This North Carolina city ranks among best fall destinations in US — again. Here’s why

Simone Jasper
·2 min read

A popular North Carolina vacation spot ranks among the best places to visit this fall — again.

Asheville ranks No. 10 on a new list of U.S. destinations that offer “beautiful scenery, fantastic weather, and wealth of seasonal activities and events,” according to USA Today’s 10Best.

“One of the best things about fall is the opportunity to travel to gorgeous places that showcase the vibrant colors and scenery of the season,” 10Best, which creates vacation rankings, wrote in its report.

The list of top “spots for a perfect fall getaway” was created after travel experts and editors selected a group of the best U.S. fall destinations. Then members of the public had a chance to choose their favorites, submitting up to one vote per day over the course of a month to help determine the winning locations, according to the contest rules.

In the resulting readers’ choice awards, Asheville was the only place in North Carolina to land on the nationwide list. The mountain tourist hot spot received praise for boasting “a wealth of fascinating attractions for autumn visitors to enjoy.”

“Though best known for its spectacular beer scene, the region is also equipped with its fair share of gorgeous natural sites to explore, with area destinations ranging from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the North Carolina Arboretum,” 10Best wrote.

Award adds to Asheville’s honors

The rankings build upon the Asheville region’s reputation as a favorite fall destination. In August, the city made it onto a U.S. News & World report list that considered top-notch seasonal activities and ideal weather, McClatchy News reported.

Nearby, the Hendersonville area is home to some of the nation’s top-ranking apple orchards. And just in time for Halloween, Asheville’s Omni Grove Park Inn — home to the legend of the “Pink Lady” — recently ranked among the most haunted hotels in the country.

On the best fall destination list, the top place to visit this season is Gatlinburg, Tennessee, near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Rounding out the top five were:

  • Allegany County, Maryland, at No. 2

  • Mackinac Island, Michigan, at No. 3

  • Branson, Missouri, at No. 4

  • Stowe, Vermont, at No. 5

In the past, 10Best has told McClatchy News via email that it doesn’t release how many people votes in its contests.

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