Found: The Perfect Summer Weekend

When a friend accepted a job as a television reporter in Asheville, North Carolina, I promised her I’d get down for a visit. Months later, a mutual friend and I booked plane tickets. The trip turned out to be the perfect summer weekend: a little bit of city, a little bit of country, and a whole lot of sunshine.
 
“Love Asheville, Buy Local”

Our first stop in Asheville was lunch at the oft-recommended Early Girl Eatery. Known for Southern dishes made with locally-grown ingredients, the Early Girl provided us a delicious, healthy lunch, as well as our first taste of Asheville beer, the refreshing Highland St.Terese’s Pale Ale. Since it was recently named “Beer City USA” we knew it’d be the first taste of many.

After lunch, we made our way through Woolworth Walk. Formerly a Woolworth’s department store, the nearly 20,000-square-foot space now houses the work of over 150 Western North Carolina artists as well as a vintage soda fountain. The artwork, including paintings, prints, quilts, jewelry, and other crafts, ranges in style and price. I walked out with a $35 giclée print and a $40 small painting.

Across the street, we satisfied our sweet tooth at The Chocolate Fetish, a lovely gourmet chocolate shop that features an assortment of chocolate, including their specialty “rounds” and “frogs,” both sizable bites worth trying.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in local shops, most with “Love Asheville, Buy Local” posters in their window.  

To recover from the heat and the time on our feet, we stopped at our friend’s favorite brewery, LAB, or Lexington Ave Brewery, where we sipped on the sweet and smooth Belgian White Ale.

We caught part of an outdoor concert, where we drank another Asheville brew, and then made our way to the Mellow Mushroom, a colorful, jumping, family-friendly pizza hot spot. After enjoying a crispy half Hawaiian, half Gourmet White pizza, we headed to Pack Square Park, a 6.5-acre public park in the heart of downtown Asheville.

We ended the day on bar stools at Pack’s Tavern, a newly opened bar and restaurant in the historic Hayes and Hopson building. Built in 1907, the building has housed a lumber supplier and an automotive supply company. Despite being busy, the vibe was great, and the waiter had time to stop and hear a rundown of our day in his city.

Everywhere we went–shops, restaurants, bars–the staff were friendly and helpful, but not overbearing. Tourism is Asheville’s bread and butter, and I can confirm they know how to show visitors a good time.

Stay tuned for more on my visit to nearby Lake Lure.

Carolyn Fox is the online producer for National Geographic Traveler. You can follow Carolyn on Twitter at @seafox4. Photos: Courtesy of the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau