The Benefits of Building / Living in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a mecca for the arts and architecture and a bastion of folklore and mountain heritage. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in confluence of the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers, Asheville boasts of a humid subtropical climate with an average summer breezy temperature of 73.8F and an average winter snowfall of 9.9 inches. Incorporated in 1797 and named after North Carolina’s governor, Samuel Ashe, Asheville is the largest city in western North Carolina and the Buncombe County seat. This haven in the hills offers scenic landscapes of the Pisgah National Forests, Blue Ridge Parkway, and hiking, biking, and walking trails. Asheville lures thousands of visitors each year, and many are smitten with its charms and make it their permanent home.
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Popular Things to Do Around Asheville
The Omni Grove Park Inn (additional info)
This historic resort hotel on the western-facing slope of Sunset Mountain built in 1913 was conceptualized by Edwin Wily Grove, a pharmaceutical distributor who made his fortune by selling a quinine elixir that soothed the chills brought on by malaria. The architect of this roughhewn granite structure with a red clay tile roof was Grove’s son-in-law, Fred Loring Sealy.
The Grove Park has five feet thick walls of granite boulders. 400 men worked 10 hour shifts 6 days a week. They hauled 10,000 pounds of granite using miles, wagons, roes and one steam shovel. The work began in 1912 and was completed in slightly less than a year.
The hotel has had its place in history. During WWII, it was an internment camp for Axis diplomats. It was used by the US Navy as a rest and rehab center for sailors between deployments.
The Grove Park is famous for its notable guests, many of whose photographs line the walls in the lobby. 10 US Presidents have stayed at the hotel: Calvin Coolidge, Woodrow Wilson, William Taft, Franklin Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Other famous guests include Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Helen Keller, Dean Smith, Michael Jordon, Daniel-Day Lewis, Anthony Hopkins, Jerry Seinfeld, John Denver, and Harry Houdini. Author F. Scott Fitzgerald lived at the hotel for 2 years while his wife Zelda was in Highland Hospital for mental illness in Asheville.
While the Omni- Grove Park’s history is impressive, it still leaves a lifetime impression on its visitors. Many hit the links at the 18 hole 6,400-yard championship course. PGA greats such as Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus have played there. The amazing panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains frames the course in beauty to soothe the soul regardless of your golf score!
The Grove Parks cavernous rock walls and arched subterranean spa has 20 water features including 2 therapeutic waterfall pools and 6 lap pools blanketed with 1500 fiber-optic stars and underwater music.
Restaurants in the Grove Park are of the finest quality and are eclectic to satisfy a variety of palates.
Sunset Terrace serves the finest prime beef and seafood on the outdoor veranda.
Blue Ridge Dining Room serves farm to table comfort food a la carte or grand buffet.
EDISON focuses on local beer, cocktails, and Southern comfort food.
Vue 1913 is an American twist on a European style restaurant.
Special Events are planned throughout the year. Most notable is the Gingerbread Competition in November and December. The creativity and execution of these designs are superb. This event draws thousands of visitors each year.
The Grove Park offers many amenities and a glimpse back into its past in a porch-rocking relaxing atmosphere. At its opening in July 1913, the famous orater and Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan said in his keynote address that the Grove Park Inn was “built for the ages.” And he has been proven correct!
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Asheville Museum (additional info)
Asheville Museum at 35 Wall St. near the Grove Arcade is the first women’s cultural museum in the Southeastern United States. With 3,000 feet of gallery space, it is both contemporary and historic. It celebrates Appalachian women, pioneer women, and phenomenal women of Asheville and Buncombe County. Some exhibits include Sexism in Advertising and A Day in Her Life (a glimpse of the daily life of women around the world.)
Asheville Urban Trail (additional info)
Asheville Urban Trail is a “museum without walls” that contains 30 stations of bronze sculpture around downtown. Each station has a plaque illuminating some interesting piece of history there or a notable person who lived there. It is a 1.7 mile walk, which begins and ends at Pack Place and takes about 2 hours to complete.
Basilica of St. Lawrence (additional info)
Basilica of St. Lawrence is a Spanish Baroque style Catholic basilica completed in 1909. It was designed by Rafael Gustavineo, who patented and oversaw the installation of the tiled arches in the Biltmore House. The dome at St. Lawrence is the largest freestanding elliptical dome in the US. The basilica was visited in 1993 by Pope John Paul II, and thus earned the title of basilica because of this papal visit. It has two chapels; the Chapel of Our Lady and the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. Its grounds contain a rectory, the Mary Garden, and a gift shop..
