Experienced step-on tour guides give a lively and entertaining narrative of Asheville, the Paris of the South. Tours include stories and anecdotes relating to architecture, history, art and several of Asheville’s unique neighborhoods. Tours are custom designed to highlight your group’s specific interests. Meals can also be arranged. Several tour itineraries take visitors inside places of interest such as Pack Place, the First Baptist Church, St. Lawrence Basilica, the Grove Arcade, Smith Mc Dowell house, the Grovewood or residences in historic districts.

Since 2003, Asheville Historic Tours has given group tours of downtown Asheville, Historic Montford, and Riverside Cemetery. Clients have included:

• The Smithsonian
• The Preservation Society of Asheville Buncombe
• The Arts and Crafts Conference sponsored by Bruce Johnson
• The Asheville Art Museum
• Enka High School Architectural Design Club
• Clemson University Graduate School of Planning and Landscape Architecture
• University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill graduate planning students
• The Stern Family Reunion
• Jim Mulvahill Tours
• Spirit Tours
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
• Appalachian State Architecture and Design students
• The Orton School
• The Asheville History Club
• The Association of Interpretive Guides
• Over 200 individual tours

Walking tour fees vary according to group size. Bus tours are quoted on an hourly basis. Please call Sharon Fahrer at 828 777-1014 to discuss details for your specific trip.

The Blue Ridge Center for Lifelong Learning contracted with Asheville Historic Tours with Sharon Fahrer as a step-on guide for a day long city tour of downtown Asheville, NC. Sharon’s knowledge of the area is prodigious. Her delivery is factual and spot-on. She established a comfortable repartee with the group was open for any and all questions. Comments from the group: “Sharon was wonderful” “A font of knowledge” “Great trip”. What more could one ask? I highly recommend Sharon and her service.
— Mary Ann Deubert Special Events Chair