Asheville Visitor's Guide and Interactive Map to the NC Area

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  Willow Winds marker Willow Winds Woodland Gardens Recreation and Children's Attractions Recreational and Children’s Attractions Shopping Areas Shopping Areas
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Show / Hide All Miscellaneous Restaurants Within 15 Minutes of Willow Winds

Map Tips:

  • You can use the preset buttons above the map or you can zoom the map out (click on the - button in the upper left of the map) to see more attractions surrounding Willow Winds Woodland Gardens or zoom in (click on the + button) to see more local detail.

  • Hover over a colored marker to see the name of the location or click to see more information on that location. You can toggle the individual categories on and off with the check boxes in the map key.

  • Use the directional arrow buttons or click and drag to change the view area of the map.

  • Click on the Satellite button (on the upper right of the map) to see the terrain or the Hybrid button to see the roads overlaid on the Satellite map.

This Interactive Map is a Great Tourism Guide to Asheville Attractions

This unique interactive map of the tourist attractions of Asheville and the surrounding Western North Carolina mountains can serve as an excellent guide for visitors to the area. It begins with four different levels of detail that provide a starting view of 1) Asheville Restaurants, 2) the area around Willow Winds and the Biltmore Estate, 3) the Asheville city area, and 4) the entire Asheville region. Each of these areas can be zoomed in or out at the user’s pleasure.

The map categorizes Asheville’s attractions so that users can narrow their search down the specific kind of attraction they are seeking. The Google map features allow users to view satellite images as well as street maps, and even a hybrid version of the two. We are happy to add it to the other Asheville Visitor Guide features of our site.

We hope that this new map feature will be most helpful to people who are planning their Asheville vacation. We plan to continue to improve this service to make it more useful. We welcome feedback and suggestions for improvement, which can be submitted to info@willowwinds.com

Great information about Asheviile

In recent years, Downtown Asheville has become a destination on par with surrounding attractions such as the Smoky Mountains and Carl Sandburg National Historic Site. That’s because Downtown Asheville is a walkable place with fantastic architecture and an astounding variety of shops, galleries, restaurants and entertainment venues. This section features links to some of the best ways to enjoy an overview of the Downtown Asheville experience. Free, or almost free, things to do in Downtown Asheville

If the shopkeepers and restaurant owners weren’t so enamored themselves, they might bemoan the beauty of Asheville’s architecture. A visitor could wander through town ogling the grand structures without ever stepping foot inside the stores! With so many styles represented so well, this town could be a giant classroom. The Arts and Crafts movement rules many of the finest neighborhoods, while downtown showcases excellent Art Deco and Neoclassical examples. Asheville even gave birth to the original Biltmore Style, marked by pebbledash stucco, exposed timber beams and red brick. read more

Professional shoppers must be on top of their game when they visit Asheville. Their wallets must be accessible. Their minds must be ready for plethora of choices. Their arms must be toned for heavy shopping bags. These are the districts to visit for maximum shopping enjoyment: Downtown, the Historic Biltmore Village and Tunnel Road. Warning: The Asheville shopping experience can be addictive. read more

Many visitors may wonder how Ashevillians became so active, from the city tennis courts to the mountain trails. Spend a few days dining in Asheville, and anyone will understand. With so many delicious restaurants to choose from, visitors and residents alike constantly find themselves eating out. It’s a burden the town’s residents happily share. To learn more try our Asheville dining guide.

A natural extension of the Asheville’s dining scene can be found in the Asheville nightlife, which has a simultaneously cosmopolitan and down-home flair. It’s not unusual to find patrons in overalls standing beside patrons in fine suits. Whether they are frequenting a sports bar, nightclub or speakeasy, many of them enjoy beers from Asheville’s acclaimed microbreweries. read more

These mountains gave birth to bluegrass music, and that heritage lives on in the music halls and street corners. Related bloodlines, from Celtic to country, also remain popular, but the local music scene represents every genre imaginable. Several outdoor music festivals take place. Asheville music also has major talent on other ends of the spectrum, with a local symphony and a strong ensemble tradition. read more

Always a town that loved the arts and entertainment, Asheville’s options have increased ten-fold with an influx of citizens from big cities. such as New York, Atlanta and San Francisco. As a result, a robust dance, theater and film scene has emerged. Styles range from the avant-garde to the traditional. Fortunately, the venues tend toward the smaller size, giving every performance an intimate feel that can rarely be duplicated in big cities. read more

Call Asheville the Sante Fe of the Southeast, an artist’s city where galleries abound. The art galleries in Asheville can be found primarily in Downtown, the River Arts District or the Historic Biltmore District. The Asheville Gallery of Art is one of the many downtown galleries that feature local artists. For exquisite local jewelry, head to Blue Goldsmiths in the Biltmore Village or the Overstrom Studio downtown. This is just the tip of the iceberg – one could spend an entire vacation just visiting the local galleries! read more

Free, or almost free, things to do in the Asheville Area

Folk Art Center

Waterfalls---Looking Glass , DuPont , Linville , and Dozens more.

