Insiders' Guide to North Carolina's Mountains, 7th: Including Asheville, Biltmore Estate, and the Blue Ridge Parkway (Insiders' Guide Series) (Paperback)

~ Constance Richards (Author), Kenneth L. Richards (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The mountains of North Carolina are serene and the people who live here enjoy the comfort and beauty of the rural areas and the bustling aspects of the larger cities. From the Pisgah Forest to cultural attractions in Tryon to mountain crafts in Asheville, there are myriad things to do and see in this region.

From the Back Cover

For more than twenty years, the Insiders' Guide series has remained the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information. Each guide is written by locals and true insiders and offers a personal, practical perspective that readers everywhere have come to know and love.
From action-packed vacations – skiing, white-water rafting, rock climbing, kayaking – to long weekends of golf and relaxation, North Carolina's Mountains offer something for everyone. This authoritative guide will lead you to peaceful retreats in out-of-the-way rural communities, urban adventures in Asheville, and outdoor activities galore in the region's many state parks and national forests.

Inside you'll find: Comprehensive listings of restaurants, lodging, and recreational opportunities; countless details on how to live and thrive in the area, from the best shopping to unspoiled fishing spots; the inside scoop on world-renowned attractions, such as the Cherokee Indian Reservation and the Biltmore Estate and Winery; sections dedicated to children, seniors, and much more.

Whether you're planning a vacation, already living in the area, or looking to relocate, Insiders' Guide to North Carolina's Mountains will show you everything you need to know.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Insiders' Guide; 7th edition (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762730048
• ISBN-13: 978-0762730049
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,180,810 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to use, March 23, 2006

By	David Knudsen (Callicoon, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've used Insider's Guides for individual cities; this is the first I bought for a region. Insider's Guide to North Carolina mountains divides the region into 3 sub-regions, and then by county in each sub-region. Restaurants, accommodations, shopping, activities, etc. are all grouped together in individual chapters, thenw those chapters are grouped by subregion and county. So there isn't, for example, a single chapter on Asheville giving you some history, city layout, neighborhood descriptions, restaurants, accommodations and activities. To find Asheville listings, you have to jump from chapter to chapter (e.g. restaurants), find the "Central Mountains" section and then the Buscombe County sub-section. Its tedious and lacks flow. I much prefer guides that group all resources for an area together. Yes, the information is here, but you don't get a good overview. It feels more like a telephone book than a narrative travel guide with listings.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful...Just Missing a Downtown Asheville Map!, October 7, 2005

By	C. Back "kate121012" (Staunton, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We went to Asheville and Boone for our Honeymoon a few weeks ago and took the Insiders' Guide to North Carolina's Mountains with us. It was extremely helpful in providing good choices for restaurants and local attractions. We knew very little about the area before visiting and the book directed us toward many unique eateries and destinations.

My only two complaints are that: 1) there are no maps of downtown areas of any of the towns. This is understandable for some of the tiny towns, but it seems to me that including a map of downtown Asheville would be a given...not so! 2) There were no prices included for any of the hotels, attractions, etc. Granted, they do give phone numbers for each place, so it's not hard to find the information, but it would be nice to have a price range for hotels and restaurants (other than $, $$, $$$, or $$$$)

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!!, August 31, 2000

By	Quintin Washington (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Insiders' Guide to North Carolina's Mountains (4th ed) (Paperback)

Man, if anyone is planning on going up to the North Carolina Mountains should first read what the Insiders' have to say about. This book is kinda like your guide around the mountains when you are traveling. The authors know what their talking about because they live there. It's Awesome!!!