Experiencing Asheville in the fall is a scene out of the Gilmore Girls, and I am here for it! Tom and I love living in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, especially when the trails and waterfalls light up with cinnamon and pumpkin-spiced colors. Unable to hold back our excitement, we even start apple picking in AUGUST. You can never have too many apple crisps.
Whether you want to chase ghosts on a tipsy purple bus, get lost in a corn maze, or attend a hipster fall festival, these are our favorite fall things to do in Asheville in October (and late September). So, let’s start filling up your fall bucket list traditions, too. I’ll tell you how to plan and what to know for *chill* success during the city’s busiest time. All photos are our own.
Our Top Asheville Fall Planning Guides
🥾 Fall Hikes Near Asheville We Cannot Skip
🍎 Our Must-Visit U-Pick Apple Orchards
🍂 When & Where To See The Fall Colors By Elevation
🌄 Nearby Mountain Towns & Cities Worth The Visit
⛰️ More Blue Ridge Parkway Hikes Close To Asheville
🍴 Where To Eat: Visitor Musts & Casual Local Spots
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Best Fall Things To Do In Asheville
There is so much to do in Asheville that it can be hard to choose. Tom and I have lived here since 2019, and we still haven’t seen and done it all. We never get bored. Below, find just a few of our favorite fall activities. If you get caught on a rainy day, read our guide to Asheville’s best indoor attractions. 💙 Christine
Pick Pumpkins At Grace Episcopal Church
Tom and I know that fall has arrived when Grace Episcopal Church sets out its fundraising pumpkin patch on North Asheville’s Merrimon Ave. Talk about the Thomas Kinkade of pop-up stands at a gorgeous Gothic Revival church.
Picking pumpkins here is our most coveted fall tradition in Asheville, and it’s great for family photos. Staff takes down the pumpkin patch early, usually a week before Halloween or if they sell out. Pay based on size. Be sure to follow me on Facebook at Uncorked Asheville. I’ll share when they are up.
Watch A Grove Park Inn Sunset From Edison
As one of Asheville’s biggest tourist attractions and perfect for a romantic night out, even Tom and I cannot stay away from The Omni Grove Park Inn in the fall. Make sunset dinner reservations at Edison (my pick) or Sunset Terrace.
Drink seasonal cocktails at The Great Hall Bar – sitting outside overlooking Mount Pisgah and Downtown Asheville – or warming up by the floor-to-ceiling fireplaces showcasing quotes from F. Scott Fitzgerald. I love their wine list (Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs!), charcuterie, and cozy ambiance. Just be prepared to pay a hefty parking fee.
Head To Apple Alley For Endless Orchard Activities
From mid-August to early November, the seasonal Hendersonville apple orchards and farms open across Western North Carolina. September is a great time to beat the crowds, but October promises all of those stunning fall colors.
As one of the most fun family-friendly things to do, think cider donuts, corn mazes, U-pick flowers, fruits, and vegetables, bamboo forests, apple cannons, apple cider (and hard cider!), and farm animals. Just a 40 to 60 minute drive, find Sky Top, Stepp’s, Jeter Mountain, and more.
Apple Pick At The U-Pick Farms
Apple picking is a must. Tom and I love Fujis, Pink Ladies, Galas, Honeycrisps, Romes, and Golden Delicious. Each orchard has its own pros and cons – and some are smaller than others. Coston Farm & Apple House is great if you want a smaller orchard with less walking. Jeter Mountain Farm is our luxury apple orchard. Tom and I most frequent Stepp’s and Sky Top. Our readers love Justus Orchard.
Get Lost In Stepp’s Hillcrest Corn Maze
Growing up in Connecticut with Lyman Orchards, Tom and I live for corn mazes. Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard’s maze is the most challenging. Budget at least 30 to 45 minutes for their 5-acre maze. I highly recommend using the restroom before you enter and staying well-hydrated. Buncombe and Henderson counties may still be quite warm weather-wise.
Extra Corn Maze Tip:
🌽 Snap a picture of the map on the wall for when you get desperate. There are no clues along the way, and if you go during a quiet weekday, you might be one of the only ones out there. Did I just hear a The Hunger Games canon?
