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Our favorite, though is the East Fork Overlook, Milepost You get free admission if you bring three clothing items. Nine months out of the year this neighborhood brewery offers live music or movies in the outdoor area. Ride your bike down if you can to truly make it a free event! There are 75 pinball machines and classic video games at the Pinball Museum.
Once you pay, you can play all day! They only allow as many people inside as there are machines and will start a wait list when they reach max capacity. Their phone number is: They are entrepreneurs and creatives who love finding adventure, both big and small. The two have made a daily practice of sharing vulnerabilities, truth telling, and side splitting laughter. The couple lives in Asheville, North Carolina and spend as much time as possible in the mountains. Join over , readers!
Sign up to get access to our library of resources, travel photography tips, exclusive giveaways, and inspiration to be a Local Adventurer. Don't worry, it's a few times a month and not spammy. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.
Learn how your comment data is processed. Skip to content Pin. Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Last Updated: March 12, Content Menu. Tour of the French Broad Chocolate Factory. Brewery Tour at Sierra Nevada. Visit the Foundation Walls Project. Listen to Live Music at Jack of the Wood. Author Talks at Malaprop's. Listen to Buskers at Pack Square.
Wedge Run. Wine Tastings at the Asheville Wine Market. Asheville Distilling Company Tours. Pritchard Park Drum Circle. Montford Park Player's Shakespeare Plays. Walk the Urban Trail. Window Shop at a Farmer's Market. Shopping here is a unique experience and great, great fun. Check her facebook page for dates and locations.
Float the French Broad River. The North Carolina Arboretum. Hike Looking Glass Falls. Picnic at a Blue Ridge Parkway Overlook. Coordinates: Movie Night or Music at the Wedge Brewery.
Asheville Pinball Museum. More Free Events. Map of Free Things to Do in Asheville. Essential Tips. Bring layers! In the summer, the days are often hot, but when the sun goes down most people are reaching for another light layer.
Street parking is pretty congested year-round. Best Places to Stay. All accommodations listed have at least 4 stars on both Yelp and Tripadvisor. Have you done any of these activities? What else should we add to the list? Did you enjoy this post? It's located in the Grove Arcade, where you can browse the other shops for hours.
This article is full of free stuff around Asheville, but don't forget about downtown Asheville. Do your research, connect with the business owners and artisans, then budget all your resources wisely. Because in a place like Downtown Asheville your most limited resource will be time to enjoy all there. Doing that research, contacting folks in the know, and allocating your resources makes your travel experience the best it can be.
The staff here are invested in your travel experience to begin with. They want you to come back. So even if you stop and just browse the brochures, this needs to be your first stop in Asheville. You will find the city of Asheville to be a fascinating destination, but you must not ignore the area around it especially the Pisgah National Forest. This Forest has a direct connection to The Biltmore Estate since much of the land was donated by the Vanderbilt Family as a permanent national legacy.
A large chunk of the half a million acres are "old growth" forests, meaning this may be one of the only times you and your family experience what the woods looked like to past generations. The National Forest offers an outdoor activity for every style short hikes, fishing, picnics, week-long backpacking trips, mountain biking, and rock climbing.
Hundreds of waterfalls, thousands of campsites, and too many picnic areas to count make this a great place to visit. Stretching across a dozen counties around Asheville, you can enjoy parts of this national treasure even if you don't have the time to make it to Downtown Asheville. The Pisgah National Forest is free. Whether your idea of wildlife is a bird feeder outside your window or backcountry hiking, this is the place you can find that experience at no cost.
This attraction is too big for you to miss. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is where to go no matter what you want to do, what you want to see, and how much you want to pay. They've been called the most popular national park in the United States, and there is plenty of reason why.
The Great Smoky Mountains is a vast area with an equally diverse range of attractions. Whether you want to stay in the car or camp in the backcountry for a week, it will meet your vacation requirements. In addition, it is very vehicle friendly since you can drive through Cades Cove in Tennessee or you can drive through Cataloochee in North Carolina.
