AREA ATTRACTIONS
Getting to the mountains of Western North Carolina will be the easy part of your visit - we have Interstate Highways on all sides. The hard part? Deciding what to do after you arrive from the huge assortment of attractions within about 65 miles. Be prepared to spend a few days or a week if possible! You will have many things to see and do - ranging from white water rafting, golfing, gem, art and other museums and galleries, to other fun things like mountain hiking, Cherokee and the Indian reservation, the Chimney Rock Park, and the Biltmore Estates - just to mention just a few.
Asheville is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains - in fact, the Blue Ridge Parkway goes through part of the city! Pisgah National Forest and the Smoky Mountains with many related attractions are an easy drive. This writer feels that Asheville could be described as a high level plateau at about 2000 feet altitude with mountains rising to the sky all around the city. Many beautiful waterfalls are not far; the hiking can be as easy or difficult as you wish. Did I mention trout fishing? The best.
Excuse our brevity, but just to touch on a few more attractions, you are going to find these nearby or within a reasonable drive:
The Cradle of Forestry, North Carolina Arboretum, Chimney Rock, Health Adventure, Biltmore Estate, Colburn Gem & Mineral Museum, Botanical Gardens, Folk Art Center, Diana Wortham Theatre, Asheville Community Theatre, Blue Ridge Parkway, Smith-McDowell House, Carl Sandburg Home ( a National Historic site) , Thomas Wolfe Home, Grandfather Mountain, Mt. Mitchell (highest mountain on the East Coast), Hot Springs (not just a name!), Cherokee Indian Reservation and Museum, the play "Unto These Hills", mountain golf courses abound, Great Smoky Mountain Railway, whitewater'ing and hiking and a LOT MORE.....
Other folks more experienced than the writer have some fine sites on the internet that will tell you much more about the attractions - so below are several key sites that should help you with your visit in detail! (Don't forget that we also have in nearby Hendersonville the Western North Carolina Air Museum!)
First, checkout the North Carolina Visitor site . It divides the state into sections, with a ton of information for each but be sure to click on "Mountains".
Next, visit our Asheville Visitor Center web site.
Finally, for a grand sweep to include many more sites -try this link to Asheville Area Attractions .
By the way......don't forget to visit our Southern Appalachian Radio Museum, just give us a call!