6 Best Neighborhoods In Asheville, NC – From Locals (Not Realtors)

What are the best neighborhoods in Asheville, NC for living and visiting? From locals, discover the pros and cons of the coolest Asheville neighborhoods.

Uncover which neighborhoods in Asheville are filled with literary history, hide the best eats and brews, and showcase stunning eye candy.

Plus, explore where to live in Asheville by neighborhood as well as a few Asheville suburbs — from non-realtors.

In fact, did you know that there is an Asheville neighborhood where you can devour Caribbean cuisine, grab a book from a Free Little Library, and watch Shakespeare in the Park?

There’s even a castle hidden among the plethora of gorgeous Bed & Breakfasts.

We also have a neighborhood in Asheville housing a brewery that plays vintage and new movies at its theater. This area also boasts of an iconic and breathtaking fall pumpkin patch on a church hill.

Explore the best neighborhoods in Asheville that the Fitzgeralds frequented for their summer vacations. Learn which Asheville, NC neighborhoods have jaw-dropping sunsets.

Don’t even get us started on the best Asheville neighborhoods with the most vibrant street art, strongest coffee, and wildest breweries.

Plus, we are not realtors with agendas. We are just locals and travel writers sharing our firsthand experiences of what we consider to be the best places to live in Asheville, NC — as well as play.

This Asheville neighborhoods guide is for both visitors as well as people considering moving to Asheville. Below, tour the coolest neighborhoods in Asheville.

Of course, ‘best’ and ‘coolest’ are subjective. Let’s get started!

Thinking of moving to Asheville? Head to this post next.

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See our Top Places To Stay in Asheville.

Don’t miss out on these Asheville properties on Booking.com, too.

6 Best Neighborhoods In Asheville, NC

1. Montford

You cannot help but fall in love with Asheville’s Historic Montford District. This is one of the quaintest Asheville neighborhoods filled with private residences and low-key businesses.

Montford sits between downtown and North Asheville, and parts of Montford land on the National Register of Historic Places.

Montford began to grow architecturally on the verge of Asheville’s big boom; think the construction of The Grove Park Inn and Biltmore.

Rich in history, Montford also housed Highland Hospital, one of the more progressive mental health institutions of its time.

Zelda Fitzgerald along with 8 other people died in the Highland Hospital fire. Today, former Highland Hospital consists of commercial businesses.

You also don’t want to miss nearby Homewood Manor where the Fitzgeralds and Vanderbilts used to stay. Homewood is one of Asheville’s gorgeous ‘castles.’

While Montford is a mostly residential area, visitors will find a plethora of cozy Bed and Breakfasts, restaurants, and easy access to downtown. For some, it’s only a mile walk to the heart of downtown Asheville.

If you are looking for things to do in Asheville to acclimate you to the area, hop on the LaZoom Bus; their boozy adult comedy ghost tour shares the spooky history of this AVL neighborhood.

Historic Montford For Living

Considered one of the most diverse architectural areas across North Carolina, Montford is home to Neo-Classical apartment buildings, Victorians, Colonial Revivals, and bungalows.

If you love New England — where we are originally from — you’ll appreciate the look and feel of this area.

Montford is one of the more expensive Asheville, NC neighborhoods with homes ranging from $400,000 into the millions.

It is also one of the best places to live in Asheville for active people. You will find residents running, walking, and biking, even in the cemetery.

There is a growing young professional population in Montford as well as families with younger children.

Throughout this neighborhood, encounter adorable and well-stocked Free Little Libraries.

Asheville’s Montford Neighborhood For Sight-Seeing, Sleeping, & Eating

As one of the best neighborhoods in Asheville for history and literature lovers, be sure to check out:

• Riverside Cemetery – Pay tribute to Asheville’s most famous author, Thomas Wolfe, while you are in Asheville’s Montford neighborhood. Wolfe, much of his immediate family, and O. Henry are buried at the historic Riverside Cemetery. Grab a free walking guide as you enter the gates. This is an active cemetery so please remember to be respectful. Keep a look out for W.O.’s famous angels.
  
