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Aug 24, · 41 Fun Things to do in Asheville, NC & Best Places To Visit. 1. Biltmore. RozenskiP | Shutterstock. 2. The North Carolina Arboretum. 3. New Belgium Brewing . Apr 08, · Asheville, North Carolina Helen’s Bridge This bridge is haunted by the ghost of a distraught mother. Asheville, North Carolina Biltmore Estate’s Secret Passages The . Things to Do in Asheville. 1. Biltmore. It’s the largest private home in America and a monument to the Gilded Age. 2. The North Carolina Arboretum. The oldest garden at the Arboretum, it .
– Things to Do in Asheville & Western NC
Unfortunately, a lack of funds forced the college to close in Visitors can explore exhibitions, watch films, or attend lectures, interviews, and seminars during a visit here. Downtown Asheville is a hub for famous attractions and some unpopular hidden gems. There is no better way to uncover them than by walking the Asheville Urban Trail. You can get an official map from the Pack Square Park information center to guide you, but ideally, the trail starts at the park.
It is an easy-to-follow trail with a total of 30 stops, guided by notable landmarks. You can enter any of the restaurants or cafes to enjoy a drink or a delicious local dish. This is why you need to have Mountain Play Lodge as one of the top things to do in Asheville for kids.
It will take care of your kids by giving them an adventurous experience that they will never forget. The indoor play area features slides, a jungle climbing structure, and a toy Biltmore Village. Kids will have the time of their lives here running, climbing, jumping, and making new friends.
You can sit at the lounge area and enjoy your favorite drink or snack as you wait for your kid to drop from exhaustion. It is located about 22 miles northwest of Asheville in Marshall, a small town known as a hub for arts. You can choose between full-day trips and half-day trips, but either way, you can be sure to have an adventurous rafting trip. The employees and guides have been conducting rafting trips on the French Broad River for over 25 years, an assurance that you are in safe hands.
And even if you are a solo traveler, you will find a like-minded group of people to join. Direction and tourist information sign to Biltmore.
Andriy Blokhin Shutterstock. Not every day needs to be full of adventure when you are on vacation. The acre urban mall is packed with vibrant shops, restaurants, condos, and entertainment areas. If you want an adventure that will take you outside Asheville but not too far away you should visit the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site , located about 30 minutes away.
It was the home of Carl Sandburg; writer and poet and was established as a historic site to preserve it and his legacy. His writing won him three Pulitzer Prizes including one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln.
Visitors come here to pay their respects and learn more about his life and literary work. Source Randy Reus. If you are a fan of electronic music, then you probably know of Bob Moog, the engineering physicist who invented the Moog synthesizer that transformed the electronic genre of music.
He passed away in , and the Moogseum was founded in as a space to showcase his achievements in the music industry and preserve his legacy. Apart from learning the history and science of electronic music, you will be given the opportunity to play a theremin and synthesizer. You will also have access to over pieces of archival material that can only be found at the Moogseum. If you are a music fanatic or are interested in physics engineering, this is the ideal attraction in Asheville for you.
Considering how much walking you will engage in during your vacation in Asheville, you will need to give your feet some tender love and care at some point. The Wake Foot Sanctuary is where everyone goes, owing to the top-notch service provided. Located in downtown Asheville, the spa takes care of your feet and arms through long soaks and massages, as you take a nap or enjoy your choice of beverage.
You can also get a head, neck, or shoulder massage to relieve tight muscles and enhance blood flow. Built in , Grove Arcade is one of the historical buildings in Asheville and in the region. It is named after E.
Grove, who built it as a celebration of his love for Asheville. The arcade is designed in a s architectural style and features shops, restaurants, art galleries, offices, and apartments. Here you can find local and international cuisine and local farm products and artworks at the Makers Market. It is an iconic place to hang out in the evening and interact with locals.
This vibrant and colorfully decorated neighborhood along the French Broad River is one of the top free things to do in Asheville. A hub for the arts, River Arts District hosts over local artists showcasing and selling their beautiful pieces. The friendly artists will welcome you with warm smiles and engage you in their creative process of creating their pieces which include paintings, photographs, pencil work, glassware, sculptures, and more.
If you find anything you like, please buy it to support them. It is a lovely and delightful neighborhood, and when you want to take a break, you can have a meal in any of the local restaurants. River Arts District has a vibrant nightlife of live entertainment and dancing. Imagine an elevator that, instead of being used to access the top of a building, is used to access the top of a rock!
Well, this is the thrilling experience you will have at Chimney Rock State Park , one of the most iconic places to visit near Asheville. Visitors come from near and far to explore the park and climb the top of the historical Chimney Rock, a million plus old granite monolith, that offers dramatic views of North Carolina comprising of forest vegetation, waterfalls, a lake, rolling mountains, valleys, and hills.
