What Happens When the Kids Grow Up
Words and photos by Christiana Roussel
Most of us are familiar with kids on family vacations: bickering over who gets the best seat in the car or at the table in the restaurant. Inevitably, there’s nitpicking over who gets to pick the day’s activity or who stole the phone charger. Someone probably forgot to pack their bathing suit, and someone else brought way too many stuffed animals from home.
But on my most recent vacation with kids, none of that happened.
Then again, the “kids” were a lot older this time around.
Recent life events reminded my adult siblings and me that we should make more of an effort to spend time together. Though we were all raised in Atlanta, my older brother and sister now live in the Northeast, with our widowed father not far away. I live in Birmingham, which means I see them far less than they see each other. I’d been missing them more and more and decided we needed a siblings-only trip—something we’d never done before. No spouses, no kids, no parents. Just the OG Three.
As the resident food and travel writer in the family, I was in charge of choosing the destination. Given the world of possibilities, I feel no shame in admitting that I started with ChatGPT:
“Give me three domestic vacation destinations for adult sibling travel in July from Birmingham, AL, and Newark, NJ (their closest airport). One sibling is very active, one is more sedentary. All enjoy great food and appreciate arts and culture. One loves live music. One loves being outside. One loves crafts.”
In under a minute, I had three AI-curated, Chamber-of-Commerce-worthy pitches: Denver, Santa Fe, and Asheville. While all three were great options, I knew immediately Asheville would take the prize.
Less than a year after Hurricane Helene devastated the region, reports showed Asheville was 85% back up and running—and more than ready for the economic boost from visitors.
I’ve been traveling to western North Carolina for years, both for work and play, and it holds a special place in my heart. With an easy drive from Birmingham and a direct flight from Newark, we were all in.
I booked a three-bedroom, two-bath condo at The Residences at the Biltmore for our four-day stay. It was centrally located, spacious, and affordable. From there, I locked in our dinner reservations—those would be the “rocks” in our schedule—and compiled a list of things to do, encouraging my siblings to add their own ideas.
When I picked them up at Asheville Regional Airport that Tuesday afternoon, I was a little nervous. Aside from dinner plans, our itinerary was wide open. I’m an Enneagram 3 and a natural planner, but as the baby of the family, I didn’t feel like it was my role—or desire!—to manage every detail. I wanted everyone to contribute.
Turns out, my worries were unnecessary. Once we settled in at the condo and I handed out maps, their wheels started turning.
Over a leisurely stroll through downtown (with shopping, of course) and a spectacular dinner at Chef William Dissen’s The Market Place, we slipped into vacation mode and planned the rest of our time together with intention and collaboration.
Wednesday
John and I let Barclay sleep in and took a brisk walk through the hilly neighborhood behind our condo. We imagined what it might be like to live there full-time, browsed Little Free Libraries along the way, and tried in vain to name all the plants—something our mother would have nailed.
Later, we collected Barclay and headed to the North Carolina Arboretum via the lush, green canopy of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This 434-acre property features 65 acres of cultivated gardens and more than 10 miles of hiking and biking trails. It was nearly empty on a midweek morning, allowing us to fully explore the grounds envisioned by Frederick Law Olmsted—the Father of American Landscape Architecture and designer of Central Park.
We stopped for lunch in the Montford neighborhood at All Day Darling. Barclay and I are adventurous eaters, while John is vegan—thankfully, Asheville has no shortage of options for all of us.
Barclay, a creative and a potter, found a glass-fusing studio called Fired Up! where we each crafted a different piece. They’ll be fired and shipped to us—a tangible memento of the trip. A stop at Earth Guild, a local craft hub, was also essential for Barclay, who stocked up on fiber art supplies to take home (though she might not tell her husband she brought back another project…).
After a little downtime, we dressed for a much-anticipated dinner at Chef Katie Button’s Cúrate. I’ve been dining at this Spanish tapas gem for years—often after dropping my kids off at camp nearby—and I was thrilled to finally share it with my siblings.
Post-dinner, we headed to White Horse Black Mountain, a venue John had scouted out just off I-40 East.
A rotating cast of local musicians took the stage, and we sank into a leather sofa near the front to enjoy the show.
Thursday
We began the day downtown, exploring the Center for Craft, where local and regional artists are celebrated. Our favorite piece? A pair of overalls called “A Pair for Joyce,” created by Vicki Essig using trained silkworms to spin directly onto a cardboard pattern.
After Barclay scored a pair of classic Blundstones at Tops for Shoes, I dragged her and John around the corner to Lexington Park Antiques for some thrifting. I’m always on the hunt for brown transferware, taxidermy oddities, and tramp art. I came up empty-handed, but John snagged a vintage Phish poster.
Hungry, we headed to Chai Pani, one of Chef Meherwan Irani’s restaurants, where the outstanding menu was rivaled only by the vibrant décor. My sister declared that New Jersey needed a Chai Pani of its own. I told her to get in line—I want one in Birmingham!
Next, we made our way to the Biltmore. Driving through Biltmore Village, we saw that many shops were still shuttered, though a few had reopened. Hope is strong here, and I’m optimistic the area will rebound soon.
At the estate, we had signed up for a falconry lesson—a new experience for all of us. Over 90 minutes, we learned the history and technique behind the sport of kings and each successfully called a bird of prey to our gloved hands. It was exhilarating. We followed it up with a tour of the mansion and gardens, where Olmsted’s landscape design again took center stage.
After a quick shower, we headed to dinner at Luminosa in the historic Flat Iron building. We caught a drum circle at nearby Pritchard Park before tucking into lemon pizza, herb-flecked gnocchi, and rigatoni Bolognese. Still craving something sweet, John led us to Sunshine Sammies for ice cream—yes, with vegan options too.
Friday
With only a half-day left, we explored the Upper River Arts District, home to buzzing galleries, boutiques, and eateries. A coffee stop at the Radical Hotel made us wish we had another night or two to check in.
What Did We Miss? SO MUCH.
We planned with intention and curiosity but still left with a long list of things for next time.
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Spa time at the Grove Park Inn (I did sneak in a lobster Cobb salad on the porch before John and Barclay landed…)
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Brewery hopping (John and Barclay are sober, so this one’s on my solo list.)
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An Edible Asheville farm tour
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The Moogseum, honoring music pioneer Robert Moog
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A hike to 70-foot Douglas Falls
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Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar—because the name says it all!
A Great Sibling Trip Without the Planning
Just 2–3 hours from Asheville—and from Atlanta, Greenville, and Chattanooga—is the Snowbird Mountain Lodge. It’s a turnkey spot for a sibling getaway. The resort’s Wanderlust Weekend Series offers activities for all paces, and with all meals served on-site, you don’t have to leave unless you want to canoe on Lake Santeetlah or hike through Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. It’s where I went after Asheville—and where I found myself wishing John and Barclay were with me all over again.
