Thinking about a trip to Asheville? Here are suggestions of things not to miss:
Bed and Breakfasts
Here are several places where you will want to stay:
Reynolds House Bed & Breakfast
100 Reynolds Heights, Asheville
thereynoldsmansion.com.
Gay-owned historic antebellum brick mansion restored to its grandeur, offering 16 well-appointed rooms and wonderful views of Mt. Pisgah and Cold Mountain. Trip Advisor award as one of best B&Bs in U.S. Offers venues for events.
Engadine Bed & Breakfast
2630 Smoky Park Hwy., Candler
engadineinnandcabins.com.
Gay-owned inn on 12 acres offering luxurious rooms and fully-equipped mountain cabins. Very romantic. Spectacular mountain and sunset vistas. Offers venues for weddings and other events. Pets welcome. Fifteen minutes from downtown.
Carolina Bed and Breakfast
177 Cumberland Ave., Asheville
carolinabb.com.
A lovely inn in the historic Montford district near downtown with king and queen beds, plus a cottage available. Some rooms with whirlpool or Jacuzzi tubs. Great gourmet cooking and scrumptious social hour.
Dry Ridge Inn
26 Brown St., Weaverville
dryridgeinn.com.
Delightful small-town inn with eight well-appointed bedrooms, delicious breakfasts and lovely patio and gardens. Great for couples and families, accepting environment, attractive for bikers and those seeking a quiet getaway.
Along with these, there are many other good choices for bed and breakfasts. The Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association website has helpful information and is a great place to check out the variety of inns available. Visit them at bit.ly/28VwJzw.
Nightlife
There are three good places for LGBT-owned nightclubs that traverse a wide palette of options:
Tessa’s Jazz and Blues Club
28 Broadway, Asheville
tressas.com.
Lesbian-owned bar with great live music.
Scandals Nightclub
11 Grove St., Asheville
scandalsnightclub.com.
Long-standing gay dance club with drag shows.
O’Henry’s Bar/The Underground
237 Haywood St., Asheville
ohenrysofasheville.com.
Gay bar with pool, games and drinks, plus dance club in back.
Dining and Drinking
With more than 45 places to eat downtown in Asheville and a plethora of microbreweries, there is something for everyone. Here are a few suggestions:
Carmel’s Kitchen and Bar
1 Page Ave., Asheville
carmelsofasheville.com.
Describes itself as serving eclectic Southern-influence comfort food plus specialty cocktails. Largest outdoor dining patio in city. Dog friendly.
Tupelo Honey Café
12 College St., Asheville
tupelohoneycafe.com.
Original restaurant (now one in Charlotte as well), but food quality is better here at the original, though always good. Southern homemade food and craft beer.
Salsa Mexican Caribbean Restaurant
6 Patton Ave., Asheville
salsasnc.com.
A local favorite, serving funky traditional Mexican dishes with a twist along with Caribbean dishes. Try the empanadas and molcajetes.
Universal Joint
784 Haywood Rd., Asheville
ujasheville.com.
Cozy burger and sandwich place in converted gas station plus some Mexican dishes. Great choice of craft beers. Indoor and outdoor seating. Dog friendly.
The Wedge Brewery
37 Paynes Way, Asheville
wedgebrewing.com.
Great brewery in 19th-century warehouse in the River Arts District, good craft beer on tap, food trucks outside.
Blue Mountain Pizza and Brew Pub
55 N. Main St., Weaverville
bluemountainpizza.com.
Great pizzas, pastas, salads and wraps. Brews own great tasting beer
downstairs.
Asheville Food Park and Market
219 Amboy Rd., Asheville
ashevillefoodpark.com.
Great food truck park and bar with wide variety of culinary delights. Open all the time. Check out the LGBT-run Deli Llama truck (Wednesday nights for now).
You can’t leave the High Country without visiting these places:
River Arts District
off Clingman Ave. and Haywood Rd., Asheville
riverartsdistrict.com.
More than 200 working artists from all over the U.S. in 22 buildings in a one-mile square area, ranging from ceramics to paintings to glassblowing and more. Stroll, watch, converse with artists and maybe even try out glassblowing. Great place to find art pieces to buy. If overwhelmed by the art, you can get a tour from a working artist, John Miguel Almaguer.
Asheville Bee Charmer
38 Battery Park Ave., Asheville
ashevillebeecharmer.com.
Specializes in honey from N.C. and around the world, plus bee and honey-related products. Sit down at the honey bar and sample a few varieties.
Malaprops Bookstore/Café
55 Haywood St., Asheville
malaprops.com.
Nice selection of books and coffees and teas to be found in this delightful gay-owned store. Quaint, locally-owned store that hosts book signings.
Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar
1 Page Ave. #101, Asheville
batteryparkbookexchange.com.
Two floors of wonderful used books, a great selection of champagnes and coffee to drink while you browse or read, plus an espresso dog bar.
French Broad Chocolate Factory and Tasting Room
21 Buxton Ave., Asheville
frenchbroadchocolates.com.
Delicious hot chocolate, chocolate bars and truffles and created here and to die for. Go hungry.
Want more information? Check out exploreasheville.com for more places to see and things to do in the Asheville area!