  
• 1900 Inn On Montford – There is no shortage of Inns and Bed & Breakfasts in Montford, especially with the luxurious 1900 Inn. They serve up a 3-course breakfast and have live music on Saturdays. The Inn is about one mile from downtown.
  
  
• Nine Mile – A must-eat-at Montford area restaurant, enjoy Caribbean-inspired dishes. Nine Mile has multiple Asheville locations and is perfect for food intolerances and gluten-free diners.
  
  
• Montford Park Players Shakespeare In The Park – One of the most romantic things to do in Asheville, watch Shakespeare under the stars. Performed by North Carolina’s longest-running, non-profit Shakespeare theatre company, Montford Park Players, enjoy a donation-based play with a picnic and libations. This isn’t your average Shakespeare play either — there’s flair and music. We love grabbing dinner at Nine Mile and walking over to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater.
  
  
• Black Walnut B&B Inn – Richard Sharp-Smith — Biltmore’s supervising architect — designed and built The Black Walnut Bed and Breakfast Inn in 1899. Two of the eight rooms are pet-friendly. This Montford Bed and Breakfast is close to downtown, and they offer afternoon tea.
  
  
• Montford Arts & Music Festival – Head to the largest and longest-running, single-day neighborhood street festival. The Montford Arts & Music Festival takes place on Montford Avenue in Asheville’s Historic Montford neighborhood.
  
  
• The Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast – One of Asheville’s longest operating inns, this 1898 pink lady Queen Anne/Georgian-style Montford B&B is also one of the first stops on Asheville’s historic trolley tours.

2. North Asheville

North Asheville is one of the most overlooked Asheville neighborhoods, which is fantastic if you want to escape Downtown’s crowds.

During an Asheville fall, you’ll recognize North Asheville by the pumpkin patch in front of breathtaking Grace Episcopal Church.

Once those pumpkins are up, you’ll know that Asheville’s most beautiful season has arrived (grab our guide to spending October in AVL).

North Asheville is one of our favorite areas in Asheville to grab a bite to eat. Here, you’ll see fewer crowds than downtown.

Plus, you have the historic Grove Park Inn, beautiful old homes, and UNC-Asheville’s campus. Kimberley Ave. is full of amazing Tudor-style homes.

On the con side, Merrimon Ave. is a bit narrow and becomes a tad congested during rush hour with some pretty erratic drivers. Road rage is for real out here. We call this “Merrimon Mayhem.”

There’s been a lot of work on the older water pipes over the past few years, which, well — we’ll leave that up to your imagination. On occasion, the water looks like chocolate. Chocolate would be so much better.

Read our full guide to North Asheville, including things to do, where to eat and drink, and which North Asheville neighborhoods to visit.

North AVL For Living

Personally, we think North Asheville is one of the best places to live in Asheville if you want to be close to downtown without the hassle.

North Asheville is known for having some pretty ritzy houses along with the Asheville Country Club — for golfers. You can still find starter homes nearby along with those multi-million-dollar mansions.

You’ll also spy craftsman bungalows, Spanish-style villas, Colonials, and Tudor homes.

A few North Asheville neighborhoods include Beaverdam, Lakeview Park, and Grove Park. North Asheville has more established neighborhoods.

North Asheville is home to retirees, college students, families, and young professionals. It used to be “old money,” but that is slowly changing.

Oh, and the black bears live here.

The recent housing boom is driving up the price of houses in North Asheville. What once sold for $200,000 may go for $500,000-$900,000+.

North Asheville For Playing

• Botanical Gardens at Asheville – As you drive into UNC-Asheville, don’t miss the quaint and free-to-the-public Botanical Gardens.
  
  
• Beaver Lake Perimeter Trail and Bird Sanctuary – We love to walk and picnic around the 2-mile nature trail. Beaver Lake is privately owned but open to the public. Birdwatch in the small sanctuary, and leave a donation in the lot. Know that you will need a permit for pooches. People like to boat and fish on the lake.
  
  
• Blue Ridge Parkway Hiking Access – North Asheville is also one of the best neighborhoods in Asheville because of its easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP). Within 30-40 minutes driving distance, you can find Craven Gap where the Obamas hiked. Just a bit further down, you have popular Craggy Gardens, Craggy Pinnacle, Little Butt & Big Butt, and Mount Mitchell.

