From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C.— A proposed Amtrak rail route “could bring thousands of passengers to Western North Carolina and revive a historic form of travel for small mountain towns like Old Fort,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on Dec. 23.

“The proposal is part of a larger state rail plan that would establish passenger service across North Carolina,” News 13 noted. :”Supporters say the route could boost tourism, create jobs and reconnect communities to their railroad past.

“Local tourism leaders say interest in traveling to Western North Carolina already exists, and rail service could make the journey itself part of the appeal.”

Meanwhile Omi Salavea, marketing manager for Destination McDowell, told News 13 the following:

 “We already have a lot of interest eastward when it comes to coming to Asheville or Old Fort and I think this is just going to be another incentive, like let’s make traveling to Western North Carolina a whole experience,” 

“The rail would add to that placemaking that small rural towns are looking for. If you are a destination along the route, why not make the effort to stop and learn more about that destination that helped build the history of that area or the history of travel in Western North Carolina?”

According to a report from the Institute for Transportation Research and North Carolina State University, the proposed rail line would offer three daily roundtrips between Asheville and Salisbury. (News 13 noted that it had obtained a copy of the report from the Western North Carolina Rail Committee.)

From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C.— Asheville, long-known as “the Paris of the South,” recently just barely missed being included on the Top 20 list, as rated by U.S. News & World Report.

Specifically, Asheville was ranked No. 21 on the list.

'Asheville offers strong quality of life and natural beauty, higher home values and a less favorable job market compared to national averages affected its ranking among other N.C. cities like Cary, Apex and Huntersville, which often top these lists,” AI Overview recently reported.

As for the national context for where Asheville stands in the ratings, it recently was ranked 488th nationally for best places to live and 629th for retirement. “While Asheville just missed the state’s top 20, it holds a mixed standing nationally and regionally,” AI Overview added,  

The city’s top strengths cited are “high quality of life, beautiful mountain scenery, vibrant arts/culture, outdoor activities.”

Among Asheville’s biggest challenges is how to deal with higher median home values ($469,636) coupled with a weaker job market than national averages. 

As for Asheville’s in-state competition, AI Overview reiterated, “Top-ranked N.C. cities often include suburban areas like Cary, Apex and Huntersville (from the U.S. News list), known for strong economies and family-friendliness.

“Other rankings by sources like Niche and Extra Space Storage also highlight the Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) and areas near Charlotte as top contenders. 

“In essence, Asheville remains a popular, desirable city due to its unique lifestyle, but faces economic factors that place it just outside the top tier in broad ‘best places to live’ comparisons in North Carolina.”

As for regional strength, despite its relatively low state ranking, Livability.com placed Asheville No. 8 among the best places to live in the Southeast for 2025, citing its mountain setting and vibrant arts culture.

“Asheville’s rankings fluctuate due to balancing its strong cultural appeal (arts, food, mountains) with challenges like high cost of living, housing affordability and wages not keeping pace, leading to lower scores in economic factors, especially affordability, despite consistent praise for its community spirit, natural beauty and vibrant scene in recent years. 

Recent rankings show high marks for quality of life and community, but lower for affordability, making it a mixed bag depending on the metric,” AI Overview stated.

From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—  The Biltmore Estate is gearing up for another round of “Hallmark holiday magic,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on Dec. 25-26.

Production for the second Hallmark Christmas movie filmed on the Biltmore Estate will start this month.

Chase Pickering, Biltmore vice president of guest experiences, told News 13 that estate officials are thrilled to be the location of another Hallmark movie in Asheville.

He said the movie has been in the works for about a year, adding that it is exciting to collaborate with Hallmark because Biltmore officials are afforded the opportunity to provide some input on the script and the storyline.

“A Biltmore Christmas,” the first Hallmark movie made on the property, was filmed in 2023.

For the sequel, the filmmakers are going to showcase more of the property, including Antler Hill Village, the Biltmore Winery and The Inn, Pickering told News 13.

Also, he said, there also are going to be a few scenes shot in downtown Asheville, such as at Asheville’s Fine Arts Theatre and at Pack’s Tavern.