Discover the Best Things to Do in Asheville, NC
Welcome to your ultimate guide for what to do in Asheville, North Carolina! Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is a vibrant city known for its stunning natural beauty, eclectic arts scene, and rich history. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, foodie, art lover, or history buff, Asheville has something for everyone. Explore the best things to do in Asheville, NC, and discover why this charming city is a must-visit destination.
Explore Asheville’s Natural Wonders
One of the top things to do in Asheville, NC, is to explore its breathtaking natural landscapes. From the majestic Blue Ridge Parkway to the serene waterfalls and hiking trails, outdoor adventures abound.
Blue Ridge Parkway: Enjoy scenic drives with panoramic views, ideal for leaf-peeping in the fall.
Pisgah National Forest: Hike through lush forests, discover cascading waterfalls, and experience the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains.
Biltmore Estate: Stroll through the gardens and grounds of America’s largest home, offering stunning views and historical insights.
Immerse Yourself in Asheville’s Arts and Culture
Asheville boasts a thriving arts scene, with numerous galleries, museums, and live music venues. The city’s creative spirit is evident in every corner.
River Arts District: Wander through artist studios and galleries showcasing local talent.
Downtown Asheville: Experience live music, street performances, and unique shops in the heart of the city.
Asheville Art Museum: Explore contemporary art exhibitions and cultural programs.
Savor Asheville’s Culinary Delights
Known as a foodie haven, Asheville offers a diverse culinary scene that caters to all tastes. From farm-to-table restaurants to craft breweries, the city’s food and drink options are endless.
Farm-to-Table Dining: Enjoy fresh, locally-sourced meals at Asheville’s renowned restaurants.
Craft Breweries: Visit one of the many breweries in Asheville, NC, and sample some of the best craft beer in the country.
Asheville Food Tours: Take a guided tour to taste the best of Asheville’s culinary offerings.
Discover Asheville’s History and Heritage
Step back in time and explore Asheville’s rich history and heritage. From historic landmarks to guided tours, there’s plenty to learn and experience.
Biltmore Village: Visit this historic area with quaint shops and restaurants, originally built for the Biltmore Estate workers.
Thomas Wolfe Memorial: Explore the childhood home of the famous author and learn about his life and works.
Asheville History Tours: Take a walking tour to uncover the city’s storied past.
Enjoy Family-Friendly Activities
Asheville is a great destination for families, offering a variety of activities that kids and adults will love.
Western North Carolina Nature Center: Discover native animals and interactive exhibits.
Adventure Center of Asheville: Experience zip-lining, ropes courses, and outdoor adventures.
Kid-Friendly Museums: Visit hands-on museums like the Asheville Museum of Science.
Plan Your Visit to Asheville, NC
Ready to explore all the amazing things to do in Asheville, NC? Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an extended stay, Asheville offers endless opportunities for adventure, relaxation, and discovery. Use this guide to plan your trip and make the most of your visit to this enchanting mountain city.
Craggy Gardens
If you’re looking for a cool hike around Asheville, Craggy Gardens is a safe bet. Visit a high elevation, dense laurel path to a peak overlooking all of Western North Carolina. The best sunrise hike around Asheville, but plan to get up there really early.
Grove Park Inn
Wander through a massive historic resort with beautiful views of Asheville, a Spa, and more. The massive fireplaces inside the main hall at Grove Park are the ideal hangout spot during the winter.
St. Lawrence’s
Basilica
Visit the largest cathedral in Asheville!
Cúrate
Discover authentic Spanish fine dining at Cúrate, one of Asheville’s most popular restaurants.
North Carolina Arboretum
Nestled in the Southern Appalachian Mountains just south of Asheville, The North Carolina Arboretum offers acres of cultivated gardens and miles of trails featuring some of the most beautiful, botanically-diverse plants in the region.
The Biltmore House
French Renaissance castle in the heart of Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains is an architectural jewel. Visit for the architecture, the gardens, the winery, or the extensive private trails.
Farewell Coffee
High-end freshly roasted coffee to satisfy even the most refined palate. Farewell is where you want to go if you’re looking for a posh cafe feel with more specialty beans.