North AVL For Eating & Drinking

• Asheville Pizza and Brewing – Think arcade games, a theater that plays vintage and new movies, and gluten-free pizza crust with beer. They also have vegan cheese. Asheville Brewing is one of our favorite local AVL breweries and AVL pizza joints.
  
  
• The Omni Grove Park Inn – Find seasonal cocktails, romantic restaurants, and breathtaking sunsets at The Omni Grove Park Inn. F. Scott Fitzgerald summer vacationed here. Back in the day, the elite would retreat to Grove for quinine treatments and fresh mountain air. During an Asheville winter, don’t miss the Gingerbread House Competition. Enjoy fine dining at Sunset Terrace or drinks and snacks at The Great Hall Bar.
  
• Geraldine’s Bakery– For baked treats, Italian cookies, and delicious donuts in Asheville, head to local Geraldine’s Bakery.
  
  
• The Hop Ice Cream Cafe – Find vegan ice-cream, soft serve, regular ice cream, and shakes at The Hop. They have a West Asheville location and a new spot at Asheville’s first food hall, S&W. The Hop is just one of many delicious Asheville dessert bars.
  
  
• Plant – The ultimate Asheville restaurant for amazing vegan cuisine, Plant is our go-to (and we aren’t vegan). Order the cheese plate. We love dining at Plant for special occasions.
  
  
• Luella’s BBQ – A local spot for some of the best BBQ in AVL, Luella’s serves up huge portions. Their North Asheville location is our favorite.

Read our complete guide to North Asheville’s best restaurants for pizza, burgers, beer, sushi, tacos, and more!

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3. River Arts District (RAD)

Greeted by the infamous Asheville silo with its ever-changing slogan, the River Arts District is a vibrant artist community.

Encounter endless urban street art, artists’ studios, shops, and a newly renovated Riverwalk along the French Broad River. Visitors can bike, skate, and walk along the river. You can float down the river too.

For the best neighborhoods in Asheville, NC, we love RAD for visiting and playing, especially with a plethora of quirky restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, and wine spots.

This is one of the most colorful Asheville, NC neighborhoods, literally.

RAD For Living

RAD is where you will find condos and apartments along with hotly contested new construction.

A new-build condominium may run anywhere from about $350,000 to $800,000 — and many of these condos sit on or around Craven Street.

For residential homes in the River Arts District area, find older properties ranging from $300,000+.

Residents can bike to many parts of RAD from these areas to grab food and enjoy a day out.

Not all areas of the River Arts District are developed or desirable. Encounter abandoned buildings and warehouses filled with broken glass and garbage. There are active train tracks.

Driving into RAD, you’d have to appreciate the hipster, warehouse vibe to really enjoy it. For Asheville, NC neighborhoods, RAD won’t appeal to everyone.

Younger families, digital nomads, and professionals tend to reside here.

RAD For Playing

• Best Street Art/Murals– Don’t miss hopping between artists’ studios while spying beautiful street art. Can you find Homer Simpson? Famous artists around this area include Gus Cutty, Ian the Painter, Ishmael, Jerkface, and Jerry Cahill.
  
  
• Grail Moviehouse – If you love alternative cinema, this indie theater will make your heart sing. Order popcorn and sit on a comfy couch or chair. Vote in an international film festival.
  
  
• RAD Riverwalk – Newly renovated, stroll down the riverwalk along the French Broad River. Brave people tube down the river in the summer. This is a great 2-mile stretch for family bike-riding.
  
  
• Shopping – With all of the artists’ studios, find endless shopping in Asheville’s River Arts District. The new Marquee is a European-style market filled with high end decor and art. We love Foundation Woodworks for wood sculptures, and you cannot go wrong at Asheville Cotton Mill Studios or Foundation Studios.

RAD For Eating & Drinking

The River Arts District is one of the best Asheville neighborhoods if you are looking to beat downtown AVL’s crowds and congestion. It is the most fun to visit on a weekday.

We appreciate the large parking lots and little to no traffic.

