If you like history, you should definitely check out Silvermont. It's amazing how they are…read moreutilizing this historic mansion. You can take a tour of the preserved second floor. Please note, the tours are at select times on certain days. lol. We totally lucked out. The bottom has been converted to a senior center. What an amazing place for them to gather. There is a very short 1/2 mile paved path around the property. It was a very nice walk. I'm glad we had the opportunity to check this place out.

Dog bags? Check. Interesting swings, including a wheelchair one? Check. Free and well-used…read moretennis courts? Check, but maybe not for long. Clean restrooms, too. This treat of a place is a great resource for the city and visitors. The interior needs love, and currently looks like a turf war is going on.

This is a brand new sculpture in downtown Asheville that is now dubbed 'The Buskers Corner'…read more As the plaque says this sculpture was inspired by Asheville's vibrant street musicians and lively drum circles. I really like what this sculpture encapsulates. The artists Chukk Bruursema and Ash Knight did a phenomenal job! Love that they incorporated the dog as Asheville is a dog town!! Stop by and check it out!

Unique! Many cities have a standing piece of art or icon that easily lets you know where you are in…read morethe country! In New York it's the Charging Bull or the Statue of Liberty, in Chicago it's the giant silver bean or that crazy eyeball in Dallas/Fort Worth. For Asheville it's The Flat Iron, which is a not so obvious reference to the historic Flat Iron Building it stands beside. It also marks the entrance to the shop on Walls street such as Early Girl Eatery and often you will find street artists performing in front of it! On the day we visited we saw one of Asheville's most famous street performers by the name of Abby, the Spoon Lady along with Chris Rodrigues. See her story here: https://www.pbs.org/video/abby-the-spoon-lady-1cxpxe/ The Flat Iron, in my opinion, is special because of its simplicity. It matches the feel of Asheville which seems to have a natural & easy going pure feel to it, but has an iron or two in the fire. OR maybe, just maybe, it could also be for those who come to the city with a few kinks that need to be ironed out. I suspect a lot of people could use a good thorough press to smooth out some rough edges! 2018/82

One day, this sculpture of an iron will make sense to me. Today is not that day. It is a seven foot…read moretall iron, painted black, on the corner of Wall Street and Battery Park Avenue. Yes, it's in front of the Flatiron Building. But that can't possibly be it. Or can it?

This was a Sunday and we didn't check the hours beforehand, but it was not open. It was during the…read moreshutdown, but very disappointed. The OPEN sign was in the door and we walked over and waited to see if staff had just left momentarily. They had not.

This is truly a treasure in downtown Asheville. It's a historical site that encompasses the life of…read moreauthor Thomas Wolfe and his family. The tour operator was extremely knowledgeable and you could tell she has read many of his books. Even if you've never read any of his book or have never heard of him, you must go because you learn so much of how his life was and about that time period. It's an inexpensive way to spend a lovely afternoon. While we were there, the locals were having an outdoor market and that was great! Call to see when they will have that and you'll be able to do two things while you're there! The facility where you purchase the tickets is right next door and it has a free small museum if you don't want to purchase the tickets to tour the home. But, touring the home is well worth it!

This is a cool statue inside a cool park that I visited while we were in Asheville North Carolina…read more Stopped in here with my family for a quick trip they have a nice park here that I will review here shortly but the statue was there and it had a Lotta good representation and a Lotta good memories behind what this park stands for.

Had a good friend recently have an event here and her experience was not pleasant. The building was…read morevery dirty and there was poor communication with the Temple's contact while making several attempts. Very disappointed in the space, you should check out many other wonderful properties in town before considering this space.

I had no idea this place was going to be as cool as it was, on the inside. The usual irony with…read moreFreemasonry is that these devotees of sacred architecture and geometry meet so often in shabby anonymous buildings with plate glass windows and acoustic ceiling tiles. No such irony here, friends. This particular Masonic Temple is a glorious celebration of detail and craftsmanship. Even the fuse box is beautiful, sitting in plain sight in a glass box in the stairwell, like a lost Joseph Cornell piece. Each doorknob is emblazoned with symbolism in bas relief. The ceiling is expansive, with groined arches recalling classic cathedrals. The original elevator is working, although I think most Americans don't know how to use old-style elevators anymore. The staircase is wide, and recalls the "I don't give a damn" set from Gone With the Wind. The real treasure is the 3rd floor theater. A round, domed room with a curving balcony, painted in dusky pink, chalk blue, and gilt. The acoustics are great, considering the age of the building. The star of the theater is the gorgeous backdrops. So ridiculously gorgeous, they risk upstaging whomever's performing. I've heard folklore (unsubstantiated, but believable) that these backdrops, themselves, are worth millions of dollars on today's market. Layer upon layer of hand-cut, hand-painted detail, that catches the light in amazing, dramatic ways. If you've ever been to the cyclorama in Atlanta, you might recognize a similar style, although the subject matter here isn't military stuff--it's romantic, pastoral, mystical. If you ever get a chance to go to anything at the Masonic Temple, go. Just go. Drop everything and go. Find a babysitter. Cancel your appointments. Go. Especially if you know the event will take place on the 3rd floor. You will be mindblown with awesomeness.

