Best Asheville First-Timer Must-Dos

This is a first-timer's guide to Asheville, covering the signature stops most visitors want on their first trip. The picks sit downtown, on the Biltmore Estate grounds, on the slope of Sunset Mountain, along the Blue Ridge Parkway and in the River Arts District, with the Basilica of Saint Lawrence and Craggy Gardens rounding it out. Biltmore Estate puts George Vanderbilt's 250-room mansion, gardens, a conservatory and Antler Hill Village & Winery on one property. The Omni Grove Park Inn was built in 1913 from stone quarried on site, and its terraces look out over the Blue Ridge. The Grove Arcade fills a downtown block with restaurants, food vendors and craft shops. At the Folk Art Center, the Southern Highland Craft Guild sells juried handmade work, and admission is free.

Plan most of a day for Biltmore, and check the estate's hours calendar, since hours vary by area.