Asheville Travel Blog

Best Bets for Asheville Beer Week

2012-05-24T13:16:00.000-04:00

Asheville Celebrates Brew Culture and Beer City Win!

Asheville, hot on the heels of its fourth Beer City USA victory, is celebrating with an 11 day extravaganza centered around its craft brew culture.

Asheville Beer Week begins today and continues through Sunday, June 3. The complete list of events includes everything from special dinners to the "Sink It and Drink It" mini-golf putting crawl. Here are some top picks for the week.

Beer Week Best Bets

Celebrating its third year, the Beer City Festival will play host to 32 breweries from across the country. On Saturday, June 2, you can sample new brews, try out some local food and enjoy live music. Tickets are available at Barley's Taproom and Brusin' Ales until May 31.
Take a course in brewology. Join local columnist and beer diva, Anne Fitten Glenn, at Barley's Taproom for Beer 101. Get a lesson in beer styles, brewing, beer history and more. The event takes place Friday, May 25, from 4 to 6PM.
Asheville's oldest brewery meets America's oldest brewery. Join Leah Wong Ashburn and Jennifer Yuengling at Highland Brewing Company for an event highlighting the next generation of family-owned breweries. It takes place Thursday, May 31 from 4:00 - 8:00 PM.

Beer Buzz

Get your hands on this: Razor Wit, a Highland Brewing Company beer, was just featured on Esquire.com's Best Beers of 2012 list.
Mystery Unveiled: A new brewery is coming to town, but who is going to be? Head over to Wedge Brewing Company on Thursday, May 31, from 6:30 - 9:00 PM for the big reveal.
District 12 release party: Asheville Brewing Company in downtown Asheville will roll out their new Hunger Games themed "District 12 Ale" for the first time. This free event takes place Wednesday, May 30, starting at 5:00 PM

Stay Connected

Download the free Asheville Beer Week app for iPhone and Android. It's full of useful maps, event listings, brewery information as well as fun extras like social sharing and a photo function that lets you apply your favorite beer-goggle effects. Also follow the action via the Asheville Beer Week's website, Facebook page and their Twitter account.

More Beer City Info

How to Make Moog Music in Minutes!

2012-05-23T12:05:00.001-04:00

Asheville (and Google) Celebrate the 78th Birthday of Bob Moog.

Music pioneer, Bob Moog, would have been 78 today. For those unfamiliar with Moog's legacy, he created the Moog synthesizer, an instrument that revolutionized the world of music. Moog was a longtime resident of Asheville and his musical empire is still headquartered here at the Moog Factory near downtown Asheville.

Today only (May 23, 2012) you can make your own Moog music via the Google Doodle. Mix, tweak and record four layers of music that you can save and email to your friends. Very cool! Visit here for a tutorial.

Moog Factoids:

If you enjoy the Google Doodle, then you probably should get your hands on the Animoog app. Within a week of its initial launch, Animoog became the number one selling iPad app, and now it's available for iPhone users as well.
Every major musician in the world orders their American-made synthesizer from right here in the mountains!
Each synthesizer is made by hand.
You can tour the Moog factory to see how's these instruments are created.
It's pronounced Moog - rhymes with vogue. Not like a cow moo(g).
Moogfest is an annual celebration of electronic music that takes place in downtown Asheville each fall.

Want to know more about the Moog experience in Asheville? We've got the details on exclusive concerts and where you can purchase your very own Moog synthesizer. Learn more!

Biltmore Summer Savings

2012-05-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Biltmore's Slew of Summertime Savings Begins This Week.

The largest home in America is now offering some pretty large deals. Plan a trip to Biltmore this summer and take advantage of one of the cost-saving specials listed below.

What does the price of admission get you? Besides touring an amazing 250-room castle, you can peruse acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, enjoy a complimentary wine tasting and dine at one of the many farm-to-table restaurants on the estate. And that's just a small sampling of everything you can do. Check out your other options here.

But back to those specials. Here they are:

Early Bird Special

Why wait? Purchase your tickets at least seven days in advance and save up to $15. Click here to purchase now.

