Insider Asheville Fall Adventure

At a Glance

Asheville, NC, USA
Oct 20 - Oct 23, 2024
3 Nights
Level: 3
We rate all trips on a 1 to 5 scale. A designation of 1 would be trips with the least amount of activity, such as our beach trips, where it's up to you if you'd like to be active. Our adventure trips (such as the Inca trail hike) are a 5. Most of our trips are rated 3, for people who don't mind a fair bit of walking.
9-13 Travelers

Starting At

$1,999

Deposit: $300

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Trip Description

About this trip

Asheville has officially become a NextTribe town–now that our founder Jeannie Ralston has moved to this consistently “hot” city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. A consummate trip-planner, Jeannie has come up with a truly special itinerary, after extensive scouting in her new hometown.

And there’s no better time to visit Asheville than the height of leaf season in October. We’ll be taking in glorious vistas of red and orange and enjoying the crisp weather. BONUS: We’re doing this trip in the middle of the week to avoid the HUGE crowds on the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding areas in the fall. Same spectacular setting, same fun and friendship with NextTribers. With a fraction of the people. Hooray!

NOTE: NextTribe members receive a $100 discount on price. 

She’ll take you to award-winning restaurants on the newly discovered culinary scene; to meet local women artists our age in the River Arts District; on a foraging expedition in the woods, where we’ll find our dinner; to an (easy-to-reach) mountain top off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and–of course–the Biltmore Estate.

Jeannie will open doors to places and people you could never see if you went to Asheville on your own or with any other group.

Photos

Map

Itinerary

SUNDAY, Oct. 20th

Welcome to Asheville

Please arrive at the Foundry Hotel by 2 pm. If your flight arrives later, we will have you join us where ever the group is at the time.

3-5 p.m. Jeannie's downtown Asheville

We'll get an overview of what makes this city such a popular destination. Jeannie will take us to some of her favorite spots, including the famous Malaprops Bookstore and Weaving Rainbows, a new art gallery and creative space dedicated to Indigenous artists that works with artists from the local Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

5 pm Champagne Toast

We'll raise a glass at the Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar in the iconic Grove Arcade.

7:00 p.m. Dinner

We'll dine at one of the many James-Beard-Award-winning restaurants in Asheville.

MONDAY, Oct. 21st

Foraging and Artist Happy Hour

9:30 am Into the Woods

We'll go “off the eaten path” and gather over a dozen wild edibles with a renown foraging tour company. We'll be looking for nuts, berries, mushrooms and more, and get a little tasting right on the trail. The remains will be taken to a partner restaurant, where our finds will be used to make our dinner.

1 pm Literary Lunch at a Nextriber's home

After our experience in the woods, we'll stop at the home of Maggie Marshall in West Asheville, where we'll have a catered lunch and hear from local women writers.

FREE TIME

5 to 7 pm Artists Happy Hour

We'll convene at one of the River Arts District's galleries for a Happy Hour featuring some of the most accomplished women artists in town.

7:30 pm Foraging Dinner

We'll dine on our catch from the morning expedition in the woods, for a truly "local" culinary experience.

TUESDAY, Oct. 22nd

Blue Ridge Parkway and Grove Park Inn

Morning: Hike Black Balsam Knob

We'll take off to the mountains, driving along the seriously scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, which will give us views and more views. Then we'll do a short hike--2 miles round trip--to the top of Black Balsam Knob for 360-degree vistas of mountains. If you don't want to hike this far, you can stop at the first rise and wait there. If you do not want to hike at all, we can suggest another nature option in town in Asheville.

Lunch in the town of Brevard

After a drive down a curvy road down to the darling mountain town of Brevard, we'll have lunch in a charming local eatery.

FREE TIME

6:30 Sunset drink at Grove Park Inn

Since its opening in 1913, The Omni Grove Park Inn has been one of the country's most celebrated resorts. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this spectacular stone structure has hosted an all-star roster of guests who have come to escape the heat and embrace the beauty.

