How This Deeply-Rooted North Carolina City Draws In and Inspires the LGBTQ+ Traveler

Nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina is an inviting city filled with artists and creators, always offering up something that will inspire and fulfill anyone traveling to the Asheville area. Experiencing the rejuvenating effects of Asheville’s many outdoor activities is a year-round affair, with no shortage of options regardless of the season. Asheville is the perfect scene to not only find renewal for oneself, but pride as well. From waterfalls and hiking and biking trails to parades and festivals, there’s enough to keep you in Asheville beyond the weekend where you’ll have to come back again and again.

The Asheville area is a bountiful place to visit any time of the year. Flowers bloom and harvests abound throughout the mountains, where visitors get the chance to see Asheville in all its warm glory. Beginning in early April, travelers should check out Biltmore for their annual Biltmore Blooms where daffodils, tulips, and azaleas color the grounds among a wide array of flowers. The Asheville area is home to many gardens to explore, including the North Carolina Arboretum and the Botanical Gardens of Asheville. And by having more species of plants in the area than any other area of its size in North America, Asheville is the ideal spot to take advantage of its walking and wellness trails, which have continued to be peacefully undisturbed. For a little needed wellness? The Spa at the Omni Grove Park offers couple’s massages and relaxation at a world-class spa. And for some arts and culture experiences, the River Arts District is sure to enlighten you with beauty like ceramics found at the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts and glassblowing at the North Carolina Glass Center.

Adventure and celebration are an essential part of the Asheville experience. Each year at the end of Summer, the Blue Ridge Pride Festival offers one of the world’s best places to celebrate Pride, according to CNN. And those summer nights would not be complete without a trip to two of Asheville’s most famous gay bars, Scandals and O.Henry’s. These two bars offer the best dancing, music, and drag for anyone looking to express their pride during those hot nights. If you need a little more time out, Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours offers Asheville’s history among beautiful landmarks with cocktails and mocktails. Alas, an adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains is crucial and cannot be missed. Big Butt Trail offers an inward reflection experience filled with solitude, and Graybeard Trail offers a challenging course for the more experienced hiker. But the pièce de résistance are the waterfalls to be found at Daniel Ridge Loop Trail and Graveyard Fields. There’s so much to explore when visiting Asheville.

For any traveler looking to get out and explore, the Asheville area is calling for a visit. From the scenic views that are always blooming to endless nights filled with pride and love for one and one another, Asheville offers a place that allows you to keep creating who you are.