Senior Savings

With age comes wisdom and a chance to save $10 every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Daddy Deals

This Father's Day, purchase a youth or adult ticket and Dad gets to tag along for free.

Family Fun For Free

From May 25 - September 3, kids ages 16 and under get free admission.

Double Down

Purchase a one day pass and for $10 you can add on a second day of exploration at the estate.

Make it a Package

The Biltmore partners with many of the Asheville area accommodations. Bundling the two provides substantial savings. Book here.

Learn more about the Biltmore experience.

Free Gas! Wait, What?!

2012-05-21T14:40:00.000-04:00

Haywood Park Hotel Offers Summer Gas Promo.

Every summer ushers in predictions of gas prices escalating to new heights, but this year it would appear average prices are lower than previous years. While that is certainly welcomes news for travelers, the Haywood Park Hotel takes it one step further. This popular downtown Asheville hotel is offering a new gas promotion to ensure you enjoy a mountain retreat minus the "pain at the pump" travel concerns.

From their website:

Asheville, known for great food, awesome music, amazing shopping, microbreweries and free gas. Wait, what?! That’s right, if you drive to Haywood Park Hotel this summer, we will reimburse you $0.25 per mile, up to 200 miles for a discount of up to $50.00.

Simply mention the Summer Gas Promo at the time of booking. Call 1.800.228.2522 to book your Blue Ridge Mountain getaway now!

Offer valid May 7-August 30, 2012 only. Through May 31, no restriction on length of stay, discount applies on stays of one night or more, excluding 5/25-5/27/12. June 1-August 30, three night minimum stay required. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Book it now!

Red, White and Blueberry Chipotle

2012-05-18T15:08:00.000-04:00

12 Bones BBQ Sauce to be Spotlighted at the DNC.

BBQ sauces from across the state of North Carolina competed for one of three spots at this year's Democratic National Convention, taking place in Charlotte. Judges tasted a variety of sauces looking for the best vinegar-based, mustard-based and tomato-based recipe.

Asheville's popular 12 Bones Smokehouse took home the top billing in the tomato category. For anyone who's eaten there, this news probably comes as no surprise considering the restaurant has a line out the door every single day. Next time you're in town be sure to try their sweet tomato sauce, but keep in mind they have other sauces with a cult following as well, including their popular blueberry chipotle.

Check out the full story from the Mountain Xpress.

Downtown After 5 Begins 2012 Season

2012-05-18T13:09:00.001-04:00

Downtown's Free Music Festival Starts Tonight.

The ever-popular Downtown After 5 series begins tonight in the streets of Asheville. Headlining the event is Velvet Truckstop, featuring keyboardist Tom Constanten (Grateful Dead). The opening act is Analog Moon.

The event kicks off at the Lexington Ave. stage beginning at 5:00 and running until 9:00 PM. There will be plenty of food, drink and shopping vendors available.

Tips for a great experience:

1. Bring cash for everything

2. Bring an ID

3. Leave your pets and coolers at home

Here's more about the artists from the Downtown Association's website.

Asheville Wins Again!

2012-05-16T14:58:00.000-04:00

Asheville Ties With Grand Rapids in Beer City USA Poll.

The competition was fierce in this year's Beer City USA poll, as a new rivalry emerged between defending champion, Asheville, and newcomer, Grand Rapids, MI. The two cities played a game of tug-of-war throughout the 13-day voting period with each city never gaining more than a two percentage lead. In the end, the two cities tied for top position.

This isn't the first time a tie has occurred in this popular online poll, hosted by Examiner.com. Asheville tied with Portland, OR, the first year and then went on to win by a landslide in 2010 and 2011. The Beer City victories have certainly garnered Asheville's amazing craft brew scene some national attention, attracting big name brewers like Sierra Nevada, New Belgium and Oskar Blues, all of whom are opening up an east coast operation in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Learn more about Asheville's craft brew culture!

Yoga on the Lawn

2012-05-15T11:49:00.000-04:00

Asheville B&B Offers Unique Experiences For Guests.