8:30 Dinner at Rhubarb Restaurant

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 23rd

The Biltmore Must-Do

9:45 am America's Largest House

No trip to Asheville would be complete without a visit to the Biltmore Estate, George Vanderbilt's castle that sits on 8,000 acres of beauty. Completed in 1895, the palatial Gilded Age mansion comes in at a whopping 175,000 square feet.

We'll have time to explore the house and the grounds, as well as visit the winery, before catching flights departing after 3 pm.

Logistics

What's Included

  • Accommodations

3 nights at the Foundry Hotel

  • 3 Dinners

Including at a James-Beard-Award-Winning restaurant.

  • Welcome Drink

At Battery Park Champagne Bar

  • Foraging Tour

A guided trip into the woods to find edibles for dinner.

  • 2 Lunches

One in the home of a NextTriber, with Asheville writers.

  • Grove Park Inn cocktail

Sunset drink at the famous Asheville resort

  • Biltmore Estate

Entrance to house, grounds and winery

  • Breakfasts every morning

  • Mountain hike

An easy-to-reach panoramic view off the Blue Ridge Parkway

  • Artists Happy Hour

Meet working artists at one of the galleries in the acclaimed River Arts District

What's Not Included

  • Airfare
  • Airport transfers
  • Alcohol (unless specifically mentioned in an itinerary activity or purchased as an add-on)
  • Tips

Gratuities to local guides, drivers, maids and hotel staff, travel insurance, round trip airfare, passport and visa fees, personal items such as phone calls, laundry, baggage fees and items not expressly listed as included.

Additional Add-Ons

Hotels

The Foundry Hotel

Asheville

Our travelers love us (yay!)

Colleen M., California

What I love about the NextTribe trips is that there is so much camaraderie of other women that are like you, and then the fabulous things that the organizers puts together to give you that viewpoint, it’s awesome.

Courtney M., Texas

What I love about NextTribe trips is that you get the experience from an insider’s perspective—someone that has ties to the community and focused on building relationships from the start. I’ve been on a trip with another women’s travel group that dropped a guide in, not personally knowing anything about the locale, traditions, or culture. She was there to make sure you showed up on time, got on the bus, etc. With NextTribe, you feel like you’re having a personalized experience with your best girlfriends.

Donna B., Washington

I didn't know anyone going on the trip but that didn't stop me from signing up. I have learned that some of my life's greatest adventures have come from taking a risk and jumping in feet first. So glad I did with NextTribe! I may not have known anybody at the start, but now I feel like I know everybody.

Connie B., Pennsylvania

I love to meet and interact with strong, mature women from across the country as we learn together.

Leslie M., Georgia

I always come by myself on NextTribe trips because I like to meet super fun and interesting women. We're always doing fun and interesting things in great cities that you couldn't do on your own because you wouldn't know the people or places or the insiders.

Teresa S., Kentucky

NextTribe fills the need I have to travel with older interesting women who are curious about the world and want to share the journey.

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Let’s Do This!

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$1,999

Did you know we have easy payment plans for our trips, interest free? Think of this as a layaway plan to feed your soul.

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What to Expect Traveling with NextTribe

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Travel Insurance – Do You Need it?

Short answer: Yes! We strongly suggest you buy trip insurance to protect your investment in the trip.

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Frequently asked questions

What’s different about your trips?

We curate trips specifically for curious, engaged women over 45. You’re pretty well assured that your fellow travelers will be a lot like you–since you’ve all responded to the idea of “aging boldly.”. That means built-in compatibility in your small group, including the woman who is leading the adventure.. In addition to specializing in group travel for people who don’t normally like group travel, we also pride ourselves on creating experiences that allow you to interact with local women or get deeper into the culture than you would if you planned the trip yourself.

Where do you go?

