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Nestled amidst the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky mountain ranges is the lovely, laidback and liberal community of Asheville. The largest city in the west of North Carolina, it is a popular place to visit, with lots of tourist attractions in town and in its scenic surroundings. The abundance of craft beer breweries and street performers provides a vibrant feel, and there are several other things to do in Asheville with some fascinating monuments and museums on offer.
To top it all off, Asheville has idyllic gardens and grounds for visitors to check out, while the magnificent mountains and verdant forests surrounding it are only a short drive away. Located right next to the University of North Carolina at Asheville are some beautiful botanical gardens for you to explore. Popular with locals, students, and tourists, they are home to picturesque scenery, with peaceful paths weaving amidst the pretty plants. Established back in , the gorgeous gardens cover a large area, with flower-filled meadows found alongside a sparkling stream and wonderfully woody ridge.
Dedicated to protecting and preserving the nature of the Southern Appalachians, it has over species of plant on show from the marvellous mountain range. Wandering around the Botanical Gardens at Asheville is a lovely way to spend a few hours. April to August is the best time of year to visit as an abundance of flowers and plants are in bloom. Lying in the heart of downtown Asheville is the terrific Thomas Wolfe Memorial, which is well worth visiting if you have the chance. It was in this historic house that the famous 20th-century author spent much of his childhood, even using it as a setting in his novel Look Homeward, Angel.
Largely autobiographical, the book looks at his life growing up in the boarding house run by his mother. Now a Historic National Monument, his boyhood home acts as a museum and memorial to the writer, with many original artifacts on display.
After taking in all the history, there are some enticing arts and crafts studios to visit where you can see jewellery, pottery and sculptures being made — as well as buy some souvenirs. Once dilapidated and decaying, its waterfront warehouses now house more than artists in an astounding array of studios, galleries, and workshops. A very creative and eclectic place, it has an incredible range of artworks on display, with pottery and photography found next to glassworks, illustrations, and furniture.
In addition to perusing its colourful and chaotic studios, visitors can take classes from the artists in their workshops. Nestled away to the northeast of the city are the charming Craggy Gardens, which lie among the Great Craggy Mountains. Named after the jagged rocky outcrops dotting its scenic confines, it is particularly known for its fabulous floral displays, with June being the most magical time to visit. Made of up three equally stunning sections, the gorgeous gardens are very mountainous, lying over 1, meters above sea level.
Meandering about its marvelous meadows, flower-filled slopes and exposed rock surfaces are tantalizing trails for you to wander along, with fantastic panoramas over the Appalachians on offer.
While many visit in June for the plethora of pink and purple rhododendrons, the Craggy Gardens are always coated in color, with plants and flowers bursting into bloom at all times of the year. One of the first national forests established in the eastern United States in , Pisgah covers a vast part of North Carolina, with large swathes found around Asheville. Set in the southern Appalachian Mountains, it boasts some truly breathtaking scenery, with lovely landscapes and nature wherever you look.
Hidden among its majestic mountains and endless forests are roaring rivers and sparkling waterfalls for visitors to discover, with divine views to be enjoyed from its higher realms. Weaving their way amid its wonderful woods and wilderness are exquisite mountain bike paths and hiking trails, with numerous picnic areas and campsites scattered here and there.
Due to its scenic nature, Pisgah National Forest is very popular with outdoor enthusiasts. Besides hiking and cycling, there is some excellent fishing, rock climbing, and wildlife watching to be had amid its forested reaches. Since opening in the center of the city in , the gallery has been wowing visitors with its unique creations and hand-blown glassworks.
Watching them really is a treat: they carefully hand-blow glass ornaments and light fittings in front of you. With monthly music events and concerts also taking place, the studio is much more than just a place to pick up some unique souvenirs.
Built in , the colossal Catholic church showcases some superb Spanish Renaissance architecture and is reputed to boast the largest freestanding elliptical dome in North America. While its fetching facade and ravishing red bricks certainly make for a spectacular sight, entering its cavernous confines is the undoubted highlight. A significant and impressive landmark, the beautiful basilica also has a couple of charming chapels for you to check ou,t as well as a lovely little garden to wander around at the back.