Biltmore Estate (additional info)
Biltmore Estate contains 8,000 acres and is the largest private home in America. It contains 250 rooms, 33 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, and 3 kitchens. Its construction began in 1889 and was completed in 1896. It contained such amenities as electric elevators, forced –air heating, controlled clocks, fire alarms, and an intercom system.
The estate was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II. The word “Bildt” was derived from the ancestral home of the Vanderbilts in Holland, and “more” is Anglo-Saxon for open, rolling land.
The architect for the house was Richard Morris Hunt, who designed many of the Vanderbilt homes in New York and Rhode Island. The landscaper was Fredrick Law Olmstead, who designed Central Park in New York City. The house is a French Chateauesque style with steeply pitched roofs, turrets, and sculptural ornamentation. The fascade is made from Indiana limestone.
George W. Vanderbilt married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser in 1898. They had one child, Cornelia, who married Francis Amherst Cecil, and they had two sons, William and George. The estate is still owned by their descendants.
Biltmore is open year round and special tours and concerts are held throughout the year. A visit to Biltmore is unforgettable and is like taking a step back in time to the opulence of the Gilded Age in America. (On your visit, try to locate as many acorns and oak leafs as you can carved throughout the house. The oak and acorn are part of the Vanderbilt family crest!)
Blue Ridge Parkway (additional info)
Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles long through 29 counties in NC and Virginia. It is America’s longest linear park. Named after the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is noted for its scenic beauty. Its flora includes wildflowers, rhododendrons, dogwoods, daisies, asters and more. It’s brilliant autumn foliage of oats, hickory, dogwood, ash, maple and others attract thousands of visitors each fall.
The Carl Sanburg House and Goat Farm (additional info)
The Carl Sanburg House and Goat Farm is a National Historic Site. Located in Flat Rock, south of Asheville and Hendersonville, it honors the accomplishments of author, Carl Sanburg. Sanburg won two Pulitzer Prizes for poetry and one for his biography of Lincoln. The house and farm was called “Connemara.” The goats belonged to Sanburg’s wife, Lillian, and goats are still a fixture at the farm and a delight to visitors.
The Chocolate Makers Tour (additional info)
The Chocolate Makers Tour includes around 50 restaurants plus premier Asheville Chocolate makers. The French Broad Chocolate Lounge at 10 S. Pack Square pairs truffles with wine and also makes caramels, brownies, chocolate bars, and cakes. Nearby is their chocolate factory revealing the bean-to-bar process. The Chocolate Fetish at 36 Haywood Street boasts of being home to America’s best truffles. They offer Ecstasy Truffles Premium, American and European style chocolates and a special display of chocolate art. The Chocolate Gems on Broadway Avenue offers the finest chocolate and gelato. All made by hand in small batches. They also have edible chocolate boxes, solid chocolate cakes, and chocolate sculptures. Folks can also take candy making classes!
Craggy Gardens (additional info)
Craggy Gardens just off of Milepost 3646 on the Blue Ridge Parkway is 5,892 feet and is a great place for a quiet hike. In June and July it is covered with pink and purple rhododendron, and in October and November, it is covered with fall foliage in shades of red, gold, orange, brown, and green. Free parking is available; pets are allowed; there is a picnic area and public restrooms.
Estes-Winn Antique Automobile Museum (additional info)
Estes-Winn Antique Automobile Museum at 111 Grovewood Rd contains a collection of 20 classic automobiles. The museum is near downtown in the Grovewood complex behind the Grove Park Inn. Also at the Grovewood Gallery is the Homespun Museum. The museum is free, but donations are welcome. It is open April – December, Monday – Friday 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday 11 am – 5 pm.
Folk Art Center (additional info)
Folk Art Center houses crafts of artists from Southern Appalachia. It has 3 fine art galleries and daily craft demonstrations. Special events include Fiber Weekend, Clay Day, Wood Day, Heritage Weekend, and the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands. The center is easily accessible at Milepost 382 off the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is access to the Mountains to Sea Trail from the parking lot. There is also a short ¼ mile trail accessible to those with disabilities.
