Asheville, NC is by no means “a hidden gem” - it’s been a tourist destination since the 1880s, when that pesky Civil War calmed down and trains became the hot new thing. In 1889 William Vanderbilt built Biltmore (tongue-twister, much?), an extravagant mansion that remains the largest private residence ever built in the United States and is now a fancy hotel with grounds open to the public (for a price).