60+ Awesome Things To Do In Asheville, NC

Biltmore Estate is by far the most popular and well-known attraction in Asheville. The estate is the largest privately-owned house in the US with 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms.

Not only is the scale of the Biltmore Estate something you have to see to believe, but the meticulously manicured grounds are also breathtaking in their own right. The Biltmore is also very kid-friendly.

Apart from the house and grand gardens, there are also several restaurants on the Biltmore estate and so many fun things to do that are unique to the Biltmore.

If you haven’t been yet, make sure to check our guide to planning a visit to Biltmore.

While the Blue Ridge Parkway serves as a way to get to various sights, hikes and activities, it’s also a destination itself. You’ll find beautiful views and tons of lookouts along the way. It’s especially great during leaf season with the changing colors.

Colors change quicker at higher elevations, so you can begin to catch some fall colors as early as September depending on where you are. Check our fall itinerary for more details!

The Arboretum is one of our family’s favorite ways to spend an afternoon. Our kids love the various hikes there as well as the model train that runs on weekends. And I personally love the Bonsai exhibit! Entry is per vehicle or you can get an annual pass.

If you are local, check out the county’s ZOOM pass program through the Buncombe County Library system for free access to the Arboretum.

Asheville’s very own zoo! Located in East Asheville, the WNC Nature Center is home to over 60 species of wildlife native to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. You’ll spot black bears, river otters, hawks, wolves and even red pandas.

Are you local? Just like with the Arboretum and AMOS, you can visit the Nature Center for free through Buncombe County’s ZOOM Pass program.

The Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) is located in the heart of downtown Asheville. The museum itself is geared more toward kids and is the perfect spot for a rainy day in Asheville.

The main attraction for our kids is the climbing structure. It’s basically a large indoor playground and serves as a great place to get energy out when downtown. They also really enjoy the water splash zone and the gem collection exhibits.

If you are local, be sure to check out the Zoom Pass for free admission through the Buncombe County Library System.

The Asheville Art Museum is a great stop for art lovers! Here you’ll find art from Western NC from the 20th and 21st centuries, both in a permanent collection and through various exhibits. The museum is recently remodeled and very spacious.

The Art Museum hosts several exhibits throughout the year. You can view their current and past exhibitions here.

Just south of downtown Asheville, you’ll find the Asheville Tourists stadium. The Tourists are a High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros.

A Tourists game is such a fun thing to do for the whole family– it’s affordable and never too crowded! Tickets are $8-10 depending on age.

You’ll find various events and specials each week. Tickets are BOGO for certain games (every other Tuesday) using the promo code INGLES. As far as events go, they host Thirsty Thursday every other Thursday where you can get $1 beer and $1 cokes. Fireworks Night is every other Friday night featuring post-game fireworks. You’ll also find the occasional Sunday Fun Day.

There are several apple orchards near Asheville that offer u-pick apples each fall. A favorite for locals and tourists alike is Sky Top Orchard in Flat Rock, NC. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Asheville down I-26 and offers free admission.

A newcomer and our personal favorite orchard is Jeter Mountain Farms. We listed it on our itinerary for a fall weekend in Asheville as a must-visit orchard.

Keep in mind that all orchards will eventually get picked over, so you’ll want to go early in the season if possible!

Just north of downtown Asheville, you’ll find the 10 acre non-profit Botanical Gardens at Asheville. Admission is free and the gardens offer a wonderful place for an afternoon stroll or picnic.

Our kids love splashing in the creek there and we all enjoy taking the easy trail around the gardens.

American novelist Thomas Wolfe grew up in downtown Asheville. Today, his childhood home is a historic site and museum dedicated to his life and work. The museum itself, along with a 20 minute film on Wolfe’s life, is free. You can opt for a guided tour of the house for $5.

There’s also a small gift shop located in the museum.

