The North Carolina Arboretum

Welcome to my completely unorganized but oh-so-helpful map of Asheville and Black Mountain! An absolute smorgasbord of my own travels and research, suggestions from friends and strangers, and many treasures found along the way, this is where I compile all things Asheville for my future trips and yours. Things I particularly love that you’ll find a lot of: ☕️ Coffee shops & bakeries 🌮 Local cuisine 🏛️ Museums of all kinds 🌳 Gardens & parks 🛏️ Boutique hotels 🍕 Small regional chains with good reputations All my guides in this category are $5 per 100 places included, but since I add to these constantly, you can lock down the lowest price today and gain a lifetime access!

This itinerary provides suggestions for Asheville and three small towns - Hendersonville, Flat Rock, and Saluda - located in the surrounding area. It also recommends a few outdoor activities for those interested! Asheville is much more famous than the small towns, but for a complete picture of Western North Carolina, I highly recommend that you venture further afield.

This one is for all you military folks moving back and forth from San Diego (or Ventura) CA to Norfolk, VA. This guide also works in reverse if you are moving west. The overall route takes Highways 8, 10, 40, 81, and 64. Google says this is the fastest and most fuel efficient route. Each driving day will be approximately ~6 hours. 2,730 miles, 7 days. If you’re into travel hacking try to pick one hotel chain to stick with. I have one Hilton family hotel and one Marriott family hotel for each destination, as well as a La Quinta hotel because they are great for traveling with pets and generally a cheaper option.