re: Trip to Asheville, NC in mid-April

So wanted to bump and update as we just returned today.

Really enjoyed the trip and are planning on going back sooner rather than later to squeeze some more things in.

We ended up staying at the Hilton Asheville at Biltmore Park (was about $200 a night). Room was nice, service was smooth. Being in Biltmore Park we were just about 15 minutes from the Biltmore entrance where we spent two days of the trip and a short trip to downtown Asheville. Biltmore Park also was a really nice area with lots of places to eat and drink within walking distance of the hotel. We'll likely stay there again on a return trip.

Food and drinks:

- White Duck Taco was delicious. Loved the fusion tacos. Had a greek taco with falafel and the General Tso. Fiance has the Korean Beef Bulgogi and General Tso as well.

- The Thirsty Monk was within a walk of the hotel so we stopped in there and met up with some friends from the area. Had some good beers from Green Man brewing there. Smoked Trout Spread as good.

- Wicked Weed was as good as advertised. I'm probably ruined forever on sour beer now.

- Nine Mile was a Carribean-inspired place just around the corner from us and we loved it. Had a Mahi Mahi dish over linguine with coconut ginger sauce and grilled veggies that was great. Fiance had a Jamaican Jerk chicken pasta dish that enjoyed as well.

- Luella's BBQ we ate our first night and it was just alright. Not the best BBQ I've had but also not the worst. Solid sides but BBQ was a big dry. I had a burnt end sandwich and the execution was just off a bit. Fiance had pulled pork and pulled chicken and while he enjoyed the vinegar based BBQ sauce the meat was also dry for him.

- We ate breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Fork Lore, most mornings and it was pretty good.

- Drinks at the Grove Park Inn was also everything that was advertised. Beautiful scenery.

Biltmore Stuff:

- Ended up spending two days at the Biltmore because of the timed entry of the house and the Chihuly exhibit we had purchased for Sunday (got the two day grounds ticket). Went on Saturday to check out the gardens and it was gorgeous weather. We missed the tulips in the Walled Garden by about a week but the Azalea Gardens were in full bloom.

- The house was really nice and they covered quite a bit with it just being the basic audio tour. We plan to go back in the future and check out some of the guided tours. Fair warning though, if you can't do stairs you'll miss part of the tour since the elevator only goes to the second floor (third floor and basement don't have guest elevator access). Someone in our entry group was throwing a huge fit over it. Takes about an hour and a half to cover the house. But worth it.

- The Chihuly exhibit was fantastic. I've seen a few of his outdoor pieces when they've been purchased by companies locally (like Maker's Mark) but never had seen a full exhibit of his. It really is breathtaking what he and his team can do with glass. The exhibit runs through January 2025 and highly encourage folks to check it out if possible.

Definitely have plans to go back in the next couple of years. Maybe looking at a visit in the fall since we caught the Spring bloom.

Thanks for the suggestions.