Ashley’s guidebook
Eat & Drink
This is our favorite place to go for breakfast. Arrive before 10am on the weekends to beat the crowds. While everyone else is standing in line at Biscuit Head, you can be enjoying some of the best Southern comfort food around. This is a great place to go with kids!
88 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Blue Ridge Biscuit Company
601 W State StThis is our favorite place to go for breakfast. Arrive before 10am on the weekends to beat the crowds. While everyone else is standing in line at Biscuit Head, you can be enjoying some of the best Southern comfort food around. This is a great place to go with kids!
Closest place to grab coffee and a quick bite for breakfast.
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Moments Coffee Bar & Eatery
2304 US-70Closest place to grab coffee and a quick bite for breakfast.
Head here for dinner or lunch while you explore the West Asheville scene. We recommend going for lunch for the same flavors at a lower price! Great vegetarian and vegan options.
589 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Nine Mile
233 Montford AveHead here for dinner or lunch while you explore the West Asheville scene. We recommend going for lunch for the same flavors at a lower price! Great vegetarian and vegan options.
Fantastic Southern BBQ. Meat-eaters must visit! (They do have limited vegetarian options.) Stop here when you’re browsing galleries in the River Arts District, then head to Wedge or New Belgium for more beer.
330 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
12 Bones Smokehouse RIVER
5 Foundy StFantastic Southern BBQ. Meat-eaters must visit! (They do have limited vegetarian options.) Stop here when you’re browsing galleries in the River Arts District, then head to Wedge or New Belgium for more beer.
Very cute place to grab coffee if you’re visiting Black Mountain or Montreat.
103 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Dripolator Coffeehouse
221 W State StVery cute place to grab coffee if you’re visiting Black Mountain or Montreat.
Great local ice cream shop worth a stop while you're out exploring West Asheville.
74 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Hop Ice Cream Cafe
640 Merrimon AveGreat local ice cream shop worth a stop while you're out exploring West Asheville.
Great spot to spend a rainy day, especially with kids. Though those are the days that will be the most crowded!
Asheville Retrocade
800 Haywood RdGreat spot to spend a rainy day, especially with kids. Though those are the days that will be the most crowded!
Great food and perfect atmosphere for a date night or girls’ night out!
149 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Chestnut
48 Biltmore AveGreat food and perfect atmosphere for a date night or girls’ night out!
Great casual restaurant and brewery with a lovely outdoor patio just ten minutes from our place in Swannanoa.
Loott House
Great casual restaurant and brewery with a lovely outdoor patio just ten minutes from our place in Swannanoa.
Hiking
Temporarily CLOSED for maintenance.
Quick and easy waterfall hike without the long drive! This is a 3-mile round trip hike and only 30 minutes from our home. Get there before 10am to avoid the crowds.
216 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Catawba Falls
530 Warren Mountain DrTemporarily CLOSED for maintenance.
Quick and easy waterfall hike without the long drive! This is a 3-mile round trip hike and only 30 minutes from our home. Get there before 10am to avoid the crowds.
A popular spot, but you can see 3 waterfalls and a covered bridge within a 2 mile, mostly easy hike.
624 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Dupont State Forest
Staton RoadA popular spot, but you can see 3 waterfalls and a covered bridge within a 2 mile, mostly easy hike.
Great views for a short (40-min) drive and 1 mile hike to the top. There are usually cattle grazing the clearing at the top. There is also a fire tower but you can't climb it.
https://conservingcarolina.org/bearwallow-mountain/
95 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Bearwallow Mountain
4854 Bearwallow Mountain RdGreat views for a short (40-min) drive and 1 mile hike to the top. There are usually cattle grazing the clearing at the top. There is also a fire tower but you can't climb it.
https://conservingcarolina.org/bearwallow-mountain/
A very close, moderate hike with a steady ascent that gives you a view of the Seven Sister from the top. 1.4 miles roundtrip. Get there early on weekends in the summer to find parking.
