Asheville A-Z
Posted On Tuesday, October 20, 2015
A - Asheville Art Walk
On the first Friday of every month April through December, the Downtown Asheville Art District hosts an Art Walk! Beginning at 5, meander through 26 venues or beeline to the exhibits that sound the most interesting to you. See every type of art in every medium from galleries, to museums, to jewelry studios. This is one self-guided experience you won't want to miss and is especially convenient because it's all in the same half mile of downtown!
B - Barleycorn
The Barleycorn is a local pub-style restaurant that serves local beers! More than being just a pub, the owner, Greg Campbell, says the real motivation behind it is to be a safe and energetic place for neighbors to catch a bite together while they catch up with each other. Campbell attributes this energy to his serving crew whose backgrounds span everything from performing arts to psychology. He says he's never encountered such an intelligent crew and encourages them to interact with customers on a more personal basis.
C - Caving (Appalachian Underground)
Everyone talks about the amazing tours and hikes to do in and around downtown Asheville, but what about under the mountains? Just on the other side of the border in Carter County TN, you can engage in a no-experience needed caving adventure! Descend below the mountains and see what Asheville is really built on. For details about what to expect, how to dress, and group rates, check out their website!
D - Dare to Fly Trapeze
Looking for an adrenaline rush that will be hard to find anywhere else? Dare to Fly Trapeze is a one-of-a-kind lesson you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere. With packages for every level of experience, group size, and ages. Fly through the air, do a back flip, and revel in a moment of flight. Take your pick of experiences and dare to fly!
E - Emerson's Coffee and Tea
If you decide to take a trip to Asheville Mall, make sure to stop by Emerson's Coffee and Tea! This locally owned delight is dedicated to customer service and quality products! In addition to gourmet coffee, espresso, and tea, Emerson's also offers an assortment of muffins, pastries and chocolates! If you are as in love with Emerson's as the rest of Asheville, you can even get coffee (whole or ground beans) to bring back to your rental or gift baskets for friends and family to share!
F - Firestorm Books & Coffee
Firestorm Books & Coffee prides themselves on having a wide range of literature as well as an environment that represents Asheville's culture! They specialize in bringing underground, independent literature to the forefront and if you get a little hungry while you're browsing, you can move over to the cafe for local, organic food and drinks! If you're looking for a true Asheville experience, you have no further to look than this unique and delicious shop!
G - Green Sage Cafe
Green Sage Cafe is dedicated to bringing quality food to your table every time you visit. They tirelessly strive to find the most natural and healthy ingredients to make every dish both delicious and nutritious! The best part is that Green Sage Cafe doesn't just see their standard as a branding mechanism, they truly believe in it as a lifestyle. As a result, you know you're being served by people that are passionate about good food, supporting the community and nurturing healthy eating habits and relationships!
H - Honey Pot
Looking for a unique and fabulous shopping experience in downtown Asheville? The Honey Pot is your answer! Both the Honey Pot and their sister store, WeSoHoney, seek out high quality, genuine vintage clothes to give you the look you crave! Spend a couple hours, or an entire day, rummaging through both stores to find the perfect pieces to complete your ensemble.
I - Individuality
Asheville is known for its creative district, unique shops and dazzling culinary scene. All these components come together to make a vibrant identity. Though the elements of our culture have shifted, we have been a colorful brood from the beginning. From Celtic settlers, to trappers, to logging tycoons, to bootleggers, to our current assortment of artisans - our culture stems from all those loud, slightly embarrassing, uncles and forward thinkers and couldn't be more proud.
J - Jack of the Woods
Jack of the Wood is a Celtic style pub that embraces the original settlers of Asheville with exuberance. Live music, good beer and fresh food are the main components of this Asheville must and they are known for excellence in all three areas! This lively pub is a friendly and engaging slice of Asheville you won't regret visiting!
K - Kolo Bike Park
Asheville is renowned for its hiking trails, but what about biking enthusiasts! If you love the feeling of zipping through the woods on a bicycle, Kolo Bike Park is the place for you! The park offers 4 miles of trails built specifically with mountain bikes in mind! If you can't bring your bike with you, they even have rentals you can get to use in the park!
L - LaZoom Comedy and Band & Beer Tours
LaZoom Bus Tours are especially known for their Comedy Tours, which are a favorite for both locals as well as visitors, but did you know there are more? In October, LaZoom hosts a Haunted Tour for guests that are 17 years and older. Another favorite year-round tour is the Band and Beer Bus Tour! Enjoy live music while you ride from pub to pub and sample some of Asheville's finest brews (this tour is for 21 and older, due to the consumption of alcoholic beverages).