A lively yet laidback place with a lot going for it, Downtown Asheville is a delight to explore, with something for everyone to enjoy. While following the Asheville Urban Trail is a wonderful way to take in its attractive artworks and architecture-filled streets, downtown also boasts some interesting historical monuments and museums. Excellent art galleries and craft beer breweries can also be found in the center, while its numerous street performers mean there is a buzzing atmosphere about the place.
With countless bars and music venues on offer; Downtown Asheville is certainly one of the most fun and festive places in North Carolina. Set just to the south of the city is the delightful North Carolina Arboretum, which is nestled away amongst the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
Covering a large area, it is home to lovely landscapes and gorgeous gardens, with state-of-the-art greenhouses dotted here and there. Ambling about its picturesque paths is a joy as the sprawling site is divided into scenic sections. While some pretty parterre plant beds mimic the patchwork patterns of the Blue Ridge Mountains, other areas lie beside babbling brooks or are peppered with beautiful bonsai trees.
While its tranquil trails, extensive azaleas and fantastic flowerbeds are always great to explore, winter is a particularly magical time to visit.
This is when flickering fairy lights are strung up among the towering trees, and the arboretum and botanical gardens take on an enchanted look. Lying at the heart of an expansive estate is Biltmore House, the largest privately-owned home in the United States. As such, lots of elegant arches and turrets can be spied alongside attractive facades, gorgeous sculptures and steeply pitched roofs.
Inside is just as dazzling. Decadently adorned rooms, halls and galleries stretch endlessly away; there are more than to explore in total. On top of all this, there are the glorious grounds to wander around, with stables, wineries and hiking trails found here and there.
To see the best of the Biltmore Estate, it is well worth taking a tour or staying overnight in its hotel, inn, or cottage. Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, scenery, and nature, Blue Ridge Parkway stretches all the way from Virginia to North Carolina.
On the way, it passes through lush forests, with sparkling streams and fabulous falls found amid its untouched and unspoiled wilderness. Besides its many natural wonders, the picturesque parkway protects a number of important historical sites with charming towns and villages as well as the Cherokee Indian Reservation also set along its route.
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– Best places to visit downtown asheville – best places to visit downtown asheville
While the participants may not be full-time actors and actresses, expect a great show presented with professionalism. The museum may be small, but it has some powerful interactive exhibits which will blow any visitor away. Step inside the Hurricane Simulator and feel the full force of a storm or create rain in the French Broad River Water table display before getting up close to the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex or a robot used to explore Mars.
The museum also houses an extensive collection of minerals in the Colburn Hall of Minerals as well as multiple displays on the geology of North Carolina. Grab a seat in the s speakeasy-style bar and wait for the party to start. Be prepared to join in with either choosing songs for the piano players to perform or sing along when the words are familiar. Meditate among the negative ions in a cave constructed of twenty tons of pink salt blocks to recharge your spiritual and physical batteries, take a detoxifying hot salt stone massage or an aromatherapeutic salt glow treatment.
Sound healing concerts, Yoga Nidra sessions and new moon meditation are also practiced at the Asheville Salt Cave. View the entire process as the blowers transform an innate blob of glass into an incredible and unique work of art with their breath and a few twists of the rod. If the heat of the furnace brings on a thirst, the studio has an in-house tap room selling Asheville craft beers served in hand-blown glasses.
Take the hard work out of pedaling and tour around Downtown Asheville on a Flying Bike. Join the tour just outside of Downtown on Coxe Avenue, mount one of the Pedego Boomerang Plus cycles and whizz back to the district for a morning of electric-powered exploring.
Then hire a Flying Bike and cycle around Downtown at your own pace. Both ways are great fun. The museum has eighty machines ranging from antique pinball to classic video games such as Pac-man which are all playable.
By TheAuracle. If you have kids or grandkids this is an excellent place to take them. It is well worth the small fee and on the first Civic Centres. By rh. There were numerous black and white photographs, wooden, hand-made chandeliers, a structure built by builders of the By CaptTrouble.
