Asheville, NC is a cool city, like really cool. Being an awkward nerd, it definitely almost felt too cool for me. Asheville, NC is filled with wonderful things to do. It is filled with art, great beer and food. All while being surrounded by gorgeous nature and the Biltmore Estate. For me it was the highlight of a long road trip of the East Coast. I spent 5 days there and loved every second of it. Use our recommendations below to build an incredible 5 day trip to Asheville, North Carolina. Use this post to create a travel guide with the best things to do in Asheville, NC and the best restaurants to visit. So keep scrolling to create the best 5 day travel guide to Asheville, NC.
At Pragmatic Travelers, we only recommend what we have actually experienced so you know our advice is based on honesty. Check out our favorite East Coast Road Trip stops for more inspiration!
As a booking.com and Tripadvisor affiliate, I may earn a small commission on some of the links below, at no additional cost to you. As always, I only recommend what I have actually experienced so you know these recommendations are based on honesty rather a round up of internet research.
Best Place to Stay in Asheville
We stayed in a wonderful Airbnb outside of Asheville. It was located in Arden and was about a 15 minute drive to downtown Asheville. We had our dog with us and needed a dog friendly Airbnb. This was affordable, soo dog friendly, super clean and comfortable. It is a cozy basement unit with kitchenette. They provided dog bags and a dog treat bar. Most importantly, it has a private fenced in yard. This was a huge hit with my dog who couldn’t stop sniffing. He loved it. Highly recommend.
House Zen, Arden: Great Airbnb for Asheville, NC
If this Airbnb isn’t your jam, check out some hotels in Asheville. I don’t have any recommendations for you since I haven’t stayed in one.
Best Restaurants in Asheville, NC
- Chai Pani: A restaurant dedicated to Indian Street Food. I had a moment at that restaurant. It was some of the best food I’ve ever had. The Paneer Tikka Roll and Tamarind soda could make me cry. It was that good. If you skip this restaurant, you have done Asheville wrong.
- Jerusalem Garden Cafe: Attractive interior with delicious Middle Eastern food.
- Itto Ramen Bar & Tapas: Fantastic ramen and service. Really hit the spot on a chilly day.
- Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue: Bear’s can also be found in CT so I am partial to their BBQ which is freaking delicious. I LOVE their smoked pastrami.
- Biscuit Head: Amazing breakfast spot with incredible biscuits. I miss those biscuits and saying the word biscuits.
- Luella’s Bar-B-Que: It was very good BBQ but I still prefer Bear’s.
Best drinks, beers and ciders in Asheville, NC
- Wicked Weed Brewing Pub: Large brewery and very popular. The IPA’s were fantastic. Has a large dining menu. They won’t let you sit at certain tables unless you are ordering food.
- Noble Cider and Mead Downtown: I enjoyed this cidery so much I went twice. I regret not buying some of their cider to take home. The Chai Hard Cider/Spice Merchant was like drinking Autumn.
- Cultivated Cocktails Distillery: Fun airy space with some really tasty cocktails.
- Chemist Spirits: You have to try the orange chocolate gin. It was fantastic. Also a very cool and quirky space.
- Bold Rock Cider: In the heart of downtown Asheville. It has a large space with good dining. The cider isn’t as good as Noble but still decent.
Best coffee in Asheville, NC
- PennyCup Coffee-multiple locations, great for the arts district. LOVED their Cortado.
- Summit Coffee-Another art district gem.
- Grind AVL-And another art district coffee house. Catching a theme here??
Things to do in Asheville, NC
- Explore the downtown area. There are so many shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries to completly get lost in. Take your time here. It was one of the many reasons Asheville is so cool.
- Grab a cup of coffee and explore the River Arts District. The River Arts District is a sprawling district with over 280 artists. Most have open studios where you can watch the artists at work and browse their fantastic pieces. It is a large area so some walking is required. Check out this River Arts District map to plan your visit.
- Get a second cup of coffee and visit Marquee. Marquee is located in the art district and is a large market filled with art, vintage pieces, jewelry, furniture, etc. It has over 230 vendors and working artists. It is fantastic and a wonderful way to pass the afternoon.
- Visit a brewery, cidery, winery, cocktailery (I mean distillery). There are some many options. My favorites are above.
- Take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Visit the North Carolina Arboretum. I loved my afternoon visiting the trees and flora. I am not being sarcastic. The Arboretum was lovely. It also has a great walk through light display in the winter.
- Visit the Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore Estate is a sprawling property of 8,000 acres with a Chateauesque style mansion built in the 1890s. The mansion is massive with an indoor pool, bowling alley, large kitchen area and many many rooms to visit. I went in November and all of the Christmas decorations were up. The many Christmas trees, the decorations, the house itself; really blew me away. I loved the included audio tour and the Christmas trees. I mean I really loved the Christmas trees. The grounds were spectacular to walk around even in the winter. My only complain was the cost. MY GOODNESS it was expensive. Due to the Christmas decorations, it cost (for 2 people) over $200.00 for a day. That is insane. If you wanted to go see all the candles lit up, it was even more. I really enjoyed my time there but that price is hard to swallow.
Your Thoughts…
These are the different things to do and places to eat in Asheville to make a complete travel guide to Asheville, NC. What restaurants and things to do are you including in your travel to Asheville, NC? Leave a comment below!
