What to do in Asheville, NC and Knoxville, TN?

TacomaJD · Jun 5, 2014

A buddy and I have been discussing taking a bar-hopping, tourist attraction style road trip some time over the next couple months and are thinking about spending 2 nights in Asheville, NC then 1 night in Knoxville, TN on the way back home. No strip clubs, more interested in pubs, breweries, unique bars, good craft beer selection, and my buddy said something about some massive mansion in Asheville we could see? So maybe something like that during the day, then hit the pubs/bars at night.

Been to Knoxville once for a concert at the Bijou Theater then hit the Downtown Grill & Brewery and loved the **** out of that place, but I'd like to see other places also since we've already hit the DG&B.

Plans could change completely and we could go somewhere else, this is just the most heavily discussed destinations thus far. I wouldn't mind going back to Orlando, FL, but we are looking for no more than a 5-6 hour drive from NE Alabama.

tyldyl12 · Jun 5, 2014

Re:

The Biltmore Estate is the mansion I would assume he's talking about. It's pretty neat. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the "fun" stuff over that way.

zjtrey · Jun 5, 2014

Yeah Biltmore Estate is in Asheville.. effin huge.. Part of Hannibal was filmed there and a bunch of other movies.. lots of history there too,

There's about any kinda bar or brewery you could imagine downtown within walking distance… theres micro brewers all over asheville too you could easily spend a day or two checking all that out.. Theres minor league baseball too if your into it..

I live about 40 minutes from asheville and commute to work over there every day… be happy to answer any questions for ya..

jwilson645 · Jun 5, 2014

Love Asheville. The wife and I have been there several times. Been to the Biltmore 3 or 4 times now and always find something new about it. The downtown area is full of artsy fartsy bars, clubs and art. Lots of smelly hippies too.

paradisepwoffrd · Jun 5, 2014

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X2 on what they said about Asheville. There are like 16 microbrews in Asheville last I heard.

Check out Catawba Brewing Co. Its owned by a coworker of mine & they just opened up an Asheville location. They have some great beers.

5BrothersFabrication · Jun 5, 2014

We don't have much here in Knoxville, the afforementioned Downtown Brewery, then there's a Sawmill Brewery in the old city and I'm not sure if it's still open or not, then the Smokey Mountain Brewery. That is by far my favorite. I'm a fan of German beers, and they pulled it off with the Velas Helles and the Harvest Fest Lager. Pretty sure you can only get the latter around Octoberfest though.

Holler at me when you come through!

zjtrey · Jun 5, 2014

Also, check out the orange peel in asheville… they have all kinds of music about every weekend, you might catch a smokin local metal band, the boiler room has metal bands too from time to time.. both are downtown and great for bar hopping after the show

98TJ · Jun 5, 2014

zjtrey said:
Yeah Biltmore Estate is in Asheville.. effin huge.. Part of Hannibal was filmed there and a bunch of other movies.. lots of history there too,

Most of the movie "Being There" with Peters Sellers was filmed there also.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078841/
https://www.biltmore.com/

You can also drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway to the top of Mt MitchelL.
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momi/main.php

wayne86 · Jun 5, 2014

Try Mellow Mushroom in Asheville. It's a pizza place that serves several different beers. Their pizzas are really different. All kind of toppings and combinations. I've been there a couple of times and thought it was a cool place. It's a little hippie/trippy but good food nonetheless. I've been to Asheville twice to meet two totally different people and they both took me there.

TBItoy · Jun 5, 2014

Re: Re: Re: What to do in Asheville, NC and Knoxville, TN?

wayne86 said:
Try Mellow Mushroom in Asheville. It's a pizza place that serves several different beers. Their pizzas are really different. All kind of toppings and combinations. I've been there a couple of times and thought it was a cool place. It's a little hippie/trippy but good food nonetheless. I've been to Asheville twice to meet two totally different people and they both took me there.

Mellow mushrooms are all over, they always have a good beer selection and usually some local brews on tap.

Most are weird psychedelic hippie bullshit looking decorated.... Except the one in Louisville KY, it's in an old service station and absolutely nothing like any of the others I've been to. It's more like a local pub that also happens to serve mellow mushroom franchise pizza lol

cullman · Jun 5, 2014

If your going around Knoxville, you can stop by Goforth tire, Its on the hill by the water tower, and lay your hands on a huge selection of sticky swampers! They also have a lot of Raceline wheels to look at to!

