Asheville North Carolina: Our Favorite East Coast Mountain Town
Nestled in a little bowl of the Blue Ridge Mountains sits Asheville North Carolina, a hilly town full of history and cool architecture that’s now chock-full of cool breweries, great restaurants, funky shops, and historic spots to check out — with outdoor hiking + mountain adventure right outside its doorstep.
We liked it so much we seriously considered a move there, but fate (and a job offer) wanted us out West instead. Either way, it’s one of our favorite cities and definitely our favorite mountain town in the area.
I knew it was our style when I first saw the Good Vibes silo in the River Arts District and a mural in West AVL with The Dude on it.
Photo by Josh Duncan on Unsplash
Good Vibes silo mural in the River Arts District by artist Ian Wilkinson.. Source: my own photo.
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Big Lebowski influenced mural in West Asheville? Yes please. Source: my own photo.
Downtown Asheville is a bustle of cool local shops, eats, and unique little spots - you could easily spend all day wandering up and down each street scoping it all out and stopping for yummy snacks all along the way.
Our favorite spots in the downtown Asheville area:
River Arts District - a vibrant neighborhood community where you can wander along hundreds of working artists’ galleries and studios in every medium imaginable. If art is your thing you could easily spend an entire day here.
White Duck Taco Shop - there are a few locations now - we’ve been to one in the River Arts District and one downtown. If you’re wandering around town getting hungry and pass by, do yourself a favor and stop. You won’t regret it.
Mast General Store - a staple downtown that still holds a really authentic mercantile feel. Stop in when you’re wandering down Biltmore Avenue.
Tupelo Honey Café - right in the heart of downtown Asheville on College Street, it’s a Southern comfort-food staple of AVL.
Wicked Weed Brewery - there are a few cool WWB spots. If you’re downtown go grab a beer at their Brewpub and sit outside if the weather is nice. If you’re down in Asheville’s South Slope check out the Wicked Weed Funkatorium, a tasting room dedicated entirely to sour beers!
Double D’s Coffee & Desserts - Not every day you can order a chai tea to go from a double-decker bus converted into a cute little corner café. Wander down Biltmore Ave. and go check it out.
source: Double D’s
More cool stuff right outside town:
Omni Grove Park Inn
Built in 1913, this Four Diamond hotel is only a few minutes outside of downtown Asheville and overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains. Built in the Craftsman style, it’s also on the National Register of Historic Places and is complete with a multimillion dollar subterranean spa (one of the top in the world; we peeked inside, it was insane) and a fireplace inside the main hotel lobby big enough to park a small car in.
We’ve never stayed here but we do make a point to visit for a fireside cocktail or dinner on the back balcony.driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
Also nicknamed “America’s favorite drive” it’s one of the most beautiful scenic byways in the country. If you have a chance to drive it, Fall is our favorite when the leaves are changing and truly sprinkling down on you as you cruise around the twists and bends. Regardless of when you drive it, you’ll have lots of opportunities to stop for photo-ops along it’s many viewpoints and hiking accesses.
If offers some truly amazing sweeping views of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains.
Sierra Nevada Brewery
Just outside of Asheville in Mills River NC, the Sierra Nevada East Coast Brewery could be an entire day of fun in itself. They call it their “beer wonderland in the woods”. The property is huge, with its own nature park and trails. There’s a restaurant and tasting room on site, and whether you want to do a tour, a tasting, a class, or just to hang out and see some live music, their events calendar is always stacked.
Biltmore Estate
The Biltmore is the largest private residence in the country - but let’s be real and just call it what it is, a castle! It was completed in 1895 and owned by George Vanderbilt and family; and touring the estate today is truly amazing. I could talk about the Biltmore for hours — I even wrote a separate article about it here to help you decide if you’d rather visit during the Spring/Summer season, or during the Christmas holiday season!
Check out The Biltmore website to see what events are going on while you’re visiting Asheville!
hiking around the blue ridge parkway
There are so many amazing and beautiful hikes that stem from the Blue Ridge Parkway area! If you’re there in the Summer the rhododendrons are blooming and are stellar. (Check out Craggy Gardens if you want to see some blooms!) If you’re there in the Fall the waterfall hikes are beautiful and the crowds much lighter. Pictured above is the beautiful Catawba Falls.
There’s a great link here that gives you the exact milepost for many popular trails along the Parkway in both North Carolina and Virginia.
The Biltmore Estate
The Grove Park Inn
More magic on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Whether you’re a beer-lover, nature-lover, art-lover, history-lover, or some combination of those… Asheville’s got you covered.
And no matter what time of year you visit you’re sure to stay busy, so your job now is to pick the top priority so you can choose the best time of year for your visit.
Is it the nature and hiking or experiencing Asheville’s funky art culture? Spring through Fall is your best bet for hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains. You’ll also have nicer weather for exploring the Biltmore Estate grounds or the art and culture in Asheville’s downtown River Arts District.
Is it a romantic getaway of pampering and relaxing? The Fall & Winter are a perfect time to head to AVL. Go do a little pampering at The Poseidon spa at The Grove Park Inn, and book evening reservations to tour The Biltmore Estate when it’s decorated for Christmas! If you make it while the Fall foliage is at its peak the Blue Ridge Parkway is also at its best.
Start making a list of your top priorities and budget your time well — prepare to fall in love with our favorite funky mountain town on the East Coast. We love you, Blue Ridge Mountains!
