Asheville Attractions & Activities

Are you looking for the best Asheville attractions and activities? Discover top things to do In Asheville, NC from locals, including hiking, Biltmore, and seasonal activities. We’ll talk about shops, bookstores, waterfalls, and gardens, too. Experience Asheville like a local.

Asheville Attractions And Activities Hooker Falls at DuPont Forest — Are you headed to Asheville, North Carolina, and looking for things to do? Find our top posts for Asheville attractions and activities to get you started.

Did you just land in Asheville? Or, have you been here all along and are looking for new places to explore? Visiting and living in Asheville, North Carolina never gets old, and we are always busy having fun.

As Asheville locals, we’ll share everything that we know about Asheville and Western North Carolina to help you plan your day, vacations, or even your move here. We want you to have a magical experience just like we did.

Below, find all of the Asheville attractions and activities that we love, including things to do like hiking, waterfalls, shops, Biltmore, and seasonal hikes. We’ll give you insider tips including when to go and what to expect. Just click on the picture, and we’ll take you there!

Ultimate List Of Asheville Attractions & Activities

Best Things To Do In Asheville NC sunset over downtown Asheville, North Carolina from the Omni Grove Park Inn — Are you looking for the best things to do in Asheville, NC from locals? Explore 50 of our favorite Asheville attractions and activities. We’ll share history, best breweries, restaurants that are our second home, hikes we frequent, and so much more. We’ll even talk about vintage arcade games and soda pop. Plus, find classics like Biltmore, Battery Park Book Exchange, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial. I promise that you’ll never grow restless in Asheville with this ultimate list of the things to do. Experience Asheville like a local.

Get Outdoors: Hiking, Waterfalls & Gardens

We are hiking obsessed here in Asheville, and there is never a shortage of trails. Below, find our ultimate list of Asheville hiking trails, including those in the surrounding areas, and some of our favorite waterfalls. We’ll also break down hikes by trail with more tips for having a successful outing.

Hiking Trails To Explore

Asheville Hiking Trails Best Hikes Near Asheville with picture of Blue Ridge Mountains at Craggy Gardens at sunset — Almost every week in Asheville, we hit the gorgeous trails. So, what hiking trails near Asheville, North Carolina are famous for their 365-degree views, cascading waterfalls, pastel sunsets, breathtaking fall foliage, chill swimming holes, and vibrant blooms? We’ll share over 30 Asheville hiking trails by level of difficulty that everyone will love.

Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower Trail with aerial photograph of Fryingpan Lookout Tower surrounded by foggy mountains — Overcome your fear of heights with this 70-foot tower at Fryingpan Mountain. An easy 1.5-mile hike off of the Blue Ridge Parkway along a gravel road, you’ll spy Mount Pisgah, the BRP, Cold Mountain, and Looking Glass Rock from Fryingpan Lookout Tower.

Mount Pisgah Trail and Hike North Carolina 360-degree view from the summit — Another BRP hike with panoramic views, Mount Pisgah is a popular tourist destination in the fall. In the spring and summer, catch vibrant blooms and sporadic rain showers. You’ll love the Mount Pisgah summit observation deck.

Trombatore Trail Near Asheville NC with forest stairs with logs and leaves — If you are looking for a more strenuous hike where you can picnic, try Trombatore Trail to Blue Ridge Pastures. A 5-mile out and back, stunning mountain views and a giant pasture perfect for relaxing await you.

Bearwallow Mountain Trail North Carolina with black cow and view of mountains — Across the street from Trombatore, you can also take the easier hike to Bearwallow Mountain. Bearwallow offers two trails — under 2-miles round trip — and ends at the pastures of a working farm with grazing cows.

Waterfalls Hikes Near Asheville

Waterfalls Near Asheville NC Hiking blog post cover with picture of Triple Falls at DuPont State Recreational Forest — *If you love hiking and waterfalls, don’t miss the best waterfalls near Asheville, NC perfect for picnics, hiking, or a quick and refreshing dip.*

DuPont State Forest Waterfalls and hikes picture of Hooker falls blog post cover — DuPont State Forest has some of our favorite waterfall hikes near Asheville. Home to The Hunger Games waterfalls, you can see over 4 waterfalls in a 7+-mile hike. Read more about Hooker Falls, Triple Falls, High Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls.

