Wyndham Wisdom

Mountain Town

Laid-back Asheville brings a sophisticated, arty flair to North Carolina's wild west

Start in the center of Asheville and head up any of its steep, narrow, streets. Pass the funky boutiques and galleries. Forgo that fragrant little coffee shop--for now. At the top, pause to gaze at the bands of mountains, each layer a deeper, darker blue than the one before. In less geographically blessed cities this would be a scenic overlook. In Asheville, it's just another hilltop.

Built in the folds of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this historic mountain town (pop. 74,900) is basically one big scenic overlook. But it's not all about the views. Outdoorsy types flock here for the playground that is western North Carolina; others come for the vibrant music scene and innovative restaurants. It's no wonder Asheville is North Carolina's coolest city.

WANDERING THE STREETS
Downtown Asheville bloomed in the 1920s, struggled during the Great Depression and came back strong in the 1990s. Now its compact, walkable downtown is filled with cute stores, coffee shops and art galleries--easily a weekend's worth of relaxed browsing and impulse buys.

One of the keys to that downtown revival was the Grove Arcade (1 Page Ave.), a lively indoor shopping center built in 1929. After a renovation, this elegant, low-slung architectural gem reopened in 2002. Today it offers everything from furniture to handmade soaps.

Half the fun of a visit to Asheville is roaming around to find your own favorite shops. But some of the standouts include the independently owned Malaprop's Bookstore & Café (55 Haywood St.; 828-254-6734), which combines a formidable selection of literary fiction and local lore with a personal touch from the staff. The old F.W. Woolworth building now houses a showplace for more than 150 area artists, called the Woolworth Walk (25 Haywood St.; 828-254-9234). Expect everything from cigar-box violins (known as Carolina fiddles, according to artisan Steven Miller) to deep-red hand-thrown ceramic bowls shaped like open poppies. Fuel up at the family-owned City Bakery Café (60 Biltmore Ave.; 828-254-4426) with scones and organic coffee, or a sandwich on artisanal bread.

ON TO FOOD
Many Asheville restaurants base their menus on the wealth of regional produce sold in the area's farmers markets. The Early Girl Eatery is known for its brunch, while Tupelo Honey Café offers updates on Southern favorites--here, fried green tomatoes are served over goat cheese grits. On the second Saturday of every month, local chefs ply shoppers at the City Market (161 S. Charlotte St.) with freshly prepared bites made from ingredients gathered on site that morning.

While you're downtown, don't miss the Thomas Wolfe Memorial (52 N. Market St.), the childhood home of Asheville's most famous son. Wolfe mocked his mother's boardinghouse in his classic novel Look Homeward, Angel. It was almost destroyed by an arsonist in 1998, but after $2.5 million and painstaking work by scores of artisans it now looks almost as it did when Wolfe lived there.

GRAND LIVING
A few miles from the city center is a different kind of house. The Biltmore Estate is so big that it triggered its own 19th-century housing boom. The echoes resonate in nearby Biltmore Village, which sprang up to provide homes for the estate's workers and now houses shops and restaurants.

George W. Vanderbilt arrived in the budding resort town of Asheville shortly after the railroad came here in the 1880s. He bought 125,000 acres to build what remains the largest private house in the country. The 250-room French chateau has no fewer than 65 fireplaces; among its artworks are Renoir originals and Napoleon's chess set. The house took six years to build and drew a community of craftsmen, laborers and artisans to the mountains. The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect behind New York's Central Park and Boston's Emerald Necklace. Today the estate holds stables, a winery, several restaurants and the luxurious 213-room Inn on Biltmore Estate.

The Vanderbilt family still owns the house, and guided tours offer glimpses of life in the Gilded Age. So large is the house that parts of it have never been seen by the public. One section opened for the first time this April: the Louis XV suite, with four restored guest rooms. For the Damask Room, curators reproduced the original wallpaper, a rich pattern that looks like fabric; for the Louis XV Room, French weavers copied the silk cut-velvet of the original draperies.

After a house tour, spend the afternoon wandering the paths through Olmsted's gardens, moving from manicured lawns and classical statuary to wooded groves.

GREAT OUTDOORS
Ready to venture out of town? Hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway at one of several entry points within Asheville and head south into the mountains. The winding road, a 1930s engineering marvel, reaches its highest points between Asheville and the Great Smoky Mountains. Drivers can enjoy the view from the road and marked pull off points; more adventurous travelers can park and find one of 100 hiking trails. The really brave can take the steep, curvy road by mountain bike.

After Memorial Day, make your way to Sliding Rock, a 60-foot waterfall in nearby Pisgah National Forest that doubles as a waterslide. Visitors line up to take turns splashing down into the chilly eight-foot deep pool at the bottom. Access to the recreation area is $1; wear shorts or cutoffs as the rock is rough.

The Nantahala Outdoor Center offers other whitewater options, such as guided trips on the Class II and Class III rapids of the Nantahala River. Another option: rafting or kayaking on the French Broad River. The trip starts 25 miles from Asheville and runs through scenic Pisgah National Forest.

FARTHER AFIELD
Asheville also serves as the gateway to a cluster of charming mountain towns a short drive away. In Flat Rock you can tour the former home of the poet Carl Sandburg at his goat farm, Connemara, now run by the National Park Service (nps.gov/carl). Sandburg's widow, Paula, donated the farm's contents, and they're arranged as if the family had just stepped out on an errand. Shelves in the main house hold his book collection--thousands of volumes--and the family television stands in a corner. The park service still raises goats on the property.

Movie lovers can head southeast of Asheville to Chimney Rock Park, North Carolina's newest state park, where the final scenes in The Last of the Mohicans were filmed. Hickory Nut Falls, a 404-foot waterfall in the park, is worth the hike, as are the panoramic views from Chimney Rock itself. Those who aren't up for the hike are in luck: The park has an elevator to carry you to the top. At Lake Lure, a mile from the park, you can wade into the water and reenact Johnny and Baby's lift from Dirty Dancing, shot on location here.

Of course, even if they never appeared on the silver screen, most parts of Asheville and its surroundings offer a cinematic backdrop--just look around you.

EAT

EARLY GIRL EATERY
Delicious brunch made with local ingredients, like the sausage and sweet-potato scramble. 8 Wall St.; 828-259-9292; brunch for two, $30*

TUPELO HONEY CAFE
Sweet-potato pancakes, free-range fried chicken and other favorites make this a fresh twist on Southern. 12 College St.; 828-255-4863; dinner for two, $60

CORNER KITCHEN
Sophisticated entrees like pecan-crusted trout, in a Biltmore Village building that's more than a century old. 3 Boston Way; 828-274-2439; dinner for two, $80

BISTRO 1896
The menu changes with the seasons at this Pack Square staple. 7 Pack Square S.W.; 828-251-1300; dinner for two, $80

*Prices cover a meal for two, not including drinks, tax or tip.

STAY

RCI-affiliated resorts near Asheville include:

Alpine Village, Burnsville, NC (30 minutes northeast of Asheville)

Fairway Forest at Sapphire Valley, Cashiers, NC (90 minutes southwest of Asheville)

For more information, visit RCI.com or call:
Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476

PLAY

Biltmore Estate
Go to biltmore.com to find information
about the house, gardens, winery and
stables, and reserve a tour.

Whitewater Rafting
Pick a river and book your trip with the
Nantahala Outdoor Center. 888-905-7238;
noc.com

Blue Ridge Parkway
For more information on the parkway and
hiking trails, go to nps.gov/blri.