Last year I made a list of the top cities on wanted to visit and Ashveille was high on the list for many reasons. Friends had talked up this place many times but ironically I hadn’t seen a ton of photos of Asheville. It was my 6 year anniversary weekend that I planned this trip and I was super excited but I also didn’t want to break the bank. Thankfully, Ashveville is very affordable if you plan ahead! These are the best ways to save money and enjoy the city :
#1: Brewery Tours
Asheville is a huge beer town, known for big companies and local craft beer places as well. I personally hate the taste of beer, but love the atmosphere of breweries. The best part is majority of the companies have tours that they offer that allow you to try their beer without actually buying any. This allows you to really experience a huge aspect of the city but at an affordable cost. Tour cost: $0
The beautiful interior of Sierra Nevada Brewery
Such a super informative tour that went into lots of details about how they not only make their beer but also how they do as much as they can to benefit the environment and the city of Asheville. For those of you like me who aren’t the biggest beer lovers, try the Otra Vez beer. Also if you happen to go at a tour around lunch time, they have a great restaurant inside! Their duck fries are some of the best fries I’ve ever had.
Bike and Circus theme are two things that make New Belgium Brewery unique
One of the funniest tours I’ve ever been on. The group was a little bit larger than the other one, but you could really tell the love the company not only has for beer but for their workers as well. It’s super close to downtown that you could walk or even bike their depending where you are staying.
Pro Tip: Book your tours at least a month or two in advance because they book up quick! Make it the first thing you do because you can always cancel last minute and not feel guilty because they don’t cost anything!
#2: Splurge on the Food not the Hotel
The food scene in Asheville is amazing. So many delicious restaurants to choose from with quality food at affordable prices. In my opinion, the best way to save money on the weekend is on the hotel. You don’t need to stay in a super cute airbnb or an amazing hotel to get the most of your time in Asheville. I stayed at the Downtown Inn and Suits for $77 a night and it was exactly what I needed, a bed, a sink, a shower and a tv. It included the bare minimum so we could use our money to feed our stomach’s. Also knowing ahead of time that food was our top spending, we decided to make breakfast ahead and not spend on it. I am a huge breakfast lover and it was hard to want to try all the amazing breakfast/brunch places, but I had a delicious meal and didn’t break the bank. Here are some of the best places we tried:
Lunch:
The Billy Ocean, Grandberry and Sauti tacos at the delicious Taco Billy’s
A local spot that is very small and intimate, but 100% delicious. Any taco lovers weather it be breakfast or normal would love this place. I am not a vegetarian but I was very close to ordering one of those tacos because every single taco looked appetizing. Even if you are super hungry, only go for 2 tacos because they are quite filling.
Right in the heart of downtown, this place is known for its beer but everyone should also know they have some amazing food as well. Delicious pub food with a wicked atmosphere. The seating outside is lovely and I love that it is dog friendly because everyone in the city brings their pups.
Dinner:
The Patas Bravas and Canelones de Carne at Curate
A delicious Span inspired Tapas place that has a super cool atmosphere. Located right in the heart of downtown, their new expansion allows even more people to enjoy not only their food but their great wine selection as well. My Atlanta natives, the best comparison is Barcelona, but I think even more selective. They take reservations so make sure and have it be the first think on your list!
Most people know this Iconic restaurant for it’s breakfast menu, but let me be one to say that their dinner menu is just as phenomenal. We went in on a Saturday night at 6pm and were able to get a table in less than 5 minutes for 2 people. Since it was dinner time the atmosphere was great and they had some great cocktails. I got the stuffed tilapia and it was amazing.
#3: Hit Up the Hiking & Waterfalls
Asheville is tucked away at the foothills of the Appalachian Trail and just outside the city there are amazing trails, mountains, and waterfalls to see. Rain or shine these places are beautiful and are what make Asheville special inside and outside the city. Each place to get to is less than an hours drive so the best thing to do is pack a lunch and make a half day trip out of it! These are the best hikes close to the city:
Mount Pisgah: Less than 40 minutes outside the city, this beautiful Mountain has a great trail for those avid hikers and when you get to the top there is an amazing view that can’t be beat. I even had a friend get proposed to at the top of the mountain on new years day, that’s how stunning of a place it is!
Dupont State Park: A great recommendation by a friend. This is about an hour away from the city and be warned it involves some back roads and there is not cell service there. {which I think is a blessing} I recommend doing the trail that involves seeing Triple Falls and High Falls first then ending with Hooker falls. Those are just a few of the amazing waterfalls.
Looking Glass Falls: One of the most well known waterfalls by the locals and for good reason. If you are not a hiker then this is your best bet. It’s right off the highway and takes less than 10 minutes to reach! About a 45 minute drive from the city!
#4: Spend the Money for Biltmore Estate
The beautiful architecture outside the Biltmore Estate
Everyone recommended visiting the Biltmore but the ticket was super expensive and at first I was very hesitant to splurge. But, after I did visit I would say you 100% got my money’s worth. If you can swing going on a 3 day weekend so you can purchase a ticket on an off day it would save you even $10. Also feel free to use this link from my school system to get an extra $10 off. Click here.
Right now they have an exhibit about the Titanic which was super fascinating about how it impacts the history of this beautiful house. This coming summer they have works of Chihuly sculptures as their new exhibit.
The best part of visiting was all the things they have to do outside of the house. On the land of the Biltmore, is miles and miles of hiking and trails you can explore. Make sure when you visit you pack a lunch and enjoy on the beautiful gardens. And you absolutely must go to the FREE wine tasting you get with your admission. It was delicious wine and our server was very knowledgable!
