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Downtown historic district · Asheville, North Carolina
Downtown Asheville
Asheville’s downtown, with 1920s Art Deco buildings, the Grove Arcade, galleries, craft studios, breweries, and the River Arts District along the river.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Downtown Asheville
Downtown Asheville grew in the 1920s, when the city was a mountain health and vacation destination. From that era remain Art Deco buildings such as the city hall, from 1928, with a pyramid-shaped tile roof designed by Douglas Ellington, and the Grove Arcade, a commercial and office building with covered galleries.
The 1929 crash left the city in debt for decades, and almost nothing was demolished. The result is a compact downtown with brick and stone facades that today houses galleries, bookstores, craft shops, cafés, and restaurants.
Asheville has dozens of craft breweries, many downtown and in the South Slope district to the south. Musicians play on sidewalks, and on some Friday nights Pritchard Park hosts an open drum circle anyone can join.
Along the French Broad River, the River Arts District occupies former industrial warehouses with studios for painters, ceramists, and glassblowers. The area is riverside, and studios operate on individual schedules: check which ones are open before you go.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From half a day to a full day.
Best time
Any time of year; late afternoon when breweries and restaurants fill up.
How to get there
Downtown is about 25 km from AVL airport. There are public parking garages; the River Arts District is about 2 km away on the riverfront.
Tip
Many breweries open only in the afternoon; check hours. Bring a jacket even in summer, because mountain nights tend to be cool.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Downtown Asheville
What to see in downtown Asheville?
The Art Deco city hall, the Grove Arcade, galleries and craft shops, and the breweries; on the riverfront, the studios of the River Arts District.
What is Asheville’s River Arts District?
An area of old industrial warehouses on the banks of the French Broad River, now occupied by artists' studios. Check which ones are open before you go.
Where are Asheville's breweries located?
Many are downtown and in the South Slope, just south of downtown, a few minutes' walk from one another.