La Zoom Tours (additional info)
La Zoom Tours is fun in a purple bus! Folks experience some of Asheville’s history, current culture, and counter-culture via 90 minute, interactive bus tour. Specialty tours include the Band and Beer Bus Tour (21 and older), Haunted Comedy Tour, and Kids Comedy Tour. The bus departs from the French Broad Food Co-Op at 90 Biltmore Avenue. Reservations are recommended as the seating capacity is 40.
NC Arboretum (additional info)
NC Arboretum has 65 acres of cultivated gardens. It is a place to connect with nature in a peaceful setting. It has the finest, most unique bonsai collection in the US. Ten or more miles of trails allow hiking and biking and, the trails range from easy to moderate. An on-site café with indoor and outdoor seating and a gift shop filled with items created by local and regional artists allow folks and all-day experience.
Thomas Wolfe House (additional info)
Thomas Wolfe House in downtown Asheville is a sprawling 29 room Victorian house. The visitors’ center is on Market Street. The house was called “Old Kentucky Home,” but in Wolfe’s novel Look Homeward Angel, it was named “Dixieland.” Visitors view a short film about Thomas Wolfe and the house before touring. Built by Asheville banker Ervin E. Sluder, the original house had 6 or 7 rooms. In 1926, Wolfe’s mother enlarged the house and added electricity and plumbing. Wolfe’s novel was not well received in Asheville (called Altamont in the book) and was banned from Asheville’s public library for 7 years. It seemed that too many townspeople recognized the characters as themselves and were offended. The house is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Adult tickets are $5, and children tickets are $2.
The Trolley Ride (additional info)
The Trolley Ride is a hop-on-hop off affair that runs from March through December. Tickets can be purchased at the Visitor’s Center on Montford Avenue. The ride is a fully narrated journey highlighting the history, homes, and hot spots in Asheville. Stops include the Thomas Wolfe house, Haywood Park, the Omni Grove Park Inn Hotel, the River Arts District, Pack Square, the Grove Arcade, and Biltmore Village. The Trolley features Ghost Tours and Christmas Tours. The cost is adults $28 and children (5-11) $12.
The Vance Birthplace Historic Site (additional info)
The Vance Birthplace Historic Site is a pioneer farmhouse at Reems Creek Valley near Weaverville. It is the birthplace of Zebulan Baird Vance the 37th and 43rd Governor of NC. Vance is known in NC history as the Civil War Governor. He also served in the US Senate in the mid 1800s. The house is a 5 room log house reconstructed around original chimneys. Special events at the house include a militia muster and encampment in September and a Christmas candlelight tour.
Western North Carolina Farmer’s Market (additional info)
Western North Carolina Farmer’s Market is a 36 acre site containing a large range of vendors bearing high quality fruits, vegetables, mountain crafts, jams, jellies, preserves, sourwood honey, and so much more. It is open year around seven days a week. Admission and parking are free.
Western North Carolina Cheese Trail (additional info)
Western North Carolina Cheese Trail connects folks directly with cheese makers. The producers use both cow’s milk and goat’s milk in their cheeses. One of the most popular cheese makers is Looking Glass Creamery in Fairview. It makes goat cheese and traditional goat’s milk caramel called carmalita (a rich caramel sauce great on toast, coffee, and ice cream). They also make interesting and delicious cheeses named Pack square, Chocolate Lab, Beer Wallow, and Ellington (It won taste test awards by Cooking Light magazine.) Other cheese makers in the area are Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery also located in Fairview and Mills Rive Creamery between Asheville and Brevard.
Area Zipline Tours (additional info)
There is a range of zipline tours in the Asheville area:
Navitat Canopy features zips as high as 350’ and as long as ¾ mile. The Moody Cove Experience include 10 Ziplines ranging from 120’ to 1100’ in length and features long range mountain views. The Blue Ridge tour flies you side by side with panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and are the longest zip lines.
City Zipline is an urban tour of 11 zip lines and 3 sky bridges offering sweeping views of downtown.
Asheville Treetops Adventure is a physically challenging course with 60 unique climbing, jumping, swinging, and zipping challenges across more than 30 trees and poles.
Zip with the Stars is nighttime zipping and begins at sunset. It is minimally lit, has ten lines, two rappels, and short hikes. Some experience in zip lining is recommended.
