Asheville is a Blue Ridge city with a compact downtown, a working arts district beside the French Broad River and the Biltmore Estate south of the center. Base yourself where most of your days will be. For mountain outings you will usually want a car.
Pack Square, the Asheville Art Museum, Grove Arcade and the Basilica of St. Lawrence are all downtown, a few walkable blocks apart. Biltmore Avenue and Lexington Avenue have many of the central restaurants and shops. From a downtown room, dinner is on foot, but ask about parking before you bring a car.
The South Slope, just below downtown, is breweries and murals around Coxe Avenue. West of the center, the River Arts District runs along the French Broad River, with working studios, galleries and a greenway. Studio hours vary, so pick the ones you want before you go. Staying in one district doesn’t put you next door to the other.
Biltmore Village sits at the entrance to the Biltmore Estate, with shops and restaurants on its own streets. Some Village businesses are still reopening in phases, so check their current hours. The estate needs its own ticket, and from a hotel by its entrance, downtown evenings are a drive.
Across the river, West Asheville’s cafés, shops and music rooms line Haywood Road. East of downtown, Tunnel Road is a strip of hotels built around the car. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes the Asheville area, but sections can close for weather or repairs. Check the National Park Service road status before you plan a day around a particular overlook.