Asheville, Day 1: Road Trip & Reunion

I had some vacation days leftover from last year, so Duke and I decided to take some time off for a little vacation around my birthday!  We decided to spend a few days in Asheville, North Carolina, which seemed to have attractions we'd enjoy:  the Biltmore Estate and winery for me, the local breweries for Duke, and the local food scene for us both!

We left Franklin on a foggy, rainy morning, and made the drive in about 4 1/2 hours.  The mountains as we got closer to Asheville were beautiful, even with the nasty weather.

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We checked into our hotel that afternoon, the Aloft Asheville Downtown.  I've stayed at other Aloft properties before, and this one was on par with those!  What I really liked was the attached garage (easy access to come and go) and the location.  We were walking distance to so many restaurants and sights.

Our friends VV and JV live a couple hours from Asheville.  We lived in the same town in Georgia for a while, and we hadn't seen them in a year since they moved.  So when they heard we were in North Carolina, they made the drive to meet us for a late lunch.  They even brought their son, adorable little G!  I can't believe how much he's talking.

We had an awesome meal at the local Mellow Mushroom, which Duke and I love.  This particular restaurant was one of the most eclectic we've been to, and for a Mellow Mushroom that's saying something!  We had a delish Kosmic Karma pie.  The beer selection was great, and I got to catch the end of a tight NCAA game between Indiana and Temple.  I think the game almost gave me a heart attack, but my Hoosiers prevailed!

We also took little G to a park nearby, but it was really chilly.  So we snapped some photos, exchanged hugs, and said our goodbyes.

Duke and I grabbed a drink at the W XYZ Bar in our hotel, which always seems to be busy at night!  Again, I've seen this in other Alofts; it's a great thing to be able to relax at your hotel for the night and not have to drive anywhere.

Since it was a Sunday night, we headed up to our room to catch the second to last episode of this season's The Walking Dead!  Even on vacation, we had to get our zombie fix.  It was the perfect ending to a day of travel.