River Arts District
River Arts District
4
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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Top ways to experience River Arts District and nearby attractions
The area
Address
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Best nearby
Restaurants
526 within 3 miles
Attractions
225 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Ilove2travel<346 contributionsQuiet off season (early Feb)We drove the the area and didn’t get out of the car as most shops looked closed. Had lunch at white duck taco on the water - recommend. Saw a man with all his belongings strapped to the roof of his car at the local laundromat/gas station.Visited February 2024Traveled with friendsWritten February 7, 2024
- Lovin' LifeJaffrey, New Hampshire381 contributionsTotally cool and artsy and funky and so much fun to visit!This area has been rehabbed but not gentrified so it's a fun place to visit and check out all the cool art studios and antique stores. Make sure to visit the Marquee; it's a huge brick building filled with antiques, vintage items and artwork. We could have spent all day there. There is a skatepark and nearby is the river with a Greenway to walk, so you can make a day of it.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten April 5, 2024
- Sheila Mc2 contributionsMind BlowingAbsolutely incredible! I had heard about the art scene in Asheville over the years and did some research online before going, but I was awe struck by the staggering number of artists, the diversity of mediums and styles, the level of mastery achieved, and beauty of it all. Truly unbelievable! All the artists we met were so kind, welcoming and authentic. The River Arts District is beautiful inside and out. Amazing graffiti and colorful murals cover architecturally significant buildings, and once inside art is everywhere you look. I experienced nirvana walking into the Marquee. I am so grateful to experience such a powerful place for artists and makers. I’ll be back!Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 26, 2024
- travelema3Bergenfield, New Jersey14 contributionsArt districtThere was a lot of construction which made it difficult to navigate. The murals span over a mile or so in both directions which we weren’t aware of. We did enjoy a picnic lunch by the banks of the river. We also saw artists working in their studios.Visited July 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten July 11, 2024
- Navigate4798523822626 contributionsWorth the stopLooks are so deceiving! The graffiti and warehouse shops do not do justice to the beautiful art found in the area. Walking into Marquee was like walking into wonderland! Such beautiful creations throughout. Art Garden provided simple handmade items as well as expensive one of a kind pieces. It was awesome to see the artists working directly in front of the buyers.Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 5, 2024
- Matina S3 contributionsVery artsy and unique.This includes a wide variety of shops and restaurants. We walked around and then drove to other areas. Many pieces of art, ceramics , glass, pottery for sale. Very unique and varied styles for any room of your house.Visited August 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 5, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
1,326 reviews
Excellent
575
Very good
483
Average
198
Poor
60
Terrible
10
randyfowler
Tuscaloosa, AL3 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
While in Ashville just before everything had to close, a friend walked us to and thru the River Arts District to see the murals and some of the art, all of which was quite interesting. My wife loves her new teapot and my pastries and strong coffee were just what I needed at the start of cocktail hour. Lots of street, sidewalk and landscaping is underway right now so when we return the entire district will be very pleasant.
Written March 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael R
Granville, OH525 contributions
Aug 2021
The River Arts District is an imaginative use of what would probably otherwise be disused and derelict former industrial eyesores. Numerous former warehouses or manufacturing sites have been turned into countless working art studios of painters, photographers, glassblowers, sculptors, textile artists, and others. (Some actual working industrial sites are intermixed.) We spent about half the day there. It may be possible to visit all of them in one day but doing so would be a bit overwhelming, and not at all necessary. One can easily walk to most of the sites though some are a bit spread out. There are numerous parking lots, no charge. We went on a Thursday, and it was uncrowded. It may be a very different situation on a Saturday. Fun and stimulating.