Whenever we have a chance we walk through local art galleries. We even buy art! We really enjoyed seeing the art in By FoodieFanHS.
By leannr. Movie Theaters. By Gettingolderandwiser. I really enjoy this little theatre. I do wish concessions had more options but I really enjoy the small theatre Escape Games.
By AmyDavis We had a great time at the Western room. The game was clever and the room was in good condition. By clintb We had the vegetable plate, scottish eggs, roasted brussel sprouts, bangers and mash, and of course beer. Don’t miss it. By elliottriley8. Sightseeing Tours. By sarahw I really don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t enjoy and benefit from this tour.
Thanks Brenda! By crizmila. Fun , fun, fun! By lindseyg We got a white pie and added andouille sausage and it was just what I wanted. The black bean dip as a starter is By ladybugsmiles. Room temperature, background music By XJBcharlesm.
It was a spooky little place and a beautiful drive to get up there. No ghost, no orbs, even had EVP meter, nothing Gay Bars. What travelers are saying. Relax 5 contributions. Review of: Grove Arcade. Nice architecture, eclectic mix of businesses. This is in a historic building we learned the history of it on a couple of other tours and it’s very nice inside, but rather small. Maybe 30 businesses and only a few restaurants and a couple of those were closed.
We ate at Huli Sue’s and it was awesome! The BBQ mac-n-cheese was a big hit! Read more. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Review of: Downtown Asheville Art District. Loved the Galleries and Varieties of Art. Strong focus on local landscapes but so much more. NeverEnoughTraveling Pennsylvania contributions. Review of: Blue Spiral 1. Beautiful Gallery. This was one of our favorite art galleries. It’s huge with 3 floors and many different mediums and styles. AshevilleTeach Asheville, NC 4 contributions.
With monthly music events and concerts also taking place, the studio is much more than just a place to pick up some unique souvenirs. Built in , the colossal Catholic church showcases some superb Spanish Renaissance architecture and is reputed to boast the largest freestanding elliptical dome in North America.
While its fetching facade and ravishing red bricks certainly make for a spectacular sight, entering its cavernous confines is the undoubted highlight. A significant and impressive landmark, the beautiful basilica also has a couple of charming chapels for you to check ou,t as well as a lovely little garden to wander around at the back. A lively yet laidback place with a lot going for it, Downtown Asheville is a delight to explore, with something for everyone to enjoy. While following the Asheville Urban Trail is a wonderful way to take in its attractive artworks and architecture-filled streets, downtown also boasts some interesting historical monuments and museums.
Excellent art galleries and craft beer breweries can also be found in the center, while its numerous street performers mean there is a buzzing atmosphere about the place. With countless bars and music venues on offer; Downtown Asheville is certainly one of the most fun and festive places in North Carolina. Set just to the south of the city is the delightful North Carolina Arboretum, which is nestled away amongst the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
Covering a large area, it is home to lovely landscapes and gorgeous gardens, with state-of-the-art greenhouses dotted here and there. Ambling about its picturesque paths is a joy as the sprawling site is divided into scenic sections.
While some pretty parterre plant beds mimic the patchwork patterns of the Blue Ridge Mountains, other areas lie beside babbling brooks or are peppered with beautiful bonsai trees. While its tranquil trails, extensive azaleas and fantastic flowerbeds are always great to explore, winter is a particularly magical time to visit. This is when flickering fairy lights are strung up among the towering trees, and the arboretum and botanical gardens take on an enchanted look.
Lying at the heart of an expansive estate is Biltmore House, the largest privately-owned home in the United States. As such, lots of elegant arches and turrets can be spied alongside attractive facades, gorgeous sculptures and steeply pitched roofs.
Inside is just as dazzling. Decadently adorned rooms, halls and galleries stretch endlessly away; there are more than to explore in total.
– Best places to visit downtown asheville – best places to visit downtown asheville
The Asheville Museum of Art focuses on American pieces from the 20th century onwards. Scenic Sunset E-Bike Ride. There are also endless outdoor activities on the 8,acre estate, ranging from biking, hiking, and kayaking to falconry, fly-fishing, horseback riding, and sporting clays.