What to do in Asheville, North Carolina (in 24 hours)
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Lovely mountain scapes, America’s largest private home, and a cafe with over 500 games… This is the Asheville we quickly grew to love. I have had my eye on Asheville for about two years and was so excited to finally be able to force my family to visit as part of our road trip to Hilton Head. It’s one of those situations where you hold your breath and cross your fingers that your family is going to love it as much as you already do in your head. And guess what?!? They did. My husband even got on his Zillow app and we started to picture ourselves living in this mountain town. (Don’t worry, parents, it’s just a fun game we play when we travel. We are Michiganders ’til the end ;-).
Naturally, I had the Biltmore on my mind. But first… COFFEE. There were several coffee shops in downtown Asheville. We first stopped at Old Europe to grab a cup while we strolled and explored the downtown. We, of course, couldn’t pass up French Broad Chocolate Lounge; the macaroons were delicious!
Our favorite small side street that we came upon was Wall Street, housing several cute boutiques and coffee shops.
(Get the Look: Pants, Sandals, Bag, Sunglasses– similar, Sweater– similar)
We landed on cleverly-named, Well Played. We could have spent all day here. They have over 500 games, serve coffee, snacks, food, and alcoholic beverages, so… something for everyone.
We spent a bit of time exploring, checking out different areas, and listening to the fantastic street musicians.
BUT, there was the Biltmore…
The Biltmore was finished in 1895 (it took six years to build!). We visited this 8,000 acre estate during the first week of April. It was a beautiful day, so we spent quite a bit of time roaming around the property and soaking up some sun.
I can only imagine how lovely this property must be in late April or the beginning of May with brand new leaves popping out.
In fact, being outside was likely our favorite part of the visit. We spent quite a bit of time in and around the conservatory and were able to listen to the tail end of a lovely strings performance.
The house was amazing and it was fun to see how the Vanderbilt family lived and entertained. Having watched (and rewatched) The Titanic in high school, I found the installment of the costumes and ties to this time in history to be very interesting (the significance was sort of lost on the kids).
The detail that went into the clothing, the decor, and the architecture is something to see as were the views from the grand balconies. (Tip: allot time for the meandering drive in as well as the scenic drive out. A quick stop at the winery would have been a nice touch if we weren’t all so tired from the day of travel previously).
It would certainly be tempting to splurge and stay at the Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate. Or, if you have a super special occasion/celebration, you could also book The Inn on Biltmore Estate. There is so much to do on this expansive property including (but not limited to) four restaurants, biking, fly-fishing, kayaking, and shopping.
Given that it was The Final Four night and two teams we have ties to were playing each other, we sought out Pack’s Tavern and settled in on the porch to enjoy some dinner and watch part of the game. The restaurant was kid friendly and also had a fun game (sort of like shuffleboards on a table with sand) for kids and parents alike.
We stayed here… It was again kid-friendly, a short walk to downtown, and easy on and off to/from the expressway. They also had a complimentary breakfast in the lobby, which is always a hit with the fam. (Our family also enjoyed a late dinner in the spacious lobby/eating area on the night we arrived in Asheville, which was perfect because the kids could stretch their legs and we could all have some space after 14 hours in the car together.)
Next time, we will likely try some more restaurants… Posana looked so nice but I could tell the kids weren’t in the mood for a trendy dining experience (so Jimmy John’s it was- ha!)…
… and possibly venture out to the Blue Ridge Parkway for some hiking.
Have you been to Asheville? What were your favorite coffee shops? Activities? Places to Visit?
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14 Comments
passportofawanderwoman
Never been to Ashville. Looks like a good place to visit.
Mackinaw Road
It seems to have a little bit of something for everyone!
Sherrie Fabrizi Allbritten
I ahem always wanted to go see the Biltmore, it is so beautiful! Our daughter went to college in North Carolina it is filled with so many things to do!
Mackinaw Road
It is such a wonderful state- we always talk about moving when we’re down that way! What a great place to visit your daughter while she was in school!! The Biltmore is pretty amazing 🙂
Followingtherivera
I’ve never been to North Carolina when in the US, so it’s great to read something about Asheville. I love the house, and costumes too! It’s really a place I’d like to see.
Mackinaw Road
It is most definitely a place to put on your list when you come back!
katherinefenech2017
I’ve never been to North Carolina, so I had no idea what to expect when I started reading your post. But Asheville looks and sounds like my kind of place. I laughed when you said that you “forced” your family to visit – I know that feeling! I want to visit Well Played now, my fiance (who’s not so keen on travel) would love it!
Mackinaw Road
Haha- I’m glad I’m not the only one who “forces” travel and new places 😉 Well-Played is a great laid back place to ease into the day or finish it out for travelers and non-travelers alike 🙂
PossesstheWorld.com
I think I would have been stuck in “well played” all day! Lovely post perhaps we need to add North Carolina to our future USA travels, so many wonderful towns to visit
Mackinaw Road
It was definitely tempting for us to stay there the entire day as well! North Carolina is a lovely state to visit.
Loli and Pop
I am so glad you wrote this we are currently planning a trip to Asheville. The Biltmore has been on my Bucket for a long time. Can’t wait to try a few of these places out. One question is the town bicycle friendly?
Mackinaw Road
What fun! Asheville is a lovely place to visit 🙂 And the Biltmore is a must see. I honestly didn’t pay much attention when I was there but I just googled it and there is website dedicated solely to biking in Asheville that may have more information. Hope this helps!!
Sage Scott
My daughter (age 11) and I are planning a trip to Asheville, NC in early fall. I’m so glad to have these recommendations!
Mackinaw Road
How fun! I’m so glad that you found the suggestions helpful 🙂 Our kids are a bit younger but I really think that Asheville is great for kids (and adults) of all ages.