I decided it was time to put together this post of my Must-Dos in Asheville, North Carolina so you can love it the way I do. I grew up visiting Asheville when we would take long summer vacations exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains. Now, as luck would have it, I only live two hours away from Asheville in Charlotte. Two hours is the perfect distance for a quick weekend trip, but Asheville is worth visiting on any road trip if you’re nearby.
Where to Stay
Our favorite way to stay is in an AirBnb. We love staying in the cute cabins tucked in the nearby woods so we can wake up and have coffee on a rocking chair and maybe even spot a deer in our yard. We’ve also always had Asheville Glamping on our must-visit list. If you’d like to stay downtown to experience more nightlife, I’d recommend the Kimpton Hotel Arras or the AC Hotel by Marriott.
MUST-DO: THE BILTMORE
An absolute must-do in Asheville is visiting the Biltmore. The Biltmore, an 8,000-acre estate, was built by George Vanderbilt and it is filled with loads of history. Tickets for admission start at $64 per adult and in my opinion, the prices are worth it. When we visit, we plan to spend the entire day on the property because there is so much to see and do. The ticket will give you access to the house and gardens, which are stunning. There are also audio guides available that enhance your tour through the house, as the narrations bring each room to life as it was in all its glory. The gardens are really impressive too, and the perfect spot for a photoshoot. Your ticket will also allow you to see Antler Hill Village, which is a great place to go once the house tour has made you ready for a meal or drink. Antler Hill has a ton of great options for dining and shopping. If the weather is nice, there’s typically live music and exhibits.
Once you’re properly nourished, head to the Winery located in Antler Hill. Wine tasting is a fun event to enjoy with a loved one or friends. All the wines you will taste are made on the Biltmore estate.
Must-DO: DrinkS in ASHEVILLE
Burial Beer Co. is a great place to start an afternoon. Their brewery is filled with the Asheville vibe. We were served beer in glass mason jars and hung out in their outdoor area, which had clever seating areas, like a junk car.
Since this area is a hotspot of amazing breweries, we continued our personal beer tour. I’d say embracing the beer culture of Asheville is a must-do. It was some of the most fun we had on our trip.
We visited Catawba Brewing Company, Wicked Weed Brewery, Twin Leaf Brewery, and the Funkatorium. All of these are within a few blocks from one another so it makes it easy to grab one beer and then continue on. Most places have fantastic outside seating and board games. It even started to rain while we were going from place to place but it didn’t impact our fun one bit.
The Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is also a great spot. Due to the beer’s popularity, the facility is huge and they offer tours and you can spend a few hours visiting this brewery. It is 25 minutes south of Asheville though so make sure you don’t drink and drive.
MUST-DO: FOOD IN ASHEVILLE
The Asheville food scene is quite impressive. Shane and my favorite place in Downtown Asheville is Curate. Curate delivers the most delicious Spanish cuisine. We love their wine menu, their tapas, and delicious Iberico ham.
One evening, we went to visit the Omni Grove Park Inn. The hotel has the most beautiful views of the mountains and we timed our dinner reservation on the Sunset Terrace perfectly to enjoy the sunset. I highly recommend a meal here. The food is delicious and live music played in the hotel lobby after we ate. It’s a great place to stay too if you have the chance.
MUST-DO: OUTDOORS
There are so many places to get outside near Asheville. We chose to focus on the Blue Ridge Parkway during our stay. On this trip, we stayed towards the south of the Parkway. We hiked near Graveyard Fields, enjoyed sandwiches at the Cherry Cove Overlook.
On past trips, some of my favorite hikes along the entire stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway include Craggy Gardens and Linville Falls. I highly suggest visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway map or stopping at a visitor center to grab a hard copy. Since it’s a long, linear park, you may want to strategize before heading out. Though, I don’t think you can go wrong by just hopping on the Parkway and pulling over at whatever looks good, because there’s so many beautiful vistas all along the way.
CONCLUSIONS
We had so much fun exploring Asheville and can’t wait for friends to visit us in Charlotte one day soon so we can drive them to enjoy this funky, beer-loving city. I hope you enjoyed reading my Must Dos in Asheville, North Carolina
Do you have Asheville favorites? Let me know what they are!
Interested in other North Carolina day trips? Check out my post on Blowing Rock.