7 Best Asheville Walking Tours for 2026

Are you looking for the best Asheville walking tours? I’ve got you covered!

I’ve been visiting Asheville a few times a year for the last five or so years now but it wasn’t until recently that I started taking walking tours of Asheville.

If you want to know more about the history and culture of the city, then you’ll want to take one of these tours but they also have tours for specific interests like beer, coffee, and even literature.

This list will walk you through the best tours that I’ve taken in Asheville as well as a few others that are top-rated!

This interesting Asheville walking tour is a great way to get a behind-the-scenes look at this beautiful city. Make sure to grab breakfast in downtown Asheville before your tour starts so you don’t get hangry!

My tour was led by Tebbe and he taught us so much about Asheville’s rich history, culture, and architecture.

A few of the popular sites that we visited were Pack Square, the Thomas Wolfe House, S&W Cafeteria, and the Grove Arcade.

I do think each tour guide makes the tour their own and while they follow the “typical stories” they can add in things too. Like I don’t think all the tours go inside the S&W Cafeteria but I could be wrong about that.

Tebbe was such an animated storyteller and so knowledgeable about Asheville’s past. We got a great overview of Asheville’s history as well as a peek into the life of Thomas Wolfe and his family.

Find out why Asheville struggled so much after the Depression, learn about prominent figures and architects in Asheville’s history, and find out more about the historically Black neighborhood known as The Block.

This would be a great way to kick off a weekend in Asheville!

2. Asheville Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour

⭐️ RATING: 4.5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours | ✅ Book it!

If you’re interested in Asheville’s haunted history, this entertaining ghost tour is for you. You’ll explore the city’s major landmarks while hearing stories of paranormal activity that have taken place over the years.

The engaging guides will tell you all about some of the city’s most famous hauntings like the woman at the Grove Park Inn.

Whether you’re a believer in the supernatural or just curious about local legends, this is a great way to get to know Asheville in a unique and unforgettable way.

Note that there are long inclines with some steep sections on this tour so keep that in mind, but this is one of the best Asheville ghost tours!

“I’m a huge ghost nerd and have been on many ghost tours — Tad’s tour was by far one of my favorite. I appreciate that Tad is a historian and anthropologist first and a performer second.

A lot of ghost tours are overly gimmicky with guides who would rather be actors. This was the perfect combo of history and ghost stories. A great way to get to know Asheville” – Kiley (Read more reviews)

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3. Downtown Asheville Guided Brewery Walking Tour

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 3 hours and 15 minutes | ✅ Book it!

The Downtown Brewery Tour is perfect for beer lovers as you get to hit some underrated breweries on the South Slope!

My tour guide Mark, also known as Party Grandpa, knew so much about the history of beer, the different types and styles, and the brewing process.

Our first stop was Catawba Brewing where we learned about a lot of the history of beer and some of the ingredients.

Then we went to Twin Leaf where we got to see the brewing equipment and hear about the process. Our final stop was Green Man Brewing.

At each spot we got to try three different samples and there was a great variety from IPAs to stouts and even a sour.

This is a great way to learn more about beer and the Asheville brewery scene!

“Would recommend this tour to anyone. It was amazing and I learned so much about beer I never would have imagined. The history was really cool and the guide was absolutely amazing. I would take this tour again and again.” – Erin (Read more reviews)

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4. Historic Music Scene Asheville Walking Tour

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 2 – 3 hours | ✅ Book it!

Uncover the secrets behind Asheville’s musical history and top live music venues in the city.

The guide truly knows the music scene in Asheville inside and out and is a great storyteller and Asheville local.

The meetup spot is Harrah’s Cherokee Center which is one of the biggest music venues in downtown Asheville today. My husband and I have actually been to multiple shows here including Luke Combs a few years ago.

You’ll get a tour of Citizen Vinyl, a cafe & bar, record press, record shop, and recording studio. Talk about a unique space.

