This month we talked to Adventure Center of Asheville.
Are you looking for adventurous outdoor activities or exciting things to do in Asheville? Well, look no further… The Adventure Center of Asheville offers Asheville’s Best Outdoor Adventures, just 5 minutes from downtown. Enjoy expansive views of the Asheville skyline from Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures or hop on one of our top-end mountain bikes and learn the meaning of “flow” on our on-site trail system created and groomed for the KOLO Bike Park. Looking for a unique and exciting challenge? Then head up into the trees at Asheville Treetops Adventure Park, an elevated obstacle course with five levels of difficulty. Bringing the kids? Check out KidZip, America’s first zipline adventure designed for kids under 10.
1. Can you share the story behind the Adventure Center of Asheville? What inspired the creation of a multi-activity outdoor hub so close to downtown Asheville?
It was a bit of a fluke, but also the beauty of networking. I had been looking for a location in Asheville when the holidays came along and I was dropping off my traditional home made candies to sales teams at hotels(as a part of friendships developed doing sales for my family’s rafting business.) While talking to the sales manager at Crowne Plaza (formerly Sunspree) I mentioned looking for property in town but unfortunately Ziplines & golf balls flying through the air don’t mix well. That’s when I was told the 18 hole course had been reduced to 9 and I should write up a proposal. We obviously made a match and we leased unused portions of the 120 acre resort property just a mile from downtown.
Our original plan was just to build the zipline tour facility, but my family background at Wildwater (also an OBA member) brought with it the idea that stability and sustainability come from SMART diversification—not growing or diversifying out of desperation or just for the sake of it (I’ve seen that fail time and again), but by filling gaps in the market where you have both passion and alignment with your product and place in the community. The addition of the multitude of activity and program options did not come easily but ultimately we figured out our best place in the market and that focus became the foundation that helped us follow a more sustainable path that made better sense to the Guests we serve.
2. What makes the Adventure Center of Asheville stand out in the region’s outdoor scene? How do your offerings—from Treetops Park to Kolo—create a unique experience?
The focus I mentioned above included the idea that, although we offer a variety of activities that all started as separate ventures, we have since converted them into one hub/destination with a more singular goal: to be the destination for families and to introduce both locals and visitors to outdoor adventure. Our specialty is serving families with younger children or those just starting to dip their toes into the world of outdoor adventure. We spend a lot of time with our team developing their “soft skills” around support and encouragement for guests who are struggling with the adventure aspect of outdoor activities. We are also highly focused on providing mountain bike facilities for developing foundational riding skills. Asheville has plenty of trail systems and quality downhill parks, but it was less equipped to introduce and provide a progressive facility for building skills. We created that missing link.
3. What role has the Outdoor Business Alliance played in your journey as a local adventure provider? Has being part of the OBA helped you connect or grow in meaningful ways?
I am a hard core believer and child of networking and bringing our industry together. My father, in his career, was a primary catalyst in creating the National River outfitters association AOA. Groups like OBA are critical to sparking creative development. Although I’ve been a member of OBA in multiple businesses over the past 5 years it’s only become a real impact the past 2 years as I actually freed up time to truly engage with the group.
Numerous partnerships have been created through the OBA network, and I believe the snowball momentum is now unstoppable. Through the recent Get in Gear Fest, I have developed 3–4 major partnership plans that we fully intend to capitalize on.
4. What’s a recent milestone or project at the Adventure Center that you’re especially excited about? Anything new, upgraded, or particularly impactful you’d like to highlight?
Our team has really stepped up this year, post-Helene, to update and upgrade our facility. We are focusing in on what we can offer the mountain biking community, and I’m especially excited about the updates and improvements we’ve already completed, as well as the near-future plans to create more skills development-based features and systems at the Adventure Center of Asheville’s Kolo Bike (Skills) Park.
5. What advice would you give someone hoping to build a family-friendly outdoor adventure business in Western North Carolina? What lessons have you learned from operating in such a vibrant and competitive outdoor destination?
Be ready for the long haul. More than anything, it takes true passion, patience, grit, and endurance. We’re kind of like that “new” country star you suddenly discover—only to realize they’ve actually been grinding for 10 or 15 years and just now broke through! Although it starts with a dream, it’s not a wing and a prayer—it’s sweat and tears that ultimately get you there. But… if you believe in what you imagine, are willing to put in the time and work, and stay true to filling the gap you see in the canvas, there can be gold—whether that’s satisfaction, financial success, a sense of accomplishment, service, or more—on the other side of the rainbow.
