It’s simple advice and a tip not to be forgotten when exploring unfamiliar cities and towns across the globe: Walk downtown. And while you’re out, scope out the city’s local art museum, no matter its size or popularity.

When traveling to Asheville, NC, last week for a family getaway, neither a stroll downtown nor the art museum were tops on the resort’s list of local attractions. The Biltmore Estate was actually at the top, but we opted not to splurge on the $50 tickets. After a few days of hiking, tennis and movies at the resort, my curiosity motivated me to find out about the history and culture of the area.

First stop, the Asheville Art Museum located in the heart of the downtown. With a population of more than 72,000, Asheville feels like a city but not a big one. The museum reflects just that. Three floors display a permanent collection of 20th and 21st century American art, as well as important works to Western North Carolina’s cultural heritage. Through special exhibitions featuring regional artists and local collectors, such as Let It Pour: Contemporary Craft Pitchers from the James Goode Collection, it was easy to see the importance of specific crafts in the local culture. Contemporary artists exploring issues of time, place and transformation were also on view in an exhibition on contemporary landscape art. Several large scale photographs captured harrowing environmental issues. This gave me a sense that Asheville not only holds a rich history but is also modern and willing to tackle important issues of the age. Large quotes on the wall also created a sense of place.

A walk around downtown Asheville revealed a vibrant, eclectic mix of old and new with a historic general store, folksy art shops, sleek modern galleries, homey used book stores and a plethora of cozy cafes, street musicians and jazzy restaurants. There was also a great mix of public art such as the parking lot mural above.

Perhaps this excerpt from Wikipedia better sums up Asheville: “AmericanStyle magazine called it one of ‘America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations,’ Self magazine labeled it the ‘Happiest City for Women,’ and was proclaimed the ‘New Freak Capital of the U.S.’ by Rolling Stone. Asheville has also been called ‘a New Age Mecca’ by CBS News’ Eye On America, and named the “most vegetarian-friendly” small city in America by PETA.” A few inconsistencies? You bet!

In all, Asheville was a breath of fresh mountain air, even on the downtown city streets. Where ever you find yourself on your next adventure, walk downtown to get a real feel for the place and the people.