Asheville, North Carolina is one of my favorite places to vacation. This city has something for everyone with great shopping and restaurants, scenic drives, and activities for outdoor enthusiasts like hiking. Spending 3 days in Asheville North Carolina will give you a nice overview of the region, but you could absolutely stay longer if desired. Additionally, you could combine your trip to Asheville with a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Getting here
Asheville is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina. The city can be easily reached by flying into the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL). If you will fly, I recommend renting a car so you can explore the mountains and go hiking.
Alternatively, Asheville is easy driving distance from several Southern cities like Charlotte (2 hours 15 min), Atlanta (3 hours 30 min), Nashville (4 hours 45 min), and Lexington (4 hours 30 min).
You can easily combine your 3 days in Asheville North Carolina with a visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It will take you 1 hour 30 min of driving to reach Gatlinburg, Tennessee which serves at the main gateway to the Park.
When to visit
Asheville is a year-round destination, but the fall colors make October an especially wonderful time for a visit. You will likely contend with more leaf peeping crowds and higher prices for hotels, but if you have the option to stay over weekdays instead of weekends, it will be more manageable. The beautiful fall colors will make up for the hassle! I loved my October trip here so much that Asheville is on my Ultimate US Fall Travel Bucket List.
Spring is another good time to visit because temperatures will be more pleasant for hiking and you will see lots of blooming flowers. Even winter can be enjoyable with generally mild temperatures and attractions like the Biltmore Estate going all out at Christmas time.
Things to do with 3 days in Asheville North Carolina
Biltmore Estate
No trip to Asheville would be complete without touring the Biltmore Estate. This National Historic Landmark is known as “America’s Largest Home”. This 250-room estate was built by the Vanderbilt family over 6 years. It officially opened in 1895.
At minimum, you should plan to tour the House and Gardens during your visit. Several different tour tickets are available and it’s required to purchase a timed entry ticket in advance. The lavish House tour allows you to roam around the mansion and admire the splendid fine art, furniture, and accessories mostly European in style. The expansive Gardens and glass ceiling Conservatory are also must see stops during your day at the Biltmore Estate. Besides the manicured Gardens, there are also numerous trails to explore on the 8,000 acre estate.
Included in your tour ticket is a complimentary wine tasting at the Biltmore Winery in Antler Hill Village. Other things to do in Antler Village includes shopping, dining, and exploring the Farmyard.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Widely considered one of the most scenic drives in the United States, the Blue Ridge Parkway passes right by Asheville. This road is operated by the National Park Service and has many scenic stops and hiking trails along the way. The entire road is 469 miles and connects Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Parkway is designed for slow leisurely mountain drives with maximum speed limit of 45 miles per hour. Given the distance, if you are just spending 3 days in Asheville North Carolina, you will only have time to drive a short section and turn back.
We decided to head northeast, drive as far as Crabtree Falls, and then turn back to Asheville. This drive takes about 1 hour 30 minutes each direction without stopping, and longer if you want to drive up Mt Mitchell. We took this trip in October and loved the gorgeous fall foliage.
I recommend starting your Blue Ridge Parkway drive by stopping at the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center. Hike the 1.5 miles roundtrip Craggy Pinnacle Trail for great panoramic views. For a shorter, but uphill, hike choose Craggy Gardens Trail. This area is filled with rhododendron flowers in June.
Mount Mitchell
Continue your drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping at the numerous scenic overlooks. The next stop we made was Mt. Mitchell. This is the highest peak east of the Mississippi with an elevation of 6,684 feet. Seasonally, there is a restaurant and gift shop at the top. You can take in great panoramic views from the observatory deck. Unfortunately for us, there were low clouds and fog our entire trip so we literally couldn’t see anything from Mt Mitchell.
Crabtree Falls
After Mt. Mitchell, you can continue along the Blue Ridge Parkway passing more scenic overlooks until you reach Crabtree Falls. Two different hikes are available to see the waterfall and both are moderate to strenuous with elevation changes. The shorter is 1.8 miles roundtrip to the falls and the longer is about 2.5 miles with steep inclines. After hiking, we decided to turn around and head back to Asheville making more stops along the scenic viewpoints.
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but these stops will have you heading southwest out of Asheville. We drove as far as the Mt Pisgah trailhead about 45 minutes outside of Asheville before turning back. Here, you can hike the 2.6 mile moderately difficult trail to the top for stunning views. Alternatively, there is an overlook parking lot across the street if you prefer to skip the hike.
If you want to spend more time in the National Forest you can continue along the Blue Ridge Parkway to US 276. Along the way check out the Cradle of Forestry in America. See restored buildings from the early 1900s, learn about the history of forestry, and enjoy easy trails. Next, head to Sliding Rock to enjoy a natural water slide. Finally, stop at Looking Glass Falls which can be viewed without hiking. From here, you can turn around and head back to Asheville
North Carolina Arboretum
With more time in Asheville, you could plan a trip to the North Carolina Arboretum. Enjoy the 65 acres of gardens, hiking, and biking trails.
Explore Downtown Asheville
Asheville is a great place for shopping and dining. Meander through downtown and stop wherever grabs your interest. Asheville has a great art scene and one shop we really enjoyed was Lexington Glassblowing. The pieces were beautiful and you could observe glass blowers in action. If you want to see more art, check out the River Arts District where you can stroll through working studios and galleries.
If you still haven’t had your fill of shopping, check out the Biltmore Village. This area is across from the Biltmore Estate, but is its own independent area. There are great boutiques and dining options along the cobblestone streets.
Where to eat
You won’t go hungry in Asheville, North Carolina! Great food abounds in this hipster town filled with great Southern style farm to table restaurants. Some of my favorite options includes Biscuit Head (breakfast), Sunny Point Café (breakfast), Curate, Tupelo Honey, and Corner Kitchen. If you like beer, be sure to check out one of the local breweries too.
Where to stay
There are numerous great hotel options in Asheville, North Carolina. If you want to stay on the Biltmore Estate, you can check out the luxurious Inn at Biltmore Estate or the more affordable Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate. Other upscale options include The Foundry Hotel Asheville (Curio Collection by Hilton), Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville (Autograph Collection), and The Omni Grove Park Inn.
Sample Itinerary for 3 Days in Asheville North Carolina
Day 1
Spend a day exploring the impressive Biltmore Estate. Start by touring the main house and gardens. Next, trek to Antler Hill Village and Biltmore Winery for shopping and additional dining options. After exploring the estate, head to Biltmore Village for more shopping and eat dinner at Corner Kitchen.
Day 2
Take a scenic road trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Stop at Craggy Gardens, Mt Mitchell, and Crabtree Falls plus all the scenic overlooks along the way. Enjoy some hiking and then return to Asheville for dinner.
Day 3
Spend some time shopping and dining in downtown Asheville. Consider checking out the River Arts Districtto see galleries and studios. If you want to get back outdoors, explore the Pisgah National Forest or North Carolina Arboretum.
There you have it, a great 3 days in Asheville North Carolina. With so many things to do, you could absolutely spend more days in Asheville if you have the time or extend your trip to explore nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For other great fall destinations, check out my Ultimate US Fall Travel Bucket List.