Asheville was officially incorporated in 1797.
Long famed for their spectacular beauty and rich array of flora and fauna, the Appalachian Mountains have given rise to a craft beer lover’s paradise in the form of Asheville. Located in the western reaches of North Carolina, this scenic city is brimming with top-tier breweries, with destinations like Hi-Wire and Wicked Weed earning widespread acclaim for their mouth-puckering sours—but incredible beer is far from the only asset that’s keeping the tourists coming.
From James Beard Award-winning restaurants to fascinating science institutions to one of Appalachia’s finest distilleries, there’s no shortage of attractions to keep even the most ardent of beer haters busy during their time in Asheville.
Exploring the Local Food Scene
Chai Pani earned the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2022.
In addition to world-class breweries, Asheville has mastered the art of fine dining, brimming with cozy cafés and polished restaurants all across the surrounding region. For a tried-and-true classic, Chestnut has been drawing diners for close to two decades, providing hungry visitors with a wealth of classic American dishes to try. While the menu rotates monthly (with a few favorites like the lobster bisque always included), Chestnut’s dedication to sourcing local ingredients is a year-round theme, with no shortage of produce, meat, and dairy coming from local farms.
Asheville is no stranger to international cuisine either, with Chai Pani serving as one of the city’s culinary crown jewels. From bhel puri to kale pakoras to aloo tiki chaat, the menu is rife with perfectly-seasoned North Indian street food, while savory selections like the crispy masala fish roll and vada pav round out the sandwich section—and as an added bonus, the venue is no slouch when it comes to cocktails, offering boozy concoctions like vodka-loaded masala chai and spiked lavender lemonade. For any early risers visiting Asheville, La Bodega by Cúrate is an absolutely essential breakfast destination thanks to one dish in particular: the croissant bikini. Packed full of caramelized onions, manchego, and cured ham, this hearty breakfast sandwich is a one-way ticket to an incredible morning.
Imbibing sans Beer
The word "gin" can be traced back to the Latin word "juniperus," which translates to "juniper" in ... [+]
Spirits aficionados take note—one of the finest distilleries in the entire Tarheel State is located in the heart of Asheville. Launched in 2016, Chemist Spirits shines a spotlight on the spectacular array of indigenous Appalachian plants found within North Carolina, dishing out world-class gin for visitors to sample. While varieties range from rose-infused to barrel-rested, founder Debbie Word is well-versed in all forms of spirit, crafting single malt whiskey, chocolate orange gin liqueur, and even a few varieties of Bierbrand, a distillate made from beer. For best results, be sure to swing by the dazzlingly-beautiful Antidote for some firsthand experience on how Chemist’s spirits perform in a cocktail.
Not content with solely beer and wine, Asheville’s surrounding hills have given rise to a stellar wine industry, with Biltmore Estate Winery located just 15 minutes southwest of the center of town. Home to a cozy wine bar serving up charcuterie and a wealth of wines made on-property, this scenic venue offers free tastings to same-day ticket holders coming from the nearby Biltmore Estate, a colossal 1890s-era Gilded Age mansion that’s best known as the nation’s largest privately owned home. To keep the party going after the winery, visitors can head back into the city to find Bottle Riot, a polished bar that’s equipped with a wide array of wines sourced from all across the globe.
Asheville’s Top Educational Institutions
The pine is the state tree of North Carolina.
The Asheville area is home to top-tier hiking destinations like Bad Fork Valley Overlook and Craggy Pinnacle, but for those who prefer to stick close to the downtown area, the Botanical Gardens at Asheville offer a fascinating glimpse into the rich biodiversity of the surrounding region. Spanning ten acres on the edge of the University of North Carolina campus, this decades-old institution is packed full of native Appalachian flora, with pink turtlehead, doll's-eyes, and blazing star serving as just a few of the vibrant species found on-property.
After a trip to the gardens, visitors can gain greater insight into the natural world with a visit to the Asheville Museum of Science, a venue that offers a deep dive into the wide world of geology. Dazzling gems abound across the entire institution, with massive chunks of quartz, fluorite, and lazurite found across the Colburn Hall of Minerals—but the most fascinating rocks on display belong to a particularly fearsome specimen. Known as Teratophoneus curriei, this massive fossil cast depicts a tyrannosaurid that was first discovered in Utah just a few years ago.
