Looking for:
Things to do in asheville nc
Click here to ENTER
If neither of those things interests you, Asheville is perfectly situated for exploring the great outdoors. There are also a few hidden gems you might not find on other lists of Asheville attractions. One of the best things to do in Asheville is the North Carolina Arboretum. It is over acres of trails, gardens, and more nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Arboretum has 65 acres specifically set aside that are nothing but cultivated gardens. The garden has both native and exotic plant species.
Usually, from April to October there is something in bloom at the Arboretum. It is also known for having one of the most extensive bonsai collections in the United States. Hikers looking for a place with fairly easy hiking and biking trails will love the Arboretum. There are over 10 miles of manicured and well-kept trails for you to explore. One of the most popular Asheville attractions is the Biltmore Estate. Built over a span of six years and opened to the family in , the Biltmore Estate has been the shining jewel of Asheville, and maybe even the Blue Ridge Mountains, ever since.
On the estate, there are also miles of gardens, a greenhouse, woodlands with trails running throughout, a replica European-style village, restaurants, and a winery. The Biltmore can be kind of expensive to tour, but it is well worth it.
It is the only house of its kind in the United States and is full of beauty and history. You can easily spend the whole day exploring. Asheville is known for many things. One of those is its art scene.
That art scene is so vibrant and healthy that it is overflowing onto the streets of Asheville. Asheville boasts more than 15 murals of all shapes and sizes. There are also murals with a spiritual or political message. Some are collages of different images or quotes and others are made for photo ops. Walking around and trying to spot the various murals is one of the fun free things to do in Asheville.
Over , acres of it were once owned by the Biltmore Estate, but over time more and more have been sold back to the United States government. The National Forest is now over , acres of dense hardwood forest, waterfalls, rivers, and mountain peaks. Go hiking, biking, pack a picnic, or just drive through the park to see some stunning views. It is also known to have some of the best hiking trails in Southwestern North Carolina.
They range from easy to difficult and you can see breathtaking waterfalls or climb the highest peaks in the East. You can also enjoy Pisgah by taking a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. During the fall, Pisgah National Forest is one of the best places to experience fall foliage in North Carolina.
There are dozens of beautiful waterfalls near Asheville just waiting for you to explore. Many of the waterfalls require some sort of hike. You can also take a whole day and stop at several different waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you do that, we suggest packing a picnic lunch, it may not be easy to find a place to eat near some of them. When you plan your day trip, keep in mind that while most of the falls are free to hike to, some do have a fee to enter the parking area.
However, you should be able to see most of these waterfalls without paying an entrance fee. If you are visiting Asheville you absolutely need to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are a ton of great stops along the parkway near Asheville. You can also travel farther north up the parkway and make a day trip out of it.
You can find plenty of places to go near Asheville along your Blue Ridge Parkway drive including hiking trails , parks, and overlooks. What was once the industrial district of Asheville is now the River Arts District. The art studios include crafts like pottery, painting, and glassblowing. Because it is a vibrant part of the city, there are also plenty of unique places to eat and shop.
Some of the best restaurants in Asheville can be found in the River Arts District. It is one of the best things to do in downtown Asheville. This quaint mountain village at 3, feet elevation has great restaurants, breweries, shops, Wildcat Lake beach, and many events including the Woolly Worm Festival in October. Near Beech Mountain skiing and Grandfather Mountain hiking.
Dine outdoors in nature! Plan a picnic at some amazing locations where you can enjoy sweet views. Drive the Parkway north or south from Asheville and quickly climb the Blue Ridge Mountain ridge to see breathtaking vistas.
Our mile-by-mile guide of the Parkway covers the mile section near Asheville. Along the way, plan to stop to visit the Folk Art Center or discover one of the other fun things to do along one of the most scenic drives in the United States.
Explore the most visited national park in the country! Four entrances to the Park are within 60 miles of downtown Asheville. Find children's museums and other hands-on learning centers in Asheville and Western NC including STEM-focused, interactive play, science museums, aquariums, and more. Of hundreds of waterfalls near Asheville, we picked the most spectacular falls that are easy to find.
