How To Spend 3 Days In Asheville, North Carolina

I’ve wanted to check out Asheville, North Carolina for years, so when I got the chance to take a bachelorette trip (for one of my favorite people) I jumped at it. This weirdly charming city has tons of accolades including landing on “The South’s Prettiest Cities” and “The South’s Best Food Cities” list, respectively. After visiting Asheville it’s easy to see why everyone raves about it. Not only is it a city filled with food and art, but it’s incredibly dog friendly too (bestill my heart). There are so many things to do in Asheville, North Carolina making it a great city to check out for a long weekend. But how should you spend 3 Days In Asheville?

Heading To North Carolina? Check Out:

One Day In Cherokee, North Carolina

The Basics: 

Where Is Asheville, North Carolina?:

Asheville is a city in western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s known for a vibrant arts scene and historic architecture. 

How Do I Get There?:

Air: 

The closest airport to Asheville is actually in the same city,  Asheville (AVL). However, there are better options for getting to Asheville.

Charlotte is the largest airport and will have much cheaper fares but will have about a 3 hour drive each way. 

Roadtrip: 

Asheville is a great roadtrip destination and this is how I got to Asheville for my weekend trip. I always prefer to roadtrip because it’s generally cheaper. This wonderfully weird city is centrally located for most of the East Coast. 

Where Should I Stay?: 

Luxury Hotels: 

The Omni Grove Park Inn 

• 290 Macon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
• (800) 438-5800
• Starting At $359 A Night
• Find Out More HERE

Village Inn At Biltmore Estates

• 1 Antler Hill Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
• (800) 411-3812
• In July Average Nightly Rate $589
• Find Out More HERE

Boutique Hotels: 

Windsor Boutique Hotel 

• 36 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
• (844) 494-6376
• In July Average Nightly Rate $413
• Find Out More HERE

The Foundry Hotel Asheville

• 51 S Market St, Asheville, NC 28801
• (828) 552-8545
• Average Nightly Rate $341
• Find Out More HERE

Budget Friendly Hotels: 

Hotel Indigo 

• 151 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801
• (828) 239-0239
• $199 Nightly Rate
• Find Out More HERE

Brookstone Lodge

• 4 Roberts Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
• (828) 398-5888
• $84 Nightly Rate 

Airbnb Cabins: 

I stayed at this one…Tango Lookout Lodge. The views were absolutely stunning and the cabin itself was great! 

Tatanka Lodge

High Top Cabin

Dreamy Stays: 

Asheville Glamping – offering domes, vintage airstreams, yurts, and more this place looks amazing! Bonus: some of them are dog friendly! 

Dog Friendly Airbnbs: 

Little Blue Cottage

The Cabin In Grove Park

Biltmore Hideaway

Day 1: Shop & Eat Your Way Through Asheville 

Head To Tupelo Honey Cafe For Breakfast (even after 10 am) – 

• 12 College St, Asheville, NC 28801
• Mon – Thurs: 9 am – 10 pm, Fri – Sun: 9 am – 9 pm
• Find The Menu HERE
• Reservations Highly Recommended

Our bachelorette group headed here between lunch and breakfast, we had a reservation but still waited about 20 mins. Trust me, it’s worth it. I highly recommend the Mac-N-Cheese Waffles with Asheville Hot Fried Chicken. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds! The ​​Wildflower Moscow Mule was also delicious. 

Walk Off Breakfast In The River Arts District –

• Haywood Road

The River Arts District is where you will find all of those awesome murals. Asheville is a very art focused city and River District only adds to the charm.  Just walk down Haywood Road you will find everything from layered mountains, Sloth From The Goonies to Dolly Parton. 

Stop at Claddagh Restaurant and Pub To Cool Down – 

I visited Asheville in June, but our party happened in the Claddagh to grab a quick drink and some appetizers. I highly recommend the Reuben egg rolls if you are hungry, they are great! 