The Hill House Bed and Breakfast Inn, located in the heart of Asheville, is offering some wonderful experiences for guests of their inn. Aside from their jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces (in most rooms), complimentary breakfast and bottomless cookie jar, they have also added some unique extras not always found at a B&B.

Yoga on the lawn: In partnership with Asheville Yoga Center, the inn offers morning yoga classes before breakfast (7:30 am - 8:30 am) for inn guests as well as local residents. Classes will be on Saturday, Sunday, and additionally either Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday and cost $10.

Badminton on the lawn: The same as above, but different. The game is reserved for inn guests.

"Junior Citizens" discount: In a twist from the typical "Senior Citizens" discount, Hill House is also extending a discount to adult guest parties whose average age is less than 30, opening the doors to a younger audience who may not think of a B&B as their first lodging choice.

Local Music: Each guest room comes with a number of CD's featuring local music from the mountains that can be enjoyed using the in-room CD players.

Book one of these great deals now!

Oskar Blues Brews

2012-05-14T14:33:00.000-04:00

Another Colorado Brewery Announces Move to the Mountains.

It's official! Oskar Blues Brewery has decided to open its doors in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Makers of the popular Dale's Pale Ale recently announced their plans to open shop in Brevard, NC, by December of this year. Lured in by the outdoor beauty of the mountains and the buzz surrounding the area's amazing craft beer scene, Oskar Blues has become the third big-name brewer to make a move to the region. The others include Sierra Nevada and New Belgium.

Oskar Blues started in 1997 as a small restaurant in Lyons, CO. Two years later, owner Dale Katechis transitioned the business to a brew pub and his beer started gaining a fan base. In 2002 he started packaging beer in cans for distribution and built up a national following. The east coast expansion will now help them build that fan base even more. Learn more about the brewery and their various accolades here.

Learn more about Asheville's craft brew culture.

Geek Out

2012-05-14T11:29:00.000-04:00

Photos of the Day: This past weekend, fans came out to celebrate their favorite fantasy genre at the first installment of GeekOut. The Renaissance Asheville Hotel hosted this multi-genre event that brought out the kid in everyone. Attendees enjoyed gaming lounges, costumed characters, live performances and even a zombie prom.

Check out these fandom images captured by Asheville photographer, Alan Hantz.

More of Alan's photos from this event can be found here.

Solar Pillar and Contrails... Oh My!

2012-05-11T16:05:00.000-04:00

AB Tech Institute of Climate Education Shares Latest Weather Fun Fact.

Western North Carolina has been enjoying some beautiful weather since the rain moved out on Wednesday. Those mostly clear skies set the stage for a beautiful sunset on Thursday evening – with some atmospheric optics to boot!

The image above was shot about 4 minutes after the sun dipped below the mountain last night. The high, thin, wispy clouds painted gold by the setting sun are called cirrus clouds and are made of ice crystals (as opposed to liquid droplets that makes up most other clouds, including the darker clouds to the right). Also visible are at least 10 contrails (short for condensation trails) produced by condensation of water vapor in the exhaust of aircraft jet engines.

The six-sided, plate-like ice crystals that form the cirrus clouds can create some very interesting optical phenomena, depending on how they are aligned within the clouds. In this case – the crystals are aligned horizontally, so that the light from the sun reflects off of the bottom side of the crystal, creating a vertical solar pillar. When the crystals are alligned vertically – we can see sun dogs (see the October 27, 2011 account here).

Are you interested in learning about severe weather? Join us on Saturday, June 2nd for a FREE Severe Weather Workshop. The Institute is hosting Basic and Advanced Skywarn severe weather spotter training by the National Weather Service from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm on the A-B Tech Asheville campus. While the event is offered free of charge, we are asking participants to pre-register by May 31st. For more information, visit the Institute’s website here. I do hope you’ll join us for this great opportunity!

Art Safari 2012

2012-05-10T16:51:00.000-04:00

Weaverville Art Safari Kicks Off This Weekend.

