9 Kid-Friendly Breweries in Asheville Local Parents Recommend

Our favorite breweries in Asheville to bring the kids!

There are so many great kid-friendly and family-friendly breweries in Asheville. And we certainly love visiting them with our two boys. What’s great is that they love visiting these breweries, too. Win, win!

We wanted to write this guide because not all breweries here are kid-friendly. In fact, some don’t even allow kids. Others may allow them but don’t have anything especially kid-friendly. They tolerate children but also… not really??

So, to help out our fellow parents, whether you are just here visiting or are local to Asheville, we have compiled a list of our favorite kid-friendly breweries! These are the places we actually take our two and can confirm that they are great places for kids. And if you really want to know about the beer scene here, check out our guide to Asheville breweries.

Whether it’s a fun atmosphere, cool views of trains or even just a delicious kid’s menu, there are several breweries in Asheville that are perfect for kids.

In true When In Asheville fashion, we have done a deep-dive on Asheville’s kid-friendly breweries. This article shares all of the important details– you’ll find things like why it’s a kid-friendly brewery, details on the food situation, which offer tours for kids and our top picks. Though, really, you can’t go wrong at any of these!

Map of Kid-Friendly Breweries in Asheville

Before we begin, let’s look at a map! This should help you locate the closest kid-friendly brewery to you.

Now on to our list of the best kid-friendly breweries in Asheville!

1. Sierra Nevada

Let your kids play end explore at Sierra Nevada’s impressive property.

Sierra Nevada Brewery is like no other. They have thought of everything– including keeping the kids entertained. With loads of activities and plenty of space to explore safely, Sierra Nevada is a family-favorite destination for good reason.

Sierra Nevada Brewery exterior in Mills River, NC

Now, I do want to point out that Sierra Nevada is a bit out of town. The brewery is right next to the Asheville airport in Mills River, which is south of Asheville. It’s about a 30 minute drive from downtown Asheville.

However, if you are looking for the best brewery in Asheville for kids, Sierra Nevada is it. It is definitely worth the drive!

Sierra Nevada has a sandbox play area right next to a lush garden that our kids love to explore. You’ll find dump trucks, sand tables and even a chalkboard here.

Their porch lawn and amphitheater behind the back porch is a great place for kids to dance to live music during warm months or run around when there are no shows. Check Sierra Nevada’s event calendar for upcoming shows.

There are also nature trails to explore at the brewery. You can bring a beer on their trail that goes to the French Broad River. They also have a trail in front of the brewery, though beer isn’t allowed on this one.

And if you have older kids who love to see how things work, the Sierra Nevada brewery tour is available for ages 12 and up. Make sure to book online in advance because the tours do fill up. And check out this article if you want more details on Asheville brewery tours.

Now let’s talk about food at Sierra Nevada!

The most kid-friendly thing to plan on is to dine at their outdoor Back Porch Bar. It’s open daily (weather permitting) and has sandwiches, snacks and 20 beers on tap from 1-7pm. It’s a walk-up restaurant/bar. There’s a small kids menu (with an $8 hot dog and $3 fruit as of winter 2023) but you should be able to find something on the menu for all.

There’s also a taproom restaurant (and it’s delicious!), but it involves waiters so plan accordingly.

The taproom has both indoor and outdoor seating and the food is exceptional. We got it to go several times when they were closed in 2020 because we absolutely love their pizza and chicken wings. You’ll find a more extensive kids menu here than the Back Porch one (ex. pizza, hamburgers, mac and cheese.)

2. Highland Brewing

Beer and sparkling lemonade sitting on an outdoor table at Highland Brewing in Asheville

Great brewery with a large grassy field for kids to roam.

Asheville’s original craft brewery! Highland Brewing is a great place to bring the entire family. Specifically, The Meadow at Highland Brewing is a spacious outdoor area with a large field, outdoor bar and live music on their outdoor stage on weekends.

We love letting the kids roam and explore while enjoying one of Highland’s fresh brews. And our kids love sipping on their sparkling lemonade!

If you are looking for some additional activities, there is a hiking trail, disc golf course and cornhole on their campus.

And as far as food goes, you’ll find rotating food trucks at Highland. Two of our favorite regulars are Bun Intended and Kinfolk.

downtown Asheville with text "guide to Asheville with kids"

Want more ideas for kids in Asheville?

Check out our kid-friendly guide.

With two kids of our own, pretty much everything we do in Asheville is kid-friendly! We love sharing our favorite kid-friendly restaurants, the best playgrounds and family-friendly hikes.

3. New Belgium Brewing

Enjoy a family-friendly brewery along the French Broad River

Just across the French Broad River from Downtown in West Asheville, you will find New Belgium’s huge brewery complex.

The brewery is situated on the banks of the French Broad River with tons of outdoor seating and space to stretch your legs. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a beer, especially if you have high-energy kids who want to run around!

Entrance to New Belgium Brewing in West Asheville

Kids love to see the brewery equipment inside and the great news is that kids of all ages are welcome to go on the FREE New Belgium Brewery Tour. You can read about more Asheville brewery tours here.

And of course everyone wants to know: what kind of food does the New Belgium brewery have? This another one with rotating food trucks. And just like at Highland, you can occasionally find our favorite Bun Intended food truck here! Another food truck they feature that we love is Tin Can Pizzeria. Check New Belgium’s site for the most up-to-date food truck schedule.

4. Wedge at Foundation

Spot some trains and enjoy burgers at RAD’s Wedge at Foundation

Located in the Foundy Street area of Asheville’s River Arts District, Wedge at Foundation has a large patio that’s great for kids. There are different shaded sections with room to spread out. They also have corn hole and ping pong tables.

