We’re here to offer the best literary adventure possible. Please contact us if your questions are not answered by the options below.
Tours are available on Saturday mornings or afternoons for a base rate of $75 for up to 3 people. Additional guests can be added for only $20 each.
By design, multiple parties can book an AVL Lit Tour at the same time. If you would like to book a private tour for your party, you can book an Exclusive AVL Lit Tour for $100 for up to 3 people. Additional guests can be added for $25 each.
Off season, contact us to book your group.
Tickets must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance in order to reserve your spot on the AVL Lit Tour. Book online now.
** Are you a Western North Carolina local? Reach out by email or on social before you book your tickets for our local discount code!
The AVL Lit Tour ranges from 90–120 minutes of casual walking, which amounts to about 24 blocks. This includes one or two moderate hills up and one staircase down.
The AVL Lit Tour covers dozens of authors with ties to Downtown Asheville. Among them, you’ll learn about:
– Wilma Dykeman
– John Ehle
– F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald
– Ernest Hemingway
– O. Henry
– James Patterson
– Carl Sandburg
– Thomas Wolfe
– and many more!
The AVL Lit Tour begins and ends at the above-ground fountain at the top of Pack Square in the heart of downtown. Find it adjacent to the Asheville Art Museum (2 S Pack Square) and French Broad Chocolate Lounge (10 S Pack Square).
Public and private parking is available nearby. If you’re lucky, there is some metered street parking around Pack Square.
We will walk through Pack Square, the Block, along Broadway, around the Grove Arcade, and through Pritchard Park. Among the buildings/attractions you will see are:
– Thomas Wolfe’s angel
– Art Deco city and county buildings
– Thomas Wolfe Memorial Home
– St. Lawrence Basilica
– Grove Arcade
– Flatiron Building
– and many others!
We recommend comfortable walking shoes and your sense of adventure and whimsy! Feel free to bring a water bottle or umbrella, and don’t forget the sunscreen!
We encourage you to take photos of the tour and local sights of Asheville, and to use the hashtag #AvlLit when posting them online. However, we don’t allow audio or visual recordings during the tour.
This is a PG-13 tour due to some tales of murder and mayhem. Use your parental discretion.
Service animals are allowed on the tour. No other pets are allowed.
The AVL Lit Tour follows the public sidewalks of Downtown Asheville. Let us know if you have any accessibility concerns we can help with before your arrival.
A few raindrops won’t get in the way of a good time, but a downpour will! Please check weather conditions and dress accordingly. In the event of extreme conditions, we will contact you via phone or email, and a reschedule or refund will be issued.
Tickets are refundable up to 48 hours before your scheduled tour.
Our knowledgeable guides are here to provide you with a literary adventure. Tipping is never expected, but always appreciated!