The Biltmore puts on one of the most impressive Christmas experiences ever. With over 100 Christmas trees, 10,000 ornaments, and 100,000 twinkling lights (!), the holiday decor makes the house feel so cozy and festive.

Christmas at Biltmore begins November 4 and goes through January 8. We recommend visiting for the Candlelight Christmas Evenings because this is when the house is at its most enchanting. Flickering candles, glowing fireplaces and live music combine for a magical evening.

The NC Arboretum is lit-up each winter with an amazing display of Christmas lights. You’ll find live music, hot chocolate, light shows timed to music and holiday spirit all around. The model train runs each night during Winter Lights.

Tickets for Winter Lights are separate from standard admission and must be purchased in advance.

Read more about holiday markets and events in Asheville here.

Bearwallow Trail is one of our favorite hikes in the area! It’s a relatively easy 2 mile roundtrip hike that our 4 year old can do without issue. It’s a pretty steady uphill walk through a forest of trees before you emerge on a mountaintop pasture. And, yes, there are cows! Keep an eye out for them and evidence of them…

If you are looking to make it a day trip, check out our itinerary that includes a stop in the cute mountain town of Lake Lure after a hike at Bearwallow.

Looking Glass Falls is an awesome waterfall with a 60 foot drop located in Pisgah National Forest. It’s one of the few waterfalls near Asheville that doesn’t require a hike to view it. Just park along the highway and walk to the overlook for a great view. You can also walk down a series of steps if you want a closer look.

It’s impressive and can be seen in just a few minutes, which is why we have it on our day trip itinerary through Brevard and on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Pisgah Ranger District is where we spend the majority of our time outdoors. This is the area of Pisgah National Forest that is southwest of Asheville. The Ranger District has tons of waterfalls and scenic views, as well as plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking and fly fishing.

There are so many wonderful hikes and outdoor spaces to spend time on this stretch. A few of our favorites are Sycamore Flats picnic area, Moore Cove Falls hike and Looking Glass Falls waterfall. There are even picnic tables right off the road if you need a quick break.

If you want to make a day of it, start at The Hub in Pisgah Forest, NC and then circle up to Pisgah Inn to catch some great views. You can read more about that loop here.

If it’s hot out and you are in need of some cooler air, look to the mountains! We love escaping on hot days to Black Balsam Knob for a fun hike with our kids. You’ll walk through a forest of fir trees before emerging into an open meadow with a rocky climb up to the top. It can get a bit steep at times but is rated moderate.

Other great warm weather hikes include Moore Cove Falls (tons of shade + waterfall!) and the loop around Lake Powhatan.

Located in Pisgah National Forest (just a 15-minute drive from downtown Asheville), Lake Powhatan Beach is a great place to cool off with a swim in the lake.

The Lake Powhatan Beach is open annually from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

You’ll have access to the beach if you camp at the Lake Powhatan campground or you can park at the Hard Times trailhead and hike the loop around the lake. View our guide to the Lake Powhatan loop here.

Float down the French Broad River for the ultimate summer relaxation. Tubing trips with local outfitters take about 2 to 5 hours to float down the river depending on which you choose.

All of our recommended tubing companies include tube rentals and shuttle service from put-in to takeout locations so you won’t have to worry about getting back to your car!

Check out our guide to the best river tubing companies in Asheville!

About an hour’s drive south of Asheville, you’ll find another awesome hiking and mountain biking area: Dupont State Recreational Forest. The highlight of DuPont Forest is a hike that takes you past three amazing waterfalls — High Falls, Triple Falls and Hooker Falls.

What’s so fun about this area is that it has appeared in a few movies! Several scenes from The Hunger Games franchise were filmed here as well as scenes from The Last of The Mohicans.

Take a free tour of Citizen Vinyl, Asheville’s very own recording studio and record press. This one is great for audiophiles and music lovers.

While there, make sure you check out Session Cafe and Bar. It’s the in-house spot for lunch, coffee, dinner and drinks and was recently named one of America’s “Best Bars” by Esquire Magazine.