Vortex Doughnuts (additional info)
Vortex Doughnuts at 32 Banks Avenue is locally owned and makes its doughnuts from scratch each morning. The doughnuts are hand-cut, fried with zero trans-fat frying oils. They are made from NC flour and mild and Asheville eggs and chocolate.
New Morning Gallery (additional info)
New Morning Gallery at 7 Boston Way in Biltmore Village represents 500 American artists and craftsman with unique, unforgettable, hand-crafted furniture, home accessories, pottery, glass, jewelry, garden sculpture, and much more. It is a great place for unique gifts. This is one you will not forget.
Asheville NightLife – Live Music, Bars & More
Lex 18 Themed Dinners (additional info)
Lex 18 Themed Dinners is a Southern Appalachian inspired supper club that hosts fun shows, intimate themed dinners, plus line jazz every Friday night. Some of the themed dinner shows are as follows: Buena Vista Social Club Musical Revue and Cuban Dinner, Soggy Po Boys (a tribute to Louis Armstrong), L’More Cabarets Can-Can with French cuisine, Gentlemen and Ladies Afternoon Tea Social in the vintage style of Downton Abbey, and 1926 Irish Immersive Vaudevillian Dinner Show (an Irish wake for E.W. Grove).
The Orange Peel (additional info)
The Orange Peel is quite visible at 101 Biltmore Avenue. It offers state-of-the-art sound and lighting. It has a capacity of 1.100 standing and a stage that can easily be seen from any angle. The Orange Peel hosts premier acts such as Bob Dylan, Flaming Lips, Ben Harper, Blondie, Sonic Youth, and Damien Rice.
Up Country Brew (additional info)
Up Country Brew at 1042 Haywood Rd. gets is name for the town in the novel, Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe, which was, in fact, Asheville, Wolfe’s hometown. Altamont Brewing is open from 2 pm until 2 am. It offers freshly brewed beer, a plethora of small-batch liquors, and hand-crafted cocktails. These drinks are accompanied by line music, free football, and ping-pong. It is also dog friendly. Altamont models a pre-prohibition style neighborhood brew pub, which means the “beer never sees the light of day before it is poured into your glass.”
Highland Brewing Company (additional info)
Highland Brewing Company is a popular name in brewing in the Asheville area. It rates 4.7 stars and is located on Old Charlotte Highway. It offers free tours of its facilities plus a low-key taproom for sampling. Highland offers year-round brews including Gaelic Ale, Oatmeal Porter, St. Teresa’s Pale Ale, Black Mocha Stout, Highland IPA, Highland Pilsner, and Mandarina IPA. Its seasonal brews include the Warrior series, Small Batch, and Kinsman Project. Highland Brewing hosts comedy shows, concerts, and community events. It has a great outdoor bar area and a new rooftop bar. It is both family and dog friendly.
Burial Beer Co. (additional info)
Burial Beer Co. at 40 Collier Avenue rates 4.7 stars. It is said to be a “necessary step to reach the afterlife.” It houses a 10 barrel brewhouse. Some beers include Skillet Donut Stout, Scythe Rye IPA, Shadowclock Pils, Hagsaw Saison, and Bolo Coconut Brown Ale. Burial has a salt and smoke kitchen on the patio.
One World Brewery (additional info)
One World Brewery at Patton Avenue rates 4.5 stars. It is an “awesome little underground beer cave.” It has a speakeasy feel with small-batch brews. There are 10 taps, 6 of which are their flagship beers and 4 are rotating taps.
Montford Park Players (additional info)
Montford Park Players at 92 Gay Street perform in the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre and is North Carolina’s longest running Shakespeare Festival. It is a free theatre under the stars all summer long.
NC Stage Company (additional info)
NC Stage Company at 15 Stage Lane downtown is a professional theatre that works with members of the Actor’s Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, under a Small Professional Theatre Tier 4 Contract. It conducts summer camps and a classical theatre course (“how to’s” of classical texts.)
