Blue Ridge Mountain Host Region is Anchored by Mountain Metropolis of Asheville, NC

Urban Hub along the Blue Ridge Parkway

The passing of the Blue Ridge Parkway through the mountain metropolis of Asheville, NC is one beautiful coincidence – well not really. In truth, Asheville community leaders of the day campaigned long and hard to bring the picturesque highway through the Blue Ridge Mountains to their doorstep. Today the area offers several interesting stops that are right on the Parkway. These include the Folk Art Center (Milepost 382), the North Carolina Arboretum (Milepost 393) and the newly constructed Parkway Visitor Center (Near Milepost 384)–a "must see" in this anniversary year (2010).

Asheville, NC

Routing the Parkway through the mountain metropolis of Asheville, NC turned out to be the perfect urban complement to the byway's rustic charm. Visitors wandering through the historic downtown will discover interesting restaurants, smiling street entertainers and fascinating shops stocked with fine art, local crafts, antiques and imported items.

While shopping downtown, visit the ornate Grove Arcade, a focal point of 1929 Asheville that has been restored to its original glory, now housing locally owned shops and restaurants. Other ways to explore Asheville's history are: take a grand tour of Biltmore®, America's largest home; see the boyhood home of author Thomas Wolfe; or visit the beautifully restored Smith McDowell House.

Endless opportunities for dining abound with more than 250 independent restaurants, most working hand-in-hand with local growers and artisan food makers to create innovative culinary experiences. Many delightful eateries have sidewalk tables and live music. In fact, this is a town filled with music, including "Shindig on the Green" the singing/dancing event that takes place on the town square on Saturday nights in the summer. When the sun sets, Asheville shines – with great dining, theater, brewpubs and music from blues to bluegrass to symphonic. When seeking the excitement of a mountain metropolis, Asheville, NC is ready for fun!

Other towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Just outside of Asheville discover two charming boroughs: Black Mountain to the east and Weaverville to the north. The quaint shops, galleries and eateries of these peaceful little towns take visitors back to a time when all that was ever needed was right there on Main Street. In many of our small mountain towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains, that's still the case today.

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