While the Biltmore Estate may be the main draw as to why I love to revisit Ashville over and over again, I also never miss a chance to stroll through downtown Asheville when I visit as well. It’s a small town nestled in the middle of mountains and is a vibrant spot for food, shopping and walking along the streets. From my house I drove straight to downtown as my hotel room would not be ready until 4:00 p.m. I got into downtown around 11:00 and enjoyed walking around the city as it was beginning to wake up.
My first stop was the Lexington Park Antiques store. The store was located in an old Vanderbilt Shirt Co. factory that has been closed for probably decades, but because it was an old factory that meant that the space was very large and open and full of antiques and treasures to look at.
One thing that I often don’t see as much in antique stores are teapots, so I was happy to see that they actually had a good collection at this store and I also bought one to bring home for myself.
After the antique store I took a walk through the Grove Arcade which is a beautiful building that is filled with shops and restaurant, but the true charm is all of the Architectual details throughout. The Grove Arcade was built back in 1920 and has served many purposes throughout the decades including retail, a national weather records center and then finally a public market.
After the antique shopping and arcade, it was time for lunch. There are many great restaurants to choose from in Downtown Asheville, but today I wanted to go to Isa’s Bistro as they are a French inspired restaurant. The decor is very much a French chic style which I enjoy and their food is always so good. I got their lobster grilled cheese and frites and it was a nice lunch for my afternoon.
After lunch I walked around and did some boutique shopping. I love perusing the different boutiques in small towns, especially the ones that are independently owned. I saw some lovely things and even ended up purchasing a beautiful silk scarf from one of the shops.
After shopping I went to one of my favorite places in Downtown Asheville, French Broad Street Chocolate. I always stop in for an iced latte and dessert as their chocolate is so good and made local. I also picked up a box of their signature truffles as well.
After that, I mostly just walked around the town popping in and out various places. Here are a few last pictures that I took along the way. If you are planning a trip to Asheville to visit the Biltmore, try to make some time to also visit the downtown area of Asheville as well. The drive is an easy and short one from the Biltmore and it is worth making the trip as downtown Asheville truly has something for everyone to enjoy.
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