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The 16 Best Free Things to Do in Asheville
They say that the best things in life can’t be bought, and that’s especially true in Asheville. Planning a trip on a budget to a place with astonishing outdoors and plenty of walkable areas is easy! You’ll have a blast spending the day hiking trails off of the Blue Ridge Parkway, enjoying scenic drives, chilling at a downtown park, listening to bluegrass at a free concert, or checking out local vendors at the River Arts District farmers’ market. Don’t be intimidated by Asheville’s award-winning food scene. There are plenty of places – from cafés to restaurants to food trucks – where you can have excellent food at reasonable prices. Also,…
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The Best Time to Visit Asheville, North Carolina
As I’ve written about before, I wasn’t always an Asheville resident. For more than a decade, Asheville was where I went on holidays and vacations to see my in-laws, and as such, I’ve got a pretty solid window into the times of year that people come here for fun and adventure during vacations. That being said, I’ve now lived here for a year and a half as well, which means I’ve also seen the in-between times, the times when local residents are the primary folks visiting attractions and all that downtown has to offer. So here we come to the real question: What is the best time of year to…
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The 14 Best Family-Friendly Restaurants in Asheville
No one really needs to read yet another parent rant about the challenges of teaching a child how to behave in public, I’m sure, but anyone who has had a spirited child under the age of 6 or 7 will know the struggle that is growing the skill of being in public. While some select few children are ready to sit still and quiet at restaurants the first time they try, many children will experience restaurants as a source of excitement and overwhelmingness for quite a while before they can participate in a truly polite way. In the meantime, they really can’t get better if they can’t practice! As a…
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The 31 Best Things to Do in Asheville in the Spring
Spring in Asheville is glorious. From chasing full waterfalls and spotting wildflowers to festivals, farmer’s markets, and endless opportunities for outdoor adventures, you’ll be busy as a bee in Asheville in the spring! Although the weather can bring a little bit of everything, from gorgeous sunny days to rain and even snowflakes, it’s a beautiful time of the year to visit. Dressing in layers and having a good attitude is crucial to having a wonderful spring vacation in Asheville. The temperatures vary and can change fast, but it’s safe to say that the later you come in the spring, the warmer the climate you’ll get. We all know that rain…
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The 10 Best Kid-Friendly Breweries in Asheville
Breweries are the great equalizer in Asheville. Certainly, there are spots that are for dancing and listening to music, popular with a young crowd, and there are other spots that are so sedate that you’ll see folks of all ages catching up with a friend or playing a leisurely game of darts. Traditionally, the age group you wouldn’t see at breweries was the under-21 crowd, but increasingly that’s changing, especially with so many breweries including live music and food as part of their draw. While the under-21 folks can’t partake in the beer itself, many of the best breweries in Asheville realize that being family-friendly allows them to provide a…
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House of Black Cat Magic Review: ‘Where Magic Truly Saves Lives’
My son and I love to explore the origins and different aspects of our culture’s traditions. That’s how, on the weekend before Halloween, we got to the House of Black Cat Magic in an attempt to learn more about the Celtic pagan celebration of Samhain, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker months. The Celts believed the veil between the living and the dead was thin on this day, allowing the spirits of the deceased to connect with the living. Samhain is the origin of Halloween, and, not surprisingly, it also has a lot in common with the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition,…
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The 13 Best Ways to Celebrate New Year’s in Asheville
New Year’s as a holiday is a little polarizing – while I know lots of people who love other holidays more, I personally count New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day as my favorite holidays. There’s something so refreshing about getting an opportunity for a new start in the middle of our everyday lives. The key to celebrating New Year’s in Asheville is to figure out what matters to you about this holiday and focus on that! The reactions to New Year’s are varied, from staying at home, cozy with family, and waking up early to go run the downtown Resolution Run, over to the glitzy parties, fun concerts, and…
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Where to Get Christmas Dinner in Asheville
Let’s face the facts: one of the best reasons to live in or visit Asheville is the fact of not actually being a great cook – there’s such good food at your fingertips here that people who aren’t much for the kitchen can find top-notch flavors without having to pick up a whisk. Especially during the holidays, though, this becomes a bit more challenging, since many restaurants take a well-deserved break, and many regular-level home chefs still feel daunted at the idea of preparing an elaborate holiday meal for something like Christmas dinner. The good news is that even if you don’t want to cook it yourself, you have plenty…
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The 16 Best Things to do in the Fall in Asheville
My admiration for Asheville never decreases, but I must admit that fall is, hands down, the most beautiful time of the year to be here. The trees display unreal red, yellow, and bronze colors, the flowers are spectacular, and the average temperature is 68°F/46°F. If that’s not enough, there are many events, and the bountiful harvest makes our food scene even more exciting. Fall in Asheville is gentle and long (one of the longest seasons in the country), allowing us plenty of time to transition and retreat to the darkness of winter. If you’re looking to see fall foliage, the best month is October, although you can start to see…
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Exploring Downtown Asheville: 12 Fun Things to See and Do
There are many things to do in downtown Asheville, from shopping to people-watching and everything in the middle. But, of course, one of the highlights is the amount and diversity of restaurants. There is something for everyone, from award-winning restaurants to amazing tacos and burritos to outstanding breweries, bars, coffee shops, and places to eat dessert. Asheville has made it onto many Yelp and TripAdvisor lists as the best destination for foodies, beer connoisseurs, and dog lovers, to name a few, yet one of the best titles it got is “one of the friendliest towns in the US.” So, please take any chance you get to mix with locals! I…