Sliding Rock –swimming hole and natural water slide

Hike in the Pisgah National Forest

The North Carolina Arboretum

Cradle of Forestry

The Asheville Chamber of Commerce Also has recommendations fro free things to do in Asheville

ROMANCE AND RELAXATION

With its carefree atmosphere and beautiful setting, Asheville, North Carolina, can be a very romantic place. It’s perfect for couples celebrating an anniversary and singles who are looking for love. If you and your significant other plan on a private getaway, ask us about Willow Winds’ Asheville Romance Packages. Available during certain times of the year, it includes a lovely bouquet of flowers, a sumptuous gift basket, the use of two luxury bath robes and a $50 certificate for dinner at one of Asheville's finest gourmet restaurants.

Downtown Asheville also has several great spas, including Spa Theology, the area’s premiere center for rejuvenation and relaxation. Our spa packages provide a great way to enjoy this local treasure and the peaceful settings of Willow Winds.

If you fall in love with the charm and romance of Asheville, you'll certainly want to explore some of North Carolina's other beautiful destinations like the mysterious Outer Banks or Raleigh. One way to secure lodging every time you return is to buy North Carolina timeshare in your favorite region of the state. If you're planning on visiting North Carolina as frequently as every year or every other year, a timeshare sale will allow you to secure affordable lodging every time you return. To save even more money on your property, consider purchasing from a timeshare reseller.

 

Downtown Asheville Blog


  • What to do in Asheville this weekend?
    Sept. 10, 2010 The great majority of artists spend their formative years, if not their entire careers, working to shake off the gravitational pull of their predecessors, and the many masters and masterpieces that came before them. Rare indeed ...
  • The 1st weekend in September has some great events for Asheville
    Sept. 3rd, 2010 Slip your canoe paddle into the tranquil waters of the French Broad and ease your way down stream as the day?s light fades to dusk. The sounds and life of the river this time of day just can’t be compared! You’ll paddle 8 miles,...
  • Celebrations for Asheville this weekend
    Aug. 27th, 2010 Since 1982, the YMI Cultural Center has presented Goombay!, one of several worldwide variations of the centuries-old celebration. Goombay! can be viewed as a Cultural Expression of a people. Aug. 28th, 2010 This special event is ...
  • Great fun for Asheville this weekend in August
    Aug. 20th, 2010 Flower Carpet-This 14,400-square-foot design features thousands of plants woven together on the South Terrace of Biltmore House to form a one-of-a-kind lush floral carpet. Biltmore continues to expand this legacy with this imagi...

Top Ten Things to Do in Asheville

1. Tour the Biltmore Estate

2. Drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway

3. Hang out in Downtown Asheville

4. Stroll the River Arts District

5. Take a Hike

6. See Chimney Rock

7. Walk the Urban Trail

8. Indulge Yourself

9. Enjoy the Restaurants

10. Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Asheville Vacation and Entertainment News

25 Reasons to Visit Asheville Brad Tuttle does a good job of describing Asheville's unique charm in his article explaining why Asheville is North Carolina's favorite mountain town. Click here for the story.

Thinking about a trip to Western North Carolina? Get the facts from the Asheville Visitor Center before planning your trip. Of Course, a call to Willow Winds will satisfy your accommodation needs, but additional information from the visitor center may help you get started. For complete story, http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=Visitor

The Asheville Dining Guide -- Asheville is blessed with many truly wonderful restaurants. The owners of Willow Winds are frequent diners at Amici Trattori, The Corner Kitchen and The Southside Cafe. However, there are over 100 good restaurants within 15 minutes of Willow Winds. They may be found at Asheville's only Interactive Restaurant Guide and Map

Asheville Activities For August

August 1 - 15 Flat Rock Playhouse presents "The Producers"

August 2 & 3 and 9 & 10 Flat Rock Playhouse presents "Rent"

August 4 & 12 Green Remodeling Seminars 828-712-3840

August 4 - 22 Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre presents "Tradin' Paint"

