Asheville named 'best wellness town' in U.S. for 2026 by EatingWell

Visitors travel long distances to relax and recuperate in the North Carolina mountains ― and Asheville is a standout pick when it comes to wellness retreats.

Award-winning publication EatingWell features stories on food, nutrition and sustainability. A recent article named seven of the nation's best "wellness towns" with the help of a panel of experts. The list chose towns through evaluation of locations with populations under 150,000 within one hour of a major airport for factors including outdoor recreation, air and water quality, walkability, farm-to-table restaurants and more.

The article featured seven categories, from best towns for outdoor activities to best fitness studios and beyond. Of the seven chosen locations, Asheville was chosen for the highest honor on the list. Here's why the town was EatingWell's favorite for the year, plus the full list of locations and more.

Best wellness town 2026: Asheville, North Carolina

Out of seven categories, Asheville won the highest praise from EatingWell, landing the title of "best wellness town" for the year. The article noted that Asheville captured top pick for best wellness town in part because, despite its small population compared to other winners, it "punches well above its weight."

"Asheville stands out as one of the best cities for plant-based food and conscious living, blending incredible flavor with a genuine sense of place," said Will Bulsiewicz, a gastroenterologist who spoke to EatingWell for the article. "Asheville's walkability makes it easy to wander from cafés to trails to local shops, all while being surrounded by sweeping mountain views that never get old."

The article also mentioned the extensive damage caused to the area in September 2024 by Tropical Storm Helene, stating that "the city's resilience is evident in its people" and praising nonprofits like the RADA Foundation for helping Asheville's outdoor adventure, hospitality and art scenes recover from the disaster.

Lodging in Asheville, NC

EatingWell praised Asheville's lodging options, from Airstreams, camping and cabins in the mountains to classic "standouts with fantastic fitness centers and spas."

• Grand Bohemian Lodge Asheville
• The Foundry Hotel
• Omni Grove Park Inn
• AutoCamp Asheville

Restaurants in Asheville, NC

Also noted in Asheville were several of EatingWell's restaurant picks, including:

• "Upscale vegan fare" at Plant
• "Italian cuisine made with Appalachian ingredients" at Luminosa
• "Asheville's first farm-to-table restaurant, open since 1979," The Market Place
• Burgers with "creative toppings like local goat cheese, arugula, fried farm eggs and sherry-date barbecue sauce" at Farm Burger

Best wellness towns of 2026

The full list of best wellness towns in all seven categories included:

• Best fitness studios - Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Best for water-lovers - Kihei, Hawaii
• Best for exploring on foot - Portland, Maine
• Best for outdoor activities - Bend, Oregon
• Best spa scene - Palm Springs, California
• Best local food scene - Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Best wellness town - Asheville

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville named 'best wellness town' in U.S. for 2026 by EatingWell

Reporting by Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times / Asheville Citizen Times

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 10:33 AM.