Haw Creek - Asheville, NC

Known as the Country in the City, Haw Creek has always been a farming community. Getting from the Haw Creek neighborhood to downtown Asheville was difficult for a long time. There was a mountain range between the neighborhood and the center of town until a hole was blasted through the mountain in the 1920s to create a road for commuters. This road now goes by Tunnel Road.

By the 1980s when I-240 was created through Beaucatcher Mountain, more travelers began settling in Haw Creek and its surroundings. Newer homes and subdivisions began popping up, and they still do to this day. Haw Creek still holds onto its small-town appeal and country charm as it continues to grow. To submerge yourself in the historical value of your community, visit one of the many museums or art facilities, such as the Folk Art Center or the Asheville Museum.

The amount of upscale eateries and traditional diners makes dining out simple enough for everyone in Haw Creek to enjoy. Driving 10 minutes to the center of Asheville isn’t necessary with all of the options presented right inside the neighborhood. Regardless of what you have a taste for, everything from ethnic to American foods can be enjoyed.

On Tunnel Road sits the Pomodoros Greek and Italian Café. This café’s menu features authentic Mediterranean options under three separate menus. Find one each for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The fine wines pair perfectly with the fresh ingredients used in every meal. Locals rave about the porca di prima and beef tenderloin served with cheese crumbles.

Right down the road from Pomodoros sits what appears to be a small castle, Filo Pastries and Coffee. The clean, bright, earthy green and red dining room provides plenty of seating for those who come in to sip on a steaming latte while they try one of the various desserts or pastries. Even Greek desserts, such as baklava and kataifi, make the menu. In the warmer weather months, you can sit outside on the patio.

As for evening-time, most of the bars and other local hangouts sit west of Haw Creek, only a 10-minute commute. Nonetheless, the neighborhood has a few places to go out in close to home. For dinner, head to the Creekside Taphouse and try any of their delicious smoked meats.

The neighborhood provides sidewalks and safe streets for commuters. Haw Creek’s natural settings and quiet streets make it easy for residents to step foot outside their doors and leisurely walk. Nonetheless, with I-240, Tunnel Road and Town Mountain Road, getting to Asheville or anywhere else remains a simple task. For a more scenic route, Blue Ridge Parkway cuts right through all the natural beauty preserved by the park system. While hailing a cab does not prove common in the neighborhood, Uber provides rides to anyone in need. For far-away trips, the Greyhound station sits right next to I-240 in the center of Asheville. Other bus routes include rides for tourists or locals looking to get around town. One of these routes includes the Grey Line Trolley Tours of Asheville. Free public parking situates near parks and facilities, making it easy to find somewhere to rest the car as you stroll around town.

Whether you desire dog parks or athletic fields, the neighborhood provides it all. Children can enjoy soccer fields, playgrounds and grassy fields, while dogs can roam unleashed at the Azalea Road Dog Park. With several different fenced-in areas for your pet, the park provides natural settings and shaded areas. You can even walk your pup around the lake if you keep him on a leash.

Of course, Blue Ridge Parkway happens to be the biggest and most widely known free park in the region, and Haw Creek sits right to the west of it. The park allows camping, provides hiking trails, has gorgeous open views of mountain tops, offers places for exercise and much more. It also happens to be where the Folk Art Center sits. Blue Ridge Parkway stretches to nearly 500 miles, preserving untouched land and creating many opportunities for live performances, events, camping and even shopping.

Living in Haw Creek becomes increasingly more expensive as time goes by and the neighborhood continues to flourish. Nevertheless, it remains cheaper than living in Asheville’s city center. The rent for a one-bedroom apartment averages about $541 per month.

When you need a cold beer after a long day at work, expect to pay around $5 unless you hit up a happy hour at one of the local dive bars. If you decide to take Uber to Asheville, it costs $17 for an Uber ride. The standard fuel price sits at nearly 1 percent higher than the national average.

The Asheville Mall, antique shops, craft supply centers and sporting goods stores all nestle within the neighborhood's borders. Finding home goods and clothes in the center of town presents better, upscale options. While the Asheville Mall has stores that include Old Navy, Barnes and Noble, and the GAP, it remains smaller in size. Surrounding the mall, find Target, Best Buy, Dicks Sporting Goods, Walmart, Belk and Kohls. For a little antique shopping to start of your day, head to the ScreenDoor on Fairview Road. This location features 100 vendors, so you can find anything for your home or garden. With a wide selection of unique architectural, mid-century, industrial and country-style furnishings and decor pieces, ScreenDoor offers plenty of pieces to accent your home. The beautiful set up of the shop keeps customers browsing for hours. Just minutes away from ScreenDoor, find The Regeneration Station. This shop transforms old furniture and decorative pieces to create one-of-a-kind, up-cycled pieces. A blend of old and new can be found throughout this huge thrift shop. Fun and funky pieces for the home keeps the customers coming back again and again. Grocery shopping for Haw Creek residents can be done at Walmart, Ingles and Whole Foods Market. When you head closer to the city center, look for butcher shops, fresh produce stands and farmers markets. The Foreign Affairs Oriental Market on Tunnel Road heading towards downtown has everything from fresh produce, herbs and spices, and organic flour to ethnic candies and frozen foods. Everything you need to create tasteful cuisine at your own home can be found at this market.