Asheville Adds Direct Flights to NYC

Getting to Asheville just got a little easier. Beginning June 4, Delta Air Lines offers daily nonstop service between Asheville Regional Airport and New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

A 50-seat jet will service both locations. Flights leave from LaGuardia at 9 a.m. and depart from Asheville at 11:45 a.m.

Biltmore Summer Evening Concerts for 2009

Music lovers rejoice--Biltmore has released their Summer Evening Concerts dates for this year! Concerts are held on the South Terrace of Biltmore House with the Blue Ridge Mountains as the backdrop. The result is a surprisingly intimate atmosphere in a beautiful setting.

This year’s guests include:
July 23: MercyMe
July 24: ABBA The Tour
July 25: An Evening with Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers
July 30: An Evening with Tom Jones
July 31: Rick Springfield with special guests Loverboy
August 1: Oak Ridge Boys and Doc Watson and David Holt

Tickets go on sale at Biltmore beginning May 5.

Blog Cabin Coming to Asheville

Love those home shows on cable? Then you’ll love this announcement: the DIY network has chosen Asheville as the location for this season’s installment of Blog Cabin. (This is the first cabin to be built beyond the network’s home state of Tennessee!) The cabin site is located 30-minutes outside of the city in The Preserve at Little Pine.

Crews are already at work on the foundation. The cabin's design and layout is selected by viewers according to online votes. Episodes air on the DIY network beginning August 15, but you can keep track of the progress and get a taste of Asheville’s cool culture online.

Asheville Airport Adds New Flight

Good news for those looking for cheap and easy flights to and from Asheville! AirTran Airways offers nonstop flights between Asheville Regional Airport and Orlando, FL beginning June 11. The flights will run three days a week.

To celebrate their arrival in Asheville, AirTran Airways is offering an introductory sale on flights. Roundtrips will be $138 plus fees. Passengers will fly in a 117-seat aircraft.

Departures times for Orlando are 10:55 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Flights depart from Asheville at 1:10 p.m. on the same days.

Vote for Asheville as #1 Beer City, USA

Cast your vote and help Asheville win the title of Beer City, USA. Right now, we’re second only to Portland, OR. Let’s show everyone that the best beer is brewed right here in Western North Carolina! Vote now!

Uncork Fun with Grove’s Magic Elixir

We’ve been having fun at work this week, playing with our quirky online friend E.W. Grove. Part of the Grove Park Inn’s new campaign, this special web site has the cure for all that ails you in this brave, new modern world. (We’ve even heard rumors that the bar at Grove Park Inn is offering special concoctions to ease the pain of a rough workweek.) Check it out to find your personalized cure.

Warm Weather Calls for a Relaxing Scenic Drive

Beginning tomorrow, the forecast eases back into spring with warm temperatures and sunny skies. Indulge your spring fever with a scenic drive around Asheville. We’ve mapped out the best routes that combine driving pleasure with Western North Carolina’s natural beauty.

Our shorter drives to the North Carolina Arboretum, Beaver Lake and Botanical Gardens and Town Mountain and Elk Mountain are great for quick lunch-break escapes. You can feel the wind in your hair and smell the first blooms of the season, yet still make it back for your afternoon meeting.

Longer jaunts such as Graveyard Fields have fun opportunities mapped into the drive. The route to Graveyard Fields includes spots for a quick hike or leisurely picnic.

Check out all our recommended scenic drives.

Local Agricultural Program Wins State Grant

This week, we received the good news that the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) received a $205,000 grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund. The grant is designed to assist and impact rural communities, livestock producers, consumers, farmers and food entrepreneurs.

ASAP’s mission impacts all of Western North Carolina. They work to create a nutritious and economically viable community-based food system. From raising awareness of local farmers and tailgate markets to publicizing events with local experts, they help keep the farm to table culture alive.

Buncombe County native and State Representative Bruce Goforth presented the award to ASAP on February 27 and mentioned the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s support of local agriculture through their Foodtopian Society campaign in his weekly newsletter.

Asheville Chefs Win National Truffle Festival Cook-off

Asheville’s top culinary talent stole the show at the National Truffle Festival Risotto Cook-off. Nine chefs dueled it out Iron Chef-style at Asheville restaurant The Flying Frog. Winners were:

• Gold Medal: Chef Vijay Shastri from The Flying Frog
• Silver Medal: Chef Bill Klein, FIG
• Bronze Medal: Chef Todd Levick, Savoy

Judge for yourself the talents of the winning chefs with a trip to our delicious Foodtopian Society.

Win a Spring Break Trip to Asheville

With temperatures climbing up to the 70s this weekend, it’s time to start thinking about spring break. No money? No problem!

Enter to Win Great Prizes
We’re partnering with two great bloggers to give you a chance to win all the fixings for a memorable Asheville getaway. The giveaway includes two Go Blue Ridge Cards—your ticket to everything cool in Western North Carolina—and a beautiful piece of Asheville handmade pottery.

Visit Bargain Briana’s and Mom of Faith’s web sites to enter now. Hurry! Bargain Briana’s giveaway ends on March 6, and Mom of Faith’s giveaway ends on March 20.

Save on Your Asheville Visit
Not a winner? Don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a spring getaway in the cheap. Check out CoolAshevilleSavings.com. It’s chock full of money-saving tips, coupons, and lists of free things to do!