Shop And Then Shop Some More – 

Asheville is weird and that’s just the way everyone likes it. It’s not weird in any negative way, in fact, I can see myself living there one day, I loved it! But it’s called the Portland of the south for a reason and that makes the shopping so much fun. 

Some Can’t Miss Shops: 

• L.O.F.T.
• Embellish Asheville (I got a beautiful bracelet here)
• Honeypot 
• Charmed Asheville 
• Battery Park Book Exchange 
• Grove Arcade

If You Are Into It: Get A Tarot Reading – 

One of the girls in our group got a tarot reading at Earth Magick.

It was great and really insightful for her. And the shop itself is gorgeous! 

Treats Yourself To French Broad Chocolate Lounge – 

French Broad Chocolate Lounge is one of those places that you smell before you even enter. They have a delicious array of sweet treats to choose from and they even have dessert flights. The cookies are amazing and everything that our group of 6 tried was delicious but if it’s warm during your visit, I recommend skipping the chai latte. 

Have Some More Sweet Treats At Crave – 

Our group ended our first day in Asheville at Crave Dessert Bar and sat outside on the patio. Honestly, we were all just thirsty and wanted water but Crave ended up being a really nice surprise. We each had a drink and some of the girls ordered a hookah. I recommend the Ricky Bobby – it’s essentially an Old Fashioned with a peachy twist. It was a nice way to relax and unwind after a day of shopping and checking out Asheville. 

Day 2: Biltmore, Brews & Ghosts 

If you are thinking about visiting Asheville, chances are that you’ve heard of the Biltmore Estates and that you are planning on visiting. And you absolutely should! You could easily spend an entire day at the Biltmore, but a few hours is necessary to see the grounds and house.

Grandeur At The Biltmore

A little history, George Vanderbilt’s 250-room French Renaissance chateau is a true marvel. It was the largest undertaking in residential architecture history. Over a six-year period, an entire community of craftsmen came together to create America’s premier home. It’s honestly the closest you will get to a castle in the United States and the opulence of this home is beautiful!

It’s recommended that you purchase tickets before you visit, and I recommend getting them earlier in the day so that you have a chance to explore afterward. Or later in the day so that you can experience sunset during your visit.

There are several options for visiting Biltmore Estates – 

• Gardens & Grounds Admission – $55 – this gives you access to everything but the house including the vineyard. 
• Enhanced Experience – $76-$96 (depending on the day) – this gives you access to house & gardens, an audio guide, and complimentary wine tasting. 
• Exclusive Experience – $284-$304 (depending on the day) – you get access to the house & gardens, a small group tour led by an expert guide, complimentary parking, and complimentary wine tasting. 
• You can purchase tickets HERE

I chose the Enhanced Experience and it was the perfect way to spend a sunny day in Asheville. Our bachelorette party also had a Flytographer photoshoot at the Biltmore and the photos turned out beautifully. If you’ve never heard of Flytographer check them out HERE, I’ve used them multiple times in several cities and the photos are always amazing. 

Stroll Around The Gardens

After touring the impressive house, wander into the impressive gardens. It’s like crawling down the rabbit hole and finding yourself in Wonderland. Stroll through the gardens and take in all the beautiful flowers.

And finish off your visit to Biltmore with some shopping in the gift shops, and your complimentary wine tasting. 

Tip: Make sure to tell them you want to take advantage of your complimentary wine tasting when you give your tickets at the house itself. 

Grabs Some Brews At One Of Asheville’s Breweries – 

Asheville has a lot of breweries, I mean, a lot. There are around 30 breweries in Asheville and that means something for everyone! 

A Few Brewery Suggestions: 

• Wicked Weed – Dog Friendly
• Catawba Brewing Company – Dog Friendly 
• Sierra Nevada 
• Urban Orchard Cider 
• Bhramari Brewing Company – Dog Friendly 

Finish The Second Day In Asheville With Some Ghosts – 

My group did our ghost tour with Haunted Asheville and took the Classic Walking Tour, you can book that HERE. Tad was our tour guide and he was awesome! He was entertaining and I loved all of the folklore and legend elements in his tour. It was a very cool way to spend a night in Asheville. 

