The Biltmore House awes tourists who see its indoor pool and bowling alley in addition to some 250 other rooms, much unchanged since this 1902 photo.

Biltmore Estate is open seven days a week, 363 days a year; it’s closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Admission Gate and Reception & Ticket Center are open January-March: 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M., April-December: 8:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M. For information about tickets and visits call 800-624-1575.

Literature lovers will want to make a pilgrimage to the Thomas Wolfe Memorial at 52 N. Market St., Asheville, NC, Phone: (828) 253-8304. While the house is undergoing restoration you can’t get inside but exterior tours of the house and grounds are given at the bottom of each hour except during severe weather. Opening times are April 1 through October 31 Monday - Saturday 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. and Sunday 1:00-5:00 P.M. November 1 through March 31, Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. and Sunday 1:00-4:00 P.M. Admission is one dollar for adults and fifty cents for children.

You don’t have to be a Vanderbilt, or any type of millionaire to enjoy the beauty of Asheville. It’s a hiker’s haven. You can take on part of the Appalachian Trail. Call 828-254-3708 for trail information. Visit popular area outdoor spots including Craggy Gardens, Graveyard Fields and its beautiful waterfalls, Mount Pisgah, and Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Or take the downtown self-guided walking tour through Asheville’s historic past. The city trail points to the results of an economic boom that occurred from1880-1930 caused by the railroad. Twenty-seven "stations" are part of the 1.6-mile loop, where you’ll see historic churches and buildings, and important streets and landmarks. The Visitor Center has brochures with directions available.

The Asheville Visitor Center opens daily, hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 A.M.-5:30 P.M. and Saturday-Sunday, 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. You’ll find it at 151 Haywood Street (exit 4-C off of I-240) near downtown Asheville. The Visitor Center closes on New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and closes midday on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

The town has become a center of New Age thought during the past decade and it’s added a bit more diversity to the gorgeous landscape. In addition to Tantric Centers and a wide range of houses of worship you’ll find art galleries, independent bookstores and boutiques selling everything from traditional Appalachian crafts to designer gowns.

Asheville is only an hour from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and it’s a prime place to visit for fall foliage. In the spring the rhododendrons throughout the area make visiting spectacular. Even during the winter the shelter mountains create a moderate climate that insures outdoorsy types of a great time. January is the coldest month and even it’s average temperature hovers in the high thirties. July is the warmest month but highs seldom reach over the mid-eighties making it a perfect escape from the south’s notorious humidity.

If you are arriving via vehicle, take I-40 East from Knoxville, TN; I-40 West from Statesville and Raleigh, NC; I-85 to I-26 from Charlotte and South Carolina; and 19/23 South from Johnson City/Bristol, TN. Alternatively begin your vacation by taking Blue Ridge Parkway. Asheville has seven Parkway exits. You can fly into Asheville Regional Airport on US Airways and Delta. Avis, Budget, and Hertz all have airport outlets. The closest Amtrak Station in Greenville, SC an hour and one half away. For information about city bus routes and fares call the Asheville Transit Center, (828) 253-5691.

Asheville has a fairly eclectic restaurant scene. Vegetarians will want to check out Laughing Seed Cafe, Inc., 40 Wall Street, Asheville, NC, Phone: (828) 258-9005. While local meat-eaters swear by the food at Il Paradiso Steak & Chop House, 39 Elm Street, Asheville, NC, Phone: (828) 281-4310. If you’re in the mood for music and pizza, head to Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria, 42 Biltmore Ave in Asheville. Barley’s features traditional bluegrass, southern rock, jazz, blues, and folk rock without charging a cover, call 828-255-0504 to see what’s on. Perks at Night offers jazz from 5 until 11 Tuesday through Saturday, with a menu of snacks, deserts, and spirits. Perk’s is located at 165 Merrimon Ave., Asheville.