This weekend, take a driving tour to discover a number of working artist's studios (41 to be exact) in the quaint town of Weaverville, just north of Asheville. The Weaverville Art Safari is celebrating its eleventh year of showcasing local artists. The safari takes place this Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13, from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

Expect to find unique crafts like pottery, painting, fine jewelry and woodworking. Here's a complete list of artists.

A preview party is planned this Friday, May 11 at the Reems Creek Golf Course clubhouse from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM. Admission is $10.

Asheville's Hotel Indigo Rated #1

2012-05-10T12:22:00.000-04:00

Boutique Hotel in Downtown Asheville Rated Number One in North America.

Asheville's Hotel Indigo was just rated the number one hotel of all Indigos in the Americas. Based on guest satisfaction surveys over the course of three months, the Hotel Indigo Asheville has consistently scored higher than all others in terms of cleanliness, service, attention to detail and more.

"I am immensely proud of all the staff," said Susan Newton, Director of Sales for the Asheville Indigo. "Each one brings their personality to the core. This "core" creates synergies our guests get to experience. Each staff member is focused on details - to deliver an experience beyond expectation."

The Hotel Indigo has risen up against some other stellar Indigos, especially the one in Jacksonville, FL who has maintained the number one position for two years running.

Kudos to the entire Indigo team!

15 Ways to Experience Beer City USA

2012-05-09T10:28:00.000-04:00

Tours, Tastings and Tips in a Craft Beer Mecca.

Perhaps you have heard the buzz about Asheville's growing beer culture. A three-peat winner of the national Beer City USA poll, Asheville offers an abundance of activities based around brew. So what's a visitor to our craft beer mecca to do? We've compiled a list of the top ways to truly experience Asheville's craft beer scene. Click the link to learn more.

The Top 15 Ways to Experience Beer City USA

VOTE NOW!

Asheville is currently in the running for a fourth victory in the 2012 Beer City USA poll so be sure to vote here if you haven't already.

Asheville Bites and Sips

2012-05-08T11:27:00.000-04:00

Asheville's Food and Beer Scene Highlighted in Unique Culinary Event.

The Asheville Chamber of Commerce will host Asheville Bites & Sips, a unique culinary affair, on Thursday, May 17, at the Wilma M Sherrill Center at UNC Asheville.

Presented by Mission Health System, Asheville Bites & Sips is a casual evening celebrating local food and beer with a festival atmosphere. Tickets are $50 to enjoy food from 18 restaurants and beer from 7 breweries along with music and vendors. Purchase tickets online or call 828-258-6101.

Check out the line-up…

Breweries:

Highland Brewing Company
Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company
Oyster House Brewing Company
Craggie Brewing
Pisgah Brewing Company
New Belgium
Green Man

Restaurants:

Carmel's
Corner Kitchen
Storm Rhum Bar
French Broad Chocolate Lounge
The Lobster Trap
City Bakery Cafe
Plant Restaurant
Early Girl Eatery
Vincenzos Restaurant and Piano Bar
Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian
The Green Sage
The Chop House
Posana Cafe
Gypsy Queen Cuisine
The Junction
Sunny Point
Sazarac
Strada

Vendors:

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
WNCW
Biltmore
Wake Robin Farm Breads
Farm and Sparrow wood-fired craft bakery
On The Fly Asheville

Entertainment from local buskers:

Leo Johnson and the Space Heaters
Skinny Beats Drum Duo
Professor Whizpop

May Contest: Zip to the Moon

2012-05-03T12:59:00.002-04:00

First-Time Ever Zipline Delivery of the First Pitch.
The Asheville Tourists baseball team, in partnership with the Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures, have created an unprecedented way to deliver the first pitch. At each one of their home games, one lucky fan will ride a zipline from behind third base to home plate, where Tourist mascot, Mr. Moon, awaits their arrival.

Watch & Win!

Now you can soar across the tree tops with a dramatic view of downtown Asheville. We're giving away four passes for a zipline experience at the Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures. Plus you will also win tickets to see an Asheville Tourists baseball game. Want to win?
Enter here!

Shop Asheville Online!

2012-05-02T15:19:00.000-04:00

Asheville Visitor Center Opens Online Store.

