River Arts District: Creativity and History

34 Ratings

Asheville

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Experience the vibrant River Arts District (RAD) with a tip-based sightseeing tour. Explore galleries, learn about the history, enjoy local snacks, and discover the legends of the French Broad River.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

The Magnetic Theatre - We will start here. The guests will watch the actors perform a brief act and get an idea of what the theatre does in the community. Some lucky guests will get a chance to view an act as we walk throughout the RAD on special occassions!

What's Included

Entrance to venues
Tastings
Live demonstrations

What's Not Included

Gratuities

Additional Information

Join us for an unforgettable adventure through the heart of the River Arts District, where history, creativity, and resilience come alive. This community has overcome significant challenges, including a historic flood in 1916 and the recent 2024 flood, known as the thousand-year flood. This vibrant community of artists has emerged from the devastation,…

Location

Trackside Studios

Depot Street

Outside of the studio is where we will meet. I recommend parking at the free parking lot right beside the studio. Also if you want to park at the end, you can park at the visitor center in the river arts district at 3 River Arts Place.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.7

(34 Ratings)

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1 star

Michellephillipss

Jul 21, 2024

Even better than we expected! - We have been coming to Asheville for 30 years and never really explored the RAD. Our guide David was amazing, sharing a thorough history in an entertaining way. Highly recommend!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Emily_b

Apr 27, 2024

Great gift! - I bought this for my parents as a Christmas present. They loved it. It was just the 2 of them on a private tour with David. Even though they live near Asheville, they still learned so much about the history and the art industry. They were very appreciative!

Review provided by Viator

Alexandra_g

Dec 24, 2023

Fantastic experienxe - Dave was an excellent guide. He explained us the history of Asheville and guided us through the district with nice stories and introductions to artists Beautiful area Highly recommend the tour and Dave as a guide Thank you

Review provided by Viator

Stewart_g

Oct 13, 2023

Great guide and history - We especially loved the history of the area. The guide was very knowledgeable and interesting. Recommended

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Yvonnedz8414ts

May 27, 2023

Awesome Asheville Art District Tour - It was such a pleasure to have Jordan, the owner, schedule MV as our tour guide through the Asheville Arts District. She was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Arts District and incorporated that so well into the tour in conjunction with the current state of the key galleries we visited. It was a huge bonus as she took us on two stops to rest along the way to enjoy a free yummy plantain sample, and at the end of the tour a free gelato sample. I would highly recommend scheduling a tour with Jordan’s business. Ask if you can get MV as your tour guide as she is excellent.

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Sallymr1910rx

Jan 6, 2023

Awesome Experience - Sarah was awesome, personable, and fun. We loved the "history lesson" along with the different art areas. A great tour if you are interested in a certain style of art to purchase.

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C9249adphilh

Dec 12, 2022

Outstanding experience to an enchanting city. - This visit focused on the River Arts District. I was impressed with the art but more impressed with the working artists who took the time to talk with us about their craft. I would also highly recommend the GrayLine trolley tour. Very personable tour guides with a wealth of knowledge and stories about Asheville.

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Jazzmine_b

Dec 10, 2022

Personalized great fun - Wonderful experience. We ended up being the only ones on the tour and got a personalized experience. We usually go to art museums at each city we visit, but this was so much better as in multiple galleries we got to meet the artist and get great details about their work. Only thing we missed is being able to see some glass blowing but didn't take away from the great experience. They do recommend $30 tip per person although you can give what you want, but for some it is good to know in advance

Review provided by Viator

Caroline_r

Oct 13, 2022

Well worth it! - Dave was so knowledgeable and entertaining. With only a day in town gave me a great history lesson and tour of amazing artists !

Review provided by Viator

Nwillens

Oct 8, 2023

Somewhat disappointed. - Heard about businesses s we passed them, actually visited a bout 4-5 places and walked briefly thru a park. Mostly passed abandoned places, felt like a city tenement area and was basically disappointed, Only one other couple besides myself and my wife, Saw highwater mark painted white where water rose during a prior flood. At least weather was agreeable.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

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up to 15 guests

1 Adult