|
RETURN TO TRAVEL PAGE
A Baby Boomer’s (Southern) Mountain Paradise
by Beverly Mahone
|
 |
When my husband and I were looking for a place to
celebrate our one year wedding anniversary, we wanted a real getaway. As
baby boomers, we weren’t necessarily interested in being in a city that
never sleeps but we certainly didn’t want to be in a place that had no
life. We didn’t have to look far.
Nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina is a lovely, little
town called Asheville. With a population of just over 70,000, Asheville
still manages to maintain its small town hospitality charm in a state
that is struggling with growing pains.
When you think of Asheville you’re more than likely to associate it with
the Biltmore House---dubbed as America’s largest home with its 250 rooms
and eight-thousand acre backyard. Or perhaps you may picture the Blue
Ridge Parkway, which covers miles and miles of scenic view from way up
high.
But the birthplace of novelist Thomas Wolfe is fast becoming known for
more than the Biltmore and the Mountains. Asheville has so much more to
offer. “Quaint” “family-friendly” and “artsy” are some of the words one
could use to describe the downtown area which consists of four blocks of
art galleries, restaurants, bars, novelty shops---as well as Wolfe’s
childhood home which has been well preserved. At first glance the
Buncombe County town kind of reminds you of what UC Berkley used to be
like in the 1960s with its mixture of young, old, locals, students and
tourists all coming together and enjoying each other’s company in a
free-spirited atmosphere.
The one thing that impressed my husband and me the most about Asheville
was the fact that we didn’t feel like tourists. We just blended in.
Every place we went we felt welcome and easily struck up conversations
with many of the locals. It was really difficult to tell who the
tourists were. Another observation was the fact that people who appeared
to be homeless weren't walking around begging for food or money. They,
too, "blended in" and no one seemed bothered by them.
If you feel like venturing beyond Asheville, Cherokee, NC is roughly
fifty miles away. There you’ll get a sample of the historic Indian
culture and if you have a few extra dollars to spend you can always try
your luck at the Reservation-based casino.
If you’re a baby boomer looking for a little adventure flavored with
some good old southern hospitality and culture, Asheville is a wonderful
place to go.
Beverly Mahone is an author
and baby boomer expert who writes about midlife issues in her book:
Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age. For more information
and other articles written by Ms. Mahone, visit her website at:
www.talk2bev.com
RETURN TO TRAVEL PAGE |
