Black Mountain Birdie

This summer has been full of fun activities, including the 37th annual Sourwood Festival, Park Rhythms Summer Concert series, and a couple more weeks of Shindig on the Green. We've had plenty of sunshine this summer, with families traveling from storefront to storefront, stopping for a quick ice cream cone and marching up the countless hiking trails of our wonderful mountains. Asheville, yet again, received quite a bit a praise for being a top travel destination. Check out a full list of accolades.

So, with all of the wonder of summer, what does fall in the Asheville area have in store? Leaf season, for one. It's very possible to just stop the list there, as the month of October is an explosion of fiery color sure to delight locals and visitors alike - start checking in for local leaf forecasts in September if you're trying to find the perfect time to visit.

Here are a few other great activities for the fall:

• Get a "bird's eye" view of leaf season on a zipline tour
• Go apple picking at one of the local U-Pick farms
• Cruise on America's Favorite Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Grab a seasonal brew from Pisgah Brewing, Wicked Weed Brewing, or another one of our great local breweries
• Visit the Biltmore Estate
• There's never a bad time to go for a hike!