Things to do in Asheville, NC
Asheville is about 30 minutes from Moonlight. Close enough for a day in the city, far enough that you sleep somewhere quiet. These are the places we send friends.
Biltmore Estate
Do the self-guided audio tour of the house. It's packed with detail, and we notice something new every time. Walk the gardens after. Then drive across the estate to Antler Hill Village for a Biltmore wine tasting. Reserve ahead, especially around the holidays.
Beer
Asheville calls itself Beer City for a reason.
Sierra Nevada, Mills River
Just outside town and worth the drive. The tour covers brewing and their sustainability work, with plenty of tasting. Skip the tour and the taproom is still great: good food, a huge beer hall, big windows onto the woods.
New Belgium
Solid tours and tastings right on the river.
Burial Beer Co.
Our pick for unusual beers in a cozy room.
Wine, music and a night out
5 Walnut Wine Bar
Wine, cheese and live music in a small downtown room. Great for a date night.
The Omni Grove Park Inn
The historic stone hotel on the hill. Go for a drink or dinner with a big Blue Ridge view.
LaZoom Tours
Comedy tours on a big purple bus. There's a city tour, a haunted tour, a band and beer bus, and a kids' tour. Book on their site.
Coffee and chocolate
Rowan Coffee
Moody and vintage. Feels like a quiet library with a record playing. Beans are roasted in house.
Pollen Coffee and Flower Shop
Bright, full of flowers, half cafe and half boutique.
French Broad Chocolate
Take the bean-to-bar factory tour. You learn a lot and you eat a lot of chocolate.
Rainy day picks
Battery Park Book Exchange is a maze of books with a champagne bar. Well Played Cafe has 700 board games and real food. The Asheville Pinball Museum has over 30 machines. See the full rainy day guide.
With kids
The WNC Nature Center has otters, black bears and red wolves. The Asheville Museum of Science has a dinosaur skeleton. More in Moonlight with kids.
Want a quieter day? See our Black Mountain guide.
Check dates at Moonlight