Asheville, North Caroline. A mountain top artist haven

As soon as we rolled into Asheville, it felt comfortable and inviting. Asheville had a wonderful combination of tech hubs and artist studios and that certainly made this couple feel welcome. We had a great time getting to know the downtown and enjoyed some delicious food during our week in the mountain top town.

One of my favorite parts was seeing what Asheville has done to maintain its support for the community of artists who have chosen to call Asheville home. We landed in Asheville during the River Arts District spring studio stroll, which gave us an opportunity to visit with artists in their studios. Going for this stroll in the morning, eating baby back ribs for lunch, and then fly fishing for the afternoon, was one of the best days of this adventure for sure. 

This is the face of a very happy fisherman! We stopped at a local fly fishing shop in Asheville and asked for some recommendation. Boy did it pay off! Steven caught five fish in 30 minutes. And Chelsea got to take pictures of his five fish since we didn't buy duplicates of the lucky flies, and the last two fish sadly escaped with the goods. 

We stayed at two campgrounds in Asheville. One on top of the mountain, and one steps away from the French Broad River. 

Campfire Lodging gave us a gorgeous view of the river below and the quintessential view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We took our dinner to the adirondack chairs each evening and watched the sun move behind the horizon and turn the mountains a deeper blue. This campground had miles of trails behind the campground that offered a beautiful location for a daily run. If you can get the paved spots that overlook the valley below, it is well worth it.  

The French Broad River Campground spoiled us for the weekend with a riverfront spot. We got to fall asleep to the sound of the rushing river and watch the entertainment of geese feeding in the river and families riding the rapids in canoes and kayaks. 

Asheville is going on our list of places we would like to return to in the future. Perhaps in the fall to see the colorful leaves?