Travelers have long been drawn to Asheville, North Carolina for its scenic vistas, stunning waterfalls, and fresh mountain air. Today, Asheville attracts not only outdoor enthusiasts but craft beer, food, and art lovers alike. Because of this, Zephyr Conferences, a sister company of Zephyr Adventures, hosted the first ever Beer Marketing & Tourism Conference in Asheville this spring.
We all wear many hats at Zephyr and I was not only lucky enough to help out at the beer conference but also to head down to visit Asheville a few days early to check out the trails, food, beers, and local scene. What I found there went above and beyond my expectations, which is why we decided to create the brand new North Carolina: Asheville Multisport & Multicraft Adventure – May 20 – 24, 2018.
Here are a few reasons why you should join us next spring:
Fun and Funky Vibe
Asheville is equal parts cool mountain town, vibrant art and music scene, and top-notch food and drink hub, all rolled into one. Just taking a walk downtown, you’ll see artwork everywhere – in the shop windows, sidewalks, and on the sides of buildings. Known as one of America’s great music cities, there is a live performance or two on basically every street corner – ranging from traditional bluegrass to rock to jazz to country.
Countless Waterfalls
The Blue Ridge Mountains and the surrounding area offer hundreds of captivating waterfalls around almost every bend. As you can see, it was a cloudy day when I went to visit this waterfall in the Dupont State Forest – but the clouds certainly didn’t take away from the experience. Waterfalls are such majestic things – they are both calming and energizing at the same time.
Craft Doesn’t Just Mean Beer in Asheville
The term “craft” seems to be paired most often with beer these days, but it really includes anything involving skill in making things by hand. Visit Asheville and you’ll see just how many ways the word can be applied.
In terms of beer, Asheville alone is home to 26 breweries, with the surrounding area boasting over 50 – making it easy to see why it has been called the beer mecca of the United States. Looking at food, there is an abundance of local artisans creating incredible chocolates, cheeses, ice creams, teas, kombuchas, sakes, and honeys. They also boast many farm-to-table restaurants with award-winning chefs that utilize sustainable and local products. Additionally, Asheville is home to handblown glass artists, handcrafted folk instrument makers, painters, sculptors, and more.
Outdoor Lover’s Paradise
Bored? No sweat, Asheville is one of those special places in the world where you may never run out of things to do. Stand up paddle board or kayak down the French Broad River, go on countless number of hikes through several national parks and forests, mountain bike through an endless number of tracks, horseback ride through the foothills, fly fish for mountain trout or smallmouth bass, or even go ziplining through the treetops – the choice is yours!
These are a just a few of the reasons we’ve fallen in love with Asheville – but you will have to experience it for yourself! Join us this spring on the North Carolina: Asheville Multisport & Multicraft Adventure.