Plan Your Trip

This 2-day Arts & Craft event showcases a 3-D winter wonderland scene and holiday decorations in two large exhibit halls featuring over 80 local artists and crafters selling handmade jewelry, pottery, ornaments, home decor, soaps, garden art, and so much more. Also, enjoy an array of baked goods and the center’s boutiques and shops. Friday, 10 AM-6 PM. Saturday, 9 AM-5 PM.

Explore our mountains with hikes, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and many thousands of acres of national forest and park land. Get outside in the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains with our 70 favorite things to do.

Find the best restaurants for barbecue ribs, pulled pork, chicken, beef brisket and more - cooked for 15+ hours over hardwood coals or perfectly smoked and seasoned. Don't forget the classic sides like baked beans, cornbread, collard greens, slaw and banana pudding.

Of hundreds of waterfalls near Asheville, we picked the most spectacular falls that are easy to find. Some can be enjoyed with a short walk or even roadside. Others require a scenic hike. See full descriptions for each, with plenty of photos! Also see Waterfall Drives & Maps.

Give the gift of craft gear made right here in Asheville. Diamond Brand Gear’s beautiful canvas wall tents, elegant bags and duffles, and camping tents are built to last. Discover a variety of durable products that are perfect for your outdoorsy loved ones.

From the innovative to the traditional, Asheville has a plethora of Indian restaurants for every taste. See the best places for a lunch buffet to sample everything or to satisfy a specific craving for curries, thalis, or tandoori dishes served piping hot and spiced to your preference.

Active military receives 15% discount on any room and suite rates at this luxury, log-constructed mountain lodge, offering private balconies and breathtaking views of the valley, just 12 miles from downtown Asheville.
Rate: From $169/night

Aside from donation-based yoga classes, they offer sliding scale healing arts services, including acupuncture, Ayurvedic wellness consultations, holistic health coaching, treatments with essential oils, reiki, reflexology, and more

Drive to the top of the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, located along the Blue Ridge Parkway. This state park has an observation tower, plenty of hiking and a restaurant. Be prepared for much cooler temperatures at the top. Open year-round (except snowy days in the winter).

Whether you want a destination wedding, elopement, commitment ceremony, or vow renewal, these top Asheville wedding officiants can help you plan your vows with ease. With years of experience helping couples celebrate their love, officiants help create a meaningful wedding ceremony in the mountains that you'll cherish.

Enjoy mining fun year-round no matter the weather at this indoor facility featuring rubies, sapphires, emeralds, Aquamarine, topaz, and other precious or semi-precious gems and fossils. You can even have your treasure made into a piece of jewelry before you leave. (507 N Main St)

If you're planning your wedding in and around Asheville, then you have your pick of fantastic food, cocktails, and wedding cake options! Asheville's foodie status affords couples a variety of delicious cuisines and styles from formal to casual options. See our top picks!

Founded in 2017, Asheville Real Estate News is a media outlet dedicated to local real estate with weekly podcasts and articles covering everything Asheville real estate has to offer. 

See breathtaking 75-mile views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Hickory Nut Gorge, and Lake Lure. The park also features the highest waterfall in an NC State Park and hiking trails. Shopping and dining located at the park entrance.

Located in the Great Smoky Mountains, enjoy fishing, boating, camping and swimming in this beautiful lake. Drive or walk across the highest dam east of the Rockies and stop by the Visitor Center to learn more about it.

Enjoy a unique and adventurous experience with a variety of glamping options. From treehouses, vintage RV’s, domes, bell tents and more- find your rest and relaxation in multiple settings... read more

Dine outdoors in nature! Plan a picnic at some amazing locations where you can enjoy sweet views.

​​Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains 40 minutes from Asheville, Burnsville is a small town with a lot going on. Outdoor adventure, the highest state park in the East, tons of artist studios and a beautiful downtown are all part of the Top 10 Things to Do in Burnsville.

Enjoy a variety of things to do and see in Dillsboro including riverfront shops, restaurants, art, pottery, galleries, fun festivals, excursions on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, and more.

Located in the historic Black business district known as “The Block” in downtown Asheville, this boutique shop and art gallery was created by and for Black entrepreneurs. It’s a safe space for Black-Owned Businesses in Asheville to showcase their arts, services, products, and more.

