Tuesday, January 10, 2023
27 Best Things to Do in Asheville, NC (+ Nearby Attractions!)
THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Asheville - (with Photos) - Tripadvisor - BEST PLACES TO STAY IN ASHEVILLE NC
One of the best things to do in Asheville is the North Carolina Arboretum. It is over acres of trails, gardens, and more nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Arboretum has 65 acres specifically set aside that are nothing but cultivated gardens. The garden has both native and exotic plant species. Usually, from April to October there is something in bloom at the Arboretum. It is also known for having one of the most extensive bonsai collections in the United States. Hikers looking for a place with fairly easy hiking and biking trails will love the Arboretum.
There are over 10 miles of manicured and well-kept trails for you to explore. One of the most popular Asheville attractions is the Biltmore Estate. Built over a span of six years and opened to the family in , the Biltmore Estate has been the shining jewel of Asheville, and maybe even the Blue Ridge Mountains, ever since. On the estate, there are also miles of gardens, a greenhouse, woodlands with trails running throughout, a replica European-style village, restaurants, and a winery.
The Biltmore can be kind of expensive to tour, but it is well worth it. It is the only house of its kind in the United States and is full of beauty and history. You can easily spend the whole day exploring. Asheville is known for many things. One of those is its art scene. That art scene is so vibrant and healthy that it is overflowing onto the streets of Asheville. Asheville boasts more than 15 murals of all shapes and sizes. There are also murals with a spiritual or political message.
Some are collages of different images or quotes and others are made for photo ops. Walking around and trying to spot the various murals is one of the fun free things to do in Asheville. Over , acres of it were once owned by the Biltmore Estate, but over time more and more have been sold back to the United States government. The National Forest is now over , acres of dense hardwood forest, waterfalls, rivers, and mountain peaks. Go hiking, biking, pack a picnic, or just drive through the park to see some stunning views.
It is also known to have some of the best hiking trails in Southwestern North Carolina. They range from easy to difficult and you can see breathtaking waterfalls or climb the highest peaks in the East. You can also enjoy Pisgah by taking a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. During the fall, Pisgah National Forest is one of the best places to experience fall foliage in North Carolina. There are dozens of beautiful waterfalls near Asheville just waiting for you to explore.
Many of the waterfalls require some sort of hike. You can also take a whole day and stop at several different waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you do that, we suggest packing a picnic lunch, it may not be easy to find a place to eat near some of them.
When you plan your day trip, keep in mind that while most of the falls are free to hike to, some do have a fee to enter the parking area. However, you should be able to see most of these waterfalls without paying an entrance fee. If you are visiting Asheville you absolutely need to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are a ton of great stops along the parkway near Asheville. You can also travel farther north up the parkway and make a day trip out of it.
You can find plenty of places to go near Asheville along your Blue Ridge Parkway drive including hiking trails , parks, and overlooks. What was once the industrial district of Asheville is now the River Arts District. The art studios include crafts like pottery, painting, and glassblowing.
Because it is a vibrant part of the city, there are also plenty of unique places to eat and shop. Some of the best restaurants in Asheville can be found in the River Arts District. It is one of the best things to do in downtown Asheville. After admiring all the art from local artists in the River Arts District, you may want to see some more.
Most of the collection is works from local artists, in particular artists that went to the local art school. Black Mountain College was open from to and was a major art institute in the area. The museum is working on adding more Cherokee and Native artists to its collection but currently features over 60 Cherokee artists. The Asheville Art Museum is a wonderful representation of art in the Southern Appalachian region that continues to strive for better representation in the art scene.
Carl Sandburg was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and poet. Established in , it was the first National Historic Site to honor the life of an American poet. Sandburg was an important literary voice during the Civil Rights Movement, and he was an early writer on what was happening in Chicago that led to the infamous Chicago Race Riots. It is a charming home dedicated to the life and memory of an important American author who fought for Civil Rights for decades.
Asheville is quickly becoming known as a hot destination for foodies. One of the things that makes downtown Asheville restaurants so unique is that almost all of them are focused on the farm-to-table movement.
This means instead of sourcing their food from large distributors, they ethically source their food from local farms. There are also great restaurants known for their breakfast menu and bakeries, ice cream shops, and chocolatiers. You can find the Craggy Gardens about 15 minutes north of Asheville.
