What's New in (and around) Asheville for 2010

This is much to be excited about this year with even more to enjoy by visitors to the Asheville area in the North Carolina mountains.

Here are our top choices for what's new in Asheville for 2010:

Blue Ridge Parkway 75th: Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the most visited unit of the National Park Service system, throughout 2010 with many special events. The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center is located in Asheville along the Parkway. See our updated Blue Ridge Parkway Guide to plan your trip.

Beer City USA: Asheville's beer scene will continue to grow. We have an amazing selection of bars, brewpubs, microbreweries, and restaurants for a city of its size. (See our Asheville Beer & Brewery Guide.) Readers of Examiner.com in New York City voted Asheville as the top Beer City in America (tied with Portland, OR)! More than 50 local brews can be sampled around town at the breweries and pubs. Lexington Avenue Brewery will open in January 2010 in downtown Asheville, adding another brewery to the several already downtown.

For the Birds: Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park will celebrate the grand opening of its Birdhouse exhibit space on Saturday, March 27, 2010. The Birdhouse features interpretive signage and exhibits designed to educate guests on the variety of birds that occur in Chimney Rock. Organized by season, the permanent exhibit includes educational information and images of some of the Park’s more common birds, like the dozens of warblers and vireos, as well as birds less commonly seen such as Swainson’s Warblers and Peregrine Falcons. Chimney Rock is an official site on the NC Birding Trail and offers birding walks and programs throughout the year with Ornithologist Simon Thompson. The Park will host its 2nd Annual Flock to the Rock on September 25 and 26 featuring birding workshops, guided walks and other programs. See our Chimney Rock Guide. Also see the full list of Events at Chimney Rock for 2010.

Caving / Spelunking: Mountain Adventure Guides now offers the first Caving Trips for the Asheville area (Worley's Cave in Bluff City, TN, about 1.25 hours drive north of Asheville). You will travel through passages that are hundreds of millions of years old and visit vast rooms, such as “Fairies Ballroom,” “Tombstone,” and “Giant’s Causeway.” Caving can be the perfect adventure for winter, or anytime! Temperatures within a cave remain constant at about 55 degrees. Explore the beauty of natural cave features and formations and learn a bit about the life and geology of an undeveloped limestone cave. Worley's Cave is un unspoiled, "wild cave" that is known for its voluminous size. It has more than 37,000 feet of mapped passages on two levels. There are rooms more than 75 feet wide and 250 feet long, with high ceilings that often exceeds 100 feet. It is noted for its beautiful formations within the eight to ten miles of passages. Your trip begin with an introduction by your guide, followed by an approximately 3 hour underground caving experience. See our Outdoors Guide for more adventures.