A local Girl Scout troop created the Apple Quest scavenger hunt. A dozen clues lead participants on a search for bronze apples located at downtown landmarks. Free brochures are available at the Visitor Center. (201 S Main St)

Carolina Living Choices is a guide for active, senior living retirement in Western NorthCarolina. They offer a wealth of information and expertise on real estate, 55+, and retirement communities near Asheville, including lifestyle resources for education, enrichment, recreation, and travel. See helpful articles and request a free print and digital retirement guide on their website.

Enjoy the many outdoor street festivals, art fairs and other events. Most are free, and you can find one about every weekend during the Spring, Summer and Fall in Asheville and the surrounding mountain towns. See our Top Spring Festivals, Top Summer Festivals, Top Fall Events and Art Events. 

Founder Alison Colberg L.Ac. Dipl. O.M. practices Daoist influenced Classical Chinese medicine which includes acupuncture, herbalism, essential oils, nutraceuticals, medical qi gong, functional medicine, stone medicine, nutritional therapies, and medical intuition as well as several adjunct techniques. They have a full dispensary of Chinese medicinal herbs for unique, custom formulas for each client's individual needs. ​

See the latest seasonal ticket specials and deals to tour Biltmore House, gardens, and winery on our Biltmore Guide. Often, you can save $8/person or more if you buy tickets 7 days in advance! Senior & military discounts too.

This free 4-day festival celebrates black business and entrepreneurship in Asheville. Enjoy a weekend of music, live performances, food, local vendors, community, and more in the River Arts District on Depot St.  

This grand couples getaway at an historic inn in the cool small town of Saluda includes two weekend nights in a private cottage, couples massage, elegant dinner for two in their farm-to-table restaurant, bottle of French Champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, breakfast each morning.
Rate: $995

Find information on Asheville-area public schools, private schools, colleges, and universities. Many also offer public events and programs.

There are lots of options if you want to plan a few fun day trips while you are in Western North Carolina. Explore our favorite cool small towns in the NC mountains near Asheville, each with its own personality, local shops and restaurants, friendly residents, and relaxed atmosphere.

Touring America’s Largest Home is easily the number one indoor attraction in Western North Carolina. Experience the beauty of Biltmore House and its century-old gardens where the Vanderbilt family once strolled. Come see why George Vanderbilt chose Asheville as the site for his famous estate. Explore Biltmore's 8,000-acre Blue Ridge Mountain backyard, taste award-winning wines, dine and shop. See our extensive guide with many photos and tips.

Browse Sylva’s main street with independent shops and galleries for unique finds, a variety of restaurants, and four walkable breweries that host weekly events like live music, trivia, and even yoga. Also find a variety of ways to pamper and relax, including spas, a meditation center, and even guided forest therapy walks!

This is the coolest town on our list for temperature (highest town in the eastern USA at 5,506 feet elevation). While it's very popular for skiing and snowboarding each winter, they have an impressive trail system for hiking and mountain biking in the summer. Summer golf and scenic chairlift rides too. Each fall, follow the yellow brick road at Autumn at Oz.

Tucked into a bend of the Mills River, North River Farms occupies 1,450 acres. The farm partners with DB bar D Outfitters to offer guided hunting and fishing trips on the property. Full-day and half-day fly-fishing trips with an expert guide are available along more than four miles of private-access water.

Find many events, festivals and our top things to do to kick off summer during the holiday weekend in Asheville and the NC mountains.  

(507 Haywood Rd) This craft beer collective in West Asheville is the perfect spot for beer snobs, offering a variety of hard-to-find craft, world-class craft beer. Choose from their 20 rotating taps and extensive bottle selection of craft beers, wines, meads, sakes, and ciders. Open daily 12-11 PM.

Enjoy scenic horseback trail rides in the Asheville area with miles of trails, experienced guides and gentle horses. For the more experience riders, there are hundreds of miles to explore.

This area is part of Pisgah National Forest and is located in Henderson County, just 13 miles from downtown. The area has picnic sites, campsites, hiking trails, mountain biking trails, fly fishing, and tubing. Trails range in difficulty level from easy to strenuous.

Asheville’s largest curated, pop-up market for antiques, art, vintage decor, jewelry, and beyond is in the River Arts District. Rain or shine. 10 AM-4 PM. (1 Foundy Street)

Shop 75 national and local outlets in this beautiful, new outdoor shopping village. It's located on I-26, just six miles from Biltmore and seven miles from downtown Asheville. It's pet-friendly, and there are many events and sales throughout the year.