Eat All Of Sky Top’s Steaming Hot Cider Donuts
On our very first visit to Sky Top Orchard, Tom and I had no idea why everyone was sitting around gorging on donuts instead of playing and apple picking. Now we get it. While all of the apple orchards have their version of cider donuts, I’d dare say Sky Top’s serves the best, made right in front of you and served piping hot. They shake those steamy bad boys in cinnamon and sugar, and they land straight in your mou…container.
Must-Know Donut Tip:
🍩 Fair warning: Sky Top’s donuts are beyond popular, and they may run out on weekends. Sky Top serves hard cider as well as cider slushies to wash down that clump of delicious gooey goodness.
Drive The Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), “America’s favorite scenic drive,” is one of the best places to catch peak-season fall foliage near Asheville. 469 miles long, the BRP follows the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, running from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
This 2-lane, typically 45 mph road promises scenic overlooks, cascading waterfalls, and gorgeous hikes. Navigate the parkway via mile markers, and know that cellular service is spotty. Bears and wildlife may cross the road at any time, and if it is foggy, you might end up driving into a cloud with limited to no views. A sense of humor helps.
Consider Booking A Guided Tour
🍁 If you don’t feel comfortable driving the BRP, hiking unknown trails, and are overwhelmed, consider this half-day Jeep excursion and waterfall tour or this scenic driving tour of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 🍂
Hike (Or Bike) A Fall Foliage Trail
Leaf peeping on Asheville’s popular hiking trails is one of our favorite things to do in Asheville in the fall. Head to the Blue Ridge Parkway – especially the Pisgah Inn area – Pisgah National Forest, Dupont State Forest, and Bent Creek Experimental Forest. Chase those waterfalls. Our “must” hikes include:
- Mount Pisgah
- Fryingpan Mountain Tower
- Graveyard Fields
- Black Balsam via the Art Loeb Trail – add in Sam Knob
- Craggy Pinnacle
- Craggy Gardens
- The NC Arboretum
- Bearwallow Mountain
- DuPont State Forest’s 3-waterfall hike
- Biltmore Estate – Lagoon and Deer Park Trail to the Walled Garden
If you are more of a mountain biker, head to:
- Daniel Ridge Loop
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- Old Fort (loads of trails)
- Thermal Belt Rail Trail
Visit (Or Read About) One Of NC’s Abandoned Places
If you are a dark tourist, visiting Asheville in October is a must. Western North Carolina is filled with spooky abandoned places. Two sites of interest include Bryson City’s Road To Nowhere and Henry River Mill Village.
The Road To Nowhere was a broken promise from the government to the people and is located in the Smoky Mountains. Today, visitors can drive down Lakeshore Drive for a gorgeous aerial view of Fontana Lake. The road ends at a tunnel, which is home to fall foliage and hiking trails.
For The Hunger Games fans, you might recognize Henry River Mill Village as “District 12.” This once-abandoned mill village offers short tours of the crumbling grounds. I loved our tour as a literary tourist and history buff. See the Everdeens’ house while learning more about North Carolina’s industrial history.
Attend A Fall Festival
October boasts the most fall activities in Asheville, especially popular area street fairs and festivals. Think Oktoberfests, craft fairs, art fests, vintage flea markets, block parties, and Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.
Tom and I attend Asheville’s VeganFest, Montford’s Greek Festival, Maggie Valley’s Arts & Crafts Festival, and Greenville SC’s Fall For Greenville. Hendersonville is famous for hosting The North Carolina Apple Festival, and beer lovers flock to Asheville Oktoberfest.
Take A Haunted LaZoom or Gray Line Ghost Tour
How many times have you spied a purple bus with eyelashes tearing down the streets of Asheville, full of giggling people? That’s LaZoom. LaZoom offers a variety of comedy tours, family-friendly as well as 21+ ones.
