I smile when guests ask...."Is there anything to do in your area?" My reply is usually...."Do you have a month, six weeks?" 

You could easily spend a month in Black Mountain and not see everything there is within an hour and half!  It depends what your interests are.

Our little town in chock-full of wonderful little shops and delicious dining spots. We have almost any kind of dining you can imagine - from casual Italian to upscale. You can easily spend an entire day taking in all the artisians' offerings in the shops- and will probably need another one to return to your favorites. Guests are always amazed that Black Mountain has three live-music venues. If you're visit is over a Monday, don't forget to take in the mountain music on McCoy Cove. June through August, the town hosts free Concerts in the Park at Lake Tomahawk. Every Friday night,  there's family friendly Country Music Night just down the mountain in Old Fort - where you can see 3-4 generations performing on the stage. Historic Montreat is just 2 miles up the road and hosts the Kirkin' O' The Green in May, has the beautiful Chapel of the Prodigal, 10 Thousand Villages Shop and the beautiful campus of Montreat College.  It also has wonderful hiking.

If being pampered is your thing...we have wonderful licensed massage therapists and our newly opened Solstice Salon Spa just down the street from our Inn!

There's always the fabulous Biltmore Estate. Plan on at LEAST two days. Most people aren't aware that if you go in after 3:00pm, they automatically give you a free pass for the next day! I suggest seeing the house the first day (& do not do this without the headphones tour!) and maybe one of the gardens. My guests say they love going on the house tour after 3pm...because the crowds are beginning to thin out!  The second day do the winery, wine tasting, horse barns and the rest of the gardens. If you live within driving distance - plan on upgrading your entrance pass to a years' pass! This place is absolutely beautiful, no matter what time of year!

I would also highly recommend the 2 hour Trolley Tour of Asheville. You can get tickets (& be picked up) at the Asheville Visitors' Center. This gives you a great overview of the city. It's filled with lots of history and allows you to get a feel for areas you would probably want to visit.

Make sure you take in the the Grove Park Inn on your visit! You can go in and see how the rich and famous live! The main lobby is incredible - plus the Inn houses about 5 great restaurants and the largest spa in the Americas. And it cost nothing to look! The view from the Terrace or the Blue Ridge Dining Room is wonderful, especially at sunset! If you're here during the Christmas holidays - take in the mind-boggling Gingerbread House contest. There's also an antique car museum and a street of incredible shops adjacent to the Inn.

The same family that built the Grove Park Inn was responsible for the recently restored Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville. It's a beautiful building that now houses numerous shops and dining establishment on the first floor.

An attempt to take in all the shops and dining that downtown Asheville boasts - you'd need at least a month! Asheville has become internationally recognized for its' emphasis on the arts. It's been dubbed "The Paris of the South".Theater, live music venues...and local street musicians add to it's ambience. There are certain streets that make you feel you've stepped back in time! The burgeoning River Arts District is becoming a focal point in the arts community. The list could go on and on!

We haven't even begun to list all the area attractions....Chimney Rock...Grandfather Mountain...Mt Mitchell (the highest point, east of the Mississippi)...the incredible Folk Art Center... Pack Place that is home to the Asheville Art Museum, Colburn Gem and Mineral Museum. Diana Wortham Theater, YMI Cultural Center and the kid-friendly Health Adventure....Western Carolina Nature Center...Billy Graham's The Cove...Western North Carolina Air Museum..the Thomas Wolfe House...Hot Springs outdoor spas..Carl Sandburg's home...the famous Flat Rock Playhouse.

If gardening interests you....The North Carolina Arboretum is getting international attention, check here for the January 2008 Schedule. There's the Botanical Gardens...and numerous offerings in the area for education and lectures. Our nationally acclaimed Farmers Market is open 7 days a week. Don't forget our area is known for apples - whether you want to pick your own or pick up a bushel. Fraser firs are grown in our area and many have made it a holiday tradition to come and make choosing a tree a family tradition!

Festivals? We could go on for an hour and not cover all the area festivals. Black Mountain is home for the annual Sourwood Festival - it's largest Art & Music gathering. There's also the Halloween Pumpkin Festival. Storytelling weekends are becoming popular as well as the music and theater offerings at our local Black Mountain Center for the Arts. We've become nationally recognized for the February Black Mountain Marathon and Mt Mitchell 42 Mile Challege races. The Fall and Spring Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) has a mind-boggling line up of musicians each year for the four-day weekend festival.  Throw in Asheville's well-known Bele Chere Festival,  The Southern Highland Craft Guild's Festival, New Years' Eve First Night Celebration and the rest - and you can plan on attending some festival almost any weekend of the year!

Keep in mind...this is only a PARTIAL listing of things to do. Call and we'll try to make your stay a memorable one!