CARY LIVING

Couples --

A visit to the Biltmore Estate, one of the most iconic American mansions, should be at the top of anyone's visit to Asheville. The Chateauesque-style mansion was built in the late 19th century by George Washington Vanderbilt II and remains the largest privately-owned house in the United States. Stay at the Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate Park and walk to the Biltmore, the Winery, and three on-site restaurants. It's a "central to everything location" and offers packages including Biltmore admission, breakfast and cocktail hour, and estate shuttle service. Check out their special events calendar at biltmore.com.

If you seek the full B&B experience, The Biltmore Village Inn is a 19th-century Victorian mansion tucked away 1n a neighborhood just uphill of Biltmore Village (and not far from the Biltmore Estate, too); if you're seeking the opposite, 8,!llll Hotel offers ultra-modern, high-tech lodging in the heart of downtown. Or save a few bucks and choose the Bohemian option: reserve a private room - definitely a private room, 1f this is a romantic getaway - at Sweet Peas Hostel on Rankin Avenue downtown.

The sprawling North Carolina Arboretum, which neighbors the Blue Ridge Parkway JUSt southwest of town, features delicate bonsai trees, native azaleas, and a dedicated holly garden.

© 2017 CARY LIVING

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Date: Location:

Tuesday, August 01, 2017 RALEIGH, NC

Circulation (OMA): Type (Frequency): Page: Section: Keyword:

25,000 (N/A) Magazine (6Y) 74,75,76,77,78 .... Main Aloft Asheville Downtown

Sit together by the water in the stream garden or on a blanket in the forest meadow. Or simply meander and let your conversation do the same.

In north Asheville and adjacent to UNC-Asheville is the smaller Asheville Botanical Garden. Its footpaths make for easy streamside strolls, and its gazebo and grassy meadows are excellent places to while away the time, so as long as you don't mind the occasional wandering undergrad. It's the ideal spot to take a moment away from the city for relative quiet and privacy without actually leaving it.

Do go chasing waterfalls- in fact. dedicate the better part of your day to the simple junction of gravity and water. Many of these cascades are a decent drive from Asheville, but it's still a good home base for those seeking whitewater views.

Seek Highway 64 southwest of Asheville in Brevard and the Lake Toxaway area, a region rich with waterfalls. Or get on the Blue Ridge Parkway - we recommend driving up Town Mountain Road, which starts at the edge of downtown and features views of the city some of the way up - and pick a direction. North is the popular Linville Falls or the spectacular Crabtree Falls, while three waterfalls are accessible from Craggy Gardens. For a half-day guided tour which ventures to at least three waterfalls, try Tumblestone Tours; contact Keith at kgy@bel I south. net.

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