That’s right! Catch a flick and enjoy a pizza and beer at Asheville Brewing Company’s North Asheville location.

You can find the full movie lineup here.

Apart from movies, Asheville Brewing Company also hosts trivia on Wednesday nights in their game room.

If you’re looking for a planned path to follow to explore downtown Asheville, look no further than the Asheville Urban Trail. The free self-guided tour starts at Pack Square and traverses the city on a 1.7 mile loop, but you can jump on the trail and complete the loop from any of the stops.

Check out the Asheville Urban Trail website for all the details including an interactive map.

Asheville has a few arcade + pinball spots around town. It’s an especially fun activity when in Asheville for a bachelor party!

You’ll find all you can play pinball for $15 in downtown Asheville at the Asheville Pinball Museum. They have 35 pinball machines and 35 classic video games.

And just a few miles away in West Asheville you’ll find Asheville Retrocade. All day play for $10 with over 5000 games!

Another great activity for the whole family! The Gray Line Trolley travels all around town– from Montford to Omni Grove, down to downtown, through the River Arts District, over to Biltmore Village and then back to Biltmore.

You can choose to ride through without getting off or opt for a hop-on/hop-off tour instead. The tour guides are all so knowledgeable and have some great stories!

It’s one of our favorite things to do with kids in Asheville.

Grab breakfast, some great coffee and a board game for the perfect morning! Well Played Board Game Café in South Slope has over 700 games with everything to the classics to games you probably have never heard of. The staff is so friendly and always willing to point you in the right direction.

Not only can you get coffee and breakfast, but they are open all day and serve great food and drinks (beer, wine, etc.)

What sounds more magical than cozying up in a bookstore with old world charm and a champagne bar? If you can picture yourself there, you can make it happen at Battery Park Book Exchange. They have a great selection of used books as well as an impressive champagne and wine list, cheese boards and coffee.

Battery Park Book Exchange is located in the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville.

Grail Moviehouse, Asheville’s alternative cinema, is such a fun way to spend a night out. It’s right next to Wedge at Foundation and the Chop Shop Food Truck. They have a great lineup and occasionally host events. Check their site or follow on Instagram for details.

Grail Moviehouse is located in the Foundy Street part of the River Arts District. This is one of our favorite parts of RAD because there are galleries, shops, food, a coffee shop and great murals all around.

Asheville has not one but TWO James Beard Award-winning restaurants!

Chai Pani won the Outstanding Restaurant Award in 2022. Known for Indian street food in a laid-back environment, Chai Pani should definitely be on your must-do list in Asheville if it wasn’t already.

Equally exciting is Cúrate’s 2022 win for the Outstanding Hospitality award. Cúrate has become Asheville’s flagship restaurant over the years, serving elevated small plates and cured meats. They opened a sister restaurant and marketplace La Bodega by Cúrate in 2020 and now offer nationwide shipping of some of their items.

We can’t even begin to describe the outstanding food scene in Asheville. From James Beard Award-winning restaurants to wildly great vegan food trucks, Asheville is a food mecca.

The perfect way to get a glimpse at the food scene here is to take a food tour! Check locally-owned Eating Asheville Tours to book yours. Their calendar is up to date and you can choose from several different tours starting at $79.

There are so many amazing spots for a picnic (and so many amazing places to grab food from for it.) We recommend a picnic bag from The Rhu and heading to Craggy Gardens for easy access to beautiful views. You would need to call ahead (828-785-1799) or email to order from their picnic menu.

There are also great picnic spots the opposite direction of Asheville. The Pink Beds Loop trail comes to mind for a nice picnic. And of course nearby Sycamore Flats picnic area. It’s a family favorite of ours!

Another picnic option is to use Asheville’s very own Picnic Pop-Up to plan something special.

Asheville is known for brunch! There are a ton of restaurants that serve a daily brunch and several more with amazing weekend specials.

