10 Free Things to do in Asheville That You Shouldn't Miss

Want to know one of the best ways to save money and find a room in the Asheville area in the fall? Make your first stop the Asheville Visitor Center in downtown Asheville at 36 Montford Avenue. Pick up brochures and coupons from area attractions and accommodations. For help with finding your way around Asheville, chat with one of the many volunteers who can help customize your visit and provide insider information.

Grovewood Village is a hidden gem rich with art and history. Located adjacent to the Omni Grove Park Inn, this site once housed the weaving and woodworking operations of Biltmore Industries, a force in American craft and textiles that was originally backed by Edith Vanderbilt. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 11-acre property is now home to Grovewood Gallery, working artist studios, the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum, and the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum. PLEASE NOTE: Our 2 museums are closed during the winter months of January - March. Grovewood Gallery is open year-round. Grovewood Village has no admission fees, and free parking is available on-site.

Founded in 1990, Blue Spiral 1 presents work by exceptional artists in an awe-inspiring space. The light-filled 15,000 square-foot gallery spans three floors connected by an open stairway. Blue Spiral 1 presents over twenty annual exhibitions of sculpture, paintings, studio craft, and photography. They are either discipline based or developed around themes. The gallery's upper level features a diverse collection of works by nearly 100 regularly represented artists. The gallery also has had the privilege of representing the estate of Will Henry Stevens (1881-1949) for thirty years. A pioneer in modernism in the American South, Stevens, "should be on everyone's list of the top 10-15 underrated artists in America in the first part of the 20th Century." -David Houston, Director of Curatorial, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (previous)

Traditional and contemporary Southern Appalachian crafts, including century-old pieces, are displayed in this Folk Art Center, which also houses the first craft shop of the U.S.

This beautiful garden style cemetery encompasses 87 acres near downtown Asheville, NC overlooking the French Broad River. Among the rolling hills and gardens you can find the graves of prominent writers such as Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry, Civil War heroes, and politicians that shaped North Carolina's history. Self-guided walking tours are available at the cemetery office Monday - Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm.

Located on the edge of the University of North Carolina – Asheville the Botanical Gardens at Asheville were a real treat to visit. First, the Garden is located about 10 minutes from downtown Asheville which made it an easy site to visit. Second, the trail is well tended, beautiful and relaxing. If you ran it the trail is maybe 15 minutes long. If you stroll then it’s as long as you’d like. Lastly, and most important, you get to see some truly spectacular native plants in their natural habitat including a very rare Pink Lady’s-slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule). As a matter of fact I saw FOUR with two still in bloom as well as several yellow and white lady’s slipper orchids that had finished blooming. To see them in their native habitat is rare enough. That some knucklehead had not come by and picked them is even more amazing. Some added treats include a large stone near the main stream that clearly shows the markings of its molten past and appears to be shaped like a dragon.

Jonas Gerard Fine Art is a gallery located in heart of Asheville's River Arts District. Open seven days a week from 10:00am - 6:00pm, the gallery is filled with the colorful works of Jonas Gerard, an abstract expressionist painter known for his vibrant acrylic on canvas paintings. This large 5,000 square foot space incorporates the unusual moto "It's Ok to touch" encouraging visitors to connect with the artwork by feeling the amazing textures of the paintings. The gallery also features an open artist studio where visitors can see the work space and tools used to create the artworks.