Why I Live in Asheville (and You Should, Too!)

Its great outdoors and live music scene make the city a prime destination for young professionals and families.

By Amy Antonation on August 9, 2023

Phil Stoltz didn’t know it at the time, but a sibling’s choice of college would have a huge impact on his own life. When his brother enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Stoltz naturally paid him some visits.

The Winston-Salem native loved Asheville’s robust music and dining scenes as well as its proximity to outdoor activities, as the region is home to municipal, state and national parks.

He started thinking of growing roots in the area — a decision that was solidified when he met his wife, Laura. She wasn’t from Asheville, either, but after living in Texas, Ohio and Florida, she’d followed her sister to the city.

“The rest, as we say, is history,” Stoltz says. “Now, we no longer live with our siblings.”

Instead, when Stoltz isn’t working as a manager at Junk Recyclers (a local outfit that collects castoffs with the mission of diverting them from landfills via recycling, repurposing and reusing), the couple spends plenty of time enjoying nature with their young son. Here’s what he has to say about what’s it’s like to live in Asheville.

What’s it like raising a family here?
Asheville has a lot of parks and green areas. Ever since my son was in a carrier, we’ve taken him on a lot of hikes and taken him camping.

We go to parks in town and national parks; we do Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Pisgah National Forest, but if you go east, Catawba is close by.

He’s now in soccer, so we go to the park and kick the ball around, too. 

What do you like most about the city?
Two things: Live music and food culture. We have an abundance of different types of food.

And the music venues, though I go a lot less than I used to. I’m lucky to go a couple times a month now that I’m a father. I was raised in a musical family, so it brings me a stress relief I don’t have elsewhere.

What would a perfect day in Asheville look like for you?
I think a little bit of time in any one of the pockets that has become touristy, say downtown or the River Arts District, one of the areas we can take a family stroll and see what’s going on, what shops are there. Then hitting one of the local places for lunch.

Our two go-tos are Gan Shan West (eclectic Asian fusion) and Gypsy Queen (Mediterranean). Then a 20- or 30-minute drive out of the city before coming back for music. One World Brewing has music three or four times per week.