There are tons of River Arts District restaurants and places to explore. Just a few:

• Wedge Brewing at Foundation – A delicious Asheville brewery, there are two locations for Wedge. Wedge at Foundation is perfect for mural-spying. Wedge at Wedge Studios shares space with mouthwating The Bull & Beggar and Bottle Riot.
  
  
• 12 Bones Smokehouse River – 12 Bones is one of the most famous BBQ spots in Asheville — the Obamas ate here. Grab some local beer and try a side of each of their meats. Their South location brews their own beer.
  
  
• pleb urban winery – A unique Asheville winery with “minimal intervention wine-making,” pleb outsources grapes from local farms to create small-batch tapped and canned wines.
  
  
• RosaBees – Serving up delicious Hawaiian cuisine, RosaBees is one of Asheville’s unforgettable restaurants. Because RosaBees is inconspicuously tucked away in RAD, it’s more of a local treasure. Grab dinner or Sunday brunch here.
  
  
• Bottle Riot – If you love Asheville’s wine bars, Bottle Riot is a ritzy fun space featuring some of our favorite bottles. Bottle Riot serves up one of the best charcuterie trays in AVL, and they recently added spirits. Their wine glasses are huge!
  

You might also know RAD for Salvage Station (live music), North Carolina Glass Center, and White Duck Taco.

North of RAD and Montford, don’t miss the Woodfin area. Here, you’ll find Ginger’s Revenge and Zillicoah Brewing.

4. West Asheville

We love visiting West Asheville — even on a weekend. While Haywood Road is pretty busy and jumping, many of the breweries and surrounding areas remain quieter than downtown Asheville.

For Asheville neighborhoods, West Asheville is one of the hippest and most laid-back.

You’ll find some of the best murals, including Dolly Parton and RuPaul. Look for Gus Gutty’s The Fox as well as Ian the Painter’s Ella/Joan of Asheville.

Find more of a GenX and Millennial population in this hipster Asheville neighborhood, too — although this is changing. West Asheville has a vibrant LGBQT+ community.

West Asheville is unique with its older buildings that house both new and generations-old establishments. You’ll find organic and gluten-free goods, especially at the West Village Market & Deli.

For Living

Development companies are building many new and contentious housing units in West Asheville, also driving up the price of real estate.

It’s a double edge sword, and you’ll see gentrification across Asheville.

In West Asheville, you’ll find more fixer-uppers for families — with the costs increasing — and expensive gated communities. Like many parts of Asheville, the median home price is around $400,000.

West Asheville is full of cottages and bungalows. Million-dollar properties exist here, too.

If you are looking for where to live in Asheville, many attest that it’s one of the best areas for walking distance to shops and bars.

Like Montford, find Free Little Libraries and more street parking.

In our opinion, West Asheville sees more violent and property crime than the northern and southern parts of the city — although lately, North Asheville is seeing an increase in robberies and gunshot reports.

West AVL For Eating & Drinking

West Asheville is home to a plethora of amazing restaurants, cafes, and shops, truly making it one of the best neighborhoods in Asheville, NC for eating and drinking. To name just a few notable places:

• Archetype Brewing West – Archetype is a delicious brewery with rooftop seating overlooking downtown Asheville. They also have a downtown location.
  
  
• TacoBilly – Another one of Asheville’s delicious taco & Mexican restaurants, TacoBilly is a must. Here, build-your-own taco or stop in for a breakfast taco.
  
  
• Green Tea Sushi – Green Tea is one of our personal favorite sushi spots in Asheville. Head to Hendersonville for our second, Umi Sushi.
  
  
• Urban Orchard Cider Company West – Urban Orchard has unique cider flights with a beautiful outdoor patio. Be sure to check out all of Asheville’s sweet cideries.
  
  
• UpCountry Brewing – Imagine an Asheville brewery attached to a pizzeria. Order a Grata pie and beers surrounded by murals in a backyard cookout setting. The Odditorium is across the street – a funky fun LGBTQ+ bar.
  
  
• Hole Doughnuts – These guys are one of the best local donut and coffee shops in Asheville.
  
  
• Sunny Point Cafe – Sunny Point Cafe is everyone’s favorite spot for Southern comfort food, especially for breakfast in Asheville. Encounter lines around the block — but it’s worth it. On weekends, BimBeriBon is your go-to for dedicated gluten-free bakeries.
  