TacomaJD · Jun 5, 2014

Yeah I'm still not sure about Knoxville, Asheville may be interesting enough to spend all 3 nights there. But if we do happen to land in Knoxville for a night, I'll hollar at ya Mike :dblthumb:

zjtrey said:
Also, check out the orange peel in asheville… they have all kinds of music about every weekend, you might catch a smokin local metal band, the boiler room has metal bands too from time to time.. both are downtown and great for bar hopping after the show

Now that is interesting! I will def be checking into those places! Breweries are a big plus if there are a bunch in the area. I'm fascinated with beer history and science, so breweries will certainly be on the agenda. I'm not familiar with the city well enough to know, but I'm assuming there's hotels located in the epicenter of all this stuff? I'd love to be able to walk from our hotel to multiple different places. Asheville sounds cool!

TacomaJD · Jun 5, 2014

Re: Re: Re: What to do in Asheville, NC and Knoxville, TN?

TBItoy said:
Mellow mushrooms are all over, they always have a good beer selection and usually some local brews on tap.

Yeah there are Mellow Mushrooms around here, I'm looking more for establishments unique to Asheville. Places I'm just not able to see or visit unless I drive 5-6 hours.

And yes, the Biltmore estate is what he was talking about. I'm sure we'll stop there and check it out too! :drinkers:

bigsilly · Jun 5, 2014

You guys have me wanting to go to Asheville. I went as a teenager with my parents to visit Biltmore. It was neat but I was too young to really appreciate it. I probably should plan a trip back to that area.

zjtrey · Jun 5, 2014

Not sure how to post a google map on here but if you look for the intersection of Broadway and Patton Ave thats the downtown area, you'll be able to see the different breweries, restaurants and concert venues… zoom around and Biltmore house is a just a mile or two south.. definitely hotels in the area close enough to stumble to and from…

the first time you go to biltmore house just do the normal tour… it'll take you a while cause its effin huge and packed with info and history.. later on look into the behind the scenes and rooftop tours for the really cool ****..

TN-CTD · Jun 5, 2014

some good corner pharmacists in asheville And in Knoxville you could go get :drinkers:

and try to luck at getting some UT girl

Toddy · Jun 5, 2014

If you do stop in Knoxville, Market Square is the hot new hangout. It's kinda hippy like a small Asheville. Can start at Downtown Brewery and walk to the Square. A couple places with a good beer selection. Never been but Central Flats and Taps has all kind micro brew and local beers. Not far from downtown.

Toddy

TacomaJD · Jun 5, 2014

zjtrey said:
Not sure how to post a google map on here but if you look for the intersection of Broadway and Patton Ave thats the downtown area, you'll be able to see the different breweries, restaurants and concert venues… zoom around and Biltmore house is a just a mile or two south.. definitely hotels in the area close enough to stumble to and from…

the first time you go to biltmore house just do the normal tour… it'll take you a while cause its effin huge and packed with info and history.. later on look into the behind the scenes and rooftop tours for the really cool ****..

I'm about to do some Asheville Googling. Roger that on the Biltmore tour....rooftop sounds like it would be awesome! Gonna Google more on that place too.

TN-CTD said:
some good corner pharmacists in asheville And in Knoxville you could go get and try to luck at getting some UT girl

No need for corner-pharmaceuiticals, but beer and a good looking whore will make any man's day better. :****:

TacomaJD · Jun 5, 2014

Looking like the Thirsty Monk Pub & Brewery is going to make the list. Place sounds awesome!

Would be badass to take that "Brews Cruise" and get drove around to all the different breweries for tours and samples, but they don't have the calendar dated that far out yet far as I could tell. Might have to try to work that in if they do it on weekends.

pholmann · Jun 5, 2014

In knoxville you can go to the bearden beer market. They have a **** ton of craft beers. Go to the old city for night life. Don't listen to mike (5bros). If it doesn't happen outside of his garage, he don't ****in know :flipgotcha:

in the old city you have a bunch of small pubs that have different beers and it's walking distance to the downtown brewery. Go to Boyd's jig and reel in the old city. Authentic Scottish pub. Awesome!!