The Craggy Gardens are an area where you can walk or hike in the Craggy Mountains, which are a smaller set of mountains within the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you are driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, to get to the gardens, you can find them at Milepost It is a beautiful spot for a scenic hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The gardens are most known for the amazing floral display they put on every year. In June the area comes alive with thousands of pink and purple Catawba rhododendron blooms. If you plan on visiting the gardens for the blooms, be prepared to deal with some crowds.
It is a very popular Asheville activity during peak blooming season. But it is well worth it! There is an observation deck that is easily accessed that has great views of the peak. There are also tons of hiking trails in the park. They range from easy to difficult and even range in length. So if you only have time for a short hike, but you still want to explore the park, there is a perfect trail for you. The museum focuses on the history of Mount Mitchell and its cultural significance in the area.
The restaurant and concession area are open only during the peak season, so from May to October. For those looking for one of the more unique things to do in Asheville, consider the Asheville Pinball Museum.
With over 35 vintage and antique pinball machines, you can easily spend a good chunk of time enjoying the museum. Think of it less as a traditional museum and more like an interactive museum. The museum charges a set rate for all-you-can-play games.
They also have vintage video games that are also one set price for all you can play. It is one of the best things to do in Asheville for adults. It was designed and built from to by the famous architect Douglas Ellington. Ellington designed several of the buildings in downtown Asheville.
It is known for its striking Art Deco design. The main portion of the church is a polygonal brick building that is four stories and domed. In the front entrance of the church is a large and fairly ornate hexastyle portico. It features a large wood stage with tall wood paneling behind it.
The paneling hides most of the elaborate inner workings of the massive pipe organ. From the top of the paneling pipes of all shapes and sizes stick out and provide beautiful music for the church sanctuary.
The ceiling of the sanctuary reaches into the domed space you see from the exterior. It is painted elegantly with fluffy clouds. If you are looking for unique things to do in Asheville, add the First Baptist Church to your list. It originally opened in thanks to the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Now it has over artists in several galleries and shops.
The main gallery and shop can be found at the Folk Art Center. Vegan and gluten-free options included. At the end of August, the best apple orchards around Asheville start opening. Create your Asheville fall bucket list here. We love grabbing a light dinner with some of my favorite cocktails at Edison. If you are stuffed from lunch, just snack on a charcuterie board with drinks from The Great Hall Bar.
We are not going to lie: waking up in the mountains is rough, especially if there is fog. The darker mornings make it harder to get up and out the door early. Not only do they serve breakfast all day, but they offer lunch and dinner as well as locally source their food. And, mimosas. Read all of our top breakfast recommendations — touristy and more local — with vegan and gluten-free options, too. One of our weekend brunch favorites includes Jerusalem Garden Cafe in downtown Asheville.
Read more about the best Asheville brunch spots. Personally, two of the most fun places to get lunch if you are visiting Asheville are at Biltmore Estate. You will need a Biltmore ticket or annual to enter them.
Stable Cafe has the best sandwiches and cocktails in the coolest setting: The former Vanderbilt horse stables. GQC has both vegan and gluten-free options. Whether or not you are a vegan or vegetarian, Laughing Seed Cafe is another gem, and we devour subs gf pizza and grinders available at Apollo Flame Bistro, especially after a BRP parkway hike. Bouchon, Ukiah, and Limones are the perfect date night restaurants. You may also grab dinner at the breweries like Wicked Weed and Bhramari.
Asheville has the best donut shops. We just ate a delicious Vortex donut the other day; it melted in our mouths. If you are here in the fall, go to all of the apple orchards and try their donuts. We think Sky Top has the best since they make their cinnamon cider donuts in front of you and serve them piping hot.
Many of the AVL food trucks circulate the brewery scene. We always go for the tacos and burritos — and yes, they can do lactose and gluten-free. Visiting Biltmore is a must, at least once. We are annual passholders and head to Biltmore a few times a month. You can easily spend a day at Biltmore touring the house and wine tasting.