When you're in Asheville, they say the Biltmore is a MUST! So we booked a couple tickets ($115 PP)…read morefor the regular grounds tour + wine tasting. It was the perfect day weather wise to tour through the estate inside and out. The place is massive! The closer you get the more small you feel and walking through from room to room you just can't believe how big and spacious it is. This was my first tour where they give you this phone that looks vintage or from the 80's and you click on each number and an audio guides you through each room and gives you the back story. It was quite amusing watching so many people walking around with these phones up to their ears while trying to take photos. Some of the rooms were so beautiful, the fireplaces and how well they preserved a lot of these super old things. It was a fairly busy afternoon but the pace was quite steady for a weekday so I'm glad we chose that over a weekend. After the tour inside we grab a bite and drink at the two places offered outside. Then we made our way through the gardens and just endless rows of tulips. Make sure you go through and down to go to the botanical gardens. Holy cow, this was place was insane and the plants and flowers were gorgeous. I gotta give it up for these landscapers and people that keep up with all of it. There were plants and flowers I've never seen before and then you get to one room where there's a violinist and that was such a nice touch. After that we hopped back into our car and strolled over to the wine tasting room and gift shop. They were very quick and efficient with how it was set up and with all these groups coming in at once. We got to taste 5 wines and ended up taking 2 bottles home. I would say be prepared to spend some money visiting the Biltmore Estate but it was totally worth it! We got some beautiful views and photos!

The Biltmore at Christmas is truly magical. The mansion is glowing with lights, and the…read morebeautifully manicured grounds make the entire property feel like a holiday dream. Inside, the decorations are absolutely stunning, with poinsettias and flowers everywhere and breathtaking Christmas trees in every room. Carolers and a harp player add to the festive atmosphere, making the experience even more special. The tour is very informative, and we loved learning about the history of the estate. There's also so much to enjoy around the property, including the gardens, winery, hotel, and restaurants. The gift shops are filled with wonderful keepsakes, too. This is one of my favorite places to visit and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful examples of ornamental architecture--especially during the magic of Christmas.

Located at the eastern end of the Pack Square closer to the City Hall building, the Western North…read moreCarolina Veterans Memorial has a circular concrete space with a woman sitting on a bench, looking at the bench. Modeled after the artist's mother, she is looking at the arch. Attached to each upright is the seal of each of the six branches of the military. Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force and Merchant Marines. The memorial reads, "Dedicated to those who gave us Peace, Liberty and Freedom and to the Veterans who have preserved it." The memorial was dedicated in 2009. The non-profit group behind the project gifted the memorial to the City of Asheville and Buncombe County in 2011. [Review 12693 overall, 5 of 2020.]

We had our first visit this evening to Biltmore. Considered America's Largest Home, this National…read moreHistoric Landmark and Vanderbilt home is decked out for the holidays, with Christmas trees, decorations, carolers and musicians. We had a timed ticket for 7:30, so we hung out in the shops until our appointed time. We were given audio wands and followed the signage. Even though there were a large amount of people, it is an enormous house with over 250 rooms and we never felt crammed. There were lots of stairs and we took the magnificent marble staircase up, and we also went down to the basement, through a stone tunnel and past an indoor pool and bowling alley. Our energy flagged about the time we were down in the kitchens. There are no bathrooms to use on the tour, you'll find them out by the shops. My favorite rooms were the Winter Garden, the Banquet Hall and the Library. There were roaring fireplaces in almost all of the rooms, and at this time of year, December, some of the rooms were cold and the basement was quite warm. I think winter is one of the best times to view Biltmore as George Vanderbilt opened the house for the holidays for friends and family to enjoy.

Biltmore Estate, what an amazing place to visit and explore. Coming in the gate and you get that…read morefirst veiw of the grandness of this estate. It feels like looking at a castle. We came during the Christmas season so we were able to see the estate decorated beautifully with Christmas trees throughout the entire estate. There was a Christmas tree and almost every room of the house. This was my second time here, but it still has that wow effect when you're walking throughout the estate in every room. You get a feel of what it must've been like to live in that era with all the extravagant amenities that they had.

98 steps. Not 100. I don't know why they missed this opportunity for a round number but I counted…read morethem going up and coming back down, getting the same. 98 steps. However, you can drive to the top where there is parking. If you do that, you'll miss the Jackson County Confederate Memorial that is midway on the stairs. The Historical Jackson County Courthouse is a 1913 Classical Revival structure that towers on a hill above and at the end of Sylva's main street. It has served here until 1994 when the new Justice Center opened a couple of miles away. It sat unused for several years until it was refreshed and restored, reopening in 2011 as the Jackson County Public Library complex that includes the Jackson County Historical Association, the Genealogical Society, and the Arts Council. Two stories and constructed of painted brick, it has a monumental portico at the front with large classical columns and is topped with a three-stage cupola above the central block. If you've been to Marshall NC, it does look a lot like the Madison County Courthouse. [Review 531 of 2026 - 4626 in North Carolina - 25713 overall]

All those stairs!!!! They just call to be climbed!! It's a 55 ft elevation gain…read more It's very pretty from the bottom and from the top of the stairs. Take a moment to notice the Mountain View's. It's just lovely. Don't want to climb those stairs? Don't worry you can get to the Library and Courthouse by car.