August 5 Park Rhythms at Black Mountain Recreation & Parks www.bmrecreation.com

August 6 "The Comedy of Errors"www.ashevilletheatre.org

August 6 Don Lewis "Picklin' on the Front Porch" at Thomas Wolfe Memorial www.wolfememorial.com

August 6 Swannanoa Shindigs www.swannanoashindig.com

August 6 - 8 Asheville Antiques Fair at the Asheville Civic Center www.ashevilleantiquesfair.com

August 6 - 8 Rotary Quilt Show at Biltmore Square Mall 828-681-0581

August 6 & 14 & 21 & 28 Kids Corner Market at Asheville City Market www.asapconnections.org

August 6 - 22 "Troilus and Cressida" Montford Park Players www.montfordparkplayers.org

August 7 & 8 Biltmore Village Art & Craft Fair at Cathedral of all Souls <http://www.biltmorevilliage.com/> www.biltmorevilliage.com

August 10 "Groovin' on Grovemont" Swannanoa Library 828-686-7221

August 12 - 14 "The Dream Project" by Terpsicorps at Diana Wortham Theatre www.dwtheatre.com

August 14, 21, & 28 Shindig on the Green at Pack Square Park www.folkheritage.org

August 14 Riverfest & Anything that Floats Boat Parade www.riverlink.org

August 14 & 15 Sourwood Festival in Black Mountain www.exploreblackmountain.com

August 14 -29 Flat Rock Designer Showhouse www.historicflatrockinc.org

August 19 - September 12 "39 Steps" at Flat Rock Playhouse www.flatrockplayhouse.org

August 20 Deb Foerst "Poetry on the Porch" at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial www.wolfememorial.com

August 21 Hendersonville's Green Home Tour www.eco-wnc.org

August 21 Mission Hospitals "Faces of Hope" fundraiser www.facesofhopeevent.org

August 21 Song O'Sky Show Chorus at Opportunity House in Hendersonville www.songosky.org

August 21 Southern Energy & Environment Expo at WNC Agricultural Center www.seeexpo.com

August 26 - 29 Hickory Nut Gorge Olympiad at Lake Lure www.chimneyrockpark.com

August 26 -29 Stiletto Dance Retreat at Camp Merri-Mac in Black Mountain www.stilettodanceretreat.com

August 27 The Diane Wortham Theatre presents comedian James Gregory www.dwtheatre.com

August 27 "Authors for Literacy" find-raising dinner www.litcouncil.com

August 27 & 28 Fines Creek Bluegrass Jam at Fines Creek School 828-627-2052

August 27 & 28 Gardening Symposium at the North Carolina Arboretum www.ncarboretum.org

August 27 & 28 Puppet Slam at the BeBe Theatre Asheville Puppetry Alliance

August 27 - 29 Goombay! At Eagle and Market Streets in Downtown Asheville www.ymicc.org

August 27 - September 5 Montford Park Players present "Shakesperience" www.montfordparkplayers.org

August 28 & 29 TEDxAsheville at the Orange Peel www.tedxga.com

August 29 "Goat Glands & Banjo Bands" David Holt at the Madison County Arts Center www.madisoncountyarts.com

August 29 Marni Nixon at the Diana Wortham Theatre www.ashevillelyric.org

 

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) will host the popular Kids Corner Market--a series of free kids’ activities at Asheville City Market. Every Saturday, through August 28, from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., and shop for fresh food and enjoy the street fair atmosphere at the Asheville City Market too.

The schedule of Kids Corner Market activities:

July 31: Jump Rope Games with MANNA FoodBank

August 7: Build a Rainbow—and Eat It with Buncombe County Cooperative Extension August 14: Fruit and Vegetable Tattoos with ASAP

August 21: Market Scavenger Hunt with Kids in Parks

August 28: Food Fun Mania with the YWCA

Colburn Earth Science Museum - FREE ‘FIRST WEDNESDAY’ AFTERNOON: Enjoy free admission to the Colburn from 3-5 pm every “first Wednesday” of the month

Downtown After 5 - Lexington Avenue, between Hiawassee Street and I-240, this summer on May 21, June 18, July 16, August 20 and September 17 from 5:00 - 9:00 pm.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - This larger than life pop-up book exhibition dazzles the eyes and stimulates the mind using creativity, play and exploration. Visitors literally step into the pages of the story at each exhibit section designed as an open book. (828) 254-6373 www.thehealthadventure.org