Blue Ridge Parkway

Getting Here

Asheville, North Carolina sits in one of the most majestic mountain regions in the world and can be easily accessed by plane, car or bus.
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Travel By Air

Rated as one of the fastest growing airports in the U.S., the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is conveniently located just 15 minutes south of downtown Asheville. The Asheville Regional Airport is open and fully operational after Hurricane Helene. The Asheville airport serves dozens of direct flight options to Asheville from major airlines, including:

AVL Regional Airport Direct Flights
Ground Transportation from the Airport

Located just 15 minutes (10 miles) from downtown, AVL is served by major rental car companies, including AVIS, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and Alamo, as well as a host of other ground transportation providers, taxi cabs, shuttles and public transit options.

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Travel by Car

Critical highways like I-40 eastbound and I-26 are accessible as detailed below post-Helene.

Open Highways and Interstates:

  • I-26 (south of Mars Hill/Mile 9/U.S. 19)
  • I-40 (southeast of Cove Creek/Mile 21)
  • U.S. 23
  • U.S. 25/U.S. 25A
  • U.S. 70
  • U.S. 74

Current Road Closures:

  • I-40 (northwest of Cove Creek/Tennessee Border to Mile 20)
  • I-26 (Tennessee Border to north of Mars Hill/Miles 1-9)
  • U.S. 64
  • U.S. 19
  • North Carolina Highway 215, 226 and 197

Alternate Routes:

The impacts of Hurricane Helene have necessitated  road closures near the North Carolina and Tennessee border, including I-40 eastbound and westbound near Mile 21 (30 miles west of Asheville). As businesses reopen in stages, travelers may use the following open routes into the Asheville area and Buncombe County:

  • From the northwest: I-81 to U.S. 70 to I-26
  • From the southwest: I-85 to U.S. 25 to I-26
  • From the south: Take U.S. 74 Alt to U.S. 74 East toward Shelby and connect with I-85 to Charlotte

The latest road openings and closures can be found at DriveNC.gov.

Consider starting your trip at the Asheville Visitor Center, open seven days a week. Located at 36 Montford Ave (Exit 4C off I-240) near downtown Asheville, the Visitor Center is the place for maps, local information and insider tips on how to get around. Call (828) 258-6129 for more information.

Need help with parking? Asheville has numerous parking options in downtown. Learn more about available parking and rates here.