Best Things To Do in Asheville, North Carolina

Are you looking for what to do in Asheville?

PLACES TO SEE

  • Biltmore Estate: Built in the late 19th-century by George Washington Vanderbilt II, the chateau-inspired home is an opulent example of the wealth acquired during America's Gilded Age. The magnificent 250-room mansion ranks as the largest private residence in the country and offers self-guided tours that can easily last for hours.
  • The North Carolina Arboretum: This public garden, located near the Blue Ridge Parkway covers more than 60 acres of the arboretum. Spend some time at these expertly cultivated gardens that showcase a variety of flora, including one of the most extensive bonsai collections in the US.
  • River Arts District: A district that houses unique collection of working artist studios, art galleries, shops, restaurants and venues.Downtown Asheville: Spend a day exploring downtown, with hundreds of locally-owned shops and galleries, museums, restaurants, breweries and pubs.
  • Folk Arts Centre: Visit this museum to have a look at Appalachian crafts as it houses as much 3,500 pieces original hand-made crafts.
  • Thomas Wolfe House: Visit the famous House that is immortalised in Thomas Wolfe’s autobiographical Novel ‘Look Homeward, Angel’.
  • Basilica of St. Lawrence: Wonder at one of the most important religious communes of Asheville the Basilica that was built in 1909.
  • Smith-Mc Dowell House: The Smith-Mc Dowell House is city’s oldest surviving house and is also the first.
  • Lexington Glassworks: Make a visit to this gallery that displays the works of the artists six days a week. The studio features many exquisite and decorative pieces of Glasswares handcrafted by the artists as well as the owners themselves.
  • Grovewood Gallery: In a city known for its specialty in crafts the Grovewood Gallery is located with a beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The gallery houses some of the best antique as well as contemporary handicrafts from all over the United States.

THINGS TO DO

  • Take the Scenic Blue ridge Parkway Drive: Considered to be "America's most scenic drive," the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway meanders through changing vistas of natural beauty, touching on stellar mountain views, hiking trails, and picnic campground sites. 
  • Navitat Canopy adventures: Take 30 minutes drive from Ashville and you will be able to find this trail that consists of two sky bridges and 10 ziplines, including one that sends you 200 feet above the forest floor. Trail designers recently launched the new Blue Ridge Experience that takes you into three sets of racing-style ziplines that have been creatively engineered to tap into our innate sense of adventure and competitiveness.
  • Asheville Treetop Adventure Park: Located just a few minutes from downtown Asheville, this convenient attraction offers a multitude of daring diversions, including ziplining, mountain biking and treetop adventure trails.
  • LaZoom Comedy Tours: Getting on to this tour offers you a great opportunity to learn about the area's culture, history and architecture in a way that's far from boring. This open-air purple bus departs on four different tours each day and employs an arsenal of actors to unfurl its wacky comedy skits along each route. 
  • Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: Ride a scenic train on excurisons through the mountains along the Nantahala and Tuckasegee Rivers, across valleys and through tunnels.

Below we have a list of things to do in Asheville and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Asheville getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Asheville with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Asheville

Here is the list of things to do in Asheville and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Biltmore Estate

    Park, Estate, Historical Site, Leisure

    Known as America’s largest home The Biltmore Estate spawns a gargantuan area of 178,926 sq ft. Commissioned by George Vanderbilt and built by his architect Richard hunt the estate stands as America’s one of the most prominent examples of the architecture of the Gilded Age. The chateau was built sometime between 1889 and 1895 and is still inhabited by the descendants of Vanderbilt. A...Read more
  2. Thomas Wolfe House

    4.4 (861 Votes)
    Thomas Wolfe House

    Memorial

    Those who are into history and literature will definitely know who Thomas Wolfe is. One of the greatest artists in the writing world, Wolfe has immortalized his place in the people’s heart. Hence it is hardly a surprise to see Ashville, which was home, being frequented by thousands of literature lovers every year. Once a house, now a memorial, the place beholds the various nuances of Wolf...Read more
  3. Blue Ridge Parkway

    Park, View Point, Broadway, Road

    America’s longest linear Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and runs about 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina. It runs along the ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountain from the Appalachian Mountain Range. There are many highlights along the way where you can have a small pit stop and enjoy the view such as the Mabry Mill, Craggy Gardens, East Fork Overlook and many m...Read more
  4. Smith - Mc Dowell House Museum

    Museum, Architecture

    The Smith - Mc Dowell House is city’s oldest surviving house and is also the first. It was bought by Sarah Smith McDowell after the death of her parents and you can notice the distinctive difference in architectural styles. James Smith McDowell was the Mayor during the civil War and a friend of Vanderbilts, for whom the mansion was built. The house has a very Federal character to it with ...Read more
  5. Pisgah National Forest

    4.8 (374 Votes)
    Pisgah National Forest

    Forest, Hiking Trail, Entertainment, Peak

    The Pisgah National Forest Park which was formed in 1916 is home to some of the most amazing waterfalls, forest covers and mile high peaks. The Blue Ridge Mountain and the Great balsam mountains are a part of it and so are Bent Creek, Mills River, and Davidson River. There are many number of attractions in the forest such as Looking Glass Rock, John Rock, Black Balsam Knob, Sam Knob, Graveyard ...Read more
  6. Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

    Historical Site

    The home of a Pulitzer Prize winning poet Carl Sandburg, is considered as one of the most important National historic site in America. The house was built sometime in 1839 by an architect hired by Christopher Memminger. Late after his death his son inherited the home. It was in 1945 the Sandburg’s purchased the house for $45,000 and they lived till 1969. Today the house still maintains th...Read more
  7. Western North Carolina Nature Center