M - Mast General Store
Mast General Store honors the history of Asheville and its location at the crossroads of several trade routes and hunting paths. The General Store was not only a place for the buying and selling of goods, but also for the exchanging of news, the cultivating of friendships, and even occasionally the breaking of bread. Enjoy the sensation of stepping into a simpler time and walk through our General Store.
N - North Carolina Arboretum
The North Carolina is a 434-acre public garden that is proud to offer more than just a scenic walk! There are activities and exhibits for families and children of any age. There are flowering botanical exhibits for all four seasons as well as one of the largest bonsai collections in the country. If you are seeking peace of mind and rest for the soul on your Asheville trip, the Arboretum will help you on your quest for both!
O - Outlets
Asheville has a large set of Outlets that are great for spending a day looking for deals! Take your time meandering through a variety of stores that will have the fashions you love at prices you love too!
P - Pubcycle
The Amazing Pubcycle to be specific bring your own beer along for the ride or have a pint at every stop! It's touring like you've never done it before. This is one of Asheville's best known and loved attractions, by locals and tourists alike. Space is limited and, due to it's popularity, space on the pubcycle goes quickly, so book your tour (by yourself or with a group) today!
Q - Quirky
Quirk·y /ˈkwərkē/ (adjective): characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits. Not only are we individual in the culture we've developed we're also, well, just flat out quirky. To see just how unique we really are, check out our blog post to see why Travel & Leisure Magazine named us one of the quirkiest towns in America.
R - River Arts District
Come see for yourself why Asheville is known as "the Paris of the south". Artists from all over the country come to Asheville to find a safe haven of inspiration to create in. Asheville is one of those rare places where inspiration and creativity abound in. Walk through the galleries and open studios in the River Arts District, our local artists love talking to passersby about their creations and the motivation behind them.
S - Swing Dance Lessons
Swing is the state dance, so what could be more appropriate than learning the state dance while you visit! Fortunately, there are plenty of places for you to get your swing on, like Club Eleven with weekly Swing and Tango Lessons, Swing Asheville (who not only provide instructors for Club Eleven, but also have many more events) and even West Coast Swing Lessons, which provide lessons at several degrees of dificulty!
T - Traipsing Through the Woods
Naturally, no list of Asheville activities is complete without mentioning the hiking trails! We have trails to accommodate every skill level, endurance level, and age. Take your pick from waterfalls to scenic outlooks, Asheville has the perfect hike to bring you closer to nature!
U - Urban Trail
Guided tours can be constricting, especially if you only have a weekend to get our know our city. If you find yourself in this particular situation, Asheville has a solution for you! Urban Trail Walking Tour is a self guided tour with it's own mp3 tracks you can download and listen to as you go! You can also download a map pdf so you can mark any areas of special interest
V - Vineyards
Don't get us wrong, beer is great, but every once in a while you want a little wine instead. Naturally, Asheville's stores and pubs have a variety of well-known wines, but we also have several of our own vineyards. The Biltmore Estate has its own Vineyard, but there's also Addison Farms Vineyard, and Fontaine Vineyard to choose from.
W - Wicked Weed Brewing Company
Wicked Weed Brewing Company is one of those places that has been built from the ground up by people who love what they do and love to share it with others. With several house brews as well as more common standbys, Wicked Weed truly incarnates that microbrewing spirit of Asheville at its best and then pours it into a pint for you!
X - "X"foliate (spas)
Yes, we know it's a tad cheesy, but things that start with "x" are super hard to find and Asheville's spas are fabulous! Much like our vineyards, breweries, and swing classes, there are lots of spas to choose from and they're all offer fantastic experiences. Biltmore also has a spa, in addition to its many other amenities, there is also the Omni Grove Park Spa and Soji Spa, all of which are facilities of the highest quality!
Y - Yarn Emporium
If you love knitting and crocheting, Purl's Yarn Emporium will change your life. With friendly
employees and vendors, this site offers fair trade products and yarns from across the world. Onsite indie dyers guarantee that your yarn will be the exact shade you want and the atmosphere will have you coming back for more!
Z - Zip Lining
Zip lining is one of our favorite local activities in Asheville. Not only is it an adrenaline rush, but it's also a completely new way to see the mountainsides and downtown area of Asheville and it's never the same twice. Navitat Canopy Adventures is one of the best known zip lining companies in the area, however French Broad Rafting and Asheville Canopy Tours are also extremely credible and each has a different set of "trails" to chose from.