If you prefer urban activities, downtown Asheville is full of historical sites, museums, antique shops and diverse restaurants. The Asheville Convention Center and Visitor's Bureau offers guided tours around historical downtown, or if you prefer, you may pick up a map and take a self-guided tour. Be sure to put Pack Place on your list of stops. This complex houses the Asheville Art Museum, Colburn Gem and Mineral Museum, The Health Adventure, YMI Cultural Center, and the Diana Wortham Theatre. You will certainly want to sample some of the local favorite restaurants, Mellow Mushroom (pizza), Laughing Seed Café (vegetarian), Salsa's (Mexican and Caribbean cuisine), and Café on the Square (traditional fare).
The Biltmore Estate, America's largest residence, is an attraction you will not want to miss. The 225-room French Renaissance chateau was built by George Vanderbilt in 1895. The 8,000-acre estate offers beautiful gardens, restaurants, and a winery. Fine gift shops, art galleries, and restaurants can also be found in nearby Biltmore Village. The village has been restored to reflect its original turn-of-the-century appearance. Be sure to take time to visit the New Morning Gallery and have tea at Chelsea's Tea Room.
The Grove Park Inn is a great place to visit whether you are spending the night, having dinner, or just sightseeing. The resort was built in 1913 on Sunset Mountain which overlooks the skyline of downtown Asheville with the Blue Ridge Mountains behind. The Grove Park features a five-star restaurant, golf course, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, banquet rooms, shops, and an antique car museum.
Southern Literature enthusiasts will want to visit the boyhood home of Thomas Wolfe and Riverside Cemetery, the burial place of Wolfe and O. Henry.
No visit to Asheville is complete without a trip to the Farmer's Market. You are guaranteed to find the best produce Western North Carolina has to offer, as well as home-made jams, breads, cheese, plants and crafts. If you work up an appetite exploring the Farmer's Market, you can get real down-home country cooking right next door at the Moose Café.
There are many great towns and attractions just a short drive from Asheville. Among the favorites is Flat Rock, NC. Flat Rock is most famous for Connemara, which is the home of poet Carl Sandburg. The 263-acre farm is a National Historic Site. Flat Rock Playhouse, the official state playhouse, is also a favorite destination for locals and tourists. The Playhouse presents professionally-produced plays and musicals from late May through mid-October. Chimney Rock is also a short drive from Asheville. A 26-story elevator takes you to the top of Chimney Rock, or, if you prefer, you can take one of four hiking trails all the way up. From the top there is a breathtaking 75-mile view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For more spectacular views and camping sites, Grandfather Mountain, Mount Pisgah and Mount Mitchell can all be reached via the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Maggie Valley and Cherokee, an Indian reservation, offer theme parks, authentic Native American crafts, museums, and outdoor drama presentations.
Asheville, North Carolina is a great place to visit no matter what the season. Summer brings crafts shows and festivals; the mountains come alive with color in the Autumn months. Cozy fires, holiday lights, and snow on the mountain tops all announce the arrival of winter, and the wildflowers, budding trees and warm weather make the perfect backdrop for a spring hike or picnic along the parkway. Our students love it here, and we hope you will too!
