Firefly Realty's Guide To Asheville - 3 Day Itinerary

Just north of downtown and adjacent to Montford, Five Points offers the conveniences of being close to downtown and UNCA, several grocery stores within a stone’s throw, and plenty of dining, shopping, and other services within easy reach. If you want to be in an area that is convenient for walking and biking with access to public transportation, this checks those boxes. The homes in this area range from traditional bungalows to a few modern builds. It’s reflective of city limits living, so large lots and yards are rarer here. Head up Merrimon Ave. away from downtown, and you’ll find neighborhoods tucked in on either side of the busy thoroughfare in the 2.5 miles between Claxton Elementary School and Ira B. Jones Elementary School. Merrimon Ave. itself is very commercial with both local and chain restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, and several other retail stores and service providers. On the north end of Merrimon, find serenity in the Lakeview Park and Beaverdam areas – the commercial district fades away as mountain views, the Country Club of Asheville golf course, the trails around Beaver Lake, and rolling hills of Beaverdam take over the scenery. Well appointed homes fall in an eclectic range from historic Greek revivals to contemporary, green-built residences. With convenient access to I-26, a quick trip to an idyllic hike or swimming hole with stunning mountain views is just minutes away. 

East of downtown there are several neighborhoods that locals love for the quiet residential atmospheres that are close to the amenities and conveniences of Tunnel Road and the outdoor recreation options of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Recreation Park, and the Asheville Municipal Golf Course. Locals and visitors alike love to visit the WNC Nature Center to see what the beloved animals are up to, and nearby Recreation Park has something for everyone including a pool, basketball courts, soccer fields, walking trails, and a dog park, right along the Swannanoa River. East Asheville also has its own library, schools, parks, and more. Check out the neighborhoods of Haw Creek, Beverly Hills, Riceville, Chunn’s Cove, and Oakley. Homes are a blend of updated bungalows and newer craftsman style homes, and you can find high-end condominium neighborhoods as well as those with generous lots and plenty of privacy. Many of these neighborhoods are so close to the Blue Ridge Parkway that bears and other wildlife are often a common sight for residents. Check out exploreasheville.com’s Insider’s Guide To East Asheville Gems for some local recommendations. 

You may hear locals comment on the traffic woes of I-26 between downtown and the Arden/Fletcher area. But if you do not have to make the commute daily between the two, or even if you do, and you plan accordingly, you really can get the best of both worlds. Spanning horizontally from I-25 / Hendersonville Road to I-26 just north of Airport Road, Arden has just about every housing option you could think of. Lots of townhome communities that are super convenient to the airport and tons of other amenities, serene neighborhoods with large lots and mature trees like Royal Pines, and everything in between. Residents love the boating options at Lake Julian, as well as many playgrounds and parks in the area, and you have your choice of shopping, dining, grocery stores, and so much more. Several schools are convenient to here, and if you travel a lot, you couldn’t ask for a better proximity to the airport – except for maybe Fletcher, just south of Arden. Fletcher is equally close to all the conveniences of suburban living, and the peaceful rolling hills that spill into Henderson County. Mills River is home to several beloved breweries like Sierra Nevada and Mills River Brewing. Bill Moore Community Park, Mills River Park, and the North Mills River Recreation Area offer outdoor options for families, dog walkers, mountain bikers, and hikers. The French Broad River meanders between Fletcher and Mills River down toward Horseshoe and Etowah, for even more rural living options.   

The French Broad River is the geographical border between West Asheville and Downtown. The River Arts District (the RAD), along the stretch of river starting around the Amboy Road and Lyman Street intersection and heading north along the river for several miles, has seen immense change over the last decade, with working art studios, breweries, restaurants, high-end condos, and a few enclaves of single-family homes on either side of the river. Walk, run, or bike through the RAD and explore the paved greenway that was completed within the last few years. Drink local beer, browse and buy local art directly from the studios where it’s made, and choose from plenty of good eats in the area. Don’t miss the Foundation where you’ll find a brewery, coffee shop, winery, barbecue, Hawaiian food, art studios, an independent movie theater, and a skate park, all against the backdrop of larger-than-life murals by local artists. 

If you’re looking for a bit more yard space, or a bit more value per square foot, greater West Asheville has a lot to offer – North of Patton Avenue between the river on the east and New Leicester Highway to the west, are the Richmond Hill and Emma neighborhoods, still close to all the conveniences of downtown and West Asheville, just a bit quieter. Follow New Leicester Highway for a bit, and you’ll start to feel like you’re really in the country – rolling hills, mountain views, and fields dotted with horses and cows are all part of the scenery here. In addition to single family homes with lots of land, there are also townhome communities and a few luxury gated communities here and there. Continue west along US Highway 19 (Patton Avenue becomes Smokey Park Highway), and check out the neighborhoods in Enka, Biltmore Lake, and Candler. There’s a wide range of types of homes and communities from the high-end homes of Biltmore Lake to several quaint townhome communities, to farmland, and there’s easy access to schools, parks, outdoor recreation, and I-40. 

