Man standing on top of the mountain relaxing and enjoying beautiful summer mountain landscape. A panoramic view of the Smoky Mountains from the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. Near Asheville.; Shutterstock ID 1907256715; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: destination 1907256715

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Asheville

The undisputed ‘capital’ of the North Carolina mountains, Asheville is both a major tourist destination and one of the coolest small cities in the South. Cradled in a sweeping curve of the Blue Ridge Pkwy, it offers easy access to outdoor adventures of all kinds, while downtown's historic art-deco buildings hold stylish New Southern restaurants, decadent chocolate shops, and the homegrown microbreweries that explain the nickname 'Beer City.'

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Best Neighborhoods

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • The Biltmore Estate in Asheville.

    Biltmore Estate

    Asheville

    Charmed by Asheville's natural beauty, shipping and railroad heir George Washington Vanderbilt II decided to build a summer home modeled after three…

  • Asheville Art Museum

    Asheville Art Museum

    Asheville

    The glass-fronted West Wing is a showstopping introduction to this downtown museum, which is looking sleek after a $24 million renovation that added 70%…

  • Folk Art Center

    Folk Art Center

    Asheville

    Part gallery, part store, and wholly dedicated to Southern craftsmanship, the superb Folk Art Center stands directly off the Blue Ridge Pkwy, 6 miles east…

  • Thomas Wolfe Memorial

    Thomas Wolfe Memorial

    Asheville

    An incongruous survivor of old Asheville, this downtown clapboard structure was the childhood home of Look Homeward, Angel author Thomas Wolfe (1900–38)…

  • Asheville Pinball Museum

    Asheville Pinball Museum

    Asheville

    A veritable time machine, this downtown treat transports gamers back to the much-lamented pinball arcades of yesteryear. With stock ranging from vintage…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Day Trips

Wondering where to spend a day exploring from your home base Asheville? These are our 18 favorites.

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Transportation

With a population just under 100,000, Asheville is the largest city in Western North Carolina. The city is tucked within the Blue Ridge Mountains and flanked…

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Free Things to Do

The collegial spirit of Asheville is maintained in part by the many free activities offered across town, from public art and live concerts to trail-filled…

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Articles

Latest stories from Asheville

Spring time in Downtown Asheville overlooking city skyline with wild rhododendron flowers in foreground. 814101970 spring, downtown, north carolina, quaint, mountains, visitors, blue ridge, wnc, tourist town, mountain town Downtown Asheville skyline flowers in spring - stock photo Spring time in Downtown Asheville overlooking city skyline with wild rhododendron flowers in foreground.

Activities

17 of the best things to do in and around Asheville, North Carolina

Jul 17, 2024 • 7 min read

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