Asheville

In the 1890s, George Vanderbilt had a 250-room château built here – still the largest privately owned home in the U.S. A vacation in Asheville pairs this Gilded Age splendor with Art Deco façades, a remarkable beer culture, handmade crafts, and the Blue Ridge Mountains right on your doorstep.

Health Resort, Artists' Town, Fresh Start

Asheville was founded in the late 18th century at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. Starting in the 1880s, the railroad brought wealthy summer visitors who appreciated the cool mountain climate. A wealth of Art Deco buildings went up in the 1920s, but the stock market crash hit the city so hard that it took decades to pay off its debts – which is why hardly anything was torn down. Later, artists, musicians, and dropouts were drawn here. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding in the region, especially in the River Arts District; since then much has been rebuilt, and visitors are explicitly welcome.

Sights in Asheville

The Biltmore Estate, with its Loire-style château, gardens by Frederick Law Olmsted, and its own winery, is a full day's outing. In downtown Asheville, you'll want to see City Hall with its colorful brick roof, the Grove Arcade, one of the first shopping arcades in America, and the Basilica of St. Lawrence. The Thomas Wolfe Memorial honors the writer who grew up here. The Asheville Art Museum on Pack Square shows American art of the 20th and 21st centuries. In the River Arts District, artists work in former warehouses. The Grove Park Inn, a historic hotel built of granite boulders, offers panoramic views of the mountains.

Eating and Going Out in Asheville

Asheville is considered one of America's beer capitals: dozens of breweries are located in the city, and major brewers such as Sierra Nevada and New Belgium have opened facilities in the region. The restaurant scene focuses on ingredients from the mountains – trout, mushrooms, hard cider, and Appalachian cooking with biscuits and air-cured country ham. On Friday evenings, people gather for the drum circle in Pritchard Park, and West Asheville is home to bars, live music, and cafés. The nightlife is relaxed and strongly shaped by folk and bluegrass music.

Music and Crafts

Appalachia has a rich musical tradition, and Asheville keeps it alive. In summer, bluegrass and old-time musicians play outdoors at Shindig on the Green. The Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway shows work by the Southern Highland Craft Guild, from pottery to weaving. The synthesizer maker Moog Music is based in Asheville, and for several years Moogfest made the city a gathering place for electronic music.

Getting Around Asheville and the Best Time to Visit

Asheville Regional Airport is about 20 minutes to the south. Buses run within the city, but you'll need a car for the mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes right by the city, and from it you can reach Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi. The best time to visit is October, when the leaves change color in the mountains, as well as spring, when the rhododendrons bloom. Day trips lead to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah National Forest with its waterfalls, and Chimney Rock.