A few of our favorites include Sunday brunch at Vivian and daily brunch at Sunny Point Cafe. We can’t get enough of their carrot hotcakes!

Need more brunch inspiration? Check out our guide to Asheville’s brunch scene.

Asheville has a noteworthy amount of awesome coffee shops, each with their own awesome vibe and perks.

You’ll find tons of great coffee shops to work from (Summit in RAD, The Rhu, Rite Rite, Rowan), coffee shops with excellent food (Liberty House, Ultra Coffeebar, BattleCat/Tiger Bay Cafe) and even a coffee shop with a view of the river (High Five Woodfin.)

If you want an awesome cup of coffee with an exceptional pastry or donut, check out OWL Bakery and Vortex Doughnuts.

One of my favorite facts about 12 Bones Smokehouse is that it is always President Obama’s top choice of food when in Asheville. I totally understand it too– their ribs are great!! Find out more about 12 Bones in our Guide to Asheville’s best BBQ.

South Slope Brewing District is the epicenter of Asheville’s brewery culture. With over ten breweries in South Slope, it is the easiest place to check out what several of Asheville’s best breweries have to offer.

A few of our favorite South Slope breweries:

• Burial Beer (beer garden!)
• Wicked Weed Funkatorium (sours!)

We have already mentioned the plethora of breweries in Asheville, but there are also some great beer gardens around, too!

Here are some of our favorite beer gardens in Asheville:

• Hi-Wire in RAD (BBQ food truck)
• Burial Beer in South Slope (kitchen on-site)
• Highland in East Asheville (rotating food trucks)
• Wicked Week Funkatorium in South Slope (kitchen on-site)

Brevard, NC is about an hour from Asheville and is a great mountain town to visit.

They have a small downtown area that is easy to see in one day. You’ll find local coffee shops and bakeries, a 50’s style diner, a local coffee roaster, bookstores, tons of antiques and a beloved toy shop.

You’ll pass the entrance to Pisgah National Forest in Pisgah Forest, NC while on the way to Brevard. Check out our itinerary which includes a morning in Brevard with a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway after.

Yes, really! Lake Lure is about 45 minutes from downtown Asheville and is not only known for the hit 1987 film, but they also have an awesome beach at the lake and a cute mountain town vibe. Chimney Rock State Park is also located here.

If you are looking for inspiration, check out our day trip itinerary that includes a hike at Bear Wallow before an afternoon in Lake Lure.

Asheville has an amazing amount of farmers markets scattered around town. Each has a variety of local farmers and makers and are perfect for stocking up on essentials. Check our guide to Asheville Farmers Market for all of the details.

A perfect Saturday morning for us is attending either the North AVL or Asheville City Market followed by a visit to the free Botanical Gardens with our kids.

The River Arts District is one of the many areas of Asheville where you can spend a full day shopping and eating locally. There are several sections of RAD filled with working studios, galleries, antique shops, restaurants and coffee shops. You’ll find the work of hundreds of artists including everything from painting, pottery, jewelry, glass, metal, fiber and wood.

For eats and drinks, we especially love the Foundy Street area with 12 Bones BBQ, Summit Coffee, Wedge Brewing, Plēb Urban Winery and Rosabees. You’ll also find local shops and galleries here.

Spend a day strolling along the streets of downtown Asheville. There are so many local shops, galleries and eateries, as well as coffee shops and chocolate shops.

We especially love dining at the S&W Market food hall, browsing art at the Woolworth Walk, getting dessert at French Broad Chocolate Lounge and shopping for old-timey goodies at Mast General Store. For a nicer dinner out, Limones is a gem!

There are several vintage stores in West Asheville that are a ton of fun to browse through. Reciprocity has a great selection of denim and everyone is always very friendly! They carry both used and new items. Twice Round is also a great stop if you are looking for some fun finds (especially from the 70s and 80s!)