Asheville, North Carolina

Mountain views, a serious food scene and a downtown you can cover on foot make Asheville the pick for couples who want the Blue Ridge and good restaurants in one weekend. Biltmore, the Vanderbilt estate on the edge of town and the largest privately owned house in the country, fills a day with its house and gardens, while evenings belong to downtown's rooftops and small dining rooms. Hurricane Helene hit the region hard in 2024. Biltmore reopened within weeks, and the River Arts District's galleries and long stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway are open again, but some areas are still recovering, so check parkway closures before planning a scenic drive.