Some can be enjoyed with a short walk or even roadside. Others require a scenic hike. See full descriptions for each, with plenty of photos!
From casual to sophisticated, there are many restaurants for all tastes, with flavors from around the world. Plus, find many more award-winning chefs throughout the mountains. See our top picks for dining in Asheville. Find the best places to tube down a river on a hot summer day, including the French Broad River through Asheville, Deep Creek in the Smoky Mountains and Green River Gorge – with rentals and shuttle services.
Experience the beauty of Biltmore House and its century-old gardens where the Vanderbilt family once strolled. Come see why George Vanderbilt chose Asheville as the site for his famous estate. Explore Biltmore's 8,acre Blue Ridge Mountain backyard, taste award-winning wines, dine and shop. See our extensive guide with many photos and tips. Swim, boat, camp and fish in the pristine waters, near Robbinsville.
Shop ’til you drop with a huge variety of stores, galleries and outlets in the Asheville area. Find plenty of local, unique shops with items you won't find anywhere else. See the best areas to hit. Visit a gallery to be amazed at a big variety of local art and craft, including glass, paintings, pottery and every other medium you can imagine. Asheville and the North Carolina mountains are home to hundreds of world-class artists. Here are our favorite galleries to see their creations.
Travel back in time with historic cabins, crafters, old logging equipment, guided tours, movies, food and shopping. Home of the first forestry school opened in in America. In Pisgah National Forest. Open mid-April through October. Explore our mountains with hikes, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and many thousands of acres of national forest and park land.
Find much to do! Ride the train on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad before you explore their downtown shops and galleries, or paddleboard down the river. Nearby Deep Creek in the Smokies features camping, hiking, trout fishing, and the ever-popular tubing. Raft the Nantahala River. And that's just the beginning! Enjoy many choices for great theatre, plays, music, dance and more in Asheville and nearby areas.
Take a guided tour for sightseeing, art, wildlife, history, food, beer, waterfalls, wellness and more in Asheville and western North Carolina. See our list of favorites. We are lucky enough to have six rivers near Asheville that are good for rafting and kayaking. Find professional companies that provide rafting guides, so no experience is necessary. You can even learn how to kayak in the rapids or paddleboard on a lake.
Gem mining has been a favorite activity for visitors to the mountains of North Carolina for many years. Most gem mines in the Asheville and Franklin areas are open from spring through autumn.
Also tour several gem and mineral museums. There are lots of options if you want to plan a few fun day trips while you are in Western North Carolina. Explore our favorite cool small towns in the NC mountains near Asheville, each with its own personality, local shops and restaurants, friendly residents, and relaxed atmosphere. Check out our very diverse and passionate food and drink scene.
Be a little adventurous and try something new. Or, enjoy time-honored classics. From crafted cocktails to local brews, there's plenty to drink.
Forage for food, visit a farm or tour a vineyard. Shop 75 national and local outlets in this beautiful, new outdoor shopping village. It's located on I, just six miles from Biltmore and seven miles from downtown Asheville. The French Broad River winds its way right through the heart of Asheville.
The river is lined with lush, verdant parks that are perfect for picnics and recreation. Rafting the French Broad River is one of the most fun things to do in Asheville with kids, or a group of friends. The Nantahala Outdoor Center has been offering guided white water rafting trips here longer than anyone else. They have half-day tours that are aimed at beginners ages 8 and up.
There are also full-day, 8-mile, intermediate tours that tackle more challenging Class IV rapids. This is a great river for kayaking in the off-season, when the water is high and tourist traffic on the French Broad River is relatively low. Now the area is the creative home to more than artists working in a broad variety of mediums. Visitors looking for a weekend getaway immersed in culture will find excellent shopping opportunities in countless galleries occupying 22 former industrial buildings along a one-mile stretch of the tranquil French Broad River.
