Asheville's Hidden Gems: Uncovering 11 Lesser-Known Sites & Experiences

 

Every city has its own set of go-to activities and must-visit attractions. In Asheville, we have the Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Grove Park Inn to name a few. Not to mention brewery crawls around the city (especially downtown on the South Slope). 

If you’re someone who has been visiting the Asheville area for years or if you are a new homeowner interested in uncovering some of the lesser-known sights and experiences that our “Weird” city has to offer, we’ve got some truly unique activities and spots that will make you feel like a true local in no time:

1. Asheville Pinball Museum + Asheville Retrocade- Asheville’s Pinball Museum is more than a nostalgic exhibit filled with memorabilia of a bygone era: it’s a functioning arcade that boasts some 75 vintage pinball machines and classic video games, all available to play on site. West Asheville’s Retrocade is a slightly more modern arcade that offers well over 5,000 games to enjoy. It’s a great spot for a Friday night out with friends or a fun birthday celebration. At both spots, your endless hours of gaming can be fueled by tasty snacks, sodas, and beers. There will also be some classic tunes to inspire you!

2. Woolworth Walk- Located in the heart of downtown Asheville in the historic F.W. Woolworth building, this privately-owned gallery features local artists exclusively and is without a doubt "Worth the Walk." After browsing the nearly 20,000 square feet gallery, step back in time at the fully operational Old Fashioned Soda Fountain built to resemble the original Woolworth Luncheonette. Established in 1938 and restored in 2001, its iconic 1950s interior design style was used to celebrate the peak of the bygone soda fountain era.

3. Burton Street Peace Gardens & Market-Located in West Asheville, this garden filled with found objects, paintings, and sculptures aims to preserve the rich history of the neighborhood by celebrating key figures in Black history and transforming trauma into art. Spanning two decades, the volunteer-run garden is not only a sacred space filled with art but a functioning garden growing food for the community. It also has a performance stage, a fire pit, a greenhouse, a library, and a hands-on learning lab/shop, most of which were added by the garden co-founder DeWayne Barton, who is the founder of Hood Huggers International. This organization offers driving and walking tours through significant sites and neighborhoods, and we highly recommend taking it to learn more about lesser-known sides of Asheville’s history.

4. Grovewood Village + Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum-  Located in the heart of Grovewood Village, a historic site that once housed the weaving and woodworking operations for Biltmore Industries, this humble one-room museum weaves a fascinating tale. As a visitor, you’ll learn how this Arts and Crafts enterprise rose to prominence at the hand of Edith Vanderbilt. It started as a craft education program and became one of the largest producers of handwoven wool in the world. The museum is home to an antique 4-harness loom and is filled with relics and photographs showcasing the years when the industry was in its prime. Grovewood Village is also home to Asheville’s only Antique Car Museum. It features a collection of antique automobiles, including a rare 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham and a 1922 American LaFrance fire truck.

5. Montford Park Players- Grab a pizza or pack a picnic to enjoy at North Carolina's longest-running Shakespeare Festival. Friends and families can enjoy outdoor productions from May to September at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre and indoor productions at the Asheville Masonic Temple from December through March. This is a local favorite, and every show is unique. While downtown, stop for a treat at Double D’s–a restored double-decker bus with an adjacent patio supplying coffee drinks, desserts, smoothies, and milkshakes. Before visiting, make sure to grab some cash, as they don’t accept cards at this hip establishment. 

6. Lazoom Comedy Tour- If you’ve chosen to make Asheville home, you’re bound to come actress the cross-dressing nun on a bicycle at one point or another. LaZoom travels across the city to give you the best possible introduction to Asheville. Historical and hysterical, City Tours feature outrageously entertaining tour guides, outlandish comedy skits complete with special appearances, loads of information, and incredible peeks of downtown, the stunning Montford neighborhood, and the hip River Arts District. Get ready for the ride of your life!

7. Hands-on Glassblowing at NC Glass Center- If you’ve ever oohed and ahhed over a piece of glass art or been curious to try your hand at it, this experience is just the ticket. There are a couple of options to choose from, so you can craft a substantial piece like a paperweight, pumpkin, ornament, or cup, or tackle a smaller project like a glass donut pendant, marble, or icicle. The best part is that you can take your learning experience home with you. Bragging rights are yours because it’s a treasure you made that can go in your new home!

8. Citizen Vinyl + Moogseum- Opened in 2020, Citizen Vinyl is home to a quality record press facility and award-winning bar, Session. The ground floor facility is in full view to visitors as they sip on a coffee or cocktail and shop for records. Take a tour, and take home an in-house pressed record. You may or may not be familiar with the synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog to whom the one-of-a-kind Moogseum is dedicated. This immersive and interactive experience will grip music lovers of all ages.

9. No Taste Like Home Wild Food Tour-  Asheville is in the heart of southern Appalachia, with a rich history and tradition of living off the land. Plant foraging has been used throughout history not only for food but medicinal purposes as well (which you’ll learn more about in this hands-on tour). Led by an expert forager, who will lead a cooking demo and tasting at the end of the tour, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for the weeds and invasive plants in our area. Depending on the season, you can potentially enjoy an appetizer featuring your finds (with a meal purchased separately) at one of five Asheville restaurants. 

10. Grail Moviehouse + Fine Arts Theater- Is there anything better than going to the movies on a stormy day or a date night during the week? Grab your popcorn, and get whisked away to other worlds (at least for a couple of hours). The Fine Arts Theatre downtown is Asheville’s home for art and independent films, and its art deco feel preserves that vintage charm present in earlier movie theaters. Grail Moviehouse is locally owned and screens locally produced content, cult classics, and a regular rotation of cinematic surprises in addition to art and indie films. At both theaters, you’ll feel right at home, and the movies you watch will spark fascinating conversations after leaving.

11. Riverside Cemetery- As a resident of Asheville, it’s essential to pay a visit to the historic Riverside Cemetery, and if you’re a fan of William Sydney Porter (O. Henry), place pennies on his grave. This tradition of leaving $1.87 in change on O. Henry’s monument has been ongoing for 30 years and was inspired by the opening line of “The Gift of the Magi,” O. Henry’s most popular short story: “One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies…” A few more notable figures buried here are Thomas Wolfe, Lillian Exum Clement, Kenneth Noland, and George Masa. Take a walk and reflect while enjoying the solemn and beautiful setting. You’ll feel more connected to Asheville’s past and the residents that have called it home.

In a city like Asheville, there is always an exciting buzz of activity and inspiration flowing through its residents. There are always new and endless avenues to explore and creative experiences to be had–you just have to be open to finding them!