Grab a bite to eat, walk the gardens, and hike one of their miles worth of trails. Think red wine and chocolate. See how to make the most out of that Biltmore ticket price. Also, know that there are kid-friendly activities on the Estate , including a farmyard and live demonstrations. If you are visiting Asheville in November through early January, Biltmore at Christmastime is spectacular. Enjoy a Candlelight Christmas Evenings Tour of the home with the fireplaces lit and Christmas trees in every room.
One of our personal favorite things to do in Asheville involves visiting The Thomas Wolfe Memorial and taking a house tour. You might recognize his name from his novel Look Homeward, Angel. Most notably, Wolfe barely changed the names and spellings of his Asheville community members.
This was scandalous and ill-received gossip, at the time. She was quite the entrepreneur of her time. Also watch a short video and tour the museum.
One of the free things to do in Asheville, the Black Mountain College Museum offers contemporary and historic exhibitions, events, and research opportunities for the community. We dropped in one afternoon and toured the current art exhibitions.
Small but worth a quick visit, you can budget about minutes here. Of course, kids are welcome. This area is a mini-version of Wynwood Walls in Miami, Florida.
You might just catch Gus Cutty or Jerry Cahill working on a masterpiece. Watch an indie film at Grail Moviehouse or attend the Uncommon Market. Bike the new RAD greenway. If you are looking for wilder things to do in Asheville, check out the LaZoom bus.
How many times have you spied a purple bus tearing down the streets of Asheville full of giggling and rowdy adults?! We suggest purchasing tickets in advance. Get there early, too, as you board the bus based on your arrival order. Totally worth that ticket price at least once. Walk into a funky, kitschy bar full of eccentric tour guides and cat pillows before hopping on the drunk bus.
Zelda Fitzgerald stole my heart although she did hump a bush in the rain. Find locally crafted bevies. They even hand you a personal cooler. For the best Asheville things to do for your inner geologist, head to the Asheville Museum of Science. A smaller science learning center, learn more about North Carolina geology and local specimen. AMOS has gemstones, dinosaur bones, and animal installations. Encounter hands-on exhibits and scavenger hunts, learn about the French Broad River, and dig for fossils.
AMOS is also one of the best kid-friendly things to do in Asheville. They even have a forest-themed playground with bears. Visitors of the home can take a guided tour, walk the park, hike the grounds, or visit the bookstore. Looking for dark tourist things to do in Asheville, NC? Head to Riverside Cemetery to pay your respects to literary greats. Henry — are buried here.
Grab a walking guide at the gates and stroll 3. Grab our guide to Riverside Cemetery , and see why we think this is one of the best haunted places to visit in Asheville. If you are looking for evening things to do in Asheville, attend a concert. We try to list a few concerts and live music on our Asheville Events Calendar. Picture quirky and comedic theater under the stars as fireflies light up the night sky.
They are magical. Many of the plays are by Shakespeare, but they mix it up too. Bring or purchase boozy beverages. Theatergoers go all out with their professional picnic baskets. Rent or bring your own chairs and blankets. While tickets are free, leave a generous donation. Performers circulate the crowd at intermission with collection baskets.
Well-behaved pooches are welcome. Grab dinner at Nine Mile beforehand. Riverside Cemetery is nearby. Thinking of attending? Read more about what to expect and bring in our Shakespeare in the Park Guide.
For sports lovers and families, one of the most fun things to do in Asheville is to watch the Asheville Tourists play at McCormick Field. The Asheville Tourists are a minor league baseball team. Tickets are a steal although parking is a little funky. Grab souvenirs, local beer, and of course, baseball food. We highly recommend spending a little time in each. West Asheville is pretty hipster with breweries, trendy restaurants , and a gorgeous Dolly Parton and RuPaul mural.
As mentioned above, RAD showcases the most vibrant street art. For local things to do in Asheville, NC touring the neighborhoods truly gives you a feel for residential life. Heck, it might convince you that you want to move to Asheville — like us. There are tons of things to do in Asheville, NC for book lovers.
As mentioned above, you can visit the Carl Sandburg Home, Biltmore library, and even drop into Pack Memorial Library to see history along the walls. Pay your respects to Zelda Fitzgerald who perished in the Highlands Hospital fire, and tip your hat to F. Scott Fitzgerald while at the Grove Park Inn. BUT, if you are looking for things to do in Asheville that involve buying gifts, fun stuff you never knew you needed, and local treats, we have just the shopping list for you.
