Asheville’s setting in the Appalachian Mountains lends itself to all manner of outdoor pursuits. The famed Appalachian Trail runs near the city, as does the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. Whitewater rafting is a popular activity and can be enjoyed on the nearby Green, French Broad and Ocoee Rivers.
In downtown Asheville, attractive hotels and one-of-a-kind restaurants intermingle with locally-owned shops, like Malaprops bookstore and Mast General Store. The Grove Arcade is a block-long historic building now converted into a modern shopping arcade filled with local crafts, boutiques and restaurants. Asheville is also well-known for its craft beer scene, with more breweries per capita than any other city in the country. Grab a pint or two at favorites like Burial Beer, New Belgium and Wedge Brewing Company. Also downtown is the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, housed in the author’s boyhood home.
Many guests of Marriott’s Asheville hotels come to the city to visit the 250-room Biltmore Estate, America’s largest private residence. Built as a private retreat for the Vanderbilt Family, the magnificent structure has become a destination for visitors to experience their own retreats in the poetic North Carolina Mountains.
