Downtown Asheville

Asheville's lively downtown has great architecture, interesting museums, 200 locally owned stores including 15 antique shops and 30 galleries, 50 restaurants, 10 coffee shops, and a dozen nightspots with live music or dancing. If you are visiting with your laptop, there is free WI-FI service. There are many festivals and events downtown, including Bele Chere, Shindig on the Green, Downtown After 5, and the weekly Drumming Circle. 2010 hearalds the reopening of Pack Square Park. The Asheville Civic Center & Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and The Orange Peel host many major concerts and events.

Shopping Areas Downtown
Grove Arcade: This renovated historic building is worth a visit to admire the architecture alone, but it's also a wonderful place to wander, shop or visit galleries. The dining options range from Chicago-style hot dogs to frozen custard, wine bars to coffee shops, upscale restaurants to sidewalk cafes.
Haywood Street: From chocolate to contemporary furniture to wigs, you can find it all on Haywood. See the works of 150 artists at Woolworth Walk, browse Malaprops Bookstore and get your craft supplies at the Earth Guild.
Wall Street: This picturesque side street features a mix of unique shops and some great restaurants like Early Girl and Market Place.
Broadway & Biltmore This street changes name at the monument, with Broadway to one side of Patton Avenue and Biltmore to the other. It is lined with local institutions like Mast General Store and Blue Sprial I gallery, along with many restaurants with outdoor dining.
Lexington Avenue: It's described as "funky and eclectic" and "hip and happening." The street has adopted the motto "where world culture meets counter culture." Eclectic it is: watch glass blowing at Crucible Glassworks, enjoy lunch at a French bistro, get vintage clothing at Hip Replacements, and find many of the grittier stores of Asheville.

See a map of downtown.