Brews, Views, and Bike Rides: Asheville from the Hillside Up
- 1nonblonde
- May 23
- 4 min read
March 2025: We rolled into Bear Creek RV Park in Asheville, NC, expecting mountain charm and maybe a good beer or three. What we didn't expect? An RV park entrance so sneaky it might as well have been protected by a password. If you blink, you’ll miss it - and if you miss it, good luck U-turning a 40' fifth wheel on a hillside.
Once we cracked the code and got settled, we found Bear Creek to be a throwback gem:
• Unheated pool? Check. Still closed & covered for the season (aka perfect for polar bears and tree debris).
• Bathhouse? Vintage chic. One room, two showers, a couple of stalls, and the quiet echo of 1983.
• Laundry? Can’t report - we were enjoying our in-house laundromat.
• The vibe? Quiet, clean, and cozy (read: tight enough to pass a cup of sugar through your neighbor’s window).
• The view? Incredible. From our back porch, we could see downtown Asheville twinkling in the distance and all the comings and goings of the lower levels of the park below. Top-of-the-hill perks, baby.
We were in town to spend quality time with Darren’s niece Kameron (daughter of his brother Phillip) and her awesome crew: Jason, Quinn, Declan, & Kyrin. Asheville may be the land of breweries and murals, but these kids brought the real joy - sticky fingers, big laughs, and “look at this!” energy on loop.
We also got to cheer on our great-nephew Cohen Dustin at his track meet at Asheville School - he was fast, focused, and full of grit. It was such a treat to spend time with him, his parents Tyler and Courtney, their other kids Haven and Stephen, and Courtney’s mom. Family time in the mountains hits different. ❤️
Architecture & Artsy Asheville
One thing Asheville doesn’t hold back on? History and style. We found ourselves swooning over the historic buildings and classic Southern architecture - everything from art deco theaters to stately mansions tucked into tree-lined streets. Add in the endless murals and creative corners, and it’s like the city can't decide if it's an old soul or a rebel artist… so it just decided to be both.
Our wanderings also took us through the River Arts District, where we popped into The Radical, a hotel that oozes cool. Think industrial chic meets retro glam, with restaurants and bars so stylish they almost made us wish we weren’t already living the RV life. Almost.
And the brewery tour? Oh, we were very committed to the research:
•Highland Brewing – The OG Asheville brewery, where the beer is solid and the patio game is strong.
•Twin Leaf – Chill vibes, good pours, bonus: cool people-watching.
•Wicked Weed – Wicked popular, but for good reason. Hello, sour beers.
•Burial Beer Co. – Moody, artsy, and possibly run by mad scientists. My fave vibe.
•Terra Nova – Small but mighty. Fresh, creative brews.
•River Arts District Brewing – Local, low-key, and a perfect finish to our hop-crawl.
On Kameron’s recommendation, we also hit up Chai Pani, a James Beard Award-winning Indian street food spot that had our taste buds doing cartwheels. Here’s what we inhaled:
• Matchstick Okra Fries – crispy, salty, addictive.
• Naan – hot and fluffy like bread clouds.
• Baingan Bharta – smoky eggplant dip with rice chips, aka scoop heaven.
• Subadana Vada Tots – fancy tater-tots with way more sass.
• Chili Chicken – spicy, sticky, glorious.
Oh - and the decor? It’s like Bollywood and Etsy had a very hip baby.
Vortex Donuts also deserves a shoutout. We’re still dreaming about them. Pillowy perfection and flavors that made us question all previous donut loyalty.
A Quick Trip to Mayberry (Kinda)
Later in the week, we headed to Mt. Airy, NC, to meet up with Darren’s sister Rebecca and her husband Rick, who came down from Salem, VA. If it looked like a scene from Mayberry RFD, that’s because it is - Mt. Airy inspired Andy Griffith’s Mayberry, and it’s got charm in spades. We strolled downtown, enjoyed live street music, indulged in lunch and snacks, admired more murals, and did a little light window shopping. It was like a Hallmark movie, but with better food.
Post-Hurricane Adventure & Mountain Stories
After a lovely family dinner at Kameron's mountain home, we saw firsthand the aftermath of Hurricane Helene (Oct 2024) along the French Broad River - devastating damage, but also clear signs of resilience. We joined Jason in his souped-up Jeep for a mountain ride full of one-lane roads, narrow switchbacks, and the occasional “wait, are we supposed to be here?” moment. The highlight (and goosebump moment) came with Jason’s story about three homes that slid down the mountainside during the hurricane - with families inside - and everyone walked away unscathed. Wild.
After our sobering ride with Jason, Kami sent us off with a bang at one of their favorite hangouts, The Joint Next Door, just down the mountain. Who would've thought we'd hear live music on a Tuesday night?!
We wrapped up the week with a leisurely bike ride along the French Broad River Greenway to Hominy Creek River Park, which sounds peaceful because it was. Green, breezy, and the perfect way to spin out our Asheville chapter.
Oh, and we did visit the Biltmore Estate… but that day deserves its own spotlight. Check out next week’s blog post for the full story and photo gallery - it was a vander-ful day. 😉
Final Thoughts from the Hillside
Bear Creek may not have been the fanciest park we’ve stayed in, but it had heart - and a killer view. And Asheville? Between family time, beers, art, music, and spontaneous mountain adventures, it delivered one of our most vibrant weeks yet.
Cheers!
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