It’s ranked as one of the happiest and friendliest cities in the country, which are two very good reasons why families can’t wait to move to Asheville. Fresh mountain air, country-side land for sale and opportunities abound, for children to flourish in a healthy environment.
1. Families Move to Asheville for Strong Communities
With neighborhood events, local businesses and a thriving arts and craft scene, Asheville is imbued with the community spirit of a much smaller city. Locals enjoy a range of outdoor activities and recreation centers offer programs for anyone, from preschoolers to senior adults.
This sense of community extends to neighborhoods designed around working farms, gardens and leisure areas. Volunteering is a fantastic way of teaching children about giving back and many of Asheville’s citizens are involved in a range of support services, These include counseling, wildlife preservation, mentoring and tutoring.
2. Custom Homes and Green Neighborhoods
The home truly is where the heart is and families searching for their dream, custom home find it gift-wrapped by natural wonders, in Asheville. Available home sites include those with spectacular mountain views, plenty of space for the kids to play outdoors, easy commute times to schools and country trails for walking the dogs.
The city is well-known for its beautiful architecture mixed with sustainable building techniques. Mountain properties, especially, garner admiration in styles ranging from Craftsman to Victorian and Contemporary designs. To top it off, each Asheville neighborhood offers a unique vibe, so finding a family home to suit your exact desires is a very real possibility.
3. Multiple Education Options
It’s important for families to have premier education options and Asheville gets top marks for facilities. Higher education includes the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and the University of North Carolina at Asheville, which offers some 30 undergraduate degrees. Montreat College and Mars Hill University are faith-based campuses and the Warren Wilson College promotes community service, along with academic excellence.
The Asheville City Schools system runs two high schools, two middle schools, five elementary schools and one preschool. Then, there’s Buncombe County Schools and private options including Asheville Catholic School, Nazarene Christian School and Rainbow Community School.
4. Healthy Outdoor Lifestyle
While real estate in Asheville allows families to live harmoniously in nature, the greater region is an outdoor playground for endless adventure. You can walk in the Pisgah National Forest and have a go on a natural waterslide, Sliding Rock, when the weather’s warm. Explore the plants and animals in the Asheville Botanical Garden and go apple, grape and pumpkin picking in the various seasons. Drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway are exciting trips with panoramic views and Chimney Rock Park offers the Hickory Nut Falls Trail, for family hikes.
With mild weather and spectacular options for wilderness discovery, exercise is a popular activity in the mountain city. This simply isn’t a place to sit indoors glued to the television, so families choose to move to Asheville to take advantage of the healthy, outdoor lifestyle benefits.
6. Culture and Creativity
Mountain living doesn’t mean an absence of culture, in arty Asheville. There’s the River Arts District, where you can learn from working artists, along with The Folk Art Center. Theatre, dance and symphony take place at the Dian Wortham Theatre at Pack Place and Flat Rock Playhouse, among other entertainment venues.
Children love the interactive Asheville Museum of Science, the Asheville Pinball Museum and the Western North Carolina Nature Center. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of creativity and culture in a city that’s renowned for progressive thinking.
5. Fresh Food Focus
Families living in Asheville have access to unlimited fresh, local produce and hundreds of farm-to-table restaurants. The availability and ease of farmer’s markets makes healthy living a way of life in the city, while supporting local farms and industries.
The city’s famed restaurants boast varied menus ranging from Mediterranean to home-cooked Southern specialties, as well as innovative blends of food cultures. Whatever you’d like to try and whichever fresh ingredients you need, Asheville far exceeds every food-lovers expectations.
With so much opportunity for healthy eating, creativity, outdoor fun, education and community involvement, Asheville certainly lives up to reputation as one of the best places to raise a family, mountain-living style.
Are you ready to move to Asheville? Check out the Asheville Neighborhood Guide.
