It’s no secret that I love the mountains. Given the choice between beach or mountains, I will always choose the mountains. Thankfully Mr is also a mountain person, so when planning a little getaway, it only made sense to head west. While we had a few things on our “To Do” list, our trip was open for inspiration, and ended up being exactly the restful-but-active break we needed.
Continuing our quest to stay in interesting and/or unusual lodging, we found the coolest house on Airbnb modeled after the designs and philosophies of Frank Lloyd Wright. Staying in Artesia was such a delightful experience, and we loved all the natural light.
Asheville, the main focus of our activities, was an easy drive away, and the weather was absolutely perfect for our explorations.
On a work trip last year, Mr participated in an e-bike tour and loved it, so one of the main things on our list for this trip was an e-bike tour with The Flying Bike. Our guide was very personable {you could tell he loves his job} and he was also able to give us first-hand insight into the impacts and recovery from Hurricane Helene. I found riding through downtown to be a bit much {my poor brain was processing all the things!}, but I loved when we got off the roads and on to the greenways. I can definitely understand the appeal.
In addition to being mountain people, we are urban garden people. Our elopement ceremony was even held in one of our favorite local gardens. We had to take advantage of being in Asheville to revisit the Asheville Botanical Garden. Tucked away near the college, it’s such a pretty oasis.
We also returned to the North Carolina Arboretum, which is a mix of organized garden areas and miles of trails. The trails were not explored this time, but one day we want to see where they go.
Another spot we love to visit whenever we’re nearby is the Folk Art Center on the Parkway. Sadly the main gallery was closed for an exhibition switch, but there is always so much to see.
In addition to gardens and art, we also took a stroll through the Western North Carolina Nature Center. I had visited before, back in 2017, and so much has changed since then! Not only have they expanded a good deal, but the hurricane definitely had an impact.
There was a lot of downtown wandering as well, from Asheville to Brevard to Hendersonville. I found a bookstore, of course, and we visited a honey store.
In Hendersonville we followed the signs directing us to the basement home of the Mineral & Lapidary Museum. Since I was little, I have loved rocks {fun fact: Mr and I took Geology together at the community college}, and it was such a cool collection to see. We even indulged my inner rock-geek and purchased a geode. I selected a good one, and it’s such a unique souvenir.
Our last night, we changed locations, and found ourselves in the most picturesque “old school” hotel. Echo Mountain Inn is such a step back in time, with actual room keys and communal areas.
We walked a lot of steps, we ate a lot of delicious things {check back soon for that post!}, and we enjoyed time together. Books were read, naps were taken, and it was the perfect getaway.
Do you prefer short trips or long ones?
What’s your favorite destination?
What’s the coolest or most unusual place you’ve ever stayed?
