Selected by AARP magazine as a top 15 dream town, Asheville offers a little bit of something for everyone.

This “Paris of the South" is home to a vibrant downtown, great cultural offerings, professional sports, unique shopping and a host of attractions and historical sites.

Asheville boasts a rich architectural legacy, including a mix of Art Deco, Beaux Arts and Neoclassical styles, and prides itself on its Appalachian past. The city’s historic and architecturally diverse downtown remains beautifully preserved and includes an outstanding array of locally-owned shops, galleries and distinctive restaurants.

The Asheville arts scene is buzzing, featuring hundreds of fine artists, performing arts venues, mountain crafters, folk artists and hip arts neighborhoods. A diverse music scene ranges from bluegrass native to the area to major national acts, opera, ballet, country music and experimental jazz.

This high mountain city has long been a destination for the rich and famous, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Today, visitors can still experience Gilded Age elegance by visiting America’s largest home, the Biltmore Estate. The estate, once owned by George Vanderbilt, includes a winery with a visitor center, tasting room and shop where bottles of the local vintage are sold. You may also explore the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, the acclaimed author's boyhood home and the inspiration for his novel "Look Homeward, Angel."

The great outdoors surrounding Asheville is so spectacular that they are ranked number 1 of 10 Great Adventure Towns by National Geographic Adventure magazine.