Southern Highland Craft Guild - Folk Art Center
The Folk Art Center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary craft of the Southern Appalachians. It houses the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s century-old Allanstand Craft Shop, exhibitions in three galleries, a library, auditorium, and a cooperating association book store and Parkway information desk. Guild artisans demonstrate a variety of arts and crafts in the Folk Art Center lobby.
East Fork Pottery
East Fork makes and sells contemporary ceramic dinnerware made by hand with regional materials and a lot of integrity in Asheville, North Carolina. Some of the most robust and well made ceramics you’ll find!
French Broad Chocolate
French Broad Chocolate's bean-to-bar factory and tasting room.
Handcrafting the finest chocolate from the bean, for use in making artisanal chocolate bars, as well as the chocolate for the truffles, caramels, brownies and pastries served at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge. They source, import, sort, crack, winnow, roast, grind, and mold their own chocolate here in Asheville, North Carolina. Featuring a unique parabolic solar cacao bean roaster!
Dobra Tea - West Asheville
Dobra west is a great teahouse with excellent food. The entire place is gluten free and I can’t recommend it enough for a healthy lunch or a proper cup of Chinese or Japanese tea.
Summit Coffee
Summit is a North Carolina coffee roaster with a beautiful and spacious coffeehouse in the river arts district. I recommend this cafe if you’re looking for a cozy place to camp out and get some work done.
Botiwalla by Chai Pani
Botiwalla by Chai Pani is chef Meherwan Irani's homage to his life-long love of kababs, Irani Cafes, and the late night street food scene of India.With Chai Pani, Meherwan captured an aspect of street food in India often referred to as chaat - savory, multi-textured snacks like bhel puri, sev potato dahi puri, and vada pav. But the street food scene is vast in India and with Botiwalla, Meherwan is diving into another of his big loves - grilled meats, flat breads, fresh herbs, and wraps. This is the scene that springs up at night in India, when the grills come out, the fires get lit, and late night revelers and commuters get fed.
Taco Temple
Really good tacos with freshly made tortillas; taco temple is my favorite taco place in town.
Jettie Rae’s Oyster House
Jettie Rae's Oyster House is a place to celebrate life, to toast with family and friends and to enjoy the finest oysters and freshest seafood available. Their menu is a celebration of coastal cultures inspired by the Gullah Geechee, French, Native American and Spanish culinary traditions. They honor sustainability, we’re conscious of our source, and we support the families and individuals who make their living from our coastal waters.
High Climate Tea Company
Great tea with excellent freshly made mochi! Buy teaware and dried tea to take home or sit in the beautiful lounge space for tea service!
White Labs Pizza
White Labs Brewing Co - Asheville Kitchen & Tap is a brewpub at the intersection of science and craft. Alongside our beers, we showcase foods with a fermentation twist including wood fired pizzas made with White Labs pure liquid yeast, fermented sauces, farm-fresh salads and other beer-infused dishes and desserts. Stop in to experience how yeast impacts the complexity and overall profile of fermented food and beverages.
Visit Explore Asheville for more information!
All Souls Pizza
Wood fired freshly made pizza with good quality ingredients, locally milled flour and seasonal ingredients. One of my favorite pizza places in Asheville.
Asheville Contra Dance
The most fun, engaging, and energizing dance in Asheville, I highly recommend checking out the Thursday night contra dance at Warren Wilson college in Bryson Hall. Visit Old Farmer’s Ball website for updates about the dance.
Tall John’s
Tall John's is a neighborhood tavern located centrally in Asheville's historic Montford district. Serving classics done right, we're a place for all occasions, from first dates to family gatherings. Come join us for dinner & drinks any night of the week, or for brunch on Sundays. Bring your friends—or meet some new ones while you're here! Voted Asheville's 2023 Best New Restaurant by Xpress readers.
Himalayas Imports
This store is an excellent place to find a unique gift or to stock up on Tibetan incense, traditional clothing, handmade rugs, traditional jewelry, or singing bowls, bells, and gongs. One of the most unique stores in Asheville.
Asheville Symphony Orchestra
Asheville Symphony Orchestra has regular concerts at the First Baptist Church in Asheville as well as a full pops schedule with performances in the park and regular chamber music.
River Arts District
For shopping or enjoying the beauty of various artists, the river arts district is a great place to walk around.