Start your trip at one of several Visitor's Centers—which are free. The French Broad River has finally received the long-overdue attention it deserved as a tourist attraction.
While it isn't the Mississippi or the Tennessee River, that's one reason people enjoy it so much. The depth around three feet in most areas provides the perfect place for tubing.
Riding a tube up the gentle current is something people love to do. The National Park Service is stringent in allowing no commercial traffic on the Parkway. They realize The Parkway is more than a highway. It's an attraction in itself. Asheville is the largest city along the way. You must take an afternoon to visit the Fine Arts Center, although the weekend is good, too, since they have craft demonstrations featuring the best regional artists.
Their rotating and permanent exhibits are informative, fun, and of the best quality you'll find anywhere. Whether you're casually browsing or looking for technical information about crafting, you can spend hours there. The Biltmore Estate was not the original tourist attraction in Asheville, but it quickly became the area's central tourist attraction.
If you have not been to the Estate, you have to go at least once. America's largest private home is a throwback to a different, slower, more elegant time. Admission is not free, but there are ways to get the price to almost free, and there are plenty of freebies at Biltmore. To begin with, the Season Pass Perks make up for its price. Although I financed my original ticket to the Biltmore House with a Christmas bonus from work, I immediately upgraded to a Season Pass because it made financial sense.
The Estate is a destination itself, and that is free. Locals with Season Passes visit The Estate every weekend—or daily—to hike the trails and forests. The gallery owners offer quality articles that are collected by serious customers. Afternoons spent browsing the galleries is what folks do in Asheville.
Free things to do in downtown asheville nc
The Pisgah National Forest is free. Whether your idea of wildlife is a bird feeder outside your window or backcountry hiking, this is the place. 20 Free Things to Do in Asheville, NC · 1. Omni Grove Park Inn · 2. Grove Arcade · 3. Watch Glassblowers at the North Carolina Glass Center · 4. Walk the Asheville. One of our favorite local things to do in Asheville is walk the Perimeter Trail at Beaver Lake and birdwatch at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary.
Free things to do in downtown asheville nc.25 Free Things to Do in Asheville NC
Our favorite, though is the East Fork Overlook, Milepost You get free admission if you bring three clothing items. Nine months out of the year this neighborhood brewery offers live music or movies in the outdoor area. Ride your bike down if you can to truly make it a free event! There are 75 pinball machines and classic video games at the Pinball Museum.
Once you pay, you can play all day! They only allow as many people inside as there are machines and will start a wait list when they reach max capacity.
Their phone number is: They are entrepreneurs and creatives who love finding adventure, both big and small. The two have made a daily practice of sharing vulnerabilities, truth telling, and side splitting laughter.
The couple lives in Asheville, North Carolina and spend as much time as possible in the mountains. Join over , readers! Sign up to get access to our library of resources, travel photography tips, exclusive giveaways, and inspiration to be a Local Adventurer.
Don't worry, it's a few times a month and not spammy. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Skip to content Pin. Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Last Updated: March 12, Content Menu. Tour of the French Broad Chocolate Factory. Brewery Tour at Sierra Nevada. Visit the Foundation Walls Project. Listen to Live Music at Jack of the Wood.
Author Talks at Malaprop's. Listen to Buskers at Pack Square. Wedge Run. Wine Tastings at the Asheville Wine Market. Asheville Distilling Company Tours. Pritchard Park Drum Circle. Montford Park Player's Shakespeare Plays. Walk the Urban Trail. Window Shop at a Farmer's Market. Shopping here is a unique experience and great, great fun. Check her facebook page for dates and locations. Float the French Broad River. The North Carolina Arboretum. Hike Looking Glass Falls.
Picnic at a Blue Ridge Parkway Overlook. Coordinates: Movie Night or Music at the Wedge Brewery. Asheville Pinball Museum. More Free Events. Map of Free Things to Do in Asheville. Essential Tips. Bring layers!