Skinny Dip Falls Hike NC with steps, foot bridge and waterfall — It’s no secret that we live at least 4-hours away from the shoreline in Asheville. So, where can you swim in Western North Carolina? Head to Skinny Dip Falls along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Kiss the Dragon Tree on its snout and spend an afternoon wading in the shallow waterfall pools.

Douglas Falls Near Asheville NC blog post cover with waterfall — If you are looking for a waterfall hike that is both easy and stunning, head over to Douglas Falls. You’ll enjoy this 70-foot waterfall that you can walk under.

Asheville Parks, Gardens & Nature Walks

If you want to get outside but are not an avid hiker, we have a list of places just for you. Don’t miss Asheville’s beautiful parks and gardens. Below, find free public parks along with Asheville attractions like The NC Arboretum. Find spots to birdwatch or picnic, too.

Parks In Asheville NC with green grass, trees, and brown wooden bench at Botanical Gardens At Asheville — Don’t miss some of the best gardens and parks in Asheville, NC. We’ll share local public parks like French Broad River Park, Pack Square, and Carrier Park along with Asheville gardens including The NC Arboretum, Biltmore Gardens, and Botanical Gardens at Asheville. Uncover quick mentions of the most popular State and National parks near Asheville, too.

NC Arboretum Asheville North Carolina blog post cover with pink flowers — *As passholders, The NC Arboretum sings to our nature-loving souls. Discover trails and hidden benches among stunning flowers and butterflies.*

Botanical Gardens At Asheville blog post cover with pink, white, and yellow flowers — *If you are looking for 10-acres of streams, wildlife, and gorgeous blooms, don’t miss the Botanical Gardens At Asheville, only minutes from downtown.*

Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary Trail Asheville NC blue lake with mountains and fall foliage — Did you enjoy too much local Asheville, NC food and beer? Need to walk it off? Head to the Beaver Lake Trail and Bird Sanctuary for a gorgeous 2-mile loop around the lake or a .5-mile boardwalk nature hike through the sanctuary. Beaver Lake is perfect for picnics, too.

Visiting Biltmore Estate

Did you even visit Asheville if you skipped Biltmore? As annual passholders, we’ll share why the Biltmore ticket price is worth it and make sure you get your money’s worth. We spend so much time at Biltmore, I’m surprised we don’t have a room…yet…

Best Things To Do At Biltmore Estate Asheville with picture of Biltmore House — Are you wondering if the Biltmore ticket price is worth it? This article will alleviate your Biltmore wallet woes while telling you all of the fun things that you can do at Biltmore to get your money’s worth. Did I mention we are passholders?

Visiting The Biltmore With Kids — Does the Biltmore sound too stuffy for families and kids? We asked one of our favorite mom bloggers if she recommends bringing kids to Biltmore. Her answer: YES! Discover kid-friendly activities at Biltmore here.

Asheville Shopping

Shop until you drop with our Asheville shopping recommendations. Asheville’s shopping districts are filled with open-air markets and indie boutiques.

Asheville bookstores blog post cover with white brunette woman reading Look Homeward Angel by Thomas Wolfe — *Did you know that Asheville has a champagne book bar, a queer & feminist co-op bookstore, and a bookshop in a location where they used to auction cows?!* Don’t miss these 5 Asheville bookstores.

Fall Asheville Attractions

If you haven’t experienced an Asheville fall, you are missing out. The vibrant fall foliage will perk up your hipster soul. We’ll share the best fall foliage hikes near Asheville, tell you what should be on your bucket list, and showcase apple orchards you don’t want to miss. Plus, who has our favorite corn maze? Where can you eat the best cider donut?

Asheville Attractions & Activities

Ultimate List Of Asheville Attractions & Activities