Looking for some great Asheville souvenirs? While in town, you can find a wide selection of items at the Asheville Visitor Center. However, if you haven't had a chance to go by there, you can still get your hands on some great Asheville branded merchandise through a new online store!

Items currently available are hoodies, t-shirts, mugs and art. New items will be added to the list over time so stay tuned!

Here's a link to the store!

NC's First Wine Tap Room

2012-05-02T07:30:00.000-04:00

Asheville Wine Bar Taps Into Something Big.

Asheville's wine scene has something you won't find anywhere else in North Carolina. It's a new wine tap system, and it promises to be a game changer in the world of wine.

When Carla Baden, owner of Santé Wine Bar & Tap Room, discovered keg wine, she knew she was on to something big. After a brief remodel to install the new tap system, the keg wine is flowing, and the wine's flavor and quality is just as good, if not better, than wine from a bottle.

The benefits of tap wine are numerous. Wine lovers can now enjoy the highest quality wine available, as the tap wine has not touched air until poured into a glass. By using kegs, the cost of wine production is reduced and less waste is produced from glass, labels and corks. Also, kegs are reusable, making tap wines more eco-friendly than their bottled counterparts.

The best benefit is being able to taste the wine before you buy. There are currently 12 wine taps at Santé, and Baden plans to install more in the near future. Some of the wines featured are only available by the keg so be sure to visit this downtown hot spot to find your favorite. Also be sure to take home a beautiful Santé growler filled with your choice of tap wine. You can bring it back in for a refill!

Beer City USA Poll Now Open

2012-05-01T17:30:00.002-04:00

Vote Asheville for Beer City USA!

It's that time again! Online voting for the Beer City USA poll has officially started for 2012, and Asheville needs your support to put us back in the winner circle!

Asheville stands as reigning champ, having held the Beer City title for three consecutive years (the first year resulting in a tie with Portland, OR). This year, the competition is fierce with a number of new cities entering the race, each determined to take the crown. And who could blame them? The Beer City designation has certainly put Asheville's craft beer scene on the map, garnering the attention of major brewers such as Sierra Nevada and New Belgium. Both breweries recently announced plans to make the Asheville area their east coast home.

We want to keep the momentum going, so please, cast your vote for Asheville! The poll runs May 1-13 and you only get one vote per email/IP address.

Learn more about Asheville's craft beer culture, including a list of breweries, tours and brews news. Our online guide will give you all the information you need to make the most of your journey to Beer City USA.

Vote Here!

Help Asheville Win!

2012-04-27T10:53:00.000-04:00

Vote Asheville for Best of the Road: Most Beautiful

From coast to coast, America is full of beautiful scenery, but no place is more awe-inspiring than Asheville's Blue Ridge Mountains and the magical forests blanketing the region. From gorgeous waterfalls to scenic vistas you would be hard pressed to ever forget the beauty and life enriching experiences that the oldest mountains in the world offer.

If you have a special place in your heart for our purple mountains majesty, then tell the world by entering your review in the 2012 Best of the Road poll hosted by Rand McNally and USA Today. Here's what to do:

1. Follow this link for the Asheville nomination page, and then click the "Review & Vote" button.

2. Leave a brief description of why you love Asheville and then select "Most Beautiful".

3. Submit!

As always, we appreciate your support and love for our unique and vibrant city. Need more convincing? Check out these gorgeous photos from local photographers.

Vote here!

Biltmore Announces 2012 Concert Series

2012-04-26T09:43:00.000-04:00

Biltmore Summer Evening Concert Series Features All-Star Line-Up.

Music lovers take note, the 2012 Biltmore Summer Evening Concert Series will be lighting up the famed estate beginning this August. From the Motown hits of Mary Wilson (Supremes) to classic rock icons such as the Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton, this year's outdoor concert series offers something for all audiences.

Tickets for select shows begin on May 1 and are staggered throughout the months of May & June. Be sure to reference the Biltmore website for full details.

