travel & lifestyle blog by carly Barnes kibler
While the weather forecast predicted rain all day, we were able to enjoy our time at Sugar Mountain. The mountains blocked most of the rain so we saw mostly fog and mist which weren’t great for visibility but it didn’t ruin our day. I had a wonderful time learning to ski on blades which are shorter than traditional skis. They were less intimidating and easier to maneuver. Continue reading “SUGAR MOUNTAIN SKI TRIP”
While the colder months might seem like a dead period for some, I see it as an opportunity to take advantage of “touristy” places being less crowded. Even better, I look to see if they are less expensive to visit. Case and point: The Biltmore Estate. Built by George and Edith Vanderbilt during the Guilded Age in Asheville, North Carolina, this mansion holds the title of the largest privately owned home in the United States. With great title comes great ticket price, so touring the colossal Biltmore Estate is undoubtedly more affordable during the month of January. Self-guided tours (with information via headset) can be as little as $40 which saves you anywhere from $10-$45 depending on the season. Continue reading “THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE BILTMORE ESTATE”
Double D’s Coffee and Desserts is housed inside a double-decker bus that originally roamed the bustling streets of London. Since taking on a new life as a coffee shop this bright red bus keeps Asheville wanting more. Everyone can use a cup of tea or coffee throughout the day so why not get it with a little whimsy? Continue reading “DOUBLE D’S COFFEE & DESSERTS”
Asheville has manifested itself in my mind as this southern mama who feels like she has to feed me every time I visit and this time mama made donuts. Donuts have been my favorite sinful indulgence for at least 5 years now. I have become somewhat of a connoisseur and I pride myself on knowing where the “good” donuts can be found. Asheville folks, you are ridiculously lucky to have Hole Donuts! Continue reading “HOLE DONUTS”
A few years back I saw a picture on Facebook of girls in wigs for a bachelorette party and I knew when it was my turn that I would be completely unoriginal and copy them. We “wigged out” in Asheville and had an absolute blast. I was worried initially that people would give us funny looks but so many people came up to us to say how much they loved the wigs. Lots of the girls ended up saying that they couldn’t wait for another opportunity to wear them. Continue reading “WIGGING OUT IN ASHEVILLE”
We had the most amazing time in Asheville for my bachelorette party! As fate would have it, Cider Fest was on the same weekend and this bride loves hard cider! Accompanied by my best girlfriends, we took Asheville and Cider Fest by storm the same way… one drink at a time. Looking back on this weekend will have me smiling for years to come. Continue reading “GIRLFRIENDS’ GUIDE TO CIDER FEST”
When Chris finally told me that my surprise was a day at the spa I almost fell through the floor. I’m marrying the most thoughtful man! As my Mimi used to say, “If I was any better, I couldn’t stand it and you couldn’t either.” He told me we would soak in a hot tub for an hour and then get a romantic couples massage. Heaven! Continue reading “SHOJI SPA & LODGE”
After I got my surprise (you’ll find out tomorrow!) I was ready to eat. We were close to The Grove Park Inn and Chris had never seen it so we decided to go have a look around. On the way, we passed Taco Temple and I knew we’d end up eating a late lunch there because it is a rare occurrence that Chris passes up tacos. Turns out this unassuming little restaurant serves up some seriously authentic cuisine. The best part? I had the most flavorful shrimp taco of my short life. Continue reading “TACO TEMPLE”
The most wonderful fiancé in the world took me to Asheville this weekend for a surprise! You’ll have to wait to see what it was on Wednesday! I can’t wait to show you! While we were there, I wanted to take Chris to Sierra Nevada Brewery because I had heard from coworkers and friends that it’s a beautiful place inside and out.
This is the final installment of my bachelorette weekend posts and I saved the best for last. The bride-to-be wanted to hike to the summit of Richland Balsam Mountain. What attracted Brittni to this particular trail is that the Richland Balsam Summit is the highest elevation on Blue Ridge Parkway. Continue reading “BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS”
