The week after we got back from the Outer Banks, I decided to check the guesthouse we usually stay at in Asheville when we visit to see if they had any availability this fall. I knew it was a long shot, since it’s peak color season but I tried anyway. And there was a room! One room for the following weekend, and at an unbelievably low rate (turns out there’d been a glitch in their system that allowed me to book at almost 50% off!). I booked and we were all set to spend a mid-October weekend in the lovely mountain town.

We arrived around 8pm on Friday at our guesthouse. Asheville Hostel and Guesthouse is located right downtown and is no frills but all the rooms are private and clean. Oh, and it’s incredibly cheap compared to hotels in the area. And considering we stayed in a hut in the jungle of Cambodia with no running water during our honeymoon, it’s safe to say we don’t have to stay in luxurious accommodations when we travel. 😉

We had called ahead to the Bull and Beggar restaurant which is in the River Arts District and asked about their wait time for a table for two. What Sean heard as “10-15 minutes” turned out to be 10:15pm for next availability. The host was incredibly snooty about it. But seriously, who tells you the next available time for a table when you specifically ask how LONG the WAIT is? Ugh.

We had a backup for dinner but grabbed a beer at The Wedge since it was right next door. Dinner was at Gan Shan Station, an Asian-fusion restaurant. I loved all the jars of housemade goodies and pickles lining the walls. The coconut butternut squash soup was incredible – one of those dishes I must figure out how to make at home. Creamy, luxurious flavors but not too heavy…it was wonderful. The sweet and spicy Korean wings were also good, but Sean’s Drunken Noodle dish was weird with the alkaline noodles in it. My turmeric chicken curry was good, but the rice was completely dried out – I know it was the end of the night, but that was still pretty annoying.

It was cool to try this place and I’d definitely recommend it for the small plates and the curry – and probably earlier in the evening.

We went for one beer at Hi-Wire Brewing, since it was one block away from our guesthouse. I had a double IPA and Sean had a stout. Solid beers, and with a seat facing the street this was a great way to end our first night.

Saturday morning had us up early and out the door after a quick breakfast of oatmeal at the guesthouse. I had found Catawba Falls Trail via RomanticAsheville.com and it looked awesome so Sean put in the coordinates and we drove into the mountains to the trailhead. The drive beautiful – we were on a windy road that offered plenty of colorful trees, mountain views and then gorgeous valley scenes as we descended. We drove by a home with a large front porch and a husband and wife were enjoying coffee in their rocking chairs. They waved at us as we drove past. So quaint!

Turns out the coordinates were for the actual waterfall and not the trailhead, so we referred back to the written directions. If we’d followed them, we’d have gotten there faster but we wouldn’t have gotten the scenic drive. Sometimes it pays to get a little lost!

The trail passed by stone foundations and a dam that was used for power generation in the early 1900s – very cool! They are adding more footbridges over the stream in various places but we still had to cross on foot in some spots which was fun.

There hasn’t been a ton of rain in the region so the falls were not as bustling as the photos online had showed but it was still beautiful! A great hike for us.

After the hike, we drove down to Sierra Nevada’s behemoth facility for lunch and exploring. This place blew my mind – it’s so big and the grounds are beautiful, complete with gardens, hiking trails, outdoor bars and patio, and an amphitheater.  We had a yummy lunch of veal meatballs with fresh basil and semolina gnocchi; pear and blue cheese salad with local greens and a pale ale vinaigrette; and a butternut squash and fennel flatbread. This place is about a 20-minute drive outside of Asheville and is totally worth checking out. It’s very family-friendly, too.

We headed back to the guesthouse to shower and get ready to explore in the city. The weather was perfect – sunny and about 75 degrees. We walked to Twin Leaf Brewery and shared a flight. Some unique tastes were the Basil Belgian Trippel and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Milk Stout. 

We then headed over to Burial Beer Co. and I was simply amazed at how great all the beer was. We stayed here for a while and had a few favorites: Chocolate Raspberry Porter (yes, it was as good as it sounds), Hawkbill IPA (juicy and bright), and Adoration of the The Mystic Lamb (brett saison). Sean also had a Thai Iced Tea-style ale. So creative!

