Your Asheville, NC tea (or craft beer) for restaurant reviews, local events, itineraries, and things to do. Map out nearby day trips and overnight getaways because Tom and I will absolutely drive 2 hours for a cascading waterfall, a cheesy-fun gimmick, an alpaca farm, a picnic with cows on a mountain bald, and a delicious burger by the river. 💙 Christine, your indie AVL travel writer since 2019.
🍂 Start Planning Your Fall In Asheville
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Good Morning Reader, This newsletter has a lot of information. Keep reading for:
AND, meet the love of Tom's life. Clearly, he had a terrible time here: 🥪 The NY-Style Deli That Stole My Heart (& Stomach)This Italian American from New England finally found her favorite spot for sandwiches in Asheville, NC: Zella's Deli on Tunnel Road. Sausage and peppers, a real pastrami sandwich, and gluten-free vegan macaroons baked in-house?! Plus, this travel blogger cannot say “no” to red booths, vintage posters, and the friendliest service. They even came out to find me to let me know the coconut macaroons were dairy-free/vegan. We walked out of another restaurant first...Tom and I actually went to Zella's after, ummm, walking out of a nearby AVL restaurant we wanted to try for you. We rarely, if ever, do this. However, we could not get service, and it was a frustrating mess even though they were well-staffed. We were also one of two families there. $18 for a burger when it all starts so poorly, and my table isn't even clean at opening...we could not. I pay less for a burger across from my medical program's office in Beacon Hill, Boston, and it's actually worth it. The Asheville prices SLAY me sometimes, and I say this so you know it's not all rainbows and unicorns in our foodie scene. We get burned, too, and we only showcase THE BEST (minus that every single place has "off" days, even our favs). This is also why, when people nastily say all over my content, "I cannot believe you left this place off," I actually can believe it—and they should, too. 😂 It was meant to be, of course, because Zella's was JUMPING and worthy of our (and your) business. They can take all of our money. 🎃 2026 Fall Planning GuidesWith the Hendersonville apple orchards officially opening their doors and our businesses depending on a strong fall and holiday season, it's not too early to start planning your fall in Asheville. If you are a visitor or a local with guests, popular restaurants and hotels start filling up pretty far in advance. You want to get on that. If you head over to Uncorked Asheville's homepage, all fall guides are front and center. Below, start planning with our top guides. Feel free to forward this email to your friends and family. If one of these guides helps you, please say thanks with a tip, as it helps offset expenses to keep guides free and fresh for you (and others). Our Master Asheville Fall GuideFrom the pumpkin patch in North Asheville that makes our fall magical to sunset dinners at Edison, what to wear for the weather, and fun ghost tours to book, start planning your October in Asheville here.
9 Fall Foliage Hikes For Our Leaf PeepersWe all know Black Balsam and Graveyard Fields—and yes, you should still hike them for the best fall foliage. They are gorgeous and unforgettable. But here's a list of more fall hikes we recommend. Get there early, and go on a weekday. It gets a bit stressful and hairy otherwise.
Asheville For Gilmore Girls FansHaving grown up in Connecticut, I always laugh over the Hartford references in Gilmore Girls (if you know, you know). I even went to Smith College like Emily. And, have you heard me talk? My friends have to turn the speed down on my voice texts. This is my most controversial piece (I kid you not) from grumpy people, and for once, I'm here for it. Unlike them, I think Asheville is charming, and as a Gilmore Girl myself, I see Kirk every day. In fact, I think he's driving the LaZoom bus right now...
Where To Pick Apples & Get Lost In Corn MazesAs native New Englanders, Tom and I spent a very deprived eight years in Florida with oranges (and humidity). We go to the Henderson County apple orchards at least 3+ times a year. Stepp's is our most frequented, and I love Jeter Mountain Farm, minus the wild crowds (which, um, they are taking U-pick reservations this year, as they probably should, but dang times are-ah-changing).
