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Your love letter to Asheville

From the mountains and bears to the artists and architecture, here’s what our readers have grown to love about the Land of the Sky.

Asheville skyline with mountains in the background

How could you not love a city like this?

The AVLtoday audience is diverse. Amongst our readers are lifelong locals, newly minted residents, prodigal children who answered Asheville’s call to return, and everyone in between. There’s a lot that has kept you here or lured you to the city — and we wanted to know about it.

So we asked our readers what they’ve grown to love about Asheville, and we’ve collected a few of your answers.

“I was born here 73 years ago. From childhood memories to the present, it’s always been about the warmth and security of the trees and mountains.” — Barb P.

“With the slogan ‘Keep Asheville Weird,’ the city has a buzz about it that is unique. The bronze statue installations placed around the city add a nice touch of wonderment. The ‘come as you are’ feel keeps it all comfortable. The food scene is varied enough, so one never gets bored. The 1920s brought a fun building boom that defined the AVL skyline.” — Cat

A view of the blue ridge mountains in the summer

The local landscape’s frequent appearance on the list should surprise no one.

“What never ceases to amaze me is the bounty of nature.” — Betty C.

“I just love walking around the city either early morning or later in the evening or in the afternoon (so anytime really). I know all the streets now, but there’s still things to discover. It’s been my city here almost 5 years. I claim it as mine — I’m not a tourist anymore. And I really do enjoy this!” — Zara J.

“I love its eccentricities, tolerance, and location in our beautiful mountains. I grew up in Candler but moved away at 16. After spending 30+ years in other locations, I moved back here to Hendersonville in 2007. What a blessing to return to this wonderful area.” — Joan C.

“The diversity of the people who call Asheville home.” — Amy

Note: The mountains, bears, music, art, and restaurants all got an honorable mention (we just couldn’t fit everything here).

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