Tip: I only know this because Tad told us during our tour – we heard drums downtown. Every Friday night Asheville has a city-sponsored drum circle downtown, how cool??

Finish Your Night With Some Ramen – 

After our ghost tour, we were all starving and we stumbled across Itto Ramen. It was delicious and I highly recommend the miso ramen! 

Have Fun With Dueling Pianos – 

If you aren’t completely exhausted from your packed day check out Off The Wagon Dueling Piano Bar. On a Friday or Saturday night it will be completely packed but so much fun! 

Day 3 – Get Outdoorsy In Asheville 

Being right on the Blueridge Mountains, Asheville is a great place to get outside and enjoy nature. There are so many options for outdoor activities in Asheville, but here are some you shouldn’t miss…

Catch A Sunrise – 

Those beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains glow in the rising sun and you shouldn’t miss it! 

Top Places For Sunrise: 

• Mount Mitchell 
• Craggy Pinnacle 
• French Broad River 
• Lake Lure 

Take A Hike – 

Asheville Botanical Garden Loop

• Distance: .7 miles 
• Rating: Easy 
• Elevation Gain: 68 ft 

Waterfall Hikes – 

Catawba Falls 

• Drive Time: 34 mins from downtown 
• Distance: 2.3 miles 
• Rating: Moderate 
• Elevation Gain: 341 ft 
• Dog Friendly 

Crabtree Falls 

• Drive Time: 1 hour from downtown 
• Distance: 2.6 miles
• Rating: Moderate 
• Elevation Gain: 577 ft 
• Dog Friendly 

Hikes With Views – 

Craggy Gardens Trail 

• Drive Time: 24 mins from downtown 
• Distance: 1.9 miles 
• Rating: Moderate 
• Elevation Gain: 574 ft 
• Dog Friendly 

Lookout Trail 

• Drive Time: 24 mins from downtown 
• Distance: 1.5 miles 
• Rating: Moderate 
• Elevation Gain: 626 ft 
• Dog Friendly

Grab Lunch At Buxton Hall Barbecue After Hiking – 

Buxton Hall BBQ features pasture-raised pigs from local farmers and a full bar. Hailed as the best BBQ place in Asheville, this place has a cult-like following. Not only is the food amazing but it’s got a great atmosphere, and a cool history. The building housed a roller skating rink in the 1930’s and you’ll notice the floors are still the original maple from the rink. Very cool. 

As of July 19, 2021 – They are closed for the next few weeks and are redoing their menu! 

If Hiking Isn’t Your Things: Kayak – 

If hiking just isn’t your thing consider kayaking the French Broad River with…

French Broad Outfitters 

• 704 Riverside Dr, Asheville, NC 28801
• Daily 10 am – 6 pm 

There are so many different options whether you want to kayak or simply tube and float down the river. There is a 6 Mile Biltmore Trip (their most popular), and a 6 Mile Art District River Trip among others. 

Find out more and book HERE. 

Marvel At A Sunset – 

Sunsets in the mountains are something special, and if you follow me on Instagram, you know I live for them! 

Some Of The Best Sunset Locations: 

• Biltmore Estates 
• Craggy Gardens 
• Max Patch (I want to go here so badly and missed it)
• Montford Rooftop Bar 
• Anywhere On The Blue Ridge Parkway

Enjoy the sunset and the end of your trip to Asheville, North Carolina. 

Mapping Out 3 Days In Asheville:

Then pack up and after you head home find yourself dreaming of those mountain views, I promise you will. Asheville is such a great town and I can’t wait to go back with the huskies. It’s such a dog friendly place! Have you been to Asheville? What were some of your favorites? 

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