Our kids’ favorite thing about Wedge at Foundation, though, is that it is located right next to the train yard. They love to watch the engines shuttle cards around — it’s great entertainment.

You have two options for food at Wedge:

  • The first is their on-site Chop Shop food truck with burgers, hot dogs, salads and specials. We especially love their Carolina hot dog with slaw and chili, but you can also get a plain version for kids. Read more about a visit to Wedge and the food truck.
  • The second option for food is takeout from 12 Bones BBQ next door. Our kids love their brown sugar rubbed ribs and their corn pudding.

One thing to note is that when visiting with kids, we recommend Wedge at Foundation when the weather is nice and you can sit outside. Otherwise you lose out on what makes the brewery kid-friendly (the trainyard, the corn hole, the spaced out picnic tables, etc.)

Picnic tables behind Wedge at Foundation in the River Arts District

5. Whistle Hop Brewing

How can you beat a train-themed brewery for kids?!

Whistle Hop Brewing is located just outside of Asheville in Fairview, NC. And yes, it really is train-themed!

You’ll find a great outdoor space (3 acres!) at Whistle Hop that sometimes feel more like a park than anything else. Their picnic tables scattered about give your family space to enjoy themselves.

Whistle Hop Brewery

It’s hard to say whether the highlight for our kids are the actual train cars you can sit in or the playground with tons of games including, mini golf, mini bowling, and disc golf connect four. Yes, as in, a hybrid of disc golf and connect four.

Whistle Hop is a great spot for the family to spend some time — we love stopping in on our way back from a day trip to Lake Lure or hiking at Bearwallow Mountain.

And like many of the other breweries we have mentioned, Whistle Hop features rotating food trucks. You can view the food and music lineup here.

6. Burial Beer Co – South Slope

An awesome South Slope brewery for kids

Located in South Slope Brewing District, Burial Beer Co has an awesome outdoor space for parents to hang out and kids to explore. It feels like an oasis with large shade trees in the otherwise industrial-feeling South Slope. You can read more about a visit to Burial with kids here.

Beer on a picnic table with a van in the background at South Slope's Burial Beer

Our kids love to explore the old vehicles that have been gutted and turned into seating. We typically sit near one and let them roam while we wait for food.

I do want to point out that Burial is not the most kid-friendly place (as in, kids shouldn’t treat it like a playground), but we enjoy taking our two and they are always happy there. Especially when they get a Devil’s Foot Sparkling Lemonade on a hot day.

Burial has an in-house kitchen with elevated bites. They don’t have a dedicated kids menu, so we typically get a few entrees and share with all. This is my favorite type of dinner because I love trying multiple items! You can view their current menu here.

7. Asheville Brewing Company (South Slope)

The perfect brewery for pizza-loving kids!

Asheville Brewing Company (also known as Asheville Pizza and Brewing) is a brewery and a pizzeria at its core. They have three locations around town, though their South Asheville is takeout only.

We are going to highlight both their South Slope and their North Asheville locations on this kid-friendly breweries guide. And they will be separate because they are both so different from one another. So, let’s start with their original production brewery and packaging warehouse location in South Slope. This is such a great space!

Their covered outdoor picnic tables make for casual seating and a great spot for kids to enjoy a fresh slice of pizza.

They also have a courtyard that is open seasonally with a taco truck (AVL Taco), as well as a rooftop patio and a 40 foot LED digital screen. It’s as cool as it sounds.

And now the FOOD. Let’s talk about the food. They have seriously awesome pizza including some divine gluten free pizza and vegan pizza. They use Daiya vegan cheese and have an option for gluten free pizza crust.

8. Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company (North Asheville)

A dine-in movie theater and brew pub!

Onto the second of Asheville Brewing Company’s locations that’s great for kids. This is their original location and it’s SUCH A COOL SPACE.

Not only do they show new movies, but they also have throwback movies that are only $3 each. And some are kid-centric (think: Where The Wild Things Are, Cat In The Hat, etc.)

The menu includes their delicious pizza, sandwiches, salads and more. They have a ton of great beers on tap as well as cans available. You can view the current lineup on their site.

And overall it’s just such a lovely, locally-loved spot. There’s nothing else like it!

9. Hi-Wire Brewing – RAD Beer Garden

A funky beer garden with a side of fork lifts.

Hi-Wire’s beer garden in Asheville’s River Arts District is a great spot to bring the entire family. They have tons of beer garden seating (made from recycled shipping containers!) and it’s all colorful and happy.

And what’s even cooler (especially if you are 5 years old…) is that this location doubles as their distribution center, so if you are lucky you’ll see forklifts whizzing by inside.

Hi-Wire Brewing in Asheville's River Arts District

If your kids aren’t impressed by the machinery, Hi-Wire RAD has games including bocce ball and pinball machines that are perfect for keeping older kids entertained.

Though Hi-Wire RAD doesn’t have a kitchen, they have an awesome on-site food truck. The permanent Foothills Local Meats food truck sells burgers, hot dogs and even barbecue. It’s actually unique in that it’s the only smokehouse location of their various food trucks around town.


And that wraps up our guide to the most kid-friendly breweries in Asheville!

This was a fun one to put together and definitely made us want to immediately go back to all of them. Especially to Asheville Brewing for some pizza!! You can’t go wrong at any of the breweries mentioned in this guide.

For more kid-friendly Asheville content, make sure to check out our guide to Asheville with kids.

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