Asheville, NC Meeting Planning | Asheville, NC Event Planning City Guide

Hotels	137
Total Sleeping Rooms	7,000
Largest Exhibit Space	45,000 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate	USD $95
Average Daily Meal Cost	USD $51
Average Weekly Car Rental	USD $344

Asheville, NC Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to our Asheville meeting planning guide – a city guide for meeting planning in Asheville, NC. For many familiar with its vibrant mountain beauty, thriving artisan community and proximity to such extraordinary venues as Biltmore Estate, Asheville is a beloved destination. Meeting venues in Asheville are abundant from The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa to a beautiful mountain farm setting.

Asheville's metropolitan area has a varied yet balanced mix of knowledge-based enterprises, advanced manufacturing, professional services, and growth industry companies. Asheville successfully embodies a fresh mix of eclectic sophistication within a culturally and economically diverse community.

Just 10 miles from the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), Asheville is easily accessible with service to nine major cities. Averaging 83 flights a day the Asheville Regional Airport serves over 600,000 passengers a year. Once in town, visitors to Asheville find getting around the city easy and affordable. Asheville Transit operates a convenient system of buses that cover most of the area. Taxis are plentiful in Asheville, and rental cars remain an attractive option for visitors.

Asheville meeting venues offer a number of options for hosting events of all sizes. Downtown's Asheville Civic Center provides more than 83,000 square feet of space and the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center has over 75,000 square feet of enclosed meeting space. In addition, Asheville has a number of hotel meeting options ranging from 2,500 to 55,000 square feet. Whether a group is large or small, it will find the perfect venue in Asheville.

About Asheville, NC / Additional Info

Tucked away among the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, Asheville lures visitors with its natural beauty, thriving arts scene and historic charms. Asheville is renowned for its unique culture, health-conscious vibe, eclectic food scene and welcoming spirit.

Home to more than 74,000 people, Asheville has continued to grow since its founding in 1784. Originally falling within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation, Asheville's development can be found on the streets of its historic district and collection of Victorian style homes. Industrial barons and the nation's wealthy discovered the beauty of the region, and chose the area to establish winter residences. Visitors can tour America's largest home, Biltmore Estate, which features a 250-room mansion, opulent gardens and plenty of outdoor activities.

Asheville's eclectic downtown hums with art galleries and street musicians, sidewalk dining, nationally recognized bookstores and bakeries for canines. The heart of the city is a living testament to community's mountain-born spirit of independence – independent businesses, independent people, and singular beauty. Yet, for all its unique offerings, Asheville's downtown resonates with the warmth and friendly charm of a walkable Southern town.

Named one of the best cities in America for outdoor activities and for active-lifestyle visitors, Asheville provides a number of options for health and environmentally-minded guests. Rafting, fly-fishing, road cycling, hiking, trail running, mountain biking – all of these activities are available here. Explore the expansive natural beauty of Pisgah National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or drive one of the America's most scenic motor roads, the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Dining is serious business in Asheville where the Foodtopian Society offers a culinary paradise. Groups will find a thriving farm-to-fork mentality, a beloved community of tailgate markets, and restaurants with cuisines that range from Italian and French to New South and Caribbean. A different flavor experience awaits groups on every corner. Dine al fresco, eat upscale or nosh on artisanal chocolates.

Asheville, NC Key Stats for Meeting Planners

Time Zone: Eastern Time (ET)
Convention Center(s):

Hotel at Convention Center? No
Sleeping Rooms 1 Mile from Convention Center: 834

Airport(s):

Asheville Regional Airport

Destination Type(s):

Mountain / Skiing Destination
Four Seasons Destination

Special Event Venues
40
Population
233,932
Restaurants
250
Country Code
1
Sales Tax
6.75%
Currency
U.S. Dollar
Standard Tipping Practice
10-20%
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Official Languages
English

Credit Cards and Travelers Cheques widely accepted? Yes

All average costs based on U.S. Government Per Diem rates as published by the U.S. General Services Administration.

Cities Near Asheville, NC

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Greenville/Greer, SC	62 mi	1 hr 17 min	2 hr 14 min	USD $396+
Blountville, TN	80 mi	1 hr 25 min	2 hr 10 min	USD $401+
Knoxville, TN	116 mi	2 hr 04 min	2 hr 27 min	USD $269+
Charlotte, NC	129 mi	2 hr 12 min	40 min	USD $200+

Asheville, NC Climate Information

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg. High (°F)	47	50	57	68	76	82	84	83	77	68	57	48
Avg. Low (°F)	28	30	35	45	53	60	63	62	56	45	35	29
Rec. High (°F)	76	78	83	89	90	98	98	98	95	88	83	81
Rec. Low (°F)	-7	-3	5	24	33	39	49	47	33	23	1	-6
Rainfall (in)	2.6	3.1	4.0	3.3	2.9	3.5	3.4	4.0	3.1	2.7	2.6	2.7

The region has four distinct seasons with the warmest month being July while winter hits its peak in January. Average temperatures in summer tend to be in the low 80s and winter temperatures average in the mid 40s. Asheville receives an average of 37 inches of rainfall throughout the year. Due to its mountainous location, Asheville also receives snow in the winter months, making it a fantastic skiing destination.