Concerts held on Biltmore's South Terrace
Performer		Performance Date	On Sale Date
	Steve Miller Band	August 9	Tickets on sale May 1
	Peter FramptonGrin & Bear It!	August 11	Tickets on sale May 1
	KC and the Sunshine Band — and — Village People	August 18	Tickets on sale May 15
	Alison Krauss & Union Stationfeaturing Jerry Douglas	August 24	Tickets on sale May 8
	Chris Tomlin Welcomed by 106.9 The Light	August 25	Tickets on sale May 15
	Foreigner	September 1	Tickets on sale May 22

Concerts held at Diana at Biltmore
Performer		Performance Date	On Sale Date
	The Lettermen	September 28	Tickets on sale June 5
	David Cassidy in Concert	October 5	Tickets on sale June 5
	Mary Wilson of the Supremes	October 12	Tickets on sale June 5
	Larry Gatlin &The Gatlin Brothers	October 19	Tickets on sale June 5

Learn more about Asheville's wide variety music festivals.

VIDEO: Green Dining Destination

2012-04-24T07:30:00.000-04:00

Asheville Leads America as Greenest Dining Destination.

As we reported a few months back, Asheville is gearing up to become the nation's greenest dining destination. Doing more than recycling and changing light bulbs, this city-wide initiative is being embraced by many of Asheville's independent restaurants.

The news has even caught the attention of Huffington Post who just published this article. Watch the video to learn more. Click here to see the list of participating restaurants.

Asheville Love

2012-04-23T11:41:00.000-04:00

Asheville Wins Most Romantic Destination in U.S. and Canada.

Great news! Asheville won the About.com reader's choice award for Most Romantic Destination in the United States and Canada. The competition was daunting for our small mountain town. Major destination such as Maui and Miami were also in the running, but in the end, Asheville loyalists showed their love for our city, and for that, we thank you!

Want to enjoy a little romance while in Asheville? Here are a few ideas to help you get started.

Asheville Earth Day: Win VIP Tickets!

2012-04-20T10:09:00.001-04:00

Free Festival in Downtown Asheville Celebrates Earth Day.

The 5th annual Asheville Earth Day Festival returns to downtown Asheville (Lexington Avenue) this Saturday, April 21, 2012. This free family-friendly festival (how's that for alliteration?) features musicians from various genres, eco-friendly speakers, a Kids Village, Eco Village, poetry contest and more.

Musicians for this year's festival include Mark Farina Mushroom Jazz, New Orleans Suspects, Floodwood (members of Moe), The Fritz, Underhill Rose and a Leaf in Schools and Streets Performance.

WIN TWO VIP TICKETS!
Want to attend the festival VIP style? The winner will enjoy a special "preferred viewing" area for the concerts, private bathrooms, snacks and discounted drinks. In the blog comments below, enter a number 1 through 500. The person who gets closest wins! This contest runs today only (Friday April 20, 2012) and a winner will be notified at 4:00 PM.

PHOTO FUN: Event organizers conducted a photography contest to celebrate Earth Day. Below are the beautiful shots that won. Enjoy!

Winner - People's Choice: Black Eyed Susan by Michael Bancroft

2 squirrels by Amelia Teale (Adorable!)

Blue Butterfly by Cameron Yeager

Cherry The Goat by Rachael Bliss

Green Creek by Karl Hinterkopf

Summer Sunflowers by Jenny Bowen

Hunger Games Itineraries

2012-04-19T17:45:00.000-04:00

Plan Your Visit to District 12 with Asheville's Hunger Games Guide.

Haymitch actor Woody Harrelson
takes a break with staff from Buchi.

Fans of The Hunger Games have multiple ways to go behind the scenes of this year's blockbuster hit movie. Visit the home of Peeta and Katniss, explore the magical forest used in the arena scenes and enjoy aerial shots of the reservoir seen in the cornucopia scenes.

We have four day-trip itineraries to choose from, including points of interest along the way. Use our mobile-friendly interactive map to chart your course or print out the pdf to have with you. Find it all here!

Also be sure to check out our Hunger Games packages, giving you 6 ways to experience the film.

Win a trip! We have extended our Watch and Win contest! Enter today for your chance to win a free survival getaway to Asheville! Contest ends April 30.