Asheville is a beacon of arts and culture nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern North Carolina. I’ve been fortunate to visit Asheville numerous times over the past decade. Thus, I feel prepared to share my advice on how to spend a few days in Asheville.

Things to Do in Asheville

1. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway

Emmett overlooks Tanbark Ridge outside of Asheville; June 2018

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic American road and the longest linear park in the United States. Asheville is in close proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which makes for a nice afternoon spent taking in the beautiful rolling mountains visible just off the Parkway.

2. Catch Some Live Music

The Grey Eagle; Asheville, NC; June 2016

Asheville has many venues for live music. In fact, it seems that just about every large restaurant in town has a live band on the weekends. There are a few specific music venues such as The Orange Peel, The Grey Eagle, Asheville Music Hall, and Salvage Station. In 2016, Emmett and I joined some friends at The Grey Eagle to catch King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and The Murlocs. It was a fantastic show and the venue was the perfect size - it was not too big and still easy to get close to the band.

3. Go Shopping

Asheville is an exciting shopping destination with a little something for everybody and every budget. Some favorite shops of mine have been Asheville Emporium and Mast General Store for souvenirs, Malaprop's Bookstore and Firestorm Co-op for all things book, and Voltage Records or Citizen Vinyl for records. There are also a plethora of vintage stores and counterculture shops selling incense, soaps, and gemstones.

Gemstones for sale; Asheville; October 2021

4. Take a Pubcycle Tour

Our tour guide, CJ, Suzi, Liz, Allison, and me on an Amazing Pubcycle Tour; October 2021

A company called Amazing Pubcycle offers fun, cycle tours of Asheville where you can bring your own adult beverages. In 2021, for my close friend Liz’s 30th birthday, my pals and I took an Amazing Pubcycle “Mixer Pub Tour” one evening. Our charming tour guide showed us the sights of downtown Asheville and we stopped off at a pub for half an hour for additional drinks. While cycling and touring on either end of our excursion, our tour guide took requests on the sound system. We ended the night singing “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion at the top of our lungs alongside the other folks who cycled that night. It was a very fun time.

5. Visit the Biltmore Estate

The Biltmore Estate is a Gilded Age mansion built in the late 19th century outside of Asheville. Buying a day pass to visit the grounds allows visitors to tour the interior of the Estate as well as the fabulous onsite gardens/greenhouse and the Biltmore Estate Winery. Fans of architecture and extravagance will enjoy a day at the Biltmore.

6. Catch a Drag Show at Scandals

Established in 1980, Scandals Nightclub is Asheville’s oldest dance club. And it’s a gay club with an established dancefloor and two nightly drag shows on the weekend. The drag performers are fantastically talented and their costumes are incredible. For a fun night out on the town, I highly recommend Scandals for dancing and drag.

Where to Eat in Asheville

Brunch

Early Girl Eatery

Locations: 8 Wall St.; 444 Haywood Rd. #101; 1378 Hendersonville Rd. Ste A

Recommendation: Organic Heirloom Grit Cake Stack.

Biscuit Head

Locations: 417 Biltmore Ave, Ste 4F; 733 Haywood Rd.; 994 Hendersonville Rd

Recommendations: Fried Green Tomatoes, Sweet Potato Coconut Gravy, and any jams from the jam bar.

Eggs benedict biscuit; Biscuit Head; June 2018

Lunch/Dinner

White Duck Taco Shop

Locations: 388 Riverside Drive & 12 Biltmore Avenue.

Recommendations: Banh Mi Tofu Tacos, Mushroom Potato Romesco Tacos. Housemade Sangria.

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant

Location: 19 Broadway St.

Recommendations: Veggie Gyoza, Vegetable & Tofu Pan Fried Udon.

Vegetable Tofu Pan Fried Udon; Wasabi Restaurant; October 2021

Dessert

Double D's Coffee & Desserts

Location: 41 Biltmore Ave.

Recommendations: Chai Latte, Fruit smoothies.

French Broad Chocolate Factory

Locations: 10 S Pack Square; 821 Riverside Drive.

Recommendations: Housemade chocolate ice cream or milkshakes.

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream at French Broad Chocolate Factory; October 2021

Where to Drink in Asheville

Breweries

Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada’s Mills River, NC Taproom is about 25 minutes from downtown Asheville. It’s an enormous campus with brewery tours, a restaurant, live music, and a “back porch” with a scenic woodsy view.

New Belgium

Located on 21 Craven Street in Asheville, New Belgium is a family and cyclist-friendly campus. There is no onsite restaurant; instead there are several food trucks in residence to satiate your hunger.

Wicked Weed Brewpub

Located on 91 Biltmore Ave, Wicked Weed Brewpub features a tasting room and a New American restaurant.

Twin Leaf

An independent craft brewery located at 144 Coxe Avenue. Twin Leaf focuses on “brewing classic Belgian, English, and American style ales, while maintaining a rotating line up of Lagers, IPAs, Sours, and other adventurous styles.”

Bars

Ben’s Tune-Up

195 Hilliard Avenue.

A converted auto shop featuring a beer & sake garden.

Top of the Monk

92 Patton Avenue.

A speakeasy-esque rooftop bar featuring handcrafted cocktails.

An apple cider cocktail at Grove Park Inn; October 2021

Sunset Cocktail Terrace at the Grove Park Inn

The Omni Grove Park Inn; 290 Macon Avenue

Go for the cocktails, stay for the incredible views. We went at the end of October just in time to catch some fall foliage on the Blue Ridge in the distance.