In the summer, the days are often hot, but when the sun goes down most people are reaching for another light layer. Street parking is pretty congested year-round. Best Places to Stay. All accommodations listed have at least 4 stars on both Yelp and Tripadvisor.
Have you done any of these activities? What else should we add to the list? Did you enjoy this post? Similar to a self-guided scavenger hunt, this city-sponsored trail stops by 30 official stations.
Listen to the audio commentary at each stop — find it on the Urban Trail website — and enjoy learning about the city and its most interesting characters. The trail starts at Pack Square Park, but you can jump in anywhere. The Allanstand Craft Shop here is the oldest craft shop in the country, and it sells artisan-made pieces — jewelry, pottery, glassworks, apparel and more — by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild.
Stop by for craft demonstrations daily from March through December. Popular Wicked Weed Brewing offers free tours daily of its brewpub downtown, with samples and a commemorative glass thrown in for guests. Free tours at Highland Brewing , New Belgium and Sierra Nevada at Mills River are temporarily on pause due to Covid precautions, so confirm they have resumed before making a special trip.
An easy thirty-mile drive takes you from the bustling streets of downtown Asheville to the parking lot beside the summit of ft-high Mount Mitchell , the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Bring a jacket — the climate and ecosystems of the Black Mountains resemble those of Canada.
Numerous hiking trails crisscross the park. For an enthusiastic introduction to mountain music, make your way to Pack Square Park for Shindig on the Green.
This outdoor concert series celebrates the homegrown sounds of the Southern Appalachians with fiddles, dancing and a communal sense of fun. Mountain music — which includes old-time and bluegrass — originated in the hills and hollers of the nearby mountains, but young performers keep the sounds fresh with their own innovations — which you might just hear during an impromptu jam. Concerts are held most Saturday nights from late June through early September.
Asheville sits just west of a graceful bend in the Blue Ridge Parkway, a national scenic drive that ribbons along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Overlooks, trailheads and historic sites are scattered along the mile roadway, but you won't find stoplights or any commercial distractions.
Foliage along the parkway typically changes color from late September through October, depending on elevation. Check the fall color report for the latest updates. Puck, Hamlet, Falstaff and other Shakespearean favorites take the stage every summer at the outdoor Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre in the historic Montford neighborhood just north of downtown. Players pass the hat for donations at intermission.
You can also drive to the Western North Carolina Farmers Market , which is open daily and fills several sheds on a acre site six miles southwest of downtown. Got your bike? For a quick ride only 20 miles from downtown, drive to the Bent Creek Experimental Forest , which sprawls across nearly 6, acres of woodlands in Pisgah National Forest.
Research about forest management is the primary goal here, but local bikers know it's home to a network of almost 30 miles of trails. Difficulty levels vary. There are also hiking trails here. Download a trail map from the forest service website. Big views of mountains are the reward on the Craggy Gardens Pinnacle Trail, which is also on the Parkway.
Free things to do in downtown asheville nc. 25 Free Things to Do in Asheville NC
To begin with, the Season Pass Perks make up for its price. Although I financed my original ticket to the Biltmore House with a Christmas bonus from work, I immediately upgraded to a Season Pass because it made financial sense. The Estate is a destination itself, and that is free. Locals with Season Passes visit The Estate every weekend—or daily—to hike the trails and forests. The gallery owners offer quality articles that are collected by serious customers.
Afternoons spent browsing the galleries is what folks do in Asheville. These owners value clients who take their time before buying and will welcome you as you admire what they are offering.
This is a great way to enrich your trip to Asheville with your friends. Asheville's River Arts District may be the greatest success story in the past decade. The development has completely changed the old warehouse district into a diverse, must-visit area with incredible walkability. The restaurants, galleries, and parks provide an engaging experience for visitors and residents alike. So whether you want to pick up lunch or art or just stroll by the River while watching artisans at work, the River Arts District is the place to go.
The Biltmore Estate is by far the most famous part of Asheville, and it's well worth the time and money to visit.
