When you think about visiting a new town, it can be quite an exciting thing. There are new activities to do, restaurants to eat at, and in Asheville’s case, amazing craft beer to try. Over the last several decades, Asheville has quickly risen to be a destination spot for many different things. First and foremost, like we mentioned, is beer, but after that you can easily see it being a mecca for the arts, it’s stunning mountain views, and so much more.
We at Orchard Inn love our area and enjoy sharing everything about it with our guests. If you are unfamiliar with the Asheville area, there is one side of it you must see to get to know it, historic Asheville NC. There are so many wonderful sites when you see historic Asheville NC. Let’s highlight a few of the stops you can choose from.
- North Carolina Arboretum– If there is one thing to know about our area, it’s that we love our outdoor spaces and the North Carolina Arboretum is one of the most beautiful that we have. It sits just south of Asheville and near the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s over 400 acres of cultivated gardens that just come alive each and every summer. While it might not be the oldest of historic Asheville NC, it has been around for about 30 years. Be sure to check out their events as well before you stop by!
- Basilica of Saint Lawrence– Whether you are a religious person or not, you have to admit that historic churches are just stunning. Here in Asheville, we have the Basilica of Saint Lawrence. While it’s still a church that is in use today, you can still visit it as well. There are two types of tours that you can choose from, guided and self-guided. To go on a guided tour, it takes a bit of planning and you have to fill out a form to be scheduled. However, you can choose to go on your own but be sure you grab their brochure titled, The Art & Architecture of the Basilica of Saint Lawrence which will provide you with more than enough information on the church.
- The Biltmore– We can’t talk about historic Asheville NC without mentioning The Biltmore. Built in 1895, it is one of the most beautiful estates to visit. Get a glimpse into the life of George and Edith Vanderbilt. If you think that the only thing to do there is to look at the house, you would be wrong. They have tours of the home as well as the extensive grounds. When you couple that with a look at the winery as well as having a meal at one of the restaurants, you can easily spend a day there. Be sure to check out their fantastic site to see the tours and all of the info before you book a trip.
- The Blue Ridge Parkway– Construction started in 1935 with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the parkway extends through 29 counties in North Carolina and Virginia for a total of 469 miles. The parkway follows the Blue Ridge Mountains and it gives travelers stunning views. Here in Asheville, there are so many ways to enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway by driving or even hiking. Their site offers many travel ideas and even an app to help you plan your time there.
- Thomas Wolfe Memorial– As you may already know, throughout the years, Asheville has become a haven for writers and artists alike. It has something to do with the temperate yet cool climate, the fresh air and water, and the general love of the arts that makes so many people gravitate here. One person, we like to highlight as a part of historic Asheville NC is Thomas Wolfe. What you can visit here is his childhood home, which was built in the 1800s. A tour will give you a wonderful glimpse into the early life of this writer and see why he immortalized it in a book.
One last thing we wanted to mention was the Gray Line. This company offers fantastic tours of Asheville and have a program where you can hop on and off the trolley all day and spend as much time as you like at any of the sites of historic Asheville NC. They also offer planned tours as well so be sure to check out all that they offer.
When you want to see historic Asheville NC, it’s also fun to be able to stay at a place that is historic as well. If that is the case, then consider staying with us at Orchard Inn. Our beautiful B&B was once the vacation home for the railroad workers that made our area not only accessible but popular as well. We have rooms inside our main house as well as cottages for those of you who enjoy your space and privacy. Each of our rooms has comfortable beds topped with luxurious linens as well as your choice of pillow from our Pillow Menu, all to help you drift off to sleep easily. Each morning, join everyone for a lovely breakfast overlooking the mountains before you start your day. Contact us today and start planning your next trip to historic Asheville NC today!