About 4 years ago, me and my friend Hayley came to Asheville and visited a friend of mine from high school who lived here and he took us to the SkyBar for the killer views. I decided Sean needed to have this experience and we timed it for sunset. It was spectacular and made even better by being in an old, historic building with an old-school elevator that needed an operator. Such a fun and unique experience. And you really can’t beat the views! It’s a must if you’re in Asheville.

One of my favorite food blogs, A Spicy Perspective, is written by a woman who lives in Asheville and she dedicated a post to good spots to go in town. One restaurant on that list was Rezaz Mediterranean, and it’s where we went for dinner Saturday night. It’s a little outside of downtown, in the Biltmore Village (which is also charming and worth visiting) but we were able to get there quickly and cheaply with Uber. The food was pretty good. We started with a halloumi salad (halloumi is a hard Greek cheese that’s often grilled) and friend manchego cheese with raspberry. Very tasty. The wine list was great – I had a Rioja and Sean had a Cotes-du-Rhone. My main dish was the beef tenderloin with asparagus and a potato gratin. Solid, but not particularly memorable. Sean’s smoked duck with blue cheese risotto and pomegranate was far more interesting although the smokiness level was too much for me. All in all, a good experience.

After dinner, we Uber’d back downtown and went to the Funkatorium to try some sour brews. We liked most things we had with the Montmaretto being the clear favorite. A sour ale brewed with cherries, this was funky, tart and very fruity. 

We walked around a bit more after this before deciding to have a nightcap at Wicked Weed Brewing. We were surprised to see it take on more of a nightclub or “late night” vibe, with security out front checking IDs and a big, noisy crowd inside. We got our beers, sat down and relaxed with some very interesting people-watching. Ha!

Although we had to head home on Sunday, we made the most of it by not leaving until mid-afternoon. After a quick stop at Ultra Coffee Shop in the River Arts District, we went outside of Asheville to Shoji Spa and Retreat.

From their site:

Shoji  is an upscale, unpretentious destination spa nestled on a mountainside minutes from the vibrancy of downtown Asheville.  Along with traditional Japanese bathing and soaking, guests enjoy elegant slate showers, luxurious spa products, and don a Japanese yukata (cotton robe) and sandals before retiring to their private hot tub in a natural wooded setting.  Guest amenities include the dry cedar sauna and invigorating cold plunge for contrast therapy.  The spa focuses on couple’s treatments, utilizing the skills of over twenty-five world class massage therapists. 

I booked us the “Double the Fun” package which included an hour in our own private, outdoor hot tub, cedar sauna, cold plunge pool, Japanese aromatherapy shower, and a 50-minute couples’ Zen Massage. I cannot say enough about this place. What a gem. We would definitely return!

With Atlanta’s Staplehouse claiming Bon Appetit’s top spot on their list of Best New restaurants in America 2016, we were well aware of Asheville’s Buxton Hall Bbq‘s #9 spot on that same list. Naturally, we had to check it out. It wasn’t too busy for lunch around 12.30pm and we were seated right away. I’d read that the sides were the star of the show so Sean and I were both excited to try them. We started with the hushpuppies, which were very light and had jalapeno inside. Yum.

Sean had a brisket sandwich which was a special. His sides were the chicken bog (a mix of rice, chicken and chopped veggies with hot sauce) and the lima and pinto beans. I thought they were just ok but his brisket was incredible. I got the Crispy Fried Buttermilk Chicken sandwich with pimento and American cheeses, white bbq sauce and butter pickles. It was amazing. The chicken was crispy and juicy. Honestly, I think it didn’t need either cheese and would have been best with simple the bbq sauce and the pickles. Next time. The collards were not good – they tasted sweet to both me and Sean! Weird. Our server was nice enough to take them off our bill.

The verdict? The sides didn’t stand out at all but the meat was AMAZING. So it’s worth going. And the meat portions are big enough that with a starter of hushpuppies, you’ll be plenty satisfied. The vibe is cool, too. Open concept, including the kitchen. I can see dinnertime being loud, a little rowdy and a lot of fun.

We swung by Burial Beer Co. for a half-pour of our favorites from the day before – Hawkbill for Sean and Adoration of the Mystic Lamb for me – and then headed back to Atlanta in the Golden Nuggett.

Until next time, Asheville. You are truly lovely.