Nantahala Outdoor Center Adventures Arrive at The Grove Park Inn

Editor's Note: Below is the official press release announcing our project with The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. It's a bit formal for the NOC blog, but it does give a comprehensive overview of the alliance. The bottom line for Southeastern tourists: you can enjoy the culture, food and entertainment of Asheville alongside a full recreation itinerary on the rivers and streams of the Blue Ridge mountains.

Nantahala Outdoor Center and The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa unveiled plans today for a groundbreaking experiential retail and outdoor activity concept shop called NOC’s Basecamp Asheville, solidifying a strategic relationship between two classic Southern travel destinations. It will be the first LEED-certified retail project in downtown Asheville and one of the first nationally within a historic hotel.

Recognized as “One of the Best Outfitters on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure and Good Morning America’s “#1 Vacation with a Splash,” NOC will not only provide an on-site activity concierge for hotel guests, but will also serve as Asheville’s definitive local resource for outdoor trip planning and provide expert advice for exploring the mountains. The shop’s retail offerings will include men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, footwear and accessories from leading outdoor brands such as Patagonia, The North Face and Keen.

“A legendary mountain escape meets authentic outdoor adventure, creating a unique vacation experience,” says J. Craig Madison, President & CEO of The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. “Our guests will enjoy the ultimate in accommodations and service coupled with a family-friendly outdoor experience, resulting in a premier mountain vacation.”

Grove Park Inn guests will be able to book guided outdoor adventures prior to arrival and on site via NOC’s Basecamp Asheville, located immediately off The Grove Park Inn’s Great Hall. Other elements of the alliance also include convenient buttons on all in-room telephones, multi-day adventure packages and numerous on-premise experiences such as workshops, clinics and outdoor activities. Off-site activities will include:

Guided rafting trips on seven Southeastern rivers
• Guided hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains• Guided fly-fishing and kayak fishing
• Ziplines and canopy tours
• Information on local hiking, biking and paddling
• Kayaking lessons and tours
• Mountain bike rentals
• “Do-it-yourself” fun


Sutton Bacon, NOC’s President & CEO, comments, “Asheville’s visitors seek relaxation and recreation in the mountains. Our new relationship unites the area’s experts in both, providing a balanced, surefire vacation option.” Bacon adds, “Sometimes planning a vacation in advance only adds stress to the daily tasks visitors are trying to escape. Now The Grove Park Inn’s guests can let our on-premise experts work out the logistics.”

In keeping with The Grove Park Inn’s sustainability efforts and NOC’s green culture, NOC’s Basecamp Asheville has applied for LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the leading and most comprehensive third-party designation for green building. Upon completion it will become downtown Asheville’s first LEED retail project and one of the nation’s first LEED renovations within a historic hotel.

NOC’s Basecamp Asheville is expected to celebrate its grand opening in early summer 2011. For more information, visit www.noc.com and www.groveparkinn.com.