Wineries in and around Asheville
The Winery at Biltmore (additional info)
The Winery at Biltmore is located on Biltmore Estate at Antler Village. It offers complimentary tastings at the wine bar, and the serves give information about the wines to enhance your knowledge of the kinds of wines and the process of wine-making. Special Wine tours include a walking to the vineyards and production tour; a red wine and chocolate seminar (red wine paired with chocolate truffles), and a sparkling romance tour in which participants experience the entire process of making sparkling wine form grape selection to bottling. The Biltmore Wine Shop allows visitors to stroll underground through historic cellars. It contains Biltmore Wines galore and wine accessories as well as other gift items. It is the most visited wine shop in NC.
Railroad Reserve (additional info)
Railroad Reserve is a 3 hour full-service, all adult train ride from Bryson City. Passengers taste 8 wines matched with a 3-course gourmet dinner.
Catawba Valley Wine Tour (additional info)
Catawba Valley Wine Tour allows visitors to visit 5 wineries in the Catawba Valley Foothills located east of Asheville near Morganton off of I-40. The tour provides a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful rural mountain scenery at Silver Fork, South Belle, Nicho, Lake James Cellars, and South Creek Wineries.
Tryon Foothills Wine Country (additional info)
Tryon Foothills Wine Country offers a visit to 5 wineries in the isothermal wine growing area near Columbus and Tryon. The area is called the Isothermal Belt because it is located at the base of the Blue Ridge range, and the mountains protect this area from harsh, extreme weather. The area is cooler in summer and warmer in winter and has the largest growing season in western NC. The wineries in the tour are the Parker – Binns Vineyare, OverMountain Vineyards, Russian Chapel Hills Winery (named so because the vineyard sits below St. Anna Chapel, part of the Eastern Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church), Brook Vineyard, and the Green Creek Winery. All are within an easy 45 minute drive on I-26 E near the South Carolina line.
Asheville Schools
Founded in 1887, the Asheville City School body governs and overseas nine public schools in the city. The following is a list of public schools in the Asheville area.
Asheville City Preschool (additional info)
Asheville City Preschool serves children from birth to five years who live in the Asheville school districts. The school opens at 7:30 am and closes at 5:30 pm with academic instruction beginning at 9:00 am. Its Asheville City rating is 6. Some current special programs include a TAPAS residency in which students learn how cloth is made using a loom and knitting frame, a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle program, and Growing Up Great Together Under One Big Sky in PNC bank’s mobile planetarium.
Asheville High School (additional info)
Asheville High School is located at 419 McDowell Street. It was established in 1929 and its Art-Deco, Italian Renaissance building is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Asheville High serves grades 9-12 and 1200 students. Its mascot is the cougar, and its Great Schools rating is 5.
Asheville Middle School (additional info)
Asheville Middle School is located at 197 S. French Broad Avenue and serves students in grades 6-8. Its Great Schools rating is 7. Asheville Middle strives to develop inquisitive, knowledgeable, caring, and innovative students who will be competitive in a global environment. A new middle is school is to open August 2016.
Claxton Elementary School (additional info)
Claxton Elementary School is a magnet school of Arts and Humanities. Its mission is to provide a safe learning environment so that each student can thrive in the arts and humanities. Claxton Elementary celebrates diverse learning; it utilizes a variety of teaching methods to integrate the arts to develop skills, knowledge, and character. Built in 1924, Claxton is named in honor of Phelaiden Priestly Claxton, a crusader in education and superintendent in western North Carolina. Its curriculum includes the Common Core and Essential Standards through the integration of arts and humanities and technology. Claxton was a 2011-2012 School of Distinction.
Hall Fletcher Elementary (additional info)
Hall Fletcher Elementary located at 60 Ridgelawn Road has a Great Schools rating of 4.
Ira B Jones Elementary (additional info)
Ira B Jones Elementary at 544 Kimberly Avenue serves students in K-5. Its mission is to empower students to become global citizens. Students are taught 21st Century life skills by becoming collaborative workers, responsible world citizens, problem solvers, creative individuals, and effective communicators.
Isaac Dickson Elementary (additional info)
Isaac Dickson Elementary located at 90 Montford Avenue, serves students k-5 and focuses on experimental learning espousing the belief that students learn best by doing – project based learning. Isaac Dickson has a Great Schools rating of 5. The school gets its name from a local school administrator, Isaac Dickson, who spent his first twenty-four years as a slave; he was the son of a slave owner and a female slave. Dickson came to Asheville in 1870 with a letter of recommendation.
