Asheville’s Only Multimedia Tour Exclusively Designed for Literary Travelers
“What is a literary traveler?” you ask?
Well, it is you: A person with an inquisitive mind searching for something more than a traditional tour of our city; a person who loves books and what they mean; someone who is enchanted by the intersection of the written word and real-world architecture.
Think of the AVL Lit Tour as an interactive, bookish guide to Downtown Asheville. It’s a glimpse of some of our widely known writing stars, best sellers, literary journeys, and yes, tragedies.
Asheville offers many things: The mountains, the views, award-winning food, great music, and beer. Lots and lots of beer. But there is another version of Asheville—one that gets overlooked far too often. And that is the history of the written and spoken word in these mountains. This town has excited and incited many authors to pick up pens and scratch out brilliant work.
Visit the literary destinations of Downtown Asheville. See them and touch them. Spend some time and let them sink in. These places have inspired words, employed authors, sold their books, or just coincidentally became entangled into writers’ lives.
Enjoy our readings and marvel at images of Asheville gone by. Hopefully, woven together, they will begin to paint a mosaic—a deeper understanding of our wonderful city beyond the surface, bound in ink and paper. Take in the sights and sounds and tastes, and for the love of all that is literary, make it an adventure!
About the AVL Lit Tour
WHEN: Saturday 10:00am | Sunday 4:00pm
HOW LONG: 90-120 minutes of casual walking, with one or two moderate hills up and one staircase down
WHERE: Starting and ending at the above-ground fountain at the top of Pack Square
WHO: Among the many authors covered on the tour, you will hear about:
- Wilma Dykeman
- John Ehle
- F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald
- Ernest Hemingway
- O. Henry
- James Patterson
- Carl Sandburg
- Thomas Wolfe
- and many more
COST: Only $25 for adults | $15 for children 5–12 | Free for 4 and under, each with paying adult