Sabrina & Zac
Sabrina & Zac
Things to Do
Biltmore
Biltmore Estate: Since 1895, Biltmore has combined the natural beauty of the mountains and the luxurious house and gardens leaving guests in awe and wonder. The property consists of various gardens, a winery, and of course, the historic Biltmore Estate! The estate has been beautifully preserved with original furniture and masterpieces of art, allowing an authentic and inspiring look into the Gilded Age life. Check out the website for events as well!
The North Carolina Arboretum
The North Carolina Arboretum: Surrounded by the botanically diverse lands of the Southern Appalachian mountains, and conveniently located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Pisgah National Forest, the NC Arboretum is one of the most naturally beautiful settings in the United States. The Arboretum includes many hiking and bicycling trails, a beautiful bonsai collection and various gardens including a holly garden and a steam garden. Admission is free and they hose various events throughout the year!
Western North Carolina Nature Center
Western North Carolina Nature Center: The WNC Nature Center connects people to animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region and inspires appreciation, understanding, and advancing the conservation of the region’s rich biodiversity. The Nature Center is home to various plant and animal species and is home to 42 acres of award winning exhibits.
River Arts District
River Arts District: Just minutes from downtown, located near the French Broad River, the River Arts District keeps the art scene alive in the city of Asheville! A great area to meet friendly, local artists working with mediums including textiles, ceramics and paints, who will walk you through their creative process, this is the perfect location to find pieces to expand, or start, your art collection! In addition to multiple studios and galleries, the River Arts District is also home to unique bars and restaurants as well!
The Omni Grove Park Inn
The Omni Grove Park Inn: A place of rest, relaxation and renewal in the mountains of Asheville, the Omni Grove Park Inn welcomes guests with a tradition of Southern hospitality. A historic resort hotel visited by many presidents, authors, and other notable people, the beautiful inn is on the list of the National Register of Historic Places. Guests can enjoy a wonderful game of golf on the property’s 18-hole golf course, originally designed by Donald Ross. The inn also features a 40,000 sq. ft. modern, subterranean spa and restaurants with beautiful views and exquisite cuisine.
One of the best ways to explore a new city is to take a tour! Luckily, Asheville provides many fun and creative ways to do just that. Some of the most popular tours happen on a trolley! LaZoom Tours and Gray Line Tours, both wonderful companies, offer unique tours of the city - and with exciting themes too! LaZoom Tours offers a band and beer tour, taking you from brewery to brewery while listening to live music on the trolley! Looking for something truly unique? Both companies also offer a ghost tour allowing visitors to explore the dark side of the city.
Driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most popular attractions of Asheville! Spanning the Southern and Central Appalachian Mountains, the Parkway offers visitors an exceptional glimpse of the diverse flora and fauna surrounding the area. While driving through the curves of the Parkway, visitors will find many overlooks with beautiful views, picnic areas, easy to difficult hike accesses and stops with unique, rich history and wonderful stories. Go slowly and enjoy the scenery!
Downtown Asheville is one of the best places to be! This lively city has beautiful architecture, fantastic stores, interesting museums, fun performers, and a diverse mix of culture, music and arts. In addition, Downtown Asheville is home to many fabulous restaurants, bars and breweries. There is live music at every corner and fun festivals on most weekends! It’s also a shopper’s paradise with hundreds of locally owned boutiques and stores to select clothes, jewelry, antiques and books. You can also find some great art pieces to add to your collection at one of the many galleries! We’ve listed some of our favorite shopping spots in the pages below
Drifting down a mountain river is a great way to spend the day in Asheville! One of the most popular activities for both locals and visitors alike, floating the French Broad River is a relaxing way to explore Asheville and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. There are many local businesses to find your tubing/floating equipment, we recommend Zen Tubing & Sky Tubing. Plus, you can always take a break and hop off at one of the many breweries located right by the river!
If you’re looking for a bit more adventure, but still want to enjoy the mountain rivers, whitewater rafting may be the perfect fit for you! There are six rivers located near the Asheville area in the North Carolina Mountains that are perfect for a whitewater rafting experience: Nantahala River, French Broad River, Pigeon River, Green River, Tuckasegee River and North Toe River.
Asheville Hiking Guide
TOP WATERFALL HIKES - Bridal Veils Falls Trail - Catawba Falls Trail - Daniel Ridge Falls Trail - Deep Creek Waterfall - Douglas Falls Trail - DuPont State Forest Trail - Graveyards Fields Trail - Moore Cove Falls Trail - Rainbow Falls &Turtleback Falls Trail
BEST HIKES WITH GREAT VIEWS - Black Balsam Knob Hike - Craggy Gardens Pinnacle Trail - Deep Gap Trail - Lover’s Leap Trail - Max Patch Hike - Mount Pisgah Trail - Pinnacle Park Trail - Roan Mountain Hike - Sam Knob Trail
QUICK HIKES CLOSEST TO ASHEVILLE - Biltmore Estate Trails - Craven Gap Trail - Hard Times Loop Trail - Lookout Mountain Trail - Lunch Rocks Trail - Riverside Cemetery - Wildcat Rock Trail
Eat, Drink, and Be Married
BARS - Sky Bar - Antidote - Sovereign Remedies - The Imperial Life - The Crow & Quill - The Montford Rooftop Bar - Little Jumbo - Salvage Station - Ben’s Tune Up - Bywater
BREAKFAST/BRUNCH - Hole Donuts - Sunny Point Cafe - Over Easy Cafe - Biscuit Head - Tastee Diner - Copper Crown - Corner Kitchen
LUNCH/QUICK BITES - Village Wayside Bar & Grill - White Duck Taco Shop - Chai Pani Indian Street Food - 12 Bones BBQ
DINNER - Curate - Rhubarb - The Bull and Beggar - Zambra - Red Ginger DimSum & Tapas - Red Stag Grill - Posana - Table - The Market Place Restaurant - Luella’s Bar-B-Que - Nine Mile - Bouchon - Strada Italiano - Roux - The Lobster Trap - Buxton Hall BBQ
COFFEE & DESSERT - French Broad Chocolates - Kilwin’s - Chocolate Fetish - Double Decker Coffee Bus - Dynamite Coffee - High Five Coffee - The Rhu - Vortex Doughnuts - Baked Pies
WEST ASHEVILLE/RAD DISTRICT - Wedge Brewing Co. (Original & Foundation) - New Belgium Brewing - Zillicoah Beer Co. - Archetype Brewing - Urban Orchard Cider Co.
DOWNTOWN BREWERIES - Catawba Brewing Co. - Burial Beer Co. - Twin Leaf Brewery - Wicked Weed Brewing - Funkatorium - Asheville Brewing Company - One World Brewing - Green Man Brewery - Bhramari Brewing Co. - Hi-Wire Brewing
SURROUNDING AREAS - Hillman Beer - French Broad River Brewery Both Located In Biltmore Village - Highland Brewing Company Located In East Asheville - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Located In Mills River - Pisgah Brewing Located In Black Mountain - Boojum Brewing Co. Located In Waynesville - Sanctuary Brewing Company Located In Hendersonville - Oskar Blues Brewery Located In Brevard
Shopping
A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING - The L.O.F.T - Mountain Merch - Grove Arcade - Champagne Bar - Asheville Outlets - Mast General Store - Minx - Bruising Ales
MORE THAN JUST GROCERIES - WNC Farmers Market - Hickory Nut Gap Farm - Flying Cloud Farm - Bruisin Ales
ANTIQUES - Regeneration Station - Antique Tobacco Barn