10 Best in Asheville

1. Biltmore Estate
The Land Rover Experience Driving School offers one- and two-hour lessons to not only show how the SUVs operate off-road, but also to teach valuable driving techniques.

2. The Orange Peel
This music venue has built itself into one of the best places to hear live performers in the South.  Bob Dylan, Ziggy Marley, and Wilco have all sold out shows here.

3. Jack of the Wood Pub
In a town quickly  becoming famous for microbrews, this pub stays packed just about every night of the week.  Some believe it is because of the musicians performing impromptu jams on guitars and  fiddles.  We say it’s because there’s always plentiful flavors of local-favorite Highland Brewery beers on  tap.

4. Tupelo Honey Cafe
A downtown standard for breakfast (served all day) and lunch, you will not be disappointed by the comfort food-filled menu. Try the fried green tomatoes and the Nutty Fried Chicken.

5. Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company
This local microbrewery and pizza joint also features a one-screen theater that shows movies four times daily.

6. Spa at the Grove Park Inn
Step into the spa, and you'll feel like you're entering an underground grotto.   The tranquil seclusion does mental wonders when you're wanting to just escape.  You'll be so relaxed after a plunge in the waterfall whirlpool, that you may  even forget you have a scheduled treatment.

7. 12 Bones Smokehouse
The blueberry chipotle ribs are the triumph at this lunch-only restaurant (open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) located in the River Arts District of town.  Tip: Locals start lining up early just to get a seat.

8. American Folk Art
This shop on the edge of downtown displays some of the best contemporary Southern folk artists and North Carolina potters.

9. Chocolate Fetish
The owners import chocolates from Belgium, Germany, and Venezuela when creating their masterful bites. Want to know the perfect chocolate to pair with beer? Try the Sweet and Stout, a semi-sweet truffle finished with Guiness.

10. Princess Anne Hotel
While it occupies in a  historic boarding house, there’s nothing floral or stuffy about the Princess Anne’s clean design and modern amenities.  And dollar for dollar, this boutique hotel cannot be beaten.