Asheville is the 11th largest city in North Carolina, meaning it’s a small city that is easy to explore with limited time! Gas up the car, put on your walking shoes, and don’t forget your appetite. Here is how to spend a weekend in Asheville, NC!
Day 1: The Best of Everything Asheville
On your first day of your weekend in Asheville, you’ll get a little taste of everything that the city and region has to offer. It’ll be a nice blend of activity, relaxation, scenic views, and mouth-watering food.
Morning: Fueling up and Hitting the (Scenic) Road
Start your day bright and early with some fuel at Biscuit Head. This hole-in-the-wall breakfast spot is the epitome of Southern cooking at its finest. It’s a casual order-at-the-counter spot that is nestled inside a medical park/apartment complex. It’s a little tricky to find, but it’s worth the effort to get to! Their fresh biscuits will melt in your mouth, and you can lather them up with dozens of jams and spreads from their toppings bar. It’s the perfect way to start the day!
Afterwards, gas up the car and hit the road down the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway (also known as “America’s Favorite Drive”)! The BRP is a 469-mile scenic byway that goes from Virginia through North Carolina, with many highlights right outside of Asheville! Of course you’re not going to do the whole drive, but I’d recommend entering the BRP here and heading south.
Tip: at the time of writing this post (June 2025), there were still many road closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway due to damage caused by Hurricane Helene. I’d recommend checking the website here or stopping into the visitors center located here for the most accurate report of road closures.
This drive is all about the journey, as there really isn’t a “destination”. Take a slow drive down the scenic road and work your way up and up into the Blue Ridge Mountains. You’ll drive around windy curves that hug the side of the mountains and offer spectacular views. I loved doing this drive in the morning as I feel like we got “the best of both worlds.” As the sun was rising, we got moody views with fog. Then, as it started to burn off, the view opened up and you could see for miles. Stop at all the scenic viewpoints your heart can take, and then turn around after a couple of hours to experience the views from the other angle!
If you need a good place to stop during your drive, the Pisgah Inn is what you’re looking for. Here you will find restrooms, a restaurant, and a few shops for quick grab-and-go fuel. You can also step out onto their viewing deck for more views and a rest in their Adirondack chairs. It was a great place to stretch the legs and enjoy the views without the stress of being behind the wheel!
Afternoon: Exploring Downtown Asheville
After a slow morning in the mountains, make your way back into town for some urban exploration. Weave up and down the streets bopping into the local shops, artist galleries, and museums. There are dozens of restaurants to stop in for a quick bite. We ended up grabbing some sweet treats from The Chocolate Fetish that really hit the spot. The Asheville Pinball Museum is a fun, quirky spot for some serious nostalgia. The museum is free to enter and walk around, but if you want to play any of the machines it is $17 for unlimited play. Even though I didn’t grow up in the “arcade era”, I still enjoyed every minute of wandering around and checking out all of the machines!
For shopping, my favorite spot was Kress Emporium. This shop is home to over 80 local vendor stalls that will sell their art in all different mediums. I loved bopping into all of the different ones and supporting local artists! Another favorite of mine was the Grove Arcade. This shopping center is home to businesses as well as small shops, and is completely indoors (perfect if the weather outside isn’t ideal!). The building is an architectural marvel and so much fun to wander through and photograph
Evening: Authentic Carolina BBQ & Rooftop Sunsets
When your internal dinner bell starts to ring, I can think of no better place than Iron & Oak Brisket Co. This backyard barbecue joint is Carolina bbq at its finest. The outdoor shack offers all the traditional fixins: brisket, chicken, ribs, and pork. But be warned: once they’re out, they’re out! When we arrived, our protein options were limited. I had my heart set on a half-rack of ribs, but I was told those are always the first to go! Don’t feel too bad for me, because the bbq pulled pork sandwich slapped just as hard! You’ll order at the outdoor counter, grab a spot at a picnic table, and enjoy Southern BBQ the way it was meant to be enjoyed. We grabbed a spot next to one of their pits, where they were already smoking meats for tomorrow!
After dinner, make your way back into town for an evening cocktail at Cappella on 9. This rooftop lounge is located in the AC Hotel and offers both indoor and outdoor lounge space with views of downtown Asheville. If it’s chilly, they even have some outdoor fireplaces to curl up by! It’s the perfect way to end a great day in Asheville!
Day 2: Exploring the Biltmore Estate
While yesterday was a lot of bopping around and exploring the best of Asheville, today is all about one thing: The Biltmore Estate! During my initial planning, I found it hard to imagine we’d spend an entire day at just this one place, but trust me: you’ll need an entire day here!
The Biltmore Estate is an enormous property, covering 8,000 acres. While the property is has a lot to explore, the real star of the show is the mansion. George Vanderbilt built this massive home over the span of 6 years, wrapping up construction in 1895. It is 175,000 square feet and has 250 rooms (including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces)!
Read More: 8 Tips for Visiting the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC
Arrive early and explore the outside areas such as the Walled Garden, Italian Garden, and Conservatory before starting your self-guided tour of the house (make sure you book your tickets ahead of time!). Take your time on the house tour and definitely do the audio guide- it’s fantastic! Highlights inside the house for me were definitely the winter garden (the first stop inside the house) and down in the basement where they had a bowling alley, indoor swimming pool, and gym- all of which were unheard of in homes built in this era!
Afterwards, grab lunch at The Stable Cafe, bop into some of the many shops, and grab an ice cream cone at The Creamery. Don’t forget to make your way over to the Antler Hill Village to visit the winery and enjoy your complementary tasting! Expert sommeliers will allow you to taste 5 of their wines for free inside The Tasting Room.
This alone will fill up an entire day, but there is also so much more on the property that I didn’t get a chance to do! There are miles of outdoor walking and hiking trails to explore, a spa for some well-deserved R&R on your trip, and a laundry list of activities that rotate daily. No matter what your interests are, a day at the Biltmore can be tailored to you!
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