On a clear day, you will have over 75 miles of spectacular scenery to feast your eyes on. Other exciting activities to enjoy in Chimney Rock State Park include birdwatching, picnics, hiking, and woodland adventure. At the base of the park is the Village of Chimney Park where you can shop and dine. Source Kimberly Curtis.
Nestled in the scenic Pisgah National Forest, the spa offers a salt bath treatment in an outdoor hydrotherapy tub, surrounded by trees, as you listen to amazing forest sounds. You will get lost in nature as you decompress and soak up the scenery around you.
Other services include massages, cold therapeutic showers, and the wet cedar sauna. You need to make a reservation in advance before visiting. PennyCup Coffee Co. Vortex has delicious donuts and coffee. Just look for the double-decker red bus. Newer to Asheville, Rowan Coffee in downtown is simple but delicious. That historic building is gorgeous inside.
Find a park, art museum, music, restaurants, and chocolate shops. The French Broad Chocolate Lounge has everything a chocolate lover desires. Discover desserts, hot cocoa, truffles, bonbons, cakes, custards, cookies, coffee, brownies, booze, and ice cream.
Need we say more? French Broad Chocolates serves up lactose-free, gluten-free, and vegan options. We also personally love nearby Asheville Chocolate. Asheville Chocolate features tea, coffee, and hot chocolate with a variety of hand-crafted chocolates.
Plus, find decadent gelato. 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. An outdoor enthusiast and photographer, his adventures have been … more. Related Stories.
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Submit an Event. Drop by Honey and the Hive 23 Merrimon Ave for local honey and beekeeping supplies. You cannot miss them with their fun bee mural on the side of the building. They even host a series of beekeeping classes. Eluvium Brewing even posts when they last cleaned their beer taps. Enjoy a bevie inside the taproom or outside on the covered or uncovered patio. Find lagers, sours, wheat, IPAs, and brown ale. Eluvium also recently opened its own kitchen upon the closing of Baad Sheep Burritos.
Along with Sunday brunch, choose from hot dogs, sandwiches, wraps, and your traditional pub grub. To access both of these Downtown Weaverville breweries, we prefer to park at the free public lot on Main Street at the Nature Park.
Uncover even more delicious breweries in and around Asheville. Tired of generic Asheville travel itineraries? Experience Asheville like a local with our free Asheville Favorites checklist, including restaurants, breweries, and hiking. Plus, get local updates — including events and hidden gems — straight to your inbox.
Sign up here. One of our favorite things to do in Weaverville involves grabbing a local WNC craft beer at Wagbar Merrimon Ave and watching all of the dogs play. You do not need a dog to enter. Pups can run through sprinklers, play, and pee on fire hydrants. The bar resides in a modern, up-cycled shipping container and serves non-alcoholic beverages too. Dogs must have a membership with veterinary documentation. This is a Bob Ross-themed bar serving local beer, cocktails, and those delicious spritzes.
This is a family-friendly, Downtown Weaverville bar, and dogs are allowed outside only. You might catch a paint night or local talk too. Main Street for some of the best coffee around AVL. Bring your own chairs and expect to use portable toilets.
Admission and parking are free. Shop to live music too! You know that we just love an Asheville Christmas.
Fun things to do near me asheville nc
What is there to do in Asheville? Explore popular, off-the-beaten-path, and the best things to do in Asheville, NC — from locals. What is there to do for fun in Asheville? The best things to do in Asheville are endless. As residents, we are always finding new places to explore. There are unique beer flavors to try and vibrant street art. We even have a mural for The Dude. We are hiking obsessed. Chasing waterfalls never grows old. You can slide down waterfall rocks and kiss a dragon tree on its snout.
Stop at a scenic overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Fall in love over a picnic on top of a mountain summit. Plus, Asheville has a rich and scandalous literary history, hipster music scene, and historic downtown filled with unique gems. Old school candy store, anyone? For fun things to do in Asheville, imagine playing vintage pinball machines and video games all day long. We even have distilleries serving up bookish libations and a champagne bookstore.
For more boozy things to do in Asheville, the endless local craft beers will quench your thirst. What we personally love to do in Asheville is see a more comedic version of Shakespeare in the Park surrounded by fireflies.
Eating is a serious thing to do in Asheville. Think cider donuts in Apple Alley. We have a new food hall. Uncover just a few Asheville activities and attractions on our WNC bucket list, too. Find both huge Asheville tourist attractions as well as more local Asheville fun. This is our home, after all, and we want you to love it too! Be sure to check out our Asheville Events Calendar. This post may contain affiliate links that earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
We update our guides frequently, but activities and events may be seasonal or change frequently. We usually write our lists a little biased: The things we love to do in Asheville involve hiking and drinking. Besides drinking beer by the river, one of the absolute best things to do in Asheville is to hike.