The LaZoom Ghosted Comedy Tour is one of the best Asheville fall activities to sit back and relax. Walk into a kitschy bar full of cat pillows and rubber chickens. Our one-hour tour took us through Downtown Asheville as the city’s ghosts hopped on and off the bus. Each character shares the darker history of the city. Think murderers, thieves, and famous dead people while you sip on beverages from their bar in your own personal cooler. Purchase tickets in advance. Get there early as you board the bus based on your arrival order.
If LaZoom looks too wild or cheesy for you (Zelda Fitzgerald did hump a bush in the rain), we’ve also enjoyed Gray Line Trolley’s Ghost Tour, which integrates history with ghosts.
More Guided Asheville Ghost Tours
👻 Asheville Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour – Grab your ghost-hunting equipment. See the city’s beautiful historic buildings while learning about its ghosts. Stops might include Pack Square, Grove Arcade, and the Basilica of Saint Lawrence.
🧙🏻♀️ Asheville Ghost Tour: A Walk Through Riverside Cemetery & Montford Neighborhood – Riverside Cemetery is full of ghosts and beauty. Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry are laid to rest here.
Drink Up All The Fall Flavors
Whether you fuel up with Asheville’s plentiful coffeeshops like Summit, Pollen, and Rowan, or want to get in the… spirit… Asheville is full of funky bars, hopping breweries, and nearby vineyards.
Craft Brewery Hop
Like its award-winning foodie scene, Asheville is famous for its craft breweries. I live for Ambers, Stouts, Pilsners, Kolschs, Rice Lagers, and anything infused with pumpkin spice. Plus, Asheville in October can only mean one thing: Oktoberfest beer! You can even take a guided walking brewery tour.
If you want to see a massive beer factory, head to Sierra Nevada for their Oktoberfest or New Belgium for a pumpkin brew. For local Asheville craft breweries, try Wicked Weed, serving great pub grub, Hi-Wire (I love their seasonal Zirkusfest), and Burial Beer with those freaky fun names perfect for the season.
Wine Taste In The Crest Of The Blue Ridge
One of the best things to do in Asheville in October: wine tasting with stunning vineyard views. Henderson County isn’t only known for its apple orchards. Its wine region, the Crest of the Blue Ridge, was named an AVA in 2019.
Our favorite Hendersonville wineries include Stone Ashe Vineyards, Saint Paul, and Souther Williams. Flat Rock’s Marked Tree Vineyards gives off major Halloween vibes when the fog rolls in over their haunted chimney.
Read my full guide to Asheville’s beautiful vineyards and wineries, and be sure to check their policies. Some are 21+ and don’t allow outside food and drink.
Visit Asheville’s Haunted Houses & Places
Asheville has fun (and free!) haunted places and ghost stories that you can see without taking a tour. First, pay your respects to Zelda Fitzgerald, who died in the Highland Hospital fire. There is a bleak plaque commemorating the former site. Or, head to Helen’s Bridge, where a young, brokenhearted woman is said to haunt the area. Just don’t turn off your car, or it may not start again.
Of course, The Omni Grove Park Inn is known for its resident ghost, The Pink Lady. Maybe you’ll catch her wandering the halls. And, while taking selfies with the chicken mural in Asheville’s Chicken Alley, listen for the tapping of a cane from a murdered doctor…
Lastly, stroll through beautiful Victorian-inspired Riverside Cemetery. Located in Asheville’s quaint Historic Montford District, Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry are buried here.
Frequently Asked Questions
October is one of the best months to visit Asheville, especially for that breathtaking fall foliage. With milder weather, enjoy a variety of fun outdoor things to do across the Blue Ridge Mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The cons of visiting Asheville in October include the massive crowds and high prices. This is peak tourist season with expensive accommodations. Top restaurants and hotels will fully book. The Blue Ridge Parkway will grow congested; you’ll want to get an early start on a weekday and make advanced reservations.
Asheville’s fall weather is unpredictable. It could be a 90-degree heat wave or a 40-degree cold front. Typically, daytime temperatures waiver in the 70s and 80s, with nights in the 50s and 40s in September and mid-October. 60s is not uncommon.
Wear layers, carry sunscreen, bug spray, and an umbrella, and pack a light jacket or fleece. Shorts and skirts usually work during the day. Closed-toed shoes are best for hiking and orchards.