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Sourwood Inn

Asheville Bed & Breakfast

Asheville

Asheville, NC – a smallish town with a lot to do! When you only have a few days to explore our wonderful Western North Carolina mountain town, it can get overwhelming trying to plan out your visit. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite places to visit in the Asheville area. If you’re a planner, this list will be an excellent place for you to start. If you like to show up in a new place and see what happens, the following can be a great link to save on your phone. So, let’s dive in!

Only in Asheville

Large pond with lily pads at the Biltmore estate gardens with the Biltmore house in background
The gardens at Biltmore Estate are a delight to explore in every season

There are two attractions in Asheville that are truly like no other: The Biltmore Estate and The Blue Ridge Parkway. Both were monumental projects that attract thousands of visitors each year – and both have grown and adjusted with the times. The Biltmore took 1,000 men over 6 years to build and the Blue Ridge Parkway began construction in 1933 and finished the last leg of the 469-mile route in 1987,

Asheville Food and Drink

People relax and eat outside in downtown Asheville at the Grove Arcade
Spend an afternoon relaxing at the Grove Arcade, home to many of our favorite downtown restaurants

Asheville is truly a food and beer-lovers paradise! The farm-to-table movement is strong here, which means that fresh food is always on the menu. As you will see from the list below, you can eat well on a budget in Asheville, or, you can go all-out and have a fine dining experience. Regardless of the money you spend, you’ll have a great meal.

*Note: Many Asheville restaurants in the list below are popular. If the restaurant accepts reservations, then reserve your spot! Otherwise, be prepared for a wait.

We hesitate to put the number of breweries in the Asheville area in an article, because the minute we do, that number will grow! Asheville, NC is called Beer City USA because we love to make and drink beer. Not keen on brews? Never fear, we’ve also included some great places to drink wine and cocktails on our list.

Food

Some of our favorite local restaurants:

Breweries

A beer flight from New Belgium

Wine and Fancy Cocktails

The Great Outdoors

The Blue Ridge Parkway curves around a bend with mountain vista in distance

Get outside! We spend so much time on computers and phones that it’s such a relief to breathe fresh air and enjoy mountain views. We encourage you to dip your feet into our cool streams, take binoculars to find the bird singing so beautifully and to embrace going somewhere where the wi-fi is weak.

Biking in Asheville

We love cycling so much that we’ve dedicated an entire page to it on our website! If you want to know more about all-things biking in Asheville, click here.

Hiking in and around Asheville, NC

View of Dry Falls in the lush summertime with people walking beneath the falls
Dry Falls in Western NC

Favorite Hikes

Waterfall Hikes Near Asheville

Adventure

A colorful hot air balloon glides over the Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall
Have a high-flying adventure!

Scenic Drives

Asheville Tours

Sometimes while on vacation, it can be great to let someone else make the decisions for you; that’s where these great Asheville tours come in. Not sure what brewery or restaurant to visit? Take a tour and experience lots of places in a few hours. Then, when you’ve decided on your favorite, you can return later for a more in-depth experience.

Brewery Tours

Downtown Tours

Food Tours

Wellness Tours

Music Venues

A guitar sits in foreground while a drummer plays in the background

Do I hear banjo music? Yes, bluegrass is popular in Western North Carolina, and we are proud of our musical heritage! But we’ve got more to offer than just bluegrass, and plenty of great music venues to take it in. Many great musicians make their home here in Asheville, while some travel through and play a few nights at one of the following places to take in some tunes:

Art Galleries and Museums

When you’ve finished feasting your eyes on the beautiful outdoor scenery, venture inside one of our many art galleries and museums. We have a vibrant visual arts scene in Western North Carolina, and we’re proud that our town is so supportive of the arts.

Downtown Asheville as seen from above, with the misty Blue Ridge Mountains
Asheville has so much to explore!

Whew! We set out to give you a shortlist of our favorite things, but there are so many places we love that the list grew before we knew it. That’s ok! We are here for you anytime you have a question about the places on the list above, or any Asheville, NC attraction. We love helping our guests choose their next best place to visit – and we especially love it when they come back to Asheville for more!