Getting there is actually quite easy. I flew from SFO and and took the red-eye. I’m a huge fan of these flights because you have the entire day when you land. You may be a bit tired but suck it up, get a XXL coffee and head over to the rent-a-car agency.
The next piece of advice I’ll give is take your time. The countryside is gorgeous so my recommendation is to get off the main roads as quickly as possible. Once you get your rent-a-car I would recommend the following route (note map below). Take I-85 south to I-74 West; then I-64 north/west. There will be a smaller road you’ll want to look for called the I 64/74 north/west (toward Lake Lure and Fairview). This will get you off the main highway and will take you through some beautiful countryside. Lake Lure is gorgeous and if you have time you should stop for lunch. You may want to try the Historic Lake Lure Inn and Spa or get a picnic lunch and relax down by the water. (It was actually pouring down rain when I got to the hotel so I shot a photo of the hotel through my car window.)
After lunch, follow the road up to Asheville and you’ll see signs for the Biltmore. Along the way you’ll see cattle grazing in the hills. It was raining the day I arrived which gave the countryside a beautiful, ghosted beauty.
A few travel tips:
GPS location for the Inn on Biltmore Estate: 1 Antler Hill Road, Asheville, NC 28803
Closest large airport to Asheville is the Charlotte / Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, NC (Asheville has a smaller one too)
Here’s a map showing the scenic route: The next post will include information on the Biltmore Estate! Have you made your flight reservations yet? 🙂
Morning walk splashing through a few puddles – Apparently rain is not an urban legend in “sunny” California…!