This historic neighborhood just north of downtown is walkable for many. Featuring large, historic homes, parks, and a community center, Montford has easy access to I-26, UNC-Asheville, and North Asheville as well as downtown. Along with several bed and breakfasts, Montford is home to the Asheville Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center, the historic Homewood event venue, and the Community Hall for Asheville Greek Orthodox Church Community (home of the popular annual Greek Festival). Residents love the Tempie Avery Community Center with a playground, baseball field, and gym with year-round programming for all ages run by the Asheville Parks & Recreation Department, and home to the Montford Park Players. Dine with locals at All Day Darling, Tall John’s, and the original Nine Mile restaurant. You’ll see folks biking, running, and walking along the Reed Creek Greenway, which leads to UNCA’s campus and Botanical Gardens. Montford North Star Academy, a public middle school, and Odyssey School, a private school serving grades pre-K though 12, are in the Montford neighborhood. 

Kimberly Ave. runs parallel to Merrimon Ave., and is in a very picturesque neighborhood near downtown. With easy access to the conveniences of Merrimon Ave. and Charlotte Street, many of the stately historic homes in the residential Grove Park neighborhood share views of the Omni Grove Park Inn or its golf course. East of the famous historic hotel, Sunset Mountain and Town Mountain boast impressive high-end residences with panoramic views of downtown or the mountains, or both. Town Mountain reaches nearly 1,000 feet in elevation, and leads directly to the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

Take Biltmore Avenue from downtown, and before you hit Biltmore Village, venture into Kenilworth, a historic neighborhood built around the Kenilworth Inn in the late 1920s. The homes here are a mix of quaint bungalows and Spanish Colonial Revival, with a few more modern styles sprinkled in. With plenty of mature trees and hills, the neighborhood also has its own lake and park, and is very convenient to Mission Hospital. Historic Biltmore Village is of course known for being the gateway to Biltmore itself, and there’s truly a village atmosphere in the busy, walkable commercial district with plenty of shopping and dining among the cobblestone sidewalks. The residential area just south of the village is Shiloh, a historically Black neighborhood that has been revitalized while maintaining the culture and single-family makeup of the homes there. A bustling community center includes a walking path, basketball courts, playground, baseball field and a gym. As Biltmore Avenue continues south (and eventually becomes Hendersonville Road), the greater area is considered Biltmore Forest, and there are many high-end condominium neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and sprawling neighborhoods with single-family homes in every direction – for the latter vibe, check out neighborhoods off of Mills Gap Road. Many of Asheville’s favorite downtown restaurants have opened second locations in this area of South Asheville, so there’s no shortage of dining, shopping, or other services here. Between Hendersonville Road and I-26, Biltmore Park is Asheville’s first mixed-use community with several restaurants, shops, and living opportunities. Within the town square there are national retailers as well as local restaurants, a hotel, movie theater, YMCA, office space, and condos and apartment. For those looking for a bit more quiet, the adjacent neighborhood has single-family homes and townhomes with plenty of trees and paved trails, as well as a community pool, clubhouse, playground, and tennis courts. 

Heading back toward downtown from the airport to the west of I-26, the rolling hills of Avery Creek and Bent Creek off Brevard Road are desirable for those who want to be centrally located between areas south and west, or who commute to Brevard for work or recreation in the Pisgah Forest. Bent Creek Recreation Area is popular with mountain bikers, hikers and trail runners, and the creek itself as well as Lake Powhatan are local favorites for cooling off in the summer without having to drive too far from town. The North Carolina Arboretum is adjacent to Bent Creek and features gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, rotating regional educational and art exhibits, and one of the best holiday walk-through light shows you’ll find. The Arboretum as at the foot of the Blue Ridge Parkway, another favorite feature of this area, as well as the river parks that give easy access for paddlers to the French Broad River. The Bent Creek residential neighborhood is a close-knit community, and when homes come on the market, they are typically taken off pretty quickly. Just south, Avery Creek is a bit more spread out, and has a blend of retirement communities, single-family home neighborhoods, and more. Going north on Brevard Road, these communities are near the Asheville Outlets, the WNC Farmer’s Market, several hotels and grocery stores, and shopping and dining options. 

When most people think of West Asheville, they picture the shops and restaurants of Haywood Road, and the neighborhoods within a few blocks on either side. And while this is the heart of the neighborhood, there is so much more to West Asheville in terms of geographic area. Haywood Road starts in the River Arts District, and heads uphill, making a sharp right at what locals call Beacham’s Curve, and continues for 2 miles to US 19/Patton Ave., the busiest commercial section being between State Street and Oakwood Street – in addition to the local standard of plenty of restaurants, bars, and breweries, there’s also a grocery store, gas station (with a bar inside!), yoga studio, barber shops and hair salons, toy stores, gift shops, and secondhand clothing stores – and much more! If you’re looking for an area where you don’t need to drive often (or at all) – the neighborhoods within a few blocks on either side of Haywood Road are perfect. The homes here are a mix of spacious new modern builds, quaint bungalows, and everything in between. You’ll find folks who were born and raised in the area, families who have lived here for 10-20 years, and recent transplants from all over the country. While it may not see as many tourists as downtown, it is a destination for many visitors who want to have an authentic Asheville experience.