Bekah Travel Fact: I start to get grumpy and uninspired if I don't get out of town every couple of months. No one wants to be around me, including myself. So how does a girl trying to save money manage to both save her sanity and keep it budget friendly? A drive-able getaway, of course. Since much of my travel monster nature comes from my adventuring mama, it seemed fitting that we gals should set out on a mother/daughter trip to Asheville, NC.
Here's the rundown: if you're a fan of music, delicious local bites, unique shops, and relaxation; Asheville is the town for you.
The night we arrived, they happened to be having a free concert series called Downtown After 5. There were several local bands playing followed by the always hip and super soulful, St. Paul & The Broken Bones. The sound of horns were pumping through the air and there were happy hippies swaying in the streets everywhere. It was quick to see that music is a major vein in that city with cool venues and record shops all around.
Then there's the Asheville food and beverage scene, folks. Any restaurant or bar you choose to eat at is probably going to be deliciously dynamite and full of local ingredients. A few of our samplings included Bouchon (French comfort food at its bon appetite-iest), Mela Indian Restaurant (I wanted to swim in a sea of that Lamb Pistachio curry), and Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar (good reads and bubbly cocktails together in perfect harmony). I was sadly coming off of a stomach virus, so my booze drinking was limited but that town is obviously a beer drinkers paradise. It's home to at least 10 breweries and brewpubs that I will most definitely be checking out on my next visit.
The shops you go in will most likely be locally owned and full of treasures. I had to keep my shopping addiction in check because I wanted ALL THE THINGS. For rad vintage pieces, check out Madame Butterfly and for endless knickknack browsing, go to L.O.F.T. (Lost Objects Found Treasures). However, my favorite find was Olive & Kickin' - a gourmet shop featuring some the of the best flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars that will ever grace your mouths presence. I walked away with the unbelievably delicious Fig Balsamic and Espresso Balsamic but wanted to buy one of everything! [Get some here and you can thank me later.] Oh, and fear not my boutique loving friends, just turn down any street and you are going to be broke and happily dressed.
Another really interesting and especially relaxing experience my mom and I had was at Asheville's Therapeutic Salt Cave. This particular salt was mined from caves in Poland and are meant to be a place of meditation and healing for all sorts of ailments. Considering I had been struggling to breath with the allergies from hell, it seemed like a nice little experiment. So we decided to give it a go and tacked on a nice massage to get the fully relaxed experience. Once you enter the cave, you either get settled into a zero gravity chair or pick a pile of blankets and pillows on the salt covered floor. I opted for the floor which was basically like laying on a sandy beach in the dark with a perfectly chilled temperature. The lady working the counter walks you through all of the potential benefits of salt caves and then leads you into meditation. As a naturally anxious person, I'm usually pretty funny about being quite and left alone with my thoughts for too long (my mind can go to some crazy places) - but this was actually really lovely. I just sort of wrapped up in a blanket with a piece of salt on my stomach (as suggested) and drifted in and out of a very peaceful sleep for 45 minutes.
Do I think salt caves are magical and all curing? I've only been once, so it's hard to say. What I can say is that it cleared my head right up! So maybe there is something to this salt business after all? Even if you think it's all a bunch of bologna, I still recommend giving it a go just for the relaxing environment and experience.
So the next time you're itching to get out of town for a relaxing weekend, I highly recommend Asheville. It's lusciously green, full of yums, and hippy dippy in all the best ways.
Peace, Love, and Getaway,
Bekah
Here's the rundown: if you're a fan of music, delicious local bites, unique shops, and relaxation; Asheville is the town for you.
The night we arrived, they happened to be having a free concert series called Downtown After 5. There were several local bands playing followed by the always hip and super soulful, St. Paul & The Broken Bones. The sound of horns were pumping through the air and there were happy hippies swaying in the streets everywhere. It was quick to see that music is a major vein in that city with cool venues and record shops all around.
Then there's the Asheville food and beverage scene, folks. Any restaurant or bar you choose to eat at is probably going to be deliciously dynamite and full of local ingredients. A few of our samplings included Bouchon (French comfort food at its bon appetite-iest), Mela Indian Restaurant (I wanted to swim in a sea of that Lamb Pistachio curry), and Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar (good reads and bubbly cocktails together in perfect harmony). I was sadly coming off of a stomach virus, so my booze drinking was limited but that town is obviously a beer drinkers paradise. It's home to at least 10 breweries and brewpubs that I will most definitely be checking out on my next visit.
 |
| Bubbles & Books! |
The shops you go in will most likely be locally owned and full of treasures. I had to keep my shopping addiction in check because I wanted ALL THE THINGS. For rad vintage pieces, check out Madame Butterfly and for endless knickknack browsing, go to L.O.F.T. (Lost Objects Found Treasures). However, my favorite find was Olive & Kickin' - a gourmet shop featuring some the of the best flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars that will ever grace your mouths presence. I walked away with the unbelievably delicious Fig Balsamic and Espresso Balsamic but wanted to buy one of everything! [Get some here and you can thank me later.] Oh, and fear not my boutique loving friends, just turn down any street and you are going to be broke and happily dressed.
 |
| Vintage Heaven at Madame Butterfly. |
Another really interesting and especially relaxing experience my mom and I had was at Asheville's Therapeutic Salt Cave. This particular salt was mined from caves in Poland and are meant to be a place of meditation and healing for all sorts of ailments. Considering I had been struggling to breath with the allergies from hell, it seemed like a nice little experiment. So we decided to give it a go and tacked on a nice massage to get the fully relaxed experience. Once you enter the cave, you either get settled into a zero gravity chair or pick a pile of blankets and pillows on the salt covered floor. I opted for the floor which was basically like laying on a sandy beach in the dark with a perfectly chilled temperature. The lady working the counter walks you through all of the potential benefits of salt caves and then leads you into meditation. As a naturally anxious person, I'm usually pretty funny about being quite and left alone with my thoughts for too long (my mind can go to some crazy places) - but this was actually really lovely. I just sort of wrapped up in a blanket with a piece of salt on my stomach (as suggested) and drifted in and out of a very peaceful sleep for 45 minutes.
 |
| relaxation at its saltiest. |
Do I think salt caves are magical and all curing? I've only been once, so it's hard to say. What I can say is that it cleared my head right up! So maybe there is something to this salt business after all? Even if you think it's all a bunch of bologna, I still recommend giving it a go just for the relaxing environment and experience.
So the next time you're itching to get out of town for a relaxing weekend, I highly recommend Asheville. It's lusciously green, full of yums, and hippy dippy in all the best ways.
 |
| If you ever wandered where I got it from - I leave you with my magical mother. |
Peace, Love, and Getaway,
Bekah
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