Asheville, North Carolina

Its been a few days since I posted but we are doing lots of traveling trying to get to Maine and have some of that succulent lobster we have heard about.
We loved the trip to Asheville! It was the prettiest scenery we have seen yet on our drive. The mountains were all around us and were lush with vegetation.
 Our accommodations in Asheville were really great! We stayed at a Homewood Suites for the first time and were pleasantly surprised. Our room was very well-kept and was more than comfortable. It had a full kitchen and separate living area and bedroom area. We had dinner at a local restaurant called CornerStone that was just ok. I guess you can't have great food every day.
 The next day we decided to explore downtown Asheville.  As we cruised around we found it to be a very vibrant, eclectic area.  It is very neat and well-maintained. There were dozens of restaurants and shops including an abundance of book stores. 
One of the videos below shows my favorite of the book stores. It was called Book Exchange and Champagne and had live local music. I absolutely LOVE THAT! A book store and champagne in the same place! What could be better? On the sidewalk outside the store local vendors sell their handmade goods. Candles, artwork, bottle openers and other goods made from horseshoes and files. All Interesting!

Our 2nd day we decided to travel a small part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This quote from the site explains it perfectly, "A Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special." 
I'm posting pictures and video we took but they just don't do justice to the breathtaking views we saw. Rocky loved the drive as it rained on us for most of it.  He loves that rain!! 

We decided not to go to the Biltmore. I think maybe it's become quite a tourist trap and we weren't sure it would keep our attention that long to be worth the price of tickets. $70 each to self-guide!Add-ons at $25 and up for each additional thing you want to see or do. 😲