    Park, Zoo, Aquarium, Entertainment

    A 42 acre zoological park located in Gashes Creek Road The Western North Carolina Nature Center is home to over 60 species of animals and birds. Here you’ll find especially the animals native to the South of Appalachian Mountains. Founded in 1924 and accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums the Nature center offer an array of Family as well as School Programs. Some of the place...Read more
  8. Asheville Hot Air Balloons

    4.5 (566 Votes)
    Asheville Hot Air Balloons

    Outdoors, Entertainment, Hot Air Balloon

    If you are searching for a recreational activity amidst the clouds then Asheville Hot Air Balloons is the perfect place for you. For about an hour when you are up in the air and down below its all green, the view from there, is once on a lifetime experience. You’ll be flying in one of the best hot air balloons namely the Cameron hot air balloons which are FAA certified and are guaranteed ...Read more
  9. Asheville Zip-line Canopy Adventures

    Outdoors, Entertainment, Adventure

    One of the most exciting places in Ashville for a truly adventurous experience the Asheville Zip-line Canopy is the perfect place to go to. It has about 60 unique climbing, zipping, walking, jumping, swinging, and rappelling challenges anchored to over 30 trees. The adventure includes 11 zip-line sections, nine treetop platforms, three adventure tower platforms, three sky bridges and zip-lines ...Read more
  10. Craggy Gardens

    Trail, Garden, View Point, Hiking Trail

    The Craggy Gardens are a part of the Blue Ridge Parkway and also the most beautiful viewpoint in the Parkway. There are trails to the picnic point where you can have a fun and enriching experience of hiking. The trails are filled with exquisite flora and especially in summer a purple tunnel of rhododendron forms around the trails which adds a very magical feel to the whole place. The Gardens ar...Read more
  11. Haunted Asheville Ghost Tours
    As the name suggest, if you’re interested to have a chill run up your spine take part in the interesting but scary Ghost tours. Asheville has a history of centuries making it ripe with legends of ghosts and haunted places. There are many tours such as  The Classic Walking tour that takes you through the Grove Park Inn, Helen’s bridge, Battery Park Hotel, St. Lawrence. The Bilt...Read more
  12. Chatlos Memorial Chapel

    4.9 (280 Votes)
    Chatlos Memorial Chapel

    Church, Religious Site, Landmark

    Nested within the Blue Ridge Mountains the Chatlos Memorial Chapel looks like a chapel pulled from a fairy tale. There’s also the Billy graham training centre at The Cove which offers Christian training year round. The steeple soars about 87 feet tall and the inside of the chapel the chandeliers handcrafted from wrought iron. The green surrounding create a fresh and serene atmosphere for ...Read more
  13. Black Mountain College Museum And Arts Center

    Art Museum, Museum

    A museum quite in its nature and content the Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center has long and interesting history. Founded in 1933 the college was home to many artists and intellectuals that had been persecuted in Europe. Quite a legend even till now the Black Mountain College has attracted many famous people like Willem and Elaine de Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, Josef and Anni Alber...Read more
  14. Mc Cormick Field

    4.7 (266 Votes)
    Mc Cormick Field

    Stadium, Games

    The home ground of Ashville Tourists, McCormick Field is a baseball stadium. The place is built with a beautiful backdrop of side hills and trees making it quite a charming place to catch a game. The stadium itself dates back to 1924 but the stands were built sometime before 1992 and holds a capacity to entertain about 4,000 baseball fans. A nice place to catch a game in season with family and ...Read more
  15. Biltmore Village

    Village, Dine In, Shopping Center, Town

    The village was conceived as a company town for Biltmore estate by George Vanderbilt and was formerly known as the town of ‘Best’. The town contains several shops and houses which offer an array of diverse selection of merchandise from handicrafts to custom designed jewelry. You’ll find a great deal of outlets for shopping, dining and recreation as the town, although small, is...Read more

Asheville
Ask question in category
  • we are looking for trains rides in ashville nc area weare coming around april 10 for a week

    Answer Report Abuse
  • Visiting for the first time in January. What would you recommend we see

    Answer Report Abuse
  • needing help! im visiting for the first time w/my grand daughter the day before Thanksgiving. Looking for fun activities for her (age 6). such as indoor zoo, aquarium. dinner/theatre (horse show)

    Answer Report Abuse
  • I need good date ideas for the Asheville area. I'm not from around here so I don't know what to do. I need something that's romantic but wont be out in the freezing cold.

    Answer Report Abuse
    • There is a hill directly across the Biltmore Estate where you can lay a blanket and spend some quality time. If you are looking for a more secluded spot then somewhere along the Deer Park Trail will also be a good option. The Biltmore Estate, in itself, is a great place to enjoy a great time. You may visit the Craggy Gardens, catch a show at the Diana Wortham Theatre, or have a good wine tasting experience at the Biltmore Winery at Antler Hill Village.  

      Report Abuse
  • Visitng around the 1st week in Nov..will there be any Christmas events going on at that time?.

    Answer Report Abuse
    • 45th annual Christmas at Biltmore, Polar Express Train, Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum special exhibits are some Christmas events scheduled for November start in Asheville. 

       

      Report Abuse
  • is there a keto restaurant in wnc?

    Answer Report Abuse
    • There might be some low carb restaurants in the area but I am not sure. Consider talking to the locals for information about this. 

      Report Abuse
  • Conference Grove Park Inn Oct 21-24, 1/2 days. Wondering if plenty to do on 1/2 days, or do we need full days? Love foliage. Is there just one road so we would be traveling the same road every afternoon to get anywhere? Advice appreciated.

    Answer Report Abuse
    • I suppose you are attending the 32nd National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville and have a half day to move wander through the city. As you see here, there are plenty of things to do in Asheville. You may choose to visit the ones you like the most and those that can be fit into a half day trip plan of Asheville.   

      Report Abuse