Written August 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
noeloni
Sarasota, FL282 contributions
Mar 2021 • Family
This area is such a fun & unique place to walk around and just take it all in. There’s so much to see! It’s bursting with color and charm and there’s intriguing art to view literally everywhere you look, both inside & out. The buildings are all completely covered with gorgeous murals & graffiti and I just couldn’t stop wandering around & snapping photos of it all. And then when you venture indoors you will find the local artists’ galleries & working studios where you can check them out in action. A very cool opportunity! The gallery of the late painter Jonas Gerard is not to be missed. His abstract paintings are beautiful and extremely vibrant & colorful. The person working there was so informative & kind. He shared the story of Jonas Gerard’s life, passion for his craft, & sad recent passing with us and then gifted my 7 year old son (who is very interested in art & becoming an artist himself) an 8x10 print of one of Jonas’s paintings. He said it’s something the artist used to love to do when he was alive and they like to carry on the tradition. So sweet!! You can also enjoy the many places to eat or grab a drink while there - we went to Summit coffee shop, Wedge brewery and there was even a food truck parked at Wedge selling AMAZING fried pretzels!! So delicious!!! If you’re lucky enough to catch them, absolutely get yourself a “Wicked Good” pretzel.
Written March 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Slb64
Lebanon, PA31 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
There are many unique & talented artists here. We walked a large majority of the buildings/studios and those that were open, had something for everyone. The artists that were in the studios were enthusiastic about their work and encouraged conversation. The reason for 4 stars verses 5, many shops weren’t open on a Saturday late morning & better directional signage for out of town visitors would be helpful.
Written September 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
skkebolt
Covington, GA20 contributions
Jul 2022
We arrived on a Friday morning around 10am and parked in an area designated public parking. We walked to a trio of warehouses, and saw the artists at work , primarily appearing to do inventory. As we walked to the next section of warehouses , we discovered some studios were open and others were closed. Unfortunately, we never found the glass studio we were looking for.
I suggest driving through the area first to find where the artists you are looking for are located before you park your car and begin walking. There is a schedule posted each day of who is open at the website RiverArtsDistrict.com. It also gives the address of each artist's studio. Many of the visitors on the day we arrived, including us, were not aware of this information ahead of time. The area is quite large and spread out. I hope to return after making better plans.
I suggest driving through the area first to find where the artists you are looking for are located before you park your car and begin walking. There is a schedule posted each day of who is open at the website RiverArtsDistrict.com. It also gives the address of each artist's studio. Many of the visitors on the day we arrived, including us, were not aware of this information ahead of time. The area is quite large and spread out. I hope to return after making better plans.
Written July 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travelandenjoyliving
Asheville, NC179 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Can do some by foot but spread out so suggest car for the most part. Wedge brewery and a few good restaurants are in the area as well. Can check out the art. Artisans. As well as eat and drink in one area. Great for an afternoon. Buying directly from these talented artisans is quite fun
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TarHeel
Durham, NC1,130 contributions
Oct 2020
We spent an entire day here on our last visit to Asheville. While on a map it may look like everything is close by, we actually did a fair amount of walking among all of the galleries on the streets and down close to the river. You might want to move your car once or twice if you want to see everything but don't necessarily want to do all that walking. The district does include some restaurants, coffee shops, some antique shops, and a brewery, plus we saw a food truck behind the Wedge Gallery when we were there. Definitely a lot to see, especially if you like supporting local arts. You can be strategic and hone in on some galleries, or you can just wander and soak it all in. We bought some jewelry, a fancy bedspread, and some artsy COVID masks on our latest visit.
Written January 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tamparoadtrip
Kitty Hawk, NC38 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
We went on a Wednesday. Most of the smaller galleries were closed. There is no easy way to tell what’s open. You end up wandering around these large buildings little halls with all these doors saying closed. The Website is terrible when it comes to seeing what’s open where. If you know a particular artist you can check when they are suppose to be open but if you are just exploring it’s virtually impossible to figure out without a spreadsheet. It’s got potential but…..
Written October 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa S
Hummelstown, PA10,168 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
First what struck me was all the beautiful graffiti or I guess artwork. We wandered a bit as the Uncommon Market was outside. My friend bought something I had no clue about or seen but it was something she’s been looking for to put in her garden.
