5 Ways to Tour Asheville

 Asheville is a vibrant bustling city that is wholly unto itself in how it blends the old-world values of the South with a modern appreciation for art and diversity. In every city with a rich historical background there are tours that are relatively easy to find that any tourist can go on. But Asheville is one of those cities that is meant to be experienced in the spirit of the residents and mountains themselves. To make sure you get to see the best and most unique aspects of the city, we have compiled five tours. See the city inside and out and every nook and cranny at your own schedule. The best thing about Asheville is that there are so many things to see and ways to see them. Check out our post on 5 Ways to Love Asheville with the One You Love for more ways to get the most Asheville in every trip you take to our side of the mountains! From the flowers that grow above the ground to the caverns that are hidden underneath the city, see everything Asheville has to offer!

If you love taking a couple hours to wander in nature, but want to stay in proximity to town, the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville is a great option for you! Meander through sixty-five acres of cultivated gardens and seasonal landscape exhibits with ten miles of natural wooded trails for walking, hiking, biking, rotating art, science, and educational exhibits. If you don't have time to fit a guided tour into your itinerary, you can always take a Cell Phone Tour of the garden! There are ten stations with information on  that area of the garden and a phone number to call with a recording with additional information and facts that you can play on speaker for your whole group or just on the individual phones of those who want the extra info!

If you're looking for an easy and flexible way to see the historical sites of the city, the Urban Trail Walking Tour is for you! This walking tour focuses on the unique architecture, people and historic events of downtown Asheville. This tour is split into five distinct eras with a different symbol for each, so that you can either listen to them all at once, split them into different excursions, or focus only on the eras that interest you! Use the link above to download the map and mp3 recordings for the tour - the symbols for the different eras are carved into granite blocks along the sidewalks on the trail. To listen to each recording for every era, the walk is about two hours long, making this a perfect way to get to know the city after lunch one day before your evening plans.

If you want to try a more "classically Asheville" way of seeing the city, try the Gray Line Trolley. This red, double-decker is best known for its Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour. Each ticket comes with a ten stop tour in the city with colorful, lively narrative between the stops and half an hour to explore each stop, along with a two day pass incasue you can't finish your tour in one day! Check out their other tours like the Ghost Tours or Trolley Charters to get the best experience for your group.

If your tour of the Arboretum or hiking in our foot hills and mountain passes doesn't quite scratch your itch for the great outdoors, this next tour might be right up your alley. Appalachian Underground is a privately owned cave on restricted access property containing an entrance to Carter Saltpeter Cave. After the fifty-foot descent into the cave, you will be treated to stunning views of underground waterfalls and a small lake. Spark your imaginations like never before with your adventure to the depths of Asheville to experience a rarely seen part of mountain trails.

We talk a lot about the fantastic culinary scene here in Asheville; don't miss out on the opportunity to tour some of Asheville's tastiest treats during Asheville Food Tours. Each tour will stop at six to seven restaurants and/or food shops to give you a wide variety of food tasting "from artful ethnic appetizers washed down with a splash of pinot to hand crafted sizzling delights". On this tour, you'll also bear witness to the rallying spirit that has been a hallmark of Asheville since its founding. Each restaurant or food store is locally sourced and holds tightly to the "keep Asheville local" mentality, guaranteeing you the freshest and most robust tasting samples you've ever had.