Asheville has a way of surprising even the most well-traveled folks. Maybe it’s the quirky guy juggling bowling pins on the street downtown next to a band of musical hippies who spontaneously gather for an impromptu drumming session. Or maybe you’re strolling down Patton Avenue (a hub for Asheville’s many street performers) and find yourself doing a double-take as a stilt walker passes you on the sidewalk. The truth is, Asheville’s culture is so refreshingly unusual, you never know what you’ll see here.

Paint the Town

Nothing brings the locals together like a weekly contra dance at a local pub (don’t miss The Grey Eagle), where musicians tend to play a mean fiddle and men and women kick up their heels to mountain music. Asheville embraces just about every kind of music, whether it’s rock, jazz or bluegrass, and all you have to do to experience the city’s diverse musical menu is spend an evening club hopping. Take your pick from the cozy Celtic pub called Jack of the Wood, Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues, The Orange Peel, Magnolia’s, Stella Blue, Vincenzo’s piano bar, Hannah Flanagan’s Pub or Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria.

There’s also plenty of music to be heard outdoors at community celebrations such as Shindig on the Green, Downtown After Five and Goombay Festival.

A Real Page-Turner

Asheville is also known for its lively literary scene, and it’s no wonder – famous authors past and present have called the city home, from O. Henry to Thomas Wolfe. Bookworms love the city’s independent bookstores, thriving library system, book clubs and events such as poetry readings, writers’ workshops and author appearances. Malaprops Bookstore/Café is just one of the bookstores that have earned Asheville its excellent literary reputation.

Extraordinary Finds

Shopping in Asheville is anything but ordinary, thanks to unusual shopping destinations such as the Grove Arcade. Built in 1929 and recently restored, the Grove Arcade is a 269,000-square-foot public marketplace that houses locally owned restaurants and specialty stores selling everything from clocks and furniture to designer jewelry and handmade bath products.

Other fun cultural destinations include the lavish Biltmore Estate, the North Carolina Arboretum, Pack Square Park, “Unto These Hills” (a drama depicting Cherokee history), Chimney Rock, Pack Place Education, Arts & Science Center, Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site, the nearby community of Black Mountain, and The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. A great way to see the whole city before exploring individual sites is by taking an Asheville Historic Trolley Tour.