  
• Thai Pearl – A newer West Asheville Thai food restaurant, you won’t forget Thai Pearl. Chef May cooks up delicious and authentic Thai food.
  
  
• Jargon – If you love quirky places, Jargon is a popular fine dining restaurant in West Asheville for modern American cuisine. Their bathrooms are lined with Scrabble tiles.
  
  
• The Malvern – A local neighborhood joint and one of the best burger bars in all of AVL, The Malvern is a hidden gem (and dive bar).
  
• Itto Ramen Bar & Tapas – For delicious Asian cuisine, choose from Japanese tapas and steaming ramen bowls. Itto has locations in other Asheville neighborhoods, including South Asheville and Downtown.
  

West AVL For Playing

West AVL is one of the best neighborhoods in Asheville for murals. You honestly cannot miss all of the street art. Just take a drive down Haywood Road.

This is also one of the best areas in Asheville, NC for parks and shopping:

• Murals – Look for Dolly with her newest neighbor, RuPaul. You’ll also find The Dude (Abides) and Joan of West Asheville, Ella. Gus Cutty and Ian the Painter are big artists here.
  
  
• Carrier & French Broad River Parks – Enjoy two walking and picnicking parks that connect to each other. Both have covered picnic areas, facilities, and trails. French Broad River also has a designated dog park.
  
  
• Firestorm Books and Coffee – Firestorm is a queer, feminist, in-your-face (in a good way) collective and bookstore serving the needs of marginalized communities in the South. Their new releases section is the best. They also have a large children’s area.

5. Downtown Asheville

Of course, for the best Asheville neighborhoods, historic downtown is where it is at for all of the things to eat, see, and do.

Asheville is nicknamed “Foodtopia,” after all. Personally, if you are looking for where to live in Asheville, though, this area wouldn’t be our first choice.

We love living close to downtown and driving in for music, food, and drinks.

Downtown Asheville is what you’d expect from city life. There are older buildings, both happy and disgruntled locals, loads of tourists, transplants, and boho college students.

You will see panhandlers and an unsheltered population with “homeless camps” throughout the city.

Beloved Asheville works with our homeless community members to keep them safe and aids members with basic supplies and support.

Downtown Asheville, like other cities, sees crime, especially later into the evenings and early morning hours.

As Asheville locals, we try to visit downtown during off times and seasons, such as Mondays and Tuesdays and in the winter — just to avoid the crowds.

Parking gets a little tricky if you don’t know the lesser-used garages and lots. The city is extremely walkable and has some magnificent Art Deco buildings.

Downtown AVL For Living

Downtown Asheville has apartments, luxury condos, and lofts that vary in pricing. Of course, the closer you are to the fun and city, the more you will pay for it.

Some of those million-dollar studios look gorgeous.

Living downtown means that you can walk to all of the shops and bars. However, we have heard that many of the condos have large and year-long+ waitlists.

Downtown might not be one of the best places to live in Asheville if you are looking to relocate immediately.

Romantic Asheville has a thorough guide to Asheville’s downtown condo scene.

Downtown AVL For Eating & Drinking

It is nearly impossible to pick out the best restaurants and things to do in downtown Asheville.

As the most happening of Asheville neighborhoods, this is just a sampling of AVL’s food and drink scene:

• Asheville’s Brewery Scene – Which downtown Asheville breweries do we love? Wicked Weed, Twin Leaf, Asheville Pizza & Brewing, Bhramari Brewing, Green Man, Burial, and Catawba are musts.
  
  
• French Broad Chocolate Lounge – Sip hot chocolate and grab dessert at this not-to-miss chocolate lounge. Crave Dessert Bar and Asheville Chocolate are also to die for.
  
  
• Downtown AVL Coffee Shops – Downtown Asheville has endless coffee shops for digital nomads and those in need of a pick me up. We recommend Izzy’s, Rowan, Summit, and Double D’s.
  
  
• Best Rooftop Bars – Downtown Asheville is also famous for its rooftop bars, including Capella on 9, Top of the Monk, and The Social Lounge.
  
