Asheville is absolutely wonderful and I will continue to visit. As far as the below review talking about rift raft, well that is every city. There are alot of great restaraunts and the people are very friendly. Bele Chere is a wonderful festival and I always have a great time. If you do not like the South then just don't come her.e

The north Carolina Mountains are a beautiful place and we have stayed many times in the western NC area and love it. However, this was our first trip to the downtown area of Asheville, and it was quite dreadful!

We got so caught up in the safety of mountain life and beauty that we forgot to realize that Asheville is still a city and with it ...

a visit to Asheville, N.C. is incomplete without visiting/eating at one of the outdoor eateries/rest. in this revitilizing downtown area. The atmosphere is laid back, I saw nothing resembling riff raff ( probably part of the revitlization process) I've ben told some 20 years ago the area was a cesspool, but you can tell that was then, this is now, visit it, it's worth it.