We hit a few inside studios but aren’t really in the market for anything so we just browsed. Would be a nicer experience if the studios were all connected via an interior walkway rather than walking outside only to find out the next studio isn’t open!
For me this was a one and done experience UNLESS I’m in the market for something when I visit again.
We hit a few inside studios but aren’t really in the market for anything so we just browsed. Would be a nicer experience if the studios were all connected via an interior walkway rather than walking outside only to find out the next studio isn’t open!
For me this was a one and done experience UNLESS I’m in the market for something when I visit again.
Written August 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YO_LOOK_AT_ME
San Antonio, TX2,898 contributions
May 2021
As we quickly learned, the river arts district isn’t just squeezed into a small area, but extends quite a bit along the main road where it’s located. The first area we stopped in had the Jonas Gerard Riverview Station gallery which included a most impressive collection of artworks…one could easily spend money in here if they had the wherewithal to do so. There are a number of smaller art studios nestled inside and upstairs, all well worth visiting. One of the local artists, Gretchen Chadwick, shared local information with us and supplied recommendations on where to visit/eat. Immediately behind the initial building is a bunch of other shops and buildings with graffiti art on its walls, a skateboard park, and Wedge Foundation brewery. We stopped in for a frosty beverage here – too bad they didn’t offer beer flights, but the beer was definitely good. Working up an appetite, we grabbed a bite to eat from the El Kimchi Food Truck and were not disappointed.
Written June 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does anyone have suggestions for a walking route to see most of the district? I've read there are 20+ buildings over a mile or two. Thank you...
Written March 5, 2022
Walk along Roberts Street and then cross the tracks and hit the buildings on River Arts Place. That will cover most of it.
Written March 24, 2022
Are there things to do and see on Saturday nights in the Arts District?
Written June 26, 2021
Can you tell me what day of the week and time of day that you were at the River Arts Distract? So many reviews complain that very little was open, so don't want to waste my time at wrong time of day/week. Thanks
Written June 6, 2018
We went on Memorial Day and arrived around 10:30. Note - most things in Asheville do not open until 11am. At least we got great parking. From what I understand artists are there at their discretion, so it can be hit or miss. There were enough artists there to make a nice day of it. Make sure you stop at Fresh Wood Fired Pizza. It was so good!
Written June 7, 2018
Planning to visit soon....what's the best place to park our rental car? Also, any other recommendations are certainly welcome. Specifically interested in fabric art, photography, and vegetarian food! Thanks!!!
Written October 9, 2017
Can anyone recommend a restaurant for lunch for 15 people in or near the River Arts District?
Written March 18, 2017
jrigger
Arlington, Virginia
12 Bones Smokehouse has fantastic barbecue. 5 Foundy Street, Suite 10 · Asheville, NC 28801
Phone (828) 253-4499
Written March 18, 2017
Any idea what time art studios and/or shops open? Any chance any are open at 10:00 am?
Written February 24, 2017
Yes. By 10:00am you should have plenty of choice.
Written February 24, 2017
I think Saturdays are great times to visit. There are more people so parking is a greater challenge, but we visited on a Saturday and had a great time.
Written June 24, 2016
does anyone know if this area is dog & kid friendly? we will be driving through this area & would love to make it one of our stops if our whole family is welcome...;) pls let me know what you think if you've visited!
Written March 20, 2016
Kids would be no problem. Dogs would be fine on the streets and studios with doors right off the streets. Some studios however are up in buildings and down hallways where dogs may not be as welcome. Large dogs will probably not be welcome in the glass and pottery studios due to the fragile nature of the art.
Written March 21, 2016
I'd really love to know if there is lodging in this area. Or what is the closest area to find lodging in. I'd like to be able to walk from my hotel or B&B to RAD but I'm not sure how far away it is from a nice place to stay.
Thanks for your input!!
Written December 4, 2015
The River Arts section is not a long walk from the downtown of Asheville. You'll find several hotels and B&Bs within no more than a mile,,,and it will be a fun walk from wherever you stay. Just don't make a timetable --- enjoy a day wandering to and from.
Written December 6, 2015
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