When & Where To See Those Blue Ridge Mountain Fall ColorsAppalachian State University’s Biology Department in Boone, NC, has a great fall color map by date and area. We also run a general guide by elevation for when and where we catch those famous fall foliage colors.
Blue Ridge Parkway Hikes To Enjoy In The Fall & Year-RoundWhether it's autumn or a gorgeous spring and summer, part of the reason we enjoy living in Asheville is for the unique and mind-clearing Blue Ridge Parkway. These are our favorite BRP trails under 1 hour from AVL.
Staying At The Pisgah Inn? Hiking Mount Pisgah? This Is Our ItineraryHeaded toward the Pisgah Inn area this fall? We have just the itinerary for you, including lunch, the magical dragon tree, summit views, and a stop at The NC Arboretum.
📆 Mark Your 2026 Calendar: August Events In AshevilleAlong with these August events, I updated our events calendar through December. However, many December dates are still pending.
🧳 Our first overnight in Hickory, NC📸 Pictured below: Hickory Aviation Museum, Hickory Farmer's Market (Wednesdays), Hatch salmon sandwich, My Chapter House bookstore (coffee downstairs), Hickory Riverwalk, The Book Exchange (used bookstore with 400,000+ books), Rosé wine slushie at Hickory Wine Shoppe, and Tom with ottoman from the Hickory Furniture Mart, which was SO huge (4 floors, a cafe, and a visitor map), I got vertigo for the second time ever in my life. If you follow Uncorked Asheville on social media, you saw last week's spectacular overnight in Hickory, NC, with a lot of your recommendations. Thank you so, so much. I'm putting together a full post on everything Tom and I loved there, and we will be back for many more overnights. What surprised me, though, was the community. People thanked us for visiting, invited us back, invited all of you to visit, and kept the recommendations flowing for their home and the surrounding smaller towns. And honestly!? That's a change of pace. Asheville content creation feels like a full-contact sport some days—comments telling visitors to go home, businesses only supporting those who work for free food to market for them, people competing/flexing over who's "more local" and eats at more places, and just harmful stereotyping of a place and its residents. Hickory just...didn't do that. It made me remember why I began doing this and was such a breath of fresh air. 📆 What We've Been Up To On YouTubeIf you watch nothing else and need a happy video, look for the turkey bedtime short. 🐱 A Sad Update For Our Furry FamilyTW: pet death Tom and I said goodbye to our final senior kitty, Beau, with 4 Paws Farewell. They helped our ZoomBa girl cross the rainbow bridge last November. I couldn't recommend them more, and it was such a peaceful experience. We've had Dr. Erin and Dr. Alex come to the house if you ever need to use them. 20 years of 5 cats is a sad transition for us, and Tom and I are taking a break. We've had seniors for 6 of those years, which has been beautiful but also involved a lot of care. Tom and I are looking forward to more travel without the senior cat anxiety for a bit. New Animal Urgent CareWhile in that process, we learned through the grapevine that Beau and ZoomBa's vet, Dr. Abrams, soft-opened AVL Animal Urgent Care on Bryson Street. While we have not been there, Dr. Abrams was a wonderful vet at Charlotte Street for our seniors, including numerous emergencies. Plus, I immediately knew from his humor and mannerisms that he was a Connecticut native like us, HAHA. We are a certain breed of human. Happy Upcoming AugustWoooofffffffff that was a lot! And it takes a lot, too. If you loved this newsletter, an article, a video, or a recommendation, say thanks with a tip here. We are so lucky our Uncorked Travelers and Readers are amazingly generous. This helps keep all that we do free for local businesses and you. Winter guides are up on the homepage, but I need to update them with 2026 dates. |
Uncorked Asheville
Your Asheville, NC tea (or craft beer) for restaurant reviews, local events, itineraries, and things to do. Map out nearby day trips and overnight getaways because Tom and I will absolutely drive 2 hours for a cascading waterfall, a cheesy-fun gimmick, an alpaca farm, a picnic with cows on a mountain bald, and a delicious burger by the river. 💙 Christine, your indie AVL travel writer since 2019.