We have a wide range of weekend jaunts here in the U.S. for those who want a quick getaway. We also love taking women to Mexico, where founder Jeannie Ralston used to live. We’re always talking about pushing boundaries, and we’re doing that in the geographic sense too. For those with more time, we offer trips all over Europe, to India, Vietnam, Peru (for a hike on the inca Trail to Machu Picchu). Soon, our travelers will be getting passport stamps in even more countries on six continents. Be saving those frequent flier miles!

What do you mean by transformational travel?

NextTribe is affiliated with the Transformational Travel Council, an international group of travel professionals dedicated to making the world a better place, one trip and one traveler at a time. We recognize that travelers, especially post-pandemic, are looking for more than just a date and a destination. They can shop for that anywhere online. Our community honors the intention behind a traveler’s investment in a trip. Our travelers want to have fun (we do too!) and to travel with a sense of purpose and belonging. That’s why we go to great lengths to provide ways for women to self-select by reading the articles in our magazine and the content of our website. If you like what you see, you’re likely to be a NextTribe traveler, and we look forward to seeing you on a trip soon!

What if I travel solo?

If you really prefer to book your travel yourself and go it alone, we applaud you. That’s brave and bold and we would never try to talk you out of it. But our trips are designed so that even a woman who’s used to traveling alone, or someone shy about meeting new people, will feel comfortable in our group. Our trip leaders are there to “read the room” and make sure everyone feels included and respected.

What if I don’t like group travel?

We don’t either! Not the way most groups do it. If you feel like doing what the group is doing, great! Join us for dinner or just some of the activities. All the benefits of solo travel and the comfort of being with a group. Our groups are small (normally around 12 to 14 women) and in most situations, you are free to opt out of an activity. We figure you’re grown-ass women who know what’s best for you.

What’s the price range of your trips?

We are committed to providing what we call “affordable-luxury” travel. Don’t expect
the Four Seasons, but who wants to stay in a gilded bubble anyhow? We always look for good value and offer wonderful hotels and memorable experiences that won’t break the bank and will get you closer to how locals live. Our prices depend on the length of the
trip and the destination. We offer domestic trips for under $2,000 for a shared room, which we encourage. If you don’t have a roommate we will match you with someone. Sometimes this has resulted in lasting friendships with new travel buddies., Some of
our longer trips–two weeks in India or Vietnam, for example–will cost between
$4,800 and $6,000.

What’s included in the price?

Our trips cover most everything you’ll need to dive into a destination. Hotels and most meals, plus special experiences such as hands-on classes and sessions with local artists, writers or entrepreneurs are almost always included, but each trip is different so please be sure to read The Experience and the itinerary. We occasionally have an add-on for an extra price, but those are clearly designated. What’s not covered as a rule are airfare, alcohol and tips.

Do you have payment plans?

We sure do. It’s easy to pay for our trips by setting up automatic credit card charges at regular intervals, interest free. Think of it as the layaway plan to feed your soul.

How do I get trip discounts?

Our NextTribe members get a discount on every trip. Plus, members are the first to hear about new trips and receive upgrades on rooms if they’re available. Check out our three different membership levels here.

What’s the average age of women on the trips?

We welcome all women over 45, but most of our travelers are in the 50 to 65 age range. More important than age is the spirit of the traveler–her curiosity about the world, and her eagerness to embrace new opportunities. We’ve found women of any age with those qualities fit in well with our groups.

What’s the activity level of the trips?

Most of our trips are geared for active travelers who like to walk–a rating of 3 on our 1-5 rating scale. Here are some examples of how we rate. A designation of 1 would be our beach trips, where it’s up to you if you’d like to stroll down the beach, or play in the waves or walk around the small town. Trips where we have dedicated transportation for much of the time (such as India) are a 2; Paris is a 3 because we believe the best way to appreciate a city is to view it on foot. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, is a 4, because you’ll be walking up some hills (at 6,000 feet altitude) and occasionally on cobblestone sidewalks. Our Inca trail trip is a 5, as are our more adventurous outdoor trips.

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