Just when you think this small North Carolina mountain town has reached peak cool, more chefs receive nominations and the outdoor access gets even better. From to to hiking and biking ’s hundreds of miles of singletrack, here’s how to spend the perfect day in the South’s hippest mountain town.
6 a.m.
Asheville has a reputation as a mountain-bike mecca, but the road riding is even better. Rent a carbon Trek Silque from s ($75)and pedal a 25-mile loop that takes in the five-mile Elk Mountain Scenic Parkway climb, cruises Blue Ridge Parkway, and ends with the fast Town Mountain descent.
8:30 a.m.
Refuel at , in trendy West Asheville, where the classic southern biscuit is transcended with toppings like pulled pork or fried chicken with sriracha slaw. Try the Gravy Flight ($7), a biscuit with three gravies.
10 a.m.
Play a round of disc golf (Asheville’s sport of choice) at Richmond Hill, a city park with one of the toughest courses on the East Coast.
12:30 p.m.
Head to , where chef Meherwan Irani has brought Indian street-food flair to downtown. Order the Kathi Kabab Roll, with chicken perfectly searedin tandoori spices and topped with chutney.
3 p.m.
Rent a stand-up paddleboard from ($40) and paddle among the tubers on a mild stretch of the French Broad through the River Arts District, stopping for a beer at New Belgium’s latest brewery and taproom.
5 p.m.
Check into the , a boutique hotel on Broadway (from $280 a night).Bonus: you’re a few blocks from , a fun-loving cocktail bar decked out with Christmas lights year-round and a menu full of adult slushies and draft cocktails.
7:30 p.m.
Chow down on a fried-chicken sandwich paired with collard greens and mac and cheese at , were chef Elliot Moss has created some of the most buzzed-about dishes in the South.
9 p.m.
After dinner, stroll through the South Slope neighborhood around Buxton Hall, where you’ll find half a dozen breweries in a four-block area. , with its oversize murals of Tom Selleck, is a must.
10:30 p.m.
Catch a Lyft to , a riverside bar just outside town with an expansive lawn speckled with fire pits, Ping-Pong tables, and impromptu rounds of disc golf.