The Blue Ridge Parkway is designed for slow travel at a maximum speed of 45 mph (miles per hour). At the same time, it provides access to short, easy hikes and more challenging routes leading to viewpoints and waterfalls. For planning a trip to Asheville, this makes a practical difference: you can focus on a leisurely drive along the Parkway or on a hike to a viewpoint or waterfall.
Between the Parkway and the estate
The focus is different at the Biltmore Estate: it covers 8,000 acres, with six formal and informal gardens, a conservatory, and more than 20 miles of nature trails. This range extends from landscaped garden areas to outdoor trails. The Parkway and Biltmore Estate offer different landscape experiences: slow travel and a variety of hikes on one hand, gardens, a conservatory, and nature trails on the other. The acreage indicates the size of the estate, while the miles refer to the length of its nature trails.
Art, literature, and architecture
The Asheville Art Museum welcomes visitors interested in exploring American art from the 20th and 21st centuries. This time span gives art lovers a clear thematic focus. If you want to get to know Asheville through visual art as well as nature, you can take this focus into account when planning your trip.
The Thomas Wolfe Memorial offers a literary connection to Asheville. Thomas Wolfe’s mother’s former boardinghouse is now the memorial; visitors come to the setting of Look Homeward, Angel. The site thus connects a historic building with the setting of the novel.
The Asheville Museum of History offers lectures, tours, and walks to the public every month. Since dates may change, check the current schedule before your visit. The Basilica of St. Lawrence adds an architectural highlight: it has the largest freestanding elliptical dome in the country.
Creative discoveries and treats
The River Arts District is home to working studios, galleries, murals, restaurants, breweries, and creative spaces in former industrial buildings. Artists open their studios to visitors, who can watch works take shape in real time. This offers two distinct ways to engage: viewing finished art and getting a glimpse of the creative process; restaurants and breweries add to the district’s appeal.
The North Carolina Glass Center offers live glassblowing demonstrations and workshops. Alongside viewing artworks, visitors can also explore a specific craft. Biltmore Winery offers a complimentary wine tasting, adding another experience to Asheville’s selection.
Choose your focus in Asheville
Discover more destinations: Swannanoa, Leicester, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Candler, Arden.
Go to the main travel overview: Buncombe.