School of Inquiry and Life Sciences (additional info)
School of Inquiry and Life Sciences houses 272 students on the Asheville High Campus (45% male – 55% female) in grades 9-12. Students take AP coursework and AP exams. It has a 22:1 student/teacher ratio, ranks #279 in National rankings, and #9 in NC high schools.
Vance Elementary (additional info)
Vance Elementary at 98 Sulpher Springs Rd. in West Asheville serves grades K-5 and is a collaborative community that values diversity.
Asheville Charter Schools
Evergreen Community Charter (additional info)
The Evergreen Community Charter on Bell Rd. offers an experimental, holistic, child-centered education. It is committed to the pursuit of excellence in holistic education of the mind, body, and spirit. Evergreen prepares students for life-long learning, social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and service. In the Evergreen Preservation Project, students submit digital documents that explain our culture (beliefs, rituals, customs) via photos, video, explanations, diagrams, and drawings. Evergreen Charter provides differentiated services such as Title I, Exceptional Children, and Advance Learners.
Francine De Lany New School for Children (additional info)
The Francine De Lany New School for Children on Brevard Rd. serves students K-8 and is an inclusive community that is committed to promoting social justice and preserving the inherent worth and human dignity of every person. Francine De Lany supports a hands-on program of study and challenge students to develop critical thinking skills. Curiosity and creativity are valued. Francine De Lany is a part of the NC End-of-Grade testing program and provide individualized instruction rather than textbooks. Small classroom size provides personal instruction as well as personal accountability from each student.
Franklin School of Innovation (additional info)
The Franklin School of Innovation at 21 Innovation Drive prepares the next generation of leaders capable of solving problems and participating effectively and ethnically as local and global citizens. Through academics, real-world learning, and community engagement, students discover their potential, develop persistence and recognize and appreciate the value of others. LEARN – ACT – LEAD is their motto!
Invest Collegiate Imagine Charter School (additional info)
The Invest Collegiate Imagine (IC Imagine) charter school at 1000 Brevard Rd. champions opportunities for 21st century learning. IC Imagine boasts of a #9 out of 10 on the Great Schools rating scale. Invest students wear uniforms and operate on a year-round schedule. It is a college preparatory schools that offers a liberal arts education.
New Classical Academy Independent School (additional info)
The New Classical Academy Independent School in Asheville at 671 Sand Hill Rd. provides a classical hands-on-education for K4-8 students. It provides self-directed learning and structured support. Students work at their own pace with one-on-one support. They have freedom to further pursue topics that most engage them.
Asheville Private Schools
Asheville Christian Academy (additional info)
Asheville Christian Academy is committed to the application of God’s revelation in every area of life and thought. The essence of Christian education is that the acknowledgement of God is sound and accurate for the world. ACA seeks to minister to the intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social needs of its students. Its purpose is to provide programs for students from families who are professing Christians and whose lifestyles testify to a serious commitment to faith.
The Asheville School (additional info)
The Asheville School is a private southeast premier boarding school at 360 Asheville School Rd. It serves 2,824 students in grades 9-12 and has a 4:1 student/faculty ratio. The Asheville School has a rigorous college preparatory program whose graduates are accepted at some of the most prestigious colleges in the country.
Carolina Day School (additional info)
Carolina Day School is a Green School of Excellence located at 1345 Hendersonville Rd. is an independent, coed, college preparatory school serving grades pre-K through 12. Inquiry learning is an important aspect of the curriculum. Students engage in real-world problem solving, project-based learning, and service learning. These allow students to practice, apply, build, and transfer these skills in meaningful ways. Creating a community of well-rounded, engaged, and happy students is Carolina Day’s vision and passion.
New Classical Academy (additional info)
The New Classical Academy at 671 Sand Hill Rd. serves students pre-K – 8. Students work at their own pace in multi-age classrooms. Self-directed study is balanced with small group work. Experimental learning with science experiments, theater art projects, music, math games are an integral part of the learning process. Students spend at least one hour a day outside for lunch and fun.
Odyssey Community School (additional info)
Odyssey Community School on Zillicoa Street serves students from pre-K through 12. It’s goal is to foster creative and critical thinkers. Odyssey’s vision is to communicate with brave kindness, lead with an authentic sense of self, and make positive change through consciousness and creativity. OCS is a diverse learning community and students are taught from a rich curriculum encompassing six integral developmental strands.
Rainbow Community School (additional info)
Rainbow Community School at 574 Haywood Rd. is a K-8 school. If offers a private, independent, and holistic educational development. Rainbow is recognized nationally as a leader in contemplative and mindfulness education. It supports holistic development in seven domains: mental, spiritual, emotional, moral/social, physical, natural, and creative. RCS uses a child-centered curriculum to inspire curiosity through thematic units of study..
Asheville Area Universities / Colleges
University of North Carolina at Asheville (additional info)
UNC-A is a co-educational, four-year public liberal arts university. Its motto is “I lift my eyes to the mountains.” Founded in 1927 as Buncombe County Junior College, it was renamed Asheville-Biltmore. In 1963, it became a four year institution as part of the University of North Carolina system. UNC-A offers 36 baccalaureate programs and a masters degree in liberal arts and sciences.
UNC-A is a premier North Carolina university. In 2016, the Princeton Review ranked UNC-A #1 on its list of “Best Schools for making an impact.” It was also named one of the best colleges based on academic strengths. One of the best values in public colleges, UNC-A has been named a “Best Buy” in Fiske Guides to Colleges.
UNC-A graduates carry with them high academic excellence. It boasts of a distinctive broadly interdisciplinary humanities department including history, literature, philosophy, and religion. This interdisciplinary approach is also applied to the environmental sciences. It includes biology, ecology, geology, chemistry, physics, economics, and government policy. UNC-A also houses a small high quality biology department with a gifted faculty and state of the art research labs.
The UNC-A Fine Arts Program is second to none. The Performing Arts program can be enjoyed every season and a touring theatre takes shows to area schools.
UNC-A Athletic Department takes pride in its basketball program. The Bulldogs (colors: blue and white) are a member of NCAA’s Division 1 and compile in the Big South Conference. Basketball accomplishments include the following: 1984 Women’s Basketball NA 1-A National Championship; 2003 Men’s Basketball Big South Tournament and advancement to the NCAA Tournament; 2006 Men’s Basketball Big South Tournament; 2007 Women’s Basketball Big South Tournament; 2008 Men’s Basketball the first team in the history of the Big South Conference to advance to NIT; 2011 Men’s Basketball advancement to NIT a second time; 2016 Men’s Basketball advancement to the NCAA Tournament as #15 seed.
The campus of UNC-A is a beautiful well-kept, lush campus. Students enjoy the relative small size of the university that allows easy friendships and a feeling of belonging and support from its faculty and staff.
AB Tech Community College (additional info)
Established in 1959, AB Tech is one of the oldest community colleges in North Carolina. Its enrollment for 2014-2015 term was 25,123 including academic and continuing education students. At 340 Victoria Road, its main campus is located on the former estate of John Kerr. Fernihurst (currently part of the culinary arts program) was named after the Kerr family castle in Scotland. Also on its campus is the Smith-McDowell House, which was constructed in 1840 and is the oldest brick building in Buncombe County.
The college offers the Associate in Arts, the Associate in Science, the associate in Fine Arts, the Associate in Engineering the Associate in Applied Science degrees, 24 college transfer pathways as well as many diplomas and certificates.
In the academic arena, AB Tech offers numerous classes. These include accounting, allied dental programs, automotive systems, baking and pastry arts, basic law enforcement, civil engineering, computer technologies, culinary arts and hospitality, diesel and heavy equipment technology, early childhood, fire services, human services, medical laboratory, nursing office administration, pharmacy technology social services, therapeutic massage, veterinary medical technology and welding technology to name a few. The Continuing Education Office of Economic and Workforce Development offers Occupational and Public Service Training Emergency Services Academy, Community Enrichment Programs, and Basic Skills.
With such an extensive outreach to the needs of the community and beyond, AB Tech is a powerful force in Asheville and Buncombe County. The college has its hand on the pulse of the 21st century to give training for a secure stable economic future and a productive life for its people.
Located in nearby Morganton, Sure Point Builders considers Asheville and surrounding area’s home. We’re a family owned business that loves building homes for locals as well as customers coming in from outside of the Asheville region. What’s not to love about our beautiful corridor and mountains surrounding us. We specialize in building homes with an eye on detail & craftsmanship. Reach out for more information on how we can build your next dream home in Asheville, North Carolina or surrounding area’s.
