Asheville NC is one the coolest cities in the United States, and in particular on the East Coast. Asheville is literally a city in the mountains and surrounded by tons of beautiful scenery, things to do, and things to do see.
The city provides a unique mix of trendy and artsy vibe combined with the spirit of adventure and the outdoors.
There are some amazing, unique and fun things to do in Asheville! In this guide, we'll tell you all about them and more. Let's go check out Asheville an all it has to offer!
Updated: 11/17/2022
Cover Photo by: Making Memories Photography
Where is Asheville NC?
Asheville NC is located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, right off of I-40. The city is literally surrounded by mountain peaks exceeding 5,000 feet in elevation. The Blue Ridge Parkway even runs through Asheville and some amazing sights and scenery along the Parkway can be seen by riving just a few minutes from the heart of Asheville NC.
What's in Asheville NC?
Asheville is full of unique coffee shops, shopping venues, award winning restaurants, outdoor activities, and of course breweries.
Did you know that Asheville has more breweries per capita, than any other US City? Yep, true story! In fact, at the time this guide was written, Asheville currently has more than 26 breweries in the city alone, and more than 60 more in the Asheville area!
Asheville also has a number of unique hotels, bed and breakfasts and mountain side cabins for you to stay in while exploring the city and surrounding areas.
Of course when thinking of Asheville NC, you can't forgot that it's also home to Biltmore Estate, the largest and most visited private home in the United States. Biltmore Estate is not only a historic home that you can tour, but also has acres of hiking trails, gardens, horse back riding as well as shopping and fine dining. Biltmore even has two highly acclaimed hotels you can stay at.
The bottom line? You won't run out of things to do and see when visiting Asheville!
Asheville NC Videos
We not far from Asheville, and visit often. Here are our videos of Asheville and surrounding areas:
We visit the most haunted location in Asheville NC, the famous Helen's Bridge. Helen was not what we expected!
Hike on the Appalachian Trail to a 360 degree view mountain top bald.
Visit Crabtree Falls with us, just north of Asheville NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway
We visit the most popular Holiday light display in Asheville.
Hike to the top of this popular and iconic stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway for incredible views.
Visit the amazing and beautiful Biltmore Blooms event with as Biltmore Estate
What to do in Asheville NC
As we've mentioned, Asheville is the largest city in Western NC, and one of the largest cities in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As a result, Asheville is full of things to see and do. Of course you have your normal to do items, as you would find in most any other large city, but Asheville really delivers on unique things to do in and around the city.
Asheville provides various tours, hiking, museums, historic locations, waterfalls, outdoor adventure, and more. Here are just some of the great and unique things to do in Asheville NC when visiting!
Take a Tour!
Asheville offers a number of really cool tours, including beer and brewery tours, Ghost Tours and historic downtown tours.
Where to Stay in Asheville NC
Asheville is full of unique hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, Airbnbs and cabins for you to stay in when visiting. We love staying in Asheville just for the Bed & Breakfasts, as there are many award winning ones that really pamper you.
We've stayed overnight a few times during our weekend visits, and can highly recommend the Omni Grove Park Inn, A Moment In Time Bed & Breakfast, and The 1899 Wright Inn & Carriage House.
Best Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts In Asheville NC
Best Cabins In Asheville NC
Asheville is full of beautiful rental cabins for you to enjoy while visiting Asheville and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Cabin rentals are becoming increasing popular with visitors of all ages, and with services like VRBO and AirBnB, it's super easy to find and book one for your vacation.
Here are a few of our top picks for the best cabins in Asheville NC:
Where to Eat In Asheville NC - Best Restaurants in Asheville
One of the main reasons we visit Asheville NC is for the restaurants. Asheville has the most variety of restaurant options in Western NC. There is tons of cultural diversity as well, meaning you can pretty much find any style of food you desire.
We visit Asheville often on our adventures, and often stop and eat there on the way home or while doing some shopping. We've tried many of the different restaurants and venues, and have a few favorites that we would highly recommend you try out when visiting.
Best Bars near Asheville NC
Being a larger city, not only do you get a wonderful variety of dining options, but there are also some really outstanding bars as well. Here are our top picks for the Best Bars near Asheville NC:
