Travel and Outdoors

Flowers in risers with a statue in the background. A close-up of a large purple flower. A person taking a photo of a rising bed of flowers.
Culture
Frolic among flowers at Bloom with a View
Sponsored by
A high shot overlooking green farmland, trees, and in the distance, mountains of Warren Wilson College campus.
Travel and Outdoors
Warren Wilson College votes to establish four conservation easements
The easements, in partnership with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, will cover 600 acres of the campus.
April 23, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
Rows of plants at a booth from Bluff Mountain Nursery as people walk around tables.
Culture
Growing a community at the 34th Annual Asheville Herb Festival
For decades, this annual festival has celebrated the farmers and gardeners and growers who call WNC home.
April 19, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
Experience Columbia
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🚴‍♂️ 3 reasons Columbia is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground
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Travel and Outdoors
Be a force of nature on Earth Day in Asheville
Join the cleanups, crafting, parties, and promotions happening in honor of the world around us.
April 15, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
A golfer in black pants and a pink shirt swings a club on the course in front of Omni Grove Park Inn
Play
Tee it up at these Asheville golf courses
Whether you’re a weekend warrior or the next Tiger Woods, these 12+ golf courses in Asheville are sure to make for a good round.
April 11, 2024
 · 
Cat George
Birds eye view of a field with contour lines.
Travel and Outdoors
Help plant the seeds for the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s new food forest
Learn how you can participate in this exciting agroforestry project.
April 10, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
A wicker picnic basket sits on top of a blue plaid blanket on grass.
Entertainment
10 spots for the perfect picnic
It’s time to dust off the checkered picnic basket + blanket and take advantage of the fresh air.
April 9, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
A bike rider on a paved trail in Carrier park with two people in the background and a bright sun
Play
Head outside with a guide to Asheville’s parks
We’re highlighting the 23 best parks that Asheville has to offer — complete with dog parks, sports facilities, and nature trails.
April 3, 2024
 · 
Emily Shea-Owen
A map of the US showing the paths of totality for the 2023 and 2024 Total Solar Ecplipses, with description text by NASA. The yellow 2023 line crosses from Oregon through Texas, while the blue 2024 line crosses up from Texas through Maine.
Events
Solar eclipse events in Asheville
While we may not be in the path of totality, Ashevillians will still see ~87% coverage during the upcoming solar eclipse.
March 29, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
People working on the outdoor patio at Dobra Tea West.
Work
Great spots to work outside in Asheville
When the sun’s out, the world is your workspace.
March 21, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
AVLtoday_asheville_skyline_spring
Travel and Outdoors
Bundle up for the North Carolina little winters
The recent not-so-unexpected spring chill is one of many forecast for the area — and they all have their own names + lore.
March 20, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
A young girl stands in front of an exhibit at the International African American Museum, observing the display
Sponsored
March is the month of perks at the International African American Museum
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asheville-nc-nicknames-history-avltoday
Weather
Asheville’s spring weather outlook for 2024
Prepare for spring weather in the Land of the Sky with these seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks.
March 13, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
Baseball field at Martin Luther King Jr. Park with the Buncombe County administration building in the center through the trees.
City
Asheville Parks & Recreation shares a comprehensive plan update
The department offered an update on its ongoing Recreate Asheville plan and highlighted more opportunities for feedback.
March 6, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
Reddish-purple flowering shrubs lined in rows at a garden center
Travel and Outdoors
Visit these plant nurseries and shops to start your spring garden
We’re putting the petal to the metal.
March 5, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
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Sponsored
Win weekend passes to Bear Shadow music festival in Highlands, NC
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Small green plants sprout from dirt in seed pots.
Nonprofits
Appalachian Seed Growers Collective starts to take root
Started by the Utopian Seed Project, the new collective aims to spread regionally adapted, resilient seed to local farmers + gardeners.
March 4, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
Two bikers on a dirt trail ride toward the camera. Two hikers consult a trail map. Two hikers stand in a forest of red and orange trees.
Sponsored
Choose-your-own-trail adventure at the North Carolina Arboretum
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A slideshow of families on a bike ride, at an aquarium, inside a cabin, and playing at a children's museum in Columbia, SC.
Sponsored
Spring Break destination: Road trip with the family to Columbia, SC
Located in the heart of SC, Columbia has more things for the whole family to do than hours to do them.
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Sponsored
Foodie road trip: Experience Charlotte’s top eats + treats during Savor Charlotte
We’ve got the deets on the top chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, and bakers to try at Savor Charlotte 2024.
Sponsored by
Pendland Creek during rain and flooding. The green infrastructure on New Belgium Brewing's campus helps during the rain event.
Travel and Outdoors
RiverLink is sharing stormwater stories with the Reduce Rain Runoff campaign
The nonprofit is spreading the word about protecting the French Broad River with monthly resources and local stories.
February 23, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
A view across lake eden. Tents are set up on the other side of the lake and there are mountains in the background.
City
Buncombe County approves the first two conservation easements under the Open Space Bond
Totaling about 366 acres, the two projects represent the next step in the County’s 2030 conservation goal.
February 7, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
Asheville Airport 2022 Planes
Airports and Transportation
Asheville Regional Airport breaks record, serving over two million passengers in 2023
The airport has another record-breaking year, with numbers soaring sky high.
January 25, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
Slideshow of a man with a prosthetic leg at the driving range, a group of men sitting around a picnic table with a yellow umbrella, and two women and a man sitting at a bar top at a restaurant, holding up cocktails.
Sponsored
3 reasons to stay in Columbia for the Masters
Sponsored by
The owner of Kestrel Herb Farm with a marshmallow plant
Food
Tracing marshmallow’s local roots
Herb growers Katie Grear + Mike Adams and tea maker Jessie Dean start with a seed and take marshmallow all the way to the tea cup.
January 10, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
Sideshow of sights around Columbia, SC.
Sponsored
Road trip: Columbia, SC for the solo traveler
Looking to see more of the Carolinas this year? Columbia, SC offers all you need for a solo vacation.
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WNC Nature Center sign and exterior
Travel and Outdoors
New faces and a bright future for the WNC Nature Center
As the year closes out, the Center celebrates record-breaking visitor numbers, new members of its animal family, and big renovations on the horizon.
December 1, 2023
 · 
Molly Wilson
Winter sunrise in the blue ridge mountains
Live
Winter 2023 weather forecast for Asheville
Prepare for winter weather in the Land of the Sky with these seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks.
November 24, 2023
 · 
Molly Wilson
AVLtoday_pedestrian_crossing.jpeg
City
Answered: Your ideas on carbon reduction
Last week, we asked for your thoughts on how Asheville should use funding from the Carbon Reduction Program — here’s what you said.
November 17, 2023
 · 
Brianna Williams
A woman facing away from the camera staring at the Rocky Mountains in a still from a No Man's Land Film Festival film
Travel and Outdoors
The No Man’s Land Film Festival makes two stops in Asheville
See the stories of women, transgender, and gender-fluid adventurers on the big screen.
November 14, 2023
 · 
Grace Powers
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