As locals, what are our favorite treks? Pink Beds is perfect for nature lovers. Be sure to check out our master guide of the best Asheville hiking trails. When looking for more of the best outdoor things to do in Asheville, NC, you cannot miss visiting the waterfalls.
Hop on this 45 mph, two-lane road and explore all of the waterfalls, hikes, and scenic overlooks. Drive through the mountains via tunnels, and know that this area turns into a mural of vibrant eye candy in the fall. In the spring and summer, the Parkway fills in with gorgeous wildflowers and rhododendrons. The BRP is a dream for bikers and motorcyclists.
Find romantic fog, artists and birdwatchers pulled over at designated spots, and happy wildlife. Keep in mind, though, that many parts of the BRP close in the winter for ice. In the late spring, one of our favorite things to do in Asheville involves walking along the French Broad River and completing a few brisk loops in the local parks.
Find a bike lane and a gorgeous walking path. Climb the highest peak east of the Mississippi River at Mount Mitchell with an elevation clocking in at feet. You can see all of your favorite mountains from afar. Tired of generic Asheville travel itineraries? Experience Asheville like a local with our free Asheville Favorites checklist, including restaurants, breweries, and hiking.
Plus, get local updates — including events and hidden gems — straight to your inbox. Sign up here. If you love mountain biking , the Blue Ridge Mountains are your home away from home. We are not expert mountain bikers, by any means, but we do love hitting the trails. Living in Asheville, we have transformed into professional picnickers. You can either pack a picnic for your hike or enjoy something lighter by a lake. For easy picnics, head to a winery like Stone Ashe Vineyards. Grab our full list of the best Asheville picnic spots.
With acres of streams, nature trails, bridges, and spots perfect for picnicking, this lesser-known gem is also a refuge for endangered wildflowers. Pack a blanket and bring a book! This holiday lights display is truly one of the best winter things to do in Asheville. From November to January 1st, the Arboretum lights up its gardens with innovative creations, wildlife exhibits, and lights that dance to music.
Of course, you can see Bonsais, butterflies, and their famous Quilt Garden. You must pay a small parking fee to enter the grounds. Does Winter Lights sound magical? Read more about all of the best spots to catch Christmas lights in Asheville.
Are you looking for things to do in Asheville where you can meet the furry Western North Carolina locals in a safe environment instead of on the trails or our front steps…? The center also houses snakes, turtles, hawks, goats, frogs, and donkeys. Find plenty of exploration stations and themed playground areas for the littles — spider-web jungle gym included.
Wide and paved walking paths are extra stroller-friendly. After hours, stroll the grounds with a beer or cider in hand. Enjoy local eats too. Like The North Carolina Arboretum, there is a small entrance fee. Or, become a member. One of our top weekly things to do in Asheville, we love walking the 2-mile Perimeter Trail around Beaver Lake and dip into the Bird Sanctuary. Beaver Lake is perfect for a stroll after a North Asheville lunch or dinner. Bring a book and some binoculars. The Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary houses a.
Birdwatchers can spy hawks, osprey, herons, vultures, kites, sparrows, woodpeckers, ducks, wrens, swallows, warblers, and bluebirds. Although Beaver Lake is privately owned, the area is open to the public and free. Please consider leaving a donation in the parking lot box, though.
One of our top recommended things to do in Asheville is enjoying the three or four waterfalls at DuPont. Triple Falls and Bridal Veil Falls are famous. We suggest parking in the Hooker Falls Access Area. If you still have energy, walk under the covered wooden bridge to Bridal Veil Falls, which adds 4 more miles to your hike.
If you need lunch afterward, drive minutes to nearby Hendersonville — another one of our favorite towns. Asheville sees the most visitors in the fall and around the holidays. The leaves! Growing up in CT, we thought New England was the boss of fall foliage. Who knew that the Western North Carolina mountains had an equally breathtaking fall season?
Nothing beats an Asheville autumn. Enjoy fall foliage hikes, corn mazes, apple picking, and catching those purple and pink sunsets. Our top things to do in Asheville, NC in autumn include visiting the apple orchards for cider donuts and brewery hopping for spiced and pumpkin beers. Pick a pumpkin. Trek the most beautiful fall foliage hikes , and wine taste at the vineyards with the best views.
Asheville in the fall is also a great time to drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway. In need of cooler summer things to do in Asheville, NC? Drive under one hour to Skinny Dip Falls to kiss the magical Dragon Tree on your way to this serene waterfall.
Spread out along the falls and take a dip in one of its pools. You can also head over to Sliding Rock and literally slide down a foot natural boulder into the chilly waters. Sliding Rock has reopened, and Skinny Dip Falls looks a bit different — the bridge washed away and the falls have a new path.
Imagine walking along the Riverwalk in the River Arts District and suddenly spying a gaggle of floating and cackling unicorns…. Where can you get your tubing on?
French Broad Outfitters and Zen Tubing are just a few.
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