Western North Carolina in the fall is one of those rare destinations where nature, culture, and cuisine all reach their peak at the same time. Brilliant mountain foliage sets the stage, while culinary, cultural, and arts festivals bring the region to life. Add restaurants and breweries reimagining menus with seasonal flavors, and it’s easy to see what makes this corner of Appalachia so inviting.
This fall, nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated the beloved Asheville neighborhoods of Biltmore Village and the River Arts District, shop owners are hopeful. Although 90 percent of hospitality businesses and roadways into Asheville have reopened since the storm, tourism hasn’t quite hit its stride, with lodging sales down about 20 percent from May 2024.
“I wish I could say that the reopening of Asheville has correlated to the return of visitors, but sometimes the psychological effect after a natural disaster can deter visitors from coming back when they should,” says Mickey Poandl, PR manager for Explore Asheville. “Business isn’t booming, but Asheville is ready for business to boom.”
After the destruction in last year’s fall season, local makers, chefs, and hoteliers have poured passion into restoration efforts, and new businesses have opened their doors as a testament to Asheville’s resilience and optimism for the future. “I think the perception is still that Asheville has been wiped off the map, but it’s completely the contrary,” says chef William Dissen of longstanding downtown Asheville restaurant the Market Place. “We’ve done a great job in recovering and want to let people know that we’re still here and want to welcome you back with our mountain hospitality and Southern charm.”
Music, arts, and cultural festivals like LEAF Global Arts are perfectly timed for fall foliage season.
Courtesy of Explore Asheville
How to experience western North Carolina in autumn
Western North Carolina has one of the longest fall foliage seasons in the country (late September to early November) thanks to a wide range of elevations in the ancient Blue Ridge Mountains and more than 100 species of trees like loblolly pine and red maple that turn shades of scarlet, ginger, and gold. Explore Asheville, the tourism office for the city, created a real-time Fall Color Report so travelers can time their trip according to peak colors. This year, you can spot even more of the foliage from the road thanks to the reopening of major sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway. For the best views, head to the Cold Mountain Overlook, Graveyard Fields (a locals’ favorite high-elevation destination with boardwalk trails), or the Folk Art Center, which puts on dozens of exhibits, makers markets, and daily demonstrations by Appalachian artists.
Events
Fall is also festival and event season in these color-draped mountains. September 4–7 is the annual Goombay Festival, a celebration of the region’s Afro-diasporic music, food, and heritage, sponsored by the YMI Cultural Center, one of the oldest Black culture institutions in the country.
September 22 and 23 will see the return of the 65th Annual Skyview Golf Tournament at the Country Club of Asheville, America’s oldest Black-owned golf tournament; the long-standing community event is directed by Matthew Bacoate, Jr., a local icon responsible for the first integration of an Asheville business in 1960. October brings the 30th anniversary of the Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF Global Arts), with performances from international artists, including Solas, a Celtic ensemble, and Masankho Banda, who tells stories and heals through music and African dance.
In the River Arts District, one of the areas most heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene, the second annual RADfest will take place on November 8 and 9, celebrating a year of resilience and recovery through public art, live music, and food.
Over in Highlands, a town about an hour and 45 minutes’ drive southwest of Asheville, the Highlands Food & Wine Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary from November 13 to 16. Expect signature events and experiences from western North Carolinian chefs including Ashley Helms (Chestnut), Perry Anderson (Corner Kitchen), and Highlands’ own Massimiliano Proietti (Ristorante Paoletti). And who can resist a visit to Asheville’s grande dame, the Biltmore Estate? The massive mansion-museum will host the immersive exhibition Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures, featuring more than 1,000 artisan-crafted replicas of the treasures found in King Tut’s tomb, through early January.
Craft drinks and world-class dining, like Neng Jr.’s, fuel Asheville’s tourism economy.
Photo by Tim Robison
Restaurants to plan a trip around
Hurricane Helene caused a number of restaurants to close, including the celebrated Rhubarb, Isa’s Bistro, and Cultura. But many chefs and restaurateurs have rallied to reopen other places, reinvent menus, and introduce completely new dining concepts.
A mainstay before and after the storm is Good Hot Fish, from James Beard Award–winning chef Ashleigh Shanti, who dishes up crispy fried-catfish sandwiches and baked macaroni and cheese. Shanti partnered with chef Silver and Cherry Iocovozzi of Neng Jr.’s to distribute meals to their community in the weeks after the storm. In the historic neighborhood of Biltmore Village, beloved eatery Corner Kitchen reopened in August after massive flood damage, while queer-centered bar DayTrip has reopened in a new location downtown after the storm caused a complete closure last September.
New on the culinary scene in the River Arts District is farm-to-table restaurant Crusco, serving seasonal dishes like spaghetti with North Carolina clams and beets with carrots, crispy pork, and ponzu. Nearly next door is ButterPunk, a decadent new biscuit shop with both sweet and savory creations. Literature-themed bar Character Study in West Asheville pairs inventive cocktails with book-filled nooks, and nearby Potential New Boyfriend blends artisan desserts, wines, and vinyl-listening sessions. In the town of Black Mountain, about 20 minutes from Asheville, Hell or High Water opened weeks after the hurricane hit, offering Southern comfort food in a buzzy, upscale space—and perhaps a beacon of hope.
The Grand Bohemian is among the hotels welcoming travelers back with renewed spirit as the city continues its recovery from Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Brandon Barré
Hotels to book now
The Grand Bohemian Lodge Asheville, a landmark hotel in Biltmore Village, experienced significant flood damage in the storm, but reopened in May 2025 following an extensive, design-forward restoration. Guests will find expanded art spaces in the Grand Bohemian Gallery, elevated dining at Red Stag Grill, and refreshed healing rituals at the Spa at Grand Bohemian.
In the River Arts District, the Radical, once a 1920s warehouse and cereal factory, now pairs graffiti-chic interiors with the culinary vision of James Beard–nominated chef Jacob Sessoms. It reopened to guests in January after hosting first responders during the storm.
Although the Foundry Hotel didn’t experience storm damage, this historic restoration of Asheville’s former steel foundry (located in the heart of the Block neighborhood, Asheville’s oldest African American business district) opened the Refinery restaurant in May. The breakfast and brunch menu reflects Southern culinary traditions with global influences, and a dinner menu is set to arrive later this year.
In Waynesville, a town tucked within the Great Smoky Mountains about 30 miles west of Asheville, the elegant Elk & Embers opened in April. The property is spread across 108 acres, with options ranging from luxury safari-style tents to cozy log cabins and even the new Hemlock Treehouse, a lavish cabin perched above hemlock, pine, and birch trees.
In Burnsville, about a 40-minute drive north of Asheville, the NuWray Hotel—North Carolina’s oldest continuously operating hotel—underwent a meticulous restoration that was completed two months before Hurricane Helene arrived. As a result, the hotel became a haven for first responders and a community hub for the World Central Kitchen to distribute hot food. It reopened to guests at the end of May.
Fly into . . .
June 25th marked the opening of the first phase of the $400 million terminal expansion of Asheville Regional Airport, one of the largest infrastructure projects in city history. The seven-gate North Concourse features an ultra-modern, airy design inspired by both the Blue Ridge Mountains and the city’s art deco architecture, with floor-to-ceiling windows so you can enjoy views of the mountains. The airport is also home to rotating art galleries showcasing western North Carolina artists, The Goods @AVL retail shop for locally made products, and seasonal live music from local musicians.