Located just southeast of Asheville, the area surrounding the Green River Gorge boasts some of the most biodiverse forest in the eastern United States. But for a change of pace, try canyoneering, one of the most adrenaline-pumping things to do in Asheville. Green River Adventures offers two options for rappelling.
At 70 feet tall, the Little Bradley Waterfall is perfect for youngsters aged 12 and up and first-timers. Big Bradley Falls, at feet, is more challenging, and recommended for thrill-seekers ages 15 and up. Both tours include expert instruction and plenty of practice time. It may be a mountain town, but Asheville can still get extremely hot during the dog days of summer.
But the very first Asheville brewery, Highland Brewing Company, was founded back in and remains one of the best breweries in Asheville. Guided walking tours of the facilities— one of the best free things to do in Asheville— are available every day of the week. The original Asheville beer tour is offered 3 times a day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Each lasts around 45 minutes, and include a beer tasting to celebrate the occasion. They also offer private tours. Email [email protected] for more information.
Elk once roamed these North Carolina hills by the thousands, but they were all killed off by hunters in the s. Thanks to a reintroduction program, there are now over Cataloochee Elk in the park. The Cataloochee Valley which is surrounded by picturesque foot peaks is easily the best place to see them. These massive megafauna can often be found grazing along the road into the park.
But park volunteers can typically tell you where the herd was spotted last. Putting an eco-friendly spin on typical zipline tours , Navitat Canopy Adventures speaks for the trees and encourages their guests to respect the beauty of nature. Treetop Tour participants must weigh between 90 and pounds.
The Mountaintop Tour is bigger, higher and faster. A great way to spend the day. Touring a spectacular work of architecture, seeing works of true artists. Great food and delicious wines to taste and purchase. Read more. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Judy W Memphis, TN 4 contributions.
Review of: The North Carolina Arboretum. Beautiful gardens! The bonsai garden was very impressive. The patchwork garden with the fountain and mountains in the background made the most memoriable picture to treasure forever. Clint S Ellijay, GA contributions. Review of: New Belgium Brewing Company. Different Experience. Wife and I wanted to try something different and outside of our comfort zone. She is a beer drinker and I'm more of a liquor drinker. She had the Mountain Time beer.
She is a light beer drinker. She usually stays with her favorite but really enjoyed this one. I don't mind a hard cider but had my first non-cider beer. I did enjoy it. We went outside and drank by the railing overlooking the river and bike trail. It's a really nice place and good atmosphere. TBattey Augusta 2 contributions. Review of: Asheville Pinball Museum. Cool Retro Joint! Cool place in Asheville! A lot of classic, memorable, fun games. And they sell beer!
Classic arcade games in the back. Subteach10 Asheville, NC contributions. Review of: Craggy Gardens. Great views. You can take the short hike to the top took me about minutes and I am not a physically fit person or you can take the longer hike.
The views are amazing and if you go early enough you can be the only person up there. Review of: Basilica of Saint Lawrence. Wonderful Church to celebrate the Holy Mass. Wonderful Church to celebrate the Holy Mass September, Visit My wonderful wife had a great plan for our 23rd wedding anniversary – a weekend at the Biltmore Estate, and we had a wonderful time… … thanks to celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St.
Thanks to the MassTimes. Review of: Lexington Glassworks. Beautiful Works of Art! We love Lexington Glassworks!
.27 Best Things to Do in Asheville, NC (+ Nearby Attractions!)
All are easily accessible by car. Pack a blanket and bring a book! Watch horse jumping competitions with the best riders in the country at this amazing new world-class equestrian resort south of Asheville. He gave the world its first synthesizer, an innovation that is still hand-crafted in downtown Asheville to this day. In 2 hour lessons, guests will make 4 pieces, including a turn on the wheel. There are also several original buildings in the Village like the Cathedral of All Souls that add to the charming atmosphere. West Asheville is pretty hipster with breweries, trendy restaurants , and a gorgeous Dolly Parton and RuPaul mural.
