North Carolina

Explore one of our favorite towns – Asheville!

One of our favorite places in the U.S. is Asheville. It truly has it all—beautiful mountain scenery, a fun and vibrant downtown, and some incredible food. We’ve visited this area multiple times and always find something new to love.

We made a video with some of our favorite things 🙂

Blue Ridge Parkway and Waterfall Corridor

Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway is a must. Plan to take your time—this isn’t a quick drive. There are tons of overlooks, waterfalls, and short hikes along the way that make it easy to turn into a full-day adventure.

Some of our favorite stops:

  • Looking Glass Falls – basically steps from the road, super easy and beautiful
  • Moore Cove Falls – about a 1-mile hike and much less crowded
  • Cradle of Forestry – great picnic spot with interesting exhibit

Sliding Rock

Sliding Rock is such a fun (and unique) summer activity. You slide down a natural rock into freezing cold water—it’s a blast! It does get crowded, so getting there early is key. There’s a small entrance fee, changing areas, and space to watch if you’d rather stay dry.

Great Lodging Options!

So many good places to stay all within walking distance of great downtown activities. Some places we would recommend:

Asheville Downtown

Downtown Asheville is one of the best parts of any visit. It’s lively, walkable, and full of great restaurants, shops, and street performers. If you’re there on a Friday, don’t miss the drum circle—it’s such a cool, local experience.

One of our favorite memories was our son getting a custom poem from a street performer based on his topic of choice, which was ‘sharks’ —it’s still framed in his room!

Other Asheville Activities

Pinball Museum

Savage Station for concerts – sadly closed after flooding. They have a gofundme: https://salvagestation.com/

Western North Carolina Nature Center – small zoo

Asheville Food

White Duck Taco

Biscuit Head

Double D’s Coffee

Not pictured, but other recos:

  • Daddy Mac’s
  • Asheville Pizza and Brewing
  • Tupelo Honey
  • Wicked Weed
  • French Broad Chocolate Lounge
  • Early Girl Eatery

Biltmore

The Biltmore Estate is an extravagant mansion and gardens that you can tour. There are tours to choose from, but they are kind of expensive. It is worth doing though, at least once. There are also beautiful gardens outside of the mansion that you can also tour, plus a nice winery on site.

Hendersonville

Another stop we’ve made on our drives to the beach has been Hendersonville for a lunch at Piggy’s Ice Cream. This makes for a fun lunch spot with lots of funny things for the kids to look at, and good, kid friendly, inexpensive food!

Marshall

We stayed in the charming town of Marshall during out drive to the beach as an overnight. It’s right outside Ashville, and we wanted a slightly different experience. We booked a teepee on airbnb in the forest near Marshall. (message me for the link!). We loved our time here – it was so peaceful and had a great setup with firepit and chairs, all while still being close to the town where they have a few good restaurants. Not a place I’d stay more than a night, but makes for a great overnight!

Wrap-Up

North Carolina—especially the Asheville area—keeps pulling us back, and it’s easy to see why. Between the scenic drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway, countless waterfalls, and the vibrant energy of downtown, it’s the kind of place that offers something new every time you visit. One trip might be all about hiking and chasing waterfalls, while the next is focused on great food, live music, and relaxing in a cozy mountain stay.

We’ve visited this area multiple times and still have a running list of things we want to do. Whether you’re planning a quick stop on a road trip or a longer getaway, this part of North Carolina is packed with variety—outdoor adventure, unique experiences, and charming towns. It’s one of those destinations that works for just about any type of traveler, and we already know we’ll be back again.

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