Places to visit in Ashville NC and Greenville SC

[C Squared]

ife and I will be heading down to these areas the last week of February. Have interviews with recruiters, but of course a live music scene and a place to shoot are as important as work. No point in leaving if there is no life to be had.

So, is there any places worth checking out or staying away from? Good shops to check out and visit? Local range where a non resident maybe can shoot for a bit?

Music and restaurants? I don't mind a "dive" if they support local music. Here at least once a week I venture out to check out some metal, rock, punk, blues, and some jazz. Sadly most of the bands get paid **** unless they're doing covers, and even then. I try and buy shirts or cds from any band that is decent since I know up here they're lucky if they got enough to cover gas and parking sometimes.

 

[Zeman]

Biltmore.......

 

[ladder13]

My observations from a few visits.
The Omni Grove Park Inn, Pisgah National Forest, Biltmore.
Downtown Asheville is hoppin', lots of cultural goings on.
Some say it's San Fran East. Good or bad, it's a personal choice.
Dress warm, the weather varies a bit, it could snow/rain at any time, it's in the mountains after all.

 

[Dueeast]

Yes, While in Ashville, The Biltmore estate. Awesome architecture and there is a winery there also.

 

[C Squared]

We thought about the Biltmore but decided to pass this visit. Seems like you can easily spend two or three days there alone and still have more to see.

 

[Badger Matt]

Downtown Greenville's a nice area to eat and drink...and grab a good bottle of moonshine from Dark Corner Distillery after taste-testing. I'd definitely spend an hour at Cabela's while you're here.

 

[SC_Mike]

Do check out downtown Greenville, Main Street. Nice restaurants, brewery, bars. Try to catch a show at the Peace Center if you can.

Another vote for Biltmore in Asheville too. Check out the farm while there.

 

[Hack]

It's Asheville, with an 'E'. I would recommend taking the trolley tour. They'll tell you why it has an E, and you'll get a good look at the architecture and history. Down town Asheville is very walkable. Lots of places to dine. Unfortunately after spending almost a week there, I never found a good breakfast at any of the local places.

 

[cttechguy]

I would suggest a real estate agent, Wow Wish I was in your shoes. We are also planning a trip this spring to the Greenville area. Retirement is 4 years 4 mounts and 2 days, but who's counting. One of my co-worker's said Allen Arms in Greenville was a fun place to check out. Lots of things that we here in CT had taken away from us. Enjoy the weather should be better then here .

 

[gordon21]

Asheville: Biltmore estate for sure. $55 per person admission, but it is incredible. The biggest private home/castle in the USA open to the public.
You can spend 10 hours there and still not see all the things you should
Music: check out the Orange Peel downtown. See website.
Gun Range: On Target on Sweeten Creek road. Check their website. They close one day and some nights are exclusively for competition/police. About 4 miles from downtown. Used to be $8 per hour range time. Newly renovated range with proper ventilation.
Bars: Over 20 local microbreweries. Not quite Seattle, but very close. Most are downtown or within a 2 miles of downtown.
Bring a car. Public transportation for a tourist is virtually non-existent.
Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT park illegally or in a no parking zone for even 30 seconds. You will be towed before the engine starts to cool off. $300 fee and your car will be a couple miles away impounded. Cash only to get it out. The towing situation is so bad that they ran sting operations and they caught two towing companies last year towing (stealing) cars that were legally parked and paid. You will see info about the Tunnel Road area. Ignore. It's the same 65 chains and malls you have at home. It's fine for lodging though.
For a first time quick visit, Biltmore and downtown.


Greenville: The downtown area is the place to go for restaurants, microbreweries and entertainment. Make sure to use public parking towers. Safe to walk downtown.

Feel free to PM me with questions.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Asheville. BBQ at Twelve Bones.

 

[Frizzman]

The Confederate Museum in Greenville is worth a visit. It's not big but the artifacts on display are very interesting.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

My favorite place to visit in that area is Virginia or Tennessee.

 

[rwsmith]

Biltmore, Pisgah and....

Biltmore House, Pisgah and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Pisgah is a nice drive with several roadside stops, waterfalls, etc.

 

[Ranger17]

just moved back to WI after being in SC for 6 years, we'd make frequent trips up to Greenville as we enjoyed it's Main St (restaurants/pubs, the park on the river, etc as it's quite walkable).
I know Palmetto State Armory built a store in Greenville (near the Cabelas i believe); and that PSA location should have a range as well. If it's like the one in Columbia, rentals would be available.

I'd also say to hit the Biltmore, but unfortunately that was one of those things we always said "we'll get up there next time" and now that we're back in WI it's a wee bit more of a drive to get there lol. We always heard Asheville had a cool music/art vibe to it.

 

[16thVACav]

Shame you won't be there this weekend. The South Carolina Arms Collectors Association show in Greenville is always a great one!

 

[model70hunter]

Been to both, spent many a business trip to Greenville. Nice folks, good food and waling main street is like a 1950's trip to town. Nice.

And now I see above that they have built a Cabelas since my last trip 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[C Squared]

Lots of great info here. Thanks all!!

 

[ladder13]

If time permits, a side trip through the Smokies would be worth doing. We drove down to Cherokee and entered the park at the southern end, great roads to drive, and lots to see. There's a few places to see elk in the park, we did so near Maggie Valley.

 

[msinc]

There is supposed to be {I say it that way because I haven't been able to positively nail down exactly where} a 100 or so acre forest that is all virgin timber somewhere in that area. I was told it was set up like a park and you can walk through and see some of the very extremely few trees that have never been cut down east of the Mississippi. This place might be somebody's dream or it might no longer exist. I heard it was private land that may have been given to the state when the owner died. Anyone out there know of hear of a place like this??? The way it was described , open forest of 150 ft tall trees would make it an interesting place to visit. See the woods the way the first explorers saw it.