Part of Asheville’s appeal is its pedestrian friendly downtown
Summer is coming to an end and although classes have only just started, many college students, myself included, find themselves in need of a break from professors, homework and all things involving studying.
Equally important, however, is the preservation of your bank account which is sure to suffer throughout the semester due to rent, groceries and of course beer. The idea of escaping even for a day seems to be as palpable as Peter Pan. Fortunately, a cheap trip is not as much of an oxymoron as you might think.
Asheville, N.C. lies less than an hour-and-a-half away. Now, before you dismiss it as a town where flannel and mountain men are both ubiquitous and celebrated, Asheville has transformed itself from a sleepy mountain community to an edgy city. It has traded the flannel for art and entertainment, and mountain men for a city full of twenty-somethings. More that that, the city has embraced the one thing that all college students hold dear: affordability.
In the midst of its evolution, Asheville is a still a bargain. The small town roots remain evident. However, now Asheville has great bistros, bars and nightlife to usher in the tourists.
The Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co. is a combination brewery, restaurant and movie theatre. Voted Best Pizza in Western North Carolina seven years in a row, they know how to make a great pie. The beer selection’s not too bad either. The menu is quite reasonable: a large 15-inch pizza is under $12. While eating an inexpensive but delicious pizza and sipping on a frosty ale, you can watch a movie like “Knocked Up” for only $2 per person.
If a straight-up bar is more your scene, be sure to hit the Jack of the Wood Pub which boasts the best suds selection in the city. They also have a great dinner menu to boot. Other local eateries worth mentioning are Tupelo Honey CafÈ and Urban Burrito.
While you’re up in Ashville, be sure to check out Malaprop’s Bookstore/CafÈ (www.malaprops.com). This is a haunt for hard-core booklovers — probably due to their selection of out-of-print books, a knowledgable staff and in-store sets from local bands. Located on Haywood Street, it’s just down the road from some of the best and most original art galleries in Asheville.
For more information on any of these locations, visit exploreasheville.com.
