How many nights

I am tying to plan a weekend away with my boyfriend. We were thinking Sun-Thus in Mid Oct and staying at the Renaissance. I can get my employee discount there mid week but it is sold out the weekend I want to go :( Is 4 nights too long? We will be comming in from Atlanta. Are the downtown shops, bars, etc open every day? I know some downtown areas have many shops closed on Sun and Mon. We are interested in going to the Biltmore, going and seeing live music, great dinners and local charm. Any must do%26#39;s?

How many nights

There are some restaurants that will be closed Sun., Mon. or Tues. night but there are so many others in Asheville that you will still have good dining experiences. I think 4 nights would be good. Here%26#39;s what I would do...

Later afternoon/early evening - check-in and walk around town. Maybe have drinks and apps at the bar at Lobster Trap, they usually have live music.

* walk around downtown hitting some of the galleries and the Grove Arcade. If it%26#39;s nice have lunch outside at Mellow Mushroom...or maybe Chorizo in the Grove Arcade. Have some chocolate at Chocolate Fetish. Have a pre-dinner drink at Sante Wine Bar in the Grove Arcade and go out for dinner at Sugo%26#39;s (new Italian) or maybe drive to Biltmore Village ( about 1.5 mile) and have dinner at Corner Kitchen.

* if the weather is nice think about a horseback ride or some hiking - the hotel should be able to help you with this.

* tour the Biltmore Estate and the Winery. Have lunch there at one of the restaurants.

* take a drive along the Parkway to Pisgah Inn. About 45 minutes. You%26#39;ll be at 5000 ft and the views should be great. Time your trip so you can do some hiking at the trails around the Inn and then have dinner at 5pm right when the restaurant open.

*do a couples massage at Sensibilities on Haywood St. - about 6 blocks from the hotel or else go up to the GPI for lunch and a massage and spend part of the day in the pools.

* or else drive out to Shojii Day Spay in Fairview - about 10 minutes away and soak in their private hot tubs overlooking the Parkway and have a couples massage.

How many nights

That sounds perfect! So, for the most part there will be shops and restaurants for me to go to downton still?

definitely - you can look at exploreasheville.com for events or mountainxpress.com or the weekend section of the citizen-times.com

go to chowhound.com for guidance on restaurants.

be sure to eat at vincinzio%26#39;s for the italian meal of your life. the biltmore village is always fun, as is a tour a of the estate if you haven%26#39;t already planned that excursion. there is a great music venue downtown which steve winwood, who lives nearby often appears. the area is beautiful and i wouldn%26#39;t waste a moment staying inside whiel there. the french broad river is delightful, either on or just watching it flow by, and by that time the fall foilage should be magnificent. have a great time!

vincenzo%26#39;s has had its share of lukewarm reviews lately. Sugo%26#39;s is a new Italian eatery in town...there are so many others to try...I wouldn%26#39;t say that Asheville does Italian that well.

Steve Winwood? What? Please list the music venue. Is it the Orange Peel that I notice listed so often? I really excited now!

AJAX in .net