NC city is among the Top 12 destinations around the world to visit in 2025, Forbes says
.jpg "RAD Fest 1.0 was an arts festival held in the River Arts District in November for artists impacted by Helene.")
If you’ve got the desire to venture out on a vacation soon, one North Carolina city has been named one of the biggest hot spots for travelers this year.
Forbes Travel Guide released its picks of the Top 12 travel destinations around the world, from New Orleans to the Netherlands and other popular places in between. Included in the list is Asheville — an area eagerly welcoming visitors after being hit hard by one of the biggest hurricanes in the state.
“Hurricane Helene battered North Carolina in September, causing at least $53 billion in damages. It will take years for the state to recover, but tourists can help the efforts,” the report says.
“Most of downtown Asheville is open for business, including shops, restaurants, galleries and art studios. Tourists can also enjoy the mountain town’s bountiful breweries, including Highland Brewing Company and Archetype Brewing. Ashville’s most famous attraction, the 8,000-acre, castle-like Biltmore Estate, and its Four-Star inn are welcoming visitors.”
“Those who want to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway’s picturesque nature by car, hiking or biking, should note that access has been restored, but double-check what’s open.”
‘Be part of the comeback’
Hurricane Helene’s wrath across the state in September made it one of the worst storms in U.S. history — with many communities in the mountain areas, including Asheville, heavily impacted after extreme rain, winds and extreme flooding.
Since then, many families, small business owners and local organizations have had to build the ground up to restore what was destroyed in the devastating storm.
Now many in and around Asheville are hopeful incoming travelers will help be part of what the community is calling the city’s comeback.
According to Explore Asheville, Buncombe County’s Destination Management Organization, much of the infrastructure downtown was largely “untouched by the storm.”
“With power and potable water restored, attractions, restaurants, breweries, music venues, hotels, inns and businesses are open, widely available and welcoming guests across the Asheville area,” its website says.
“Our community is making progress every day. There are areas that have a longer road ahead — including parts of the River Arts District, Biltmore Village and Swannanoa. Appalachian resilience shines as pockets of business reopen in high-impact areas.”
As Asheville’s community continues to recover, Explore Asheville now has an online tool to check the status of local businesses that is divided for you to search by area or specific categories of things to do like attractions, restaurants, galleries, shops and boutiques, lodging, breweries and cideries and more.
Asheville was the only city in North Carolina among Forbes Travel Guide’s Top 12 destinations to travel to in 2025. You can find the full list online at forbes.com.
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
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