51 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Lookout Mountain
A very close, moderate hike with a steady ascent that gives you a view of the Seven Sister from the top. 1.4 miles roundtrip. Get there early on weekends in the summer to find parking.
Perfect place in our neck of the woods to go on a walk or run. Miles of trails to explore. Park across from Berea Baptist church.
Warren Wilson Berea Trail System
Perfect place in our neck of the woods to go on a walk or run. Miles of trails to explore. Park across from Berea Baptist church.
Sightseeing
The Arboretum is AVL’s botanic garden and it’s surrounded by a great trail network at Bent Creek. Winter Lights is well worth the trip if you’re here around the holidays.
582 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
El Arboreto de Carolina del Norte
100 Frederick Law Olmsted WayThe Arboretum is AVL’s botanic garden and it’s surrounded by a great trail network at Bent Creek. Winter Lights is well worth the trip if you’re here around the holidays.
Makes a good secondary stop or picnic spot on your way back from hiking Catawba Falls.
15 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Andrews Geyser
2111 Mill Creek RdMakes a good secondary stop or picnic spot on your way back from hiking Catawba Falls.
There are hiking options in the Linville Gorge area from easy to strenuous and all offer beautiful views. https://www.romanticasheville.com/linville_falls.htm
436 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Linville Falls
There are hiking options in the Linville Gorge area from easy to strenuous and all offer beautiful views. https://www.romanticasheville.com/linville_falls.htm
Take a shuttle and rent tubes for an easy float trip down the French Broad River. Bikes, kayaks, canoes, etc are also available to rent if you want to choose your own adventure.
83 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
French Broad Outfitters
704 Riverside DrTake a shuttle and rent tubes for an easy float trip down the French Broad River. Bikes, kayaks, canoes, etc are also available to rent if you want to choose your own adventure.
Newly renovated art museum to add to your itinerary while you're downtown.
158 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Asheville Art Museum
2 S Pack SquareNewly renovated art museum to add to your itinerary while you're downtown.
A great option if you want to skip the line at the downtown location and see where the chocolate is made or even take the 45 minute tour and tasting. A single origin chocolate bar or sipping chocolate makes a great gift!
65 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
French Broad Chocolate Factory & Cafe
821 Riverside DrA great option if you want to skip the line at the downtown location and see where the chocolate is made or even take the 45 minute tour and tasting. A single origin chocolate bar or sipping chocolate makes a great gift!
Neighborhoods
A lovely community centered around a private, Christian college and conference center. We like to walk around Lake Susan, ride bikes, or just pass through on our way to hike the Graybeard trail. Their playground along the river is wonderful for all ages of children (pre-covid)!
72 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Montreat
A lovely community centered around a private, Christian college and conference center. We like to walk around Lake Susan, ride bikes, or just pass through on our way to hike the Graybeard trail. Their playground along the river is wonderful for all ages of children (pre-covid)!
Quirky independent shops, restaurants, venues, and bars. Have a drink, dinner, and/or enjoy live music Isis Music Hall, ice cream at the Hop, tacos at Zia Taqueria and add Archetype to your brewery tour.
214 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
West Asheville
Quirky independent shops, restaurants, venues, and bars. Have a drink, dinner, and/or enjoy live music Isis Music Hall, ice cream at the Hop, tacos at Zia Taqueria and add Archetype to your brewery tour.
Browse the galleries and see local art demonstrations. Have coffee (Summit), bbq (12 Bones), wine (Pleb), or beer (Wedge) surrounded by amazing graffiti at Foundation. Take a walk, bike ride, or skate down the new greenway along the French Broad to New Belgium Brewing.
700 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
River Arts District
3 River Arts PlBrowse the galleries and see local art demonstrations. Have coffee (Summit), bbq (12 Bones), wine (Pleb), or beer (Wedge) surrounded by amazing graffiti at Foundation. Take a walk, bike ride, or skate down the new greenway along the French Broad to New Belgium Brewing.