  
• Cultivated Cocktails – One of the top distilleries in Asheville, order a literary libation in Cultivated Cocktail’s newest and swankiest space on Page Ave.
  
  
• Unforgettable Restaurants – Dine at one of Asheville’s famous restaurants like Bouchon, Isa’s, Curate, Limones, or Tupelo Honey. Personally, we love Jerusalem Garden Cafe and Red Ginger Dimsum & Tapas. Chai Pani serves up famous Indian street food.
  
  
• S&W Market – Asheville’s newest food hall and a great spot for a quick lunch, grab a flight of Highland Brewing beer along with tacos, dumplings, ice cream, and hot dogs.

Explore even more of the best Downtown Asheville restaurants, casual and fine dining.

Downtown Asheville For Playing & Shopping

No Downtown Asheville neighborhood guide would be complete without naming a few historic sites, music venues, museums, and must-sees:

• Battery Park Book Exchange – Sip champagne and devour charcuterie in a used bookstore at Battery Park Book Exchange. Or, visit one of the best AVL bookshops filled with local, indie, and bestseller book titles, Malaprop’s.
  
  
• Thomas Wolfe Memorial – Tour Julia Westall Wolfe’s boarding home and hear all of the juicy stories. She raised Thomas Wolfe here. Wolfe wrote the famous Asheville-based novel, Look Homeward, Angel, sharing the best Asheville gossip. For books that take you to North Carolina, Look Homeward, Angel is it (albeit a tad dry).
  
  
• Grove Arcade – Explore a gorgeous historic building filled with shops and dining. Asheville Proper, a steakhouse, resides here.
  
  
• Prettiest Hotels – We highly recommend staying in downtown Asheville if you wish to explore all of the breweries, shops, and restaurants. Don’t miss the newly renovated Aloft Hotel. They even have a rooftop pool. Many of Asheville’s hotels also serve brunch, have rooftop bars with sprawling views, and are great stops for lounge cocktails (even as locals).
  
  
• Asheville Art Museum – Asheville is full of historic sites and museums. Newly renovated, explore the contemporary art galleries at the Asheville Art Museum.
  
  
• Asheville Pinball Museum – Play vintage arcade and pinball games at this interactive and fun museum. Compete with friends on gaming consoles. Think Super Mario and Nintendo.
  
  
• The Orange Peel – For live music and concerts, this is a famous Asheville music venue.

Never miss an Asheville event here.

6. South Asheville

South Asheville houses wealthy older properties and newer builds, and is, of course, home to Biltmore Estate.

There are endless shopping centers as well as nearby Biltmore Village.

We debated if South Asheville was one of the coolest or best neighborhoods in Asheville, NC.

It’s more of a driving area in Asheville, and we tend to drive in, out, and through the neighborhood. Its borders also grow a bit fuzzy.

However, South Asheville is full of hidden gems for outdoor enthusiasts and foodies.

For Asheville, NC neighborhoods, what we most appreciate about South Asheville is its proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway — especially to the Mount Pisgah and Black Balsam area.

Here, explore many of WNC’s hiking and biking trails.

South Asheville For Living

South Asheville tends to get a reputation — somewhat like North Asheville — for old money and being an expensive area.

For us, North and South Asheville are seeing younger families and millennials moving in, though. There are both new and old builds.

In South Asheville, you’ll find popular Biltmore Park and Forest, which are not cheap and are in high demand. (Please know that some locals and residents consider these different Asheville neighborhoods).

The con of South Asheville and places like Biltmore Forest are that they lack diversity — just peruse the U.S. Census. Of course, this may change over the next five to ten years.

However, compared to other parts of the city, the average for a home is still cheaper at around $350,000+ — although this price tag has been increasing over the years.

South AVL For Playing

• The NC Arboretum – We are members of The NC Arboretum. We love attending Winter Lights, one of the best Christmas light displays in AVL. Visit The NC Arboretum year round for picnics, nature trails, light hiking, and music at their bistro. If you don’t pay for a membership, be aware that they charge for parking.
  
  
• Bent Creek Experimental Forest – Find hiking and mountain biking trails along with Lake Powhatan, a large recreational area. Locals flock here to get outdoors. Some of the bike trails are intense.
  