Meeting Planning in Asheville, NC

Asheville Civic Center

The Civic Center's central location in Asheville makes travel to events simple. During off-hours, guests can enjoy the best the city has to offer. The center has a large number of parking spaces and is in close proximity to hotels.

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Western North Carolina Agriculture Center

Principally the home of the North Carolina Mountain State Fair, numerous horse and livestock events, the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center is also available for large-scale conferences and trade shows in its 65,000 square feet of meeting space.

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Asheville, NC Meeting Venue Spotlight

Grove Park Inn

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Grove Park Inn is one of the U.S.’ premier destination resorts. The Inn boasts 55,000 square feet of meeting space, enchanting mountain vistas, lush green fairways, a destination spa and more.

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Crowne Plaza Resort Asheville

Conveniently located, just one mile from downtown the resort sits on 120 rolling acres. In addition, the hotel features a total of 300 rooms, 20 Tennis Courts, a 9 Hole Golf Course, 2 outdoor pools and a new Sports Complex with indoor pool and spa.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Grove Park Inn is one of the U.S.' premier destination resorts. The Inn boasts 55,000 square feet of meeting space, enchanting mountain vistas, lush green fairways, a destination spa and more.

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Renaissance Asheville Hotel

Located in the heart of the city. With mountain views from all 275 guestrooms, complimented by flexible meeting space the Asheville Renaissance Hotel offers first class accommodations in downtown Asheville.

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DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Asheville - Biltmore

Located only one block from the world famous Biltmore Estate, historic Biltmore Village, only 3 miles from downtown Asheville and only a few miles from the Asheville Regional Airport. The atmosphere is uniquely Asheville with a touch of modern.

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Biltmore

An ideal setting for receptions, sales conferences, board meetings, training sessions, entertaining clients, and special events. The estate offers multiple venues for meetings and meals in beautifully restored historic buildings and magnificent outdoor settings.

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Asheville, NC Airport Information

Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)

Approximate taxi fare: $48 USD

Just 10 miles from the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), Asheville is easily accessible with service to nine major cities and home to six airlines. Travelers to Asheville can easily connect to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, New York/LaGuardia, Newark, Orlando and Philadelphia.

While averaging 176 flights per day, Asheville Regional Airport serves nearly 750,000 passengers annually. The airport has one runway and one terminal containing services and amenities for travelers. There are a number of dining options available through the Blue Ridge Tavern. Additionally, the airport has an onsite business center and recharge station for the convenience of travelers.

Airline carriers serving Asheville Regional Airport

Continental
Delta

US Airways
United

Allegiant Airlines

Asheville, NC Public Transportation

Asheville Transit System

Asheville Transit provides bus service in the city and to surrounding areas. The system consists of 24 bus routes, all conveniently originating at the Asheville Transit Center. Fares for travel are $1 for adults and $.50 for seniors and students between ages 6 and 19. Children ages 5 and under ride free with a fare-paying adult. Eleven ride ticket books are available for $9. Asheville Transit operates Monday through Saturday between 6 AM and 11:30 PM.

Shuttles

Larger groups can secure shuttle service to and from Asheville Regional Airport. A number of companies operate on site and other van services can be reserved prior to travel. Different size vehicles are available to accommodate larger groups. Travel from the airport to the city is approximately $48 for the first passenger and $10 for additional passengers.

Rental Cars

Asheville Regional Airport houses five rental companies for passengers wishing to secure a car during their trip. Counters for Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National/Alamo are located near the baggage claim area.

Taxis

Taxis are abundant at Asheville Regional Airport and travelers will find easy and convenient service to the city. Fares are approximately $40 from the airport to Asheville.

Distance To...

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Greenville/Greer, SC	62 mi	1 hr 17 min	2 hr 14 min	USD $396+
Blountville, TN	80 mi	1 hr 25 min	2 hr 10 min	USD $401+
Knoxville, TN	116 mi	2 hr 04 min	2 hr 27 min	USD $269+
Charlotte, NC	129 mi	2 hr 12 min	40 min	USD $200+