the Smoky Mountains, Asheville is a small college town with a thriving arts, culture, and alternative lifestyle scene. It is home to the Biltmore Estate, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, and Carl Sandburg's birthplace in nearby Flat Rock. With the Blue Ridge Parkway nearby, the area is also great for driving tours and shopping trips to numerous crafts and pottery shops .Asheville is filled with galleries and funky boutiques in its very walkable, art-deco downtown that is a national historic district.

The city has a lively music and cultural scene, its own symphony orchestra and lyric opera company. Drum circles and old-time bluegrass music coexist. Film and dance also thrive. It has sidewalk art and street musicians, and gourmet restaurants that feature local fare. It loves to stage festivals and to party.

Travel

A great way to begin your visit is on a historic Trolley Tour. See the best of Asheville on board a vintage trolley and enjoy the fully narrated 75-minute tour, which includes humorous stories and historical information. Fully narrated, the Trolley covers all major points of interest in Asheville including: the Grove Park Inn, Biltmore Village, the Grove Arcade, the Montford Historic District, the downtown shopping and restaurants district, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, and the Asheville Museum and Art Gallery district
By night, what better romantic way than to take a limo arranged by your hosts at The Chestnut Street Inn.

Shop

Downtown Asheville: Wandering through a European city is the perfect way to spend a romantic afternoon. Downtown Asheville has European charms without the expensive transatlantic flight. Brick-lined alleyways meander past art deco architecture, boutiques, and European-style sidewalk cafes, including an authentic chocolaterie, The Chocolate Fetish. Downtown's lively street scene—with buskers, street festivals, and art galleries galore—will woo you two for free. The Woolworth Walk at 25 Haywood St. in downtown Asheville is the largest of the folk art galleries. More than 160 artisans have work on display in the dime store that dates to 1938. The old soda fountain has been restored. Nearby is the distinctive Grove Arcade that was built in 1929. It is filled with restaurants and shops. For more on the Chocolate Fetish, click here.

Play

Waterfall hike: Refresh your romance on a waterfall hike in the North Carolina mountains just outside of Asheville. Start small with a rainforest walk to the 120-foot Rainbow Falls, then head over to the highest waterfall east of the Rockies—the Upper Whitewater Falls, where water plummets a heart-stopping 411 feet. Hickory Nut Falls may be slightly smaller but the trail to get there—the dramatic Skyline-Cliff Trail—has views to inspire and complement any number of romantic moments.

Stay
Chestnut Street Inn: 176 E Chestnut St, 1-800-894-2955 Perhaps THE most romantic place to stay. Chestnut Street Inn is a decades old grand Colonial Revival home that was converted into a romantic inn. .A grand home that offers a feeling of relaxed sophistication and elegance. A quarter-mile from downtown Asheville.
A romantic weekend needs the right accommodations, and this bed-and-breakfast beats them all. Sumptuous rooms, private baths (some with whirlpool tubs), and a gourmet breakfast. Heat things up and ask for a room with an old-fashioned fireplace, or book one of their first-class Romance Packages. The inn is located only blocks from Asheville's vibrant downtown and world-class restaurants and cafes. For more on the Chestnut Street Inn, click here.

Dine

Start your morning off right with the next best thing to breakfast in bed. Let your hosts at the Chestnut Street Inn pamper you with a seated gourmet three course breakfasts complete
with fresh ground organic Sumatra Coffee each morning and home made goodies each afternoon.
Asheville has become such a melting pot for people of all ethnic backgrounds. With all these different cultures, as well as, the mountain folk of long ago—the food available is quite eclectic. Never dull, and always something new to find, Asheville gives visitors a chance to savor good food that is diverse and delicious. There are more than 600 restaurants in the Asheville area. So how do you choose? Start with two of the most-touted places to eat in Asheville, both of which delivered on our visit.
Table. 48 College St, 828 254-8980. Spend a night at Table, an “urban” comfortable, friendly environment in downtown Asheville with exceptional, welcoming service by Jacob Sessoms, who attended The French Culinary Institute, earning two prestigious culinary accreditations. He shares an over-riding respect for “farm-to-table” cuisine for its effect on the palate, the plate and the strength of local economy. market-driven seasonal New American. Sit down at the mahogany and maple bar or one of the hand-made maple tabletops and watch Jacob’s sagacious yet simple food fill the dining room. Get there early as the place is packed with a lively crowd.
The daily written menu covers the bases of fine dining style cuisine. And if you ask for something not on the menu, trust that these folks will whip you up something so unique and delicious, you will find it nowhere else.
This is definitely a foodie hotspot; innovative menu, excellent service, minimal/modern decor, great wine list. The food was to die for. But don’t do it yet, because we will want you to save your taste buds for another fine dining adventure, unequaled anywhere at….
Zambra 85 W Walnut St, 828 232-1060. Zambra serves Tapas and Spanish cuisine in a very romantic atmosphere. They create a feast for the senses, presenting contemporary twists on the food of Spain and North Africa and have assembled the region's finest selection of Spanish and New World. The lighting and atmosphere are perfect for a night of romance and the smokin’ hot band makes you wish they had a dance floor to work off the sumptuous tapas! Tapa were made to share and nowhere is more For more on Zambra, click here.