  
• Biltmore Estate – Tour America’s largest home, which was Edith and George Vanderbilt’s historic estate. Explore the beautiful gardens and hiking trails, grab a meal at Cedric’s Tavern, and wine taste at Biltmore Winery. Biltmore offers numerous tours, is kid-friendly, and at Christmastime, find the fireplaces glowing.
  
  
• Historic Biltmore Village – Historic Biltmore Village is a prime destination for shopping, food, and brews. In fact, many consider this another one of the best neighborhoods in Asheville. We may add it as a 7th neighborhood soon.
  
  
• Lake Julian – Enjoy another one of Asheville’s parks along a lake. In the winter, drive through the Lake Julian Festival of Lights. Read more about Christmas in Asheville.
  
  
• Asheville Outlets – For fantastic outlet shopping, head to the Asheville outlets. They are still a little pricy for outlets, though, but you’ll purchase great gear, especially for outdoor apparel.

South AVL For Eating & Drinking

South Asheville is one of the most overlooked Asheville neighborhoods. Guilty as charged. However, Hendersonville Road, which flows into Arden, is foodie heaven.

A few South Asheville places to check out:

• Juicy Lucy’s Burger Bar and Grill – For quick and friendly service, Juicy Lucy’s features those famous cheese-stuffed burgers and milkshakes. They also showcase many of Asheville’s local breweries with their massive draft list.
  
  
• 12 Bones South (Arden) – Technically situated in Asheville’s suburbs, this 12 Bones location is huge. This is where 12 Bones brews their delicious beer, and you’ll find Gus Cutty’s Anthony Bourdain mural. Order delicious BBQ too.
  
  
• Biscuit Head (South) – One of Asheville’s most famous Southern restaurants, enjoy biscuits, breakfast, and sandwiches at Biscuit Head. Although we aren’t Biscuit Heads ourselves, we appreciate that they have gluten-free and vegan biscuit and gravy options. They are a great selection for comfort food.
  
  
• Apollo Flame (Hendersonville Road) – Apollo Flame is one of the best diners for subs. Order a sub to-go to take to The NC Arboretum or for a BRP hike. Mount Pisgah, Skinny Dip Falls, Fryingpan Mountain Tower, and Pink Beds Loop are just a few.

White Duck Taco, Green Sage Cafe, Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, and Tupelo Honey all have South Asheville locations too.

More Noteworthy Asheville Neighborhoods

• East Asheville – You’ll find more rural areas and older homes and neighborhoods close to downtown and parts of the BRP. The WNC Nature Center is out this way. Oakley is popular here — filled with bungalows and craftsmen-style homes.
  
  
• Kenilworth – Kenilworth is just south of downtown (a 20-minute walk), bordering South & East Asheville. Kenilworth is one of the more popular neighborhoods in Asheville for its 1920s architecture and bungalow and Spanish-style stucco homes. You have access to Tunnel Road — full of *all* of the chain stores and restaurants. Kenilworth is also close to Mission Hospital and has a park.

Best Suburbs Of Asheville & Nearby Cities

• Woodfin – Woodfin always gets left out of nearby Asheville neighborhoods, and we are not realtors so maybe there’s a reason?! Woodfin is home to Zillicoah and Riverside Rhapsody Breweries. Find burger joints, outdoor spaces, BBQ, and new bars. There’s been talk about new housing developments out this way.
  
• Fletcher
  
• Arden
  
• Fairview
  
• Mills River
  
• Weaverville
  
• Black Mountain
  
• Hendersonville

Read more about the best nearby cities, suburbs, and towns.

Save The Best Places To Live In Asheville, NC For Later

What are the best Asheville, NC neighborhoods that you love?

Which neighborhoods in Asheville do you frequent and why? Which Asheville neighborhoods are the coolest? Have the best restaurants and bars? House the best breweries?

What are the best places to live in Asheville? Let us know in the comments.

See our Top Places To Stay in Asheville.

Don’t miss out on these Asheville properties on Booking.com, too.

More Asheville Neighborhood Guides:

Historic Montford
West Asheville
AVL River Arts District
North Asheville

Where To Head Next:

What’s It Like Living In Asheville, NC?
Asheville Local Life & Resources