Battery Park Book Exchange is a multi-level champagne book bar. Located in the historic Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville, they sell used books and have extensive wine, cocktail, and champagne selections. Asheville offers a ton of shopping in independent stores, boutiques, and open-air markets in all of its districts, including places like Historic Biltmore Village , the River Arts District, West Asheville, and Downtown. The Grove Arcade is architectural eye candy filled with a little yuppie love, including places like the Battery Park Book Exchange and Asheville Proper.
For a little history lesson: E. Grove, also infamous for constructing the Grove Park Inn, opened the Grove Arcade in as a retail center. During WW2, the Arcade transformed into a more covert military hub.
Then, in the National Weather Records Center took over the building until the city reclaimed the space in the 90s. Although you can spend a lifetime doing all of the things in Asheville, we quickly wanted to mention a few brief getaways.
Hendersonville is about minutes away from downtown Asheville. A smaller city, find even more cafes, restaurants, shops, bookstores, and the best Hendersonville breweries. The wineries, orchards, and DuPont State Forest are all nearby. Hendersonville also has sweet Bed and Breakfasts and museums. Uncover all of the fantastically fun things you can do in Hendersonville, NC.
We also have a post showcasing our favorite Hendersonville restaurants , including German food and more BBQ. A little under two hours away, you also might want to head over to Knoxville, Tennessee for the day. Like Asheville, Knoxville has a historic downtown filled with distilleries, breweries, bookstores, and endless fun.
A little over 1. Plus, Pigeon Forge itself makes for a great day trip with its waterparks, Parrot Mountain and Gardens, the Titanic Museum, breweries, wineries, and zip-lining. Explore the best places to stay in Asheville. A few of our top suggestions:. What are your favorite Asheville attractions and activities?
Where do you head first, and what are your Asheville musts? Let us know in the comments. I'd rewrite There are dozens and dozens of other places to visit, and sadly, SDF just isn't a good destination anymore. Hi Fred - I was eyeing this article for updating. Thanks so much for the feedback and reminder - Skinny Dip was devastated by those floods.
I appreciate the note and will be updating, especially for the busy fall season. Hi Christine. Great article. I wish I could blink my eyes and move to the Ashville area. Your article made Ashville see quite enticing. I've read other articles about it that focused on the flooding problems.
Could you please comment on your experience with flooding. Also, you said that you'd share the contact info of your real estate agent. I'd love to have it if the offer still stands. Thanks so much! Hmmm, we have not personally had flooding problems, but we live pretty high up in Asheville.
We suffer more from the ice on the mountain hills -- and our roads are 'secondary' so they don't always get cleared right away. I do, however, know that south of the airport floods and some of the lower Asheville neighborhoods have had flooding issues.
I hope that helps. Please drop me a quick email, and I'll pass along my realtor just to maintain a little privacy : hello at uncorkedasheville dot com. Historic downtown Asheville is full of delectable treasures.
Vegan hot chocolate? A former boarding house full of famous gossip? A restaurant dedicated to a beloved St. Keep reading for our ultimate guide of things to do in Asheville, NC. Linville Falls and Gorge is pretty spectacular for waterfall hikes near Asheville.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is filled with beautiful views, lookout areas, waterfalls, and hikes. Planning your Asheville vacation? Save these best things to do in Asheville, NC for later to ensure one magical trip. Pack Square is beautiful for architect lovers. Plus, find nearby donuts and delicious Pack Tavern.
Hike the nature trails at the Botanical Gardens at Asheville. This privately owned lake is free and open to the public. Are we in Costa Rica or North Carolina? Looking for Asheville things to do for beach-goers and swimmers when there are no beaches nearby? Head to one of the local swimming holes like Skinny Dip Falls. Photo by Sarah Resta Photography. Did you know that Asheville has a stellar bar, brewpub, and tavern scene? One of the best things to do in Asheville is drink coffee.
How else can you adventure all day? Nothing beats breakfast all day at Tupelo Honey. Tupelo is famous for its fried chicken, breakfast all day, brunch cocktails, and locally sourced ingredients.
Plant is our go-to for a vegan cheese plate and desserts. For bibliotourists, The Thomas Wolfe Memorial is a must. Playing vintage arcade games is by far one of the most fun things to do in Asheville.
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