Things to Do in Asheville

The idea for an annual barbecue expo began slow-cooking in 2010 at a family lunch. The Boyds thought about organizing a little barbecue competition and ended up luring 8,500 barbecue enthusiasts to their "small" cook-off and fundraiser. Now in its third year, the charitable event continues to develop flavor and raise money for local schools while packing bellies with some of the area's best barbecue recipes.

With napkins in hand, attendees can follow the smoky scents and sounds of sauce-splattered high-fives from the tents of a variety of vendors. Ten teams of grilling gurus face off in a whole-hog cook-off, with the winners earning a cash prize and a spot in the state championship later this year. A new Chick-fil-A sauce competition sifts through the day's top toppings until a winner is crowned. Between bites, guests can also savor the festival's many attractions, including a police dog demonstration, a petting zoo, and a BMX bike show, where riders wow onlookers by performing tricks and bunny-hopping over smokers.

The guides who founded Better Tours of Asheville draw on experience leading excursions in far-flung locations in Puerto Rico, France, and Italy. Now, they accompany groups past the basilica and other historical buildings in the town, delivering stories developed through constant research and an ability to smell fossils. The guides divulge colorful tidbits of local history during pub crawls through storied taverns with group drink specials and allude to haunting tragedies along ghost tours that occasionally yield eerie photos of orbs, wisps, and buildings an inch from where they normally are.

When Tom Jackson designed the golf course at High Vista Country Club in 1976, he made sure that the 540-acre parcel would complement the soon-to-be clubhouse, a stone-hunting lodge constructed on the site in 1928 that overlooked the dramatic surroundings. From its lofty perch, visitors can survey the valley below and the Chestnut Mountain Ridge in the distance. The founding "fore" fathers appropriated the magnificent old structure as the first clubhouse, a suitable starting place for the 18-hole championship golf course.

Referred to as the “Old Club House” today, the building still watches over the 6,831-yard championship course, which features frequent elevation changes and mountain-fed ponds that come into play on at least six holes. Towering oak and pine trees frame the course's fairways, and bright azaleas punctuate the grounds to lend the greenery a dose of vibrant color, especially if the surrounding leaves go on strike and stay green during autumn.

Aside from the championship golf course, High Vista Country Club also features a private dining hall, an outdoor pool, tennis courts, and social clubs. The club offers holiday party packages for up to 125 that include a cash bar, buffet or plated dinner, cleanup and setup, linens, tables, chairs, silverware, centerpieces, and use of the dance floor.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Total length of 6,831 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 73.7 from the back tees

• Course slope of 739 from the back tees

• Five sets of tees per hole

Moving Sidewalk Tours' knowledgeable staff turns Asheville's streets into a mobile adventure as they take small groups of Segway riders on scenic tours. Before each departure, guides train each participant on how to operate, steer, and merge consciousness with their second-generation Segway i2. They then lead groups through downtown Asheville, coasting across some of the area's current hot spots as well as historic sites. Moving Sidewalk's staff keeps Segway riders safe and comfortable throughout journeys with helmets and complementary bottles of water. They can also sell customers commemorative T-shirts or a Segway machine to give to their car as a pet.

When the sun sets over the Pisgah National Forest, the gourds lining Stingy’s Illuminated Pumpkin Trails begin to glow. Its more than 1,000 craft pumpkins—hand carved by local artists—display scenes such as rainforests, pirates, and mythical creatures. Before nightfall, however, Stingy Jack's Pumpkin Patch entices guests with myriad other autumnal attractions. The forest beckons guests to explore its spooky trail on foot or via hayride, a hay-bale maze challenges them twists and turns, and a human hamster wheel welcomes sprint sessions, all of which are carefully monitored by a staff of giant scientists.

Throughout the day, Mountain Dan regales crowds with stories and shows off his chainsaw art as local bluegrass bands, cloggers, and dance groups command the stage. Local vendors hawk their wares and munchies, and Stingy Jack's Pumpkin Patch personnel sell pumpkins grown by local farmers. Along with pumpkins for purchase, Stingy’s Ultimate Pumpkin Chunker hurtles them into the woods in a grand spectacle all night once the pumpkin trail lights up.

C.O.R.E. krav maga––a threefold philosophy of self-defense that is ethical, pragmatic, and dynamic––serves as the foundation for Asheville Integrated's hands-on martial-arts classes, during which trainers teach students how to protect themselves in real-world scenarios while conditioning and strengthening their bodies. Using elements of the C.O.R.E. krav maga model, martial-arts instructors also host self-defense classes specifically catered to women and children, helping them build balance, coordination, and the wherewithal to defend themselves in the face of violence. Asheville Integrated Combatives' programs evolve based on feedback from the community, local law enforcement, and burgeoning muscles that pen thank-you notes to staff members.