But you'll want to spend the day there, and sometimes all you have is an hour. When you want to visit the Biltmore Village it's an extension of the Estate, built by George Washington Vanderbilt for the Estate staff.
The Asheville Urban Trail is the perfect feature for a city full of galleries. Around 30 sculptures carefully document Asheville's history, beginning in Pack Square with bronze statues of turkeys and pigs, celebrating the crossroads that the city is built on. Most sculptures delve into other well-known parts of the Land of the Sky, such as the bronze watch from O. Henry's Gift of the Magi and a bronzed pair of Thomas Wolfe's shoes.
But other sculptures look at Asheville architecture and lesser-known residents, such as Elizabeth Blackwell– the first female doctor in American history. The Urban Trail is a no-lose proposition for a rewarding and free afternoon in downtown Asheville. Asheville's Drum Circle is one of those free attractions that is uniquely Asheville. This local gathering is an eclectic outpouring of creativity.
As a result, it has gained national acclaim. When I took art history in college, our teacher spent the first few weeks focusing on Asheville itself. It was proof the greatest attraction of Asheville is the city itself, and guided tours are the best way to enjoy this.
These are crafted by people who have done careful research to learn the most interesting details about the city. Many of these tours like the ghost tours are available from folks who do this professionally. However, in this age of podcasts, there are numerous free tours you can enjoy.
Downtown After 5 — On select Friday nights in the summer, head down Lexington Avenue for free concerts by top regional bands. Big Crafty — You never know what treasures you'll find at this juried show of indie artists that happens twice a year. Art in the Park — Enjoy access to some of the finest artists in the Southeast at the festival on three consecutive Saturdays each June and October.
Local Attractions For free family fun, try one of these area attractions. Asheville Tourists — Play ball! Or, take a self-guided tour to enjoy the massive fireplaces, historic main inn, and many photos of famous guests. Check Out:. Adults: 1 2 3 4. Check Rates.
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By continuing to use our site you agree to our privacy policy. For Visitors About Asheville. Relocation Information. Privacy Policy. Travel Guide. Contact Us. For Media Press Room. Free tours at Highland Brewing , New Belgium and Sierra Nevada at Mills River are temporarily on pause due to Covid precautions, so confirm they have resumed before making a special trip.
An easy thirty-mile drive takes you from the bustling streets of downtown Asheville to the parking lot beside the summit of ft-high Mount Mitchell , the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Bring a jacket — the climate and ecosystems of the Black Mountains resemble those of Canada. Numerous hiking trails crisscross the park. For an enthusiastic introduction to mountain music, make your way to Pack Square Park for Shindig on the Green. This outdoor concert series celebrates the homegrown sounds of the Southern Appalachians with fiddles, dancing and a communal sense of fun.
Mountain music — which includes old-time and bluegrass — originated in the hills and hollers of the nearby mountains, but young performers keep the sounds fresh with their own innovations — which you might just hear during an impromptu jam. Concerts are held most Saturday nights from late June through early September.
Asheville sits just west of a graceful bend in the Blue Ridge Parkway, a national scenic drive that ribbons along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Overlooks, trailheads and historic sites are scattered along the mile roadway, but you won't find stoplights or any commercial distractions. Foliage along the parkway typically changes color from late September through October, depending on elevation. Check the fall color report for the latest updates. Puck, Hamlet, Falstaff and other Shakespearean favorites take the stage every summer at the outdoor Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre in the historic Montford neighborhood just north of downtown.
Players pass the hat for donations at intermission. You can also drive to the Western North Carolina Farmers Market , which is open daily and fills several sheds on a acre site six miles southwest of downtown. Got your bike? For a quick ride only 20 miles from downtown, drive to the Bent Creek Experimental Forest , which sprawls across nearly 6, acres of woodlands in Pisgah National Forest.
Research about forest management is the primary goal here, but local bikers know it's home to a network of almost 30 miles of trails. Difficulty levels vary.