Stop outside The Orange Peel and learn the history behind this unique music venue where the Bestie Boys played one of their last concerts.

You’ll pass by multiple other small music venues in the city and learn the reason behind the eclectic music scene here in town.

This is a unique way to explore downtown and learn the history of Asheville whether you are a music aficionado or not.

The tour ends at the Moogsmuseum where you can get a discounted ticket to learn more about Bob Moog who created the Moog synthesizer.

“Our guide, David, can’t be beat. Very amiable, knowledgeable and a great storyteller. We learned so much!

One of the favorite parts of our trip. FYI: you don’t have to be passionate about music to enjoy David’s tour. My husband loves music; I like music. We both equally enjoyed the tour.” (Read more reviews)

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5. Asheville Coffee Tours

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 3 hours | ✅ Book it!

While many people think of beer, food, and the outdoors when they think of Asheville, coffee doesn’t always immediately come to mind.

This tour was created to showcase the amazing coffee shops in Asheville and highlight the coffee culture that is helping to build community.

This is a great opportunity for travelers to get the lay of the land in downtown Asheville and for locals to try a few new-to-them spots.

You’ll get to make six different stops at various coffee shops, cafes, and specialty stores while learning about and trying coffee from local micro-roasters.

You’ll learn some general history about Asheville as well and get a few recommendations for other food & drink stops while you’re in town.

This is one of the can’t-miss walking tours in Asheville for coffee lovers!

“Zack was a great guide. He holds a lot of information about the town, food scene and coffee. The different coffee were so tasty. If you love coffee this is a must do tour.” -Andrea (Read more reviews)

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6. Asheville Literary Tour

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 1.5 – 2 hours | ✅ Book it!

*NOTE: This tour is currently unavailable due to Hurricane Helene. According to their website, they hope to reopen for the 2025 season.

Did you know that Asheville had such a strong history in literature? The most prominent author who came from Asheville was Thomas Wolfe.

On this tour, you’ll learn plenty about Wolfe, his family, and his life and work. It doesn’t only highlight literary figures though – you’ll also hear about Asheville in film, pop culture, and Hollywood.

In addition to the literary connections to the city, the tour also covers some general history and major landmarks downtown.

“Jimmy was a great tour guide. He knows a great deal about Asheville locations that are of literary importance and had tons of background on books and authors he told the group about.

If learning about Asheville authors or works of literature related to Asheville are things that interest you, or if you’d just like a good walk, you should take this tour.” –(Read more reviews)

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7. Downtown Asheville Food Tour (The Downtown)

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 3 hours and 45 minutes | ✅ Book it!

I actually went on this tour when I was in Asheville for my bachelorette party and my friends and I had the best time!

The downtown tour will take you to six or seven different restaurants and food shops where you’ll get samples at each spot. I try to take food tours whenever I visit somewhere new and this one provided the most food for the price by far.

Make sure you pace yourself though! It’s a lot to eat. 😅

The guide is also a local so they are very knowledgeable about the city and the food scene here.

“Aimee was our most excellent food guru and guide. A great balance of quick bites and short “sit downs” sprinkled with Asheville history made for a wonderfully educational gastronomic adventure. Aimee got the food/beverage tempo just right. Highly recommend!” – Julie (Read more reviews)

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FAQs About Asheville Walking Tours

Is downtown Asheville walkable?

Downtown Asheville is absolutely walkable! The River Arts District and South Slope are a bit more spread out but you can technically walk to those areas too if you feel up to it.

What is the most popular street in Asheville, NC?

Broadway Street is one of the main roads running through downtown Asheville and turns into Biltmore Avenue as you go south. There are many shops and restaurants along Broadway but there are so many other cute streets downtown too.

Is downtown Asheville worth visiting?

Yes, downtown Asheville is worth visiting. There are so many cute locally-owned shops, restaurants, and cafes. Lots of unique architecture too!