Follow First Couple's vacation itinerary from the White House to Biltmore House
If you’re planning a summer vacation, you could do worse than following in the footsteps of an American President. Vacations are front and center these days with the summer travel season just around the corner and news of President and First Lady Obama’s weekend getaway to Asheville in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Historic Presidential Vacation Spots
Obama's vacation destinations have followed presidential traditions with a retreat to Martha's Vineyard and jaunts to his native Hawaii and home in Chicago. This spring, he joins presidents who have found respite on this uncommon ground:
- Palm trees and poker, Truman's Little White House in Key West
- FDR in Warm Springs, Georgia
- Founding father of staycations, Abe Lincoln at Old Soldiers' Home
- Clintons forgo Martha's Vineyard, head west to Jackson Hole
President Obama in Asheville:
"The president first visited the Asheville area during the campaign, and he liked it so much that he vowed to take his family there. The president and first lady are planning to spend a quiet weekend enjoying some of the many things this beautiful part of the country has to offer," said White House spokeswomen Moira Mack.
DAY ONE: Friday, April 23
- Bee-Line for BBQ: Moments after landing, Obama motorcade arrives at 12 Bones for creative barbecue flavors in Asheville's eclectic River Arts District (video)
- Historic Digs: Obamas check into Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa where ten U.S. presidents have stayed since the hotel opened in 1913
- Hiking the Blue Ridge: President Obama makes history as the first sitting president to step foot on the famed Blue Ridge Parkway, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2010
- Dining in a Foodtopian Society: Obamas eat local in farm-to-table, organic Asheville
DAY TWO: Saturday, April 24
- Sporty Escapades & Spa Bliss: Golf, tennis, more golf, basketball and a world-renowned, subterranean spa
- From the White House to Biltmore House: Vanderbilt's great-grandson gives tour of America's largest private family home
- Secret Service Beer Run: “Beer City USA” creates a craft beer for Obama
Travel Packages: In the Footsteps of Presidents
- Ten Presidents Package: Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa (resort history)
- Rough Rider in Yosemite: Wawona's Make History Package
- Kennedys' Coast: Boston, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard & Whale Watching
- Wilson's Honeymoon: Presidential Golf at The Homestead (resort history)
Background
Since the 1800s, America's jet-set has been drawn to the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, making Asheville their hub to soak in resort culture and healing mountain air. Literati, celebrities, presidents and titans of industry made seasonal jaunts leaving a lasting footprint on the city, most notably George W. Vanderbilt who made Asheville the backdrop for his architectural passion by building America's Largest Home, Biltmore. This history of culture, innovation and natural inspiration permeates the Asheville of today through a diverse art scene, 200+ independent restaurants, ten craft breweries, and scores of galleries and boutiques framed by more Art Deco architecture than any city outside of Miami. ExploreAsheville.com
Multimedia
- Video: Obamas at 12 Bones
- Video: Motorcade Drives Through Asheville
Media Contact
Dodie Stephens, Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, 828.257.4959, dstephens@exploreasheville.com, @AshevilleTravel
