Just looking for recommendations on things to do on our family spring break trip to Asheville this March. Never been and would appreciate any feedback.

The E bike tour through Asheville was pretty fun

Biltmore for sure

You MUST have a meal or at least a drink on the patio of the Grove Park Inn at sunset the view of the Smokies is amazing.

Kool said:

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You MUST have a meal or at least a drink on the patio of the Grove Park Inn at sunset the view of the Smokies is amazing.

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I tried to get reservations for this Spring break and was told they are still closed at that time, said it was a little too cold and they open back up a few weeks later.

Wow, that's disappointing.

Regardless, I would make it a point to at least go into the lobby of the Grove Park Inn. The size of the boulders used to construct that place are mind boggling (check out the lobby fireplace).

Definitely tour the Biltmore (you'll need reservations in advance).

Travel along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Spend some time in Hendersonville (their main drag reminds me of what Fredericksburg was 20-30 years ago).
Looking Glass Falls. Words don't describe it.
Lots of brewery's in the area. Sierra Nevada Brewery is near the airport. .

Lots of funky restaurants and shops in downtown.

Last thing...Asheville is North Carolina's version of Austin, except 90% smaller. Neat place to go but get ready for some extremely liberal perspectives while you're there.

You'll have a blast.

Yeah we may go by and at least check it out. Already have my Biltmore tickets and some brewery and restaurants picked out from past Asheville posts and some research on my own. Going to spend a day on the Parkway and will definitely go see the Falls and some easier hikes. Not worried about the liberal aspect because I've found we get along well they really like my credit card !

It's a weirdly named website, but I've mentioned this before on here, romanticasheville is a great resource for hiking around the area.

Do a search in the food board for posts on Asheville in the Beer thread, there have been many, and I've had a few.

Sierra Nevada Brewery is a must. Beautiful facilities.

AgOutsideAustin said:

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Kool said:

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You MUST have a meal or at least a drink on the patio of the Grove Park Inn at sunset the view of the Smokies is amazing.

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I tried to get reservations for this Spring break and was told they are still closed at that time, said it was a little too cold and they open back up a few weeks later.

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Just made a reservation for lunch this week. Guy told me they usually open the patio last week of March. But, of course, you can always take a libation and sit out there regardless.

"Last thing...Asheville is North Carolina's version of Austin, except 90% smaller. Neat place to go but get ready for some extremely liberal perspectives while you're there. "

Maybe it is me but I really dislike this type of political categorization of entire cities on this board. It is a shame that anyone would judge a city/place based on perceived political leanings. I know political tribalism is the norm these days but...

Anyway, I don't mean to derail.

Asheville is awesome. If you have kids I highly recommend the Pinball Museum. https://ashevillepinball.com/. Fun old school arcade and a great place to wait out one of those predictable afternoon showers.

Thanks for all the responses! We're actually going to stay at the Omni--really excited about it. We're flying into Atlanta and then driving the Blue Ridge Parkway. We're thinking of spending a night somewhere between Atlanta and Asheville before settling in at the Omni. Any thoughts? I saw Highlands, NC seemed to have a few nice hotels and great scenery.

Dicky Longstocking said:

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Thanks for all the responses! We're actually going to stay at the Omni--really excited about it. We're flying into Atlanta and then driving the Blue Ridge Parkway. We're thinking of spending a night somewhere between Atlanta and Asheville before settling in at the Omni. Any thoughts? I saw Highlands, NC seemed to have a few nice hotels and great scenery.

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Highlands is great, but it is very seasonal. I don't know when you plan to visit, but Highlands is somewhat dead if you don't hit it during the warmer months. Highlands NC will get you closer to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and there are lots of great side hikes and waterfalls in the region. A quick hike between Highlands and Cashiers is Whiteside Mountain Loop. Huge vistas from the top of the hike.
Another consideration is Greenville, SC. It is along the way to Asheville, and they did a great job with the downtown renovations they did there. Really well done city planning. Enjoy

Snowbird mountain lodge

Appreciate the responses. Would you recommend the drive between Atlanta and Greenville vs somewhere in NC for that first day? I've always wanted to visit Greenville, but we're also wanting to see some scenery. Alternatively, we could do Greenville on the way to Asheville and then take a more scenic route returning to Atlanta for our flight home.

The reason why I said that is to prepare one for things that will be normal for that area, but abnormal for those of us who live elsewhere. I can handle men dressing up like women in liberal cities, but don't know that I'd want to expose my young grandkids to that type of thing. Maybe I should have been more to the point.

For anybody reading this thread, I own a "cabin" in Bryson City, bout an hour drive from Asheville.

Send me an email to my username at hotmail and I'll send the link. Glad to book outside AirBnB to save on fees.

Dicky Longstocking said:

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Appreciate the responses. Would you recommend the drive between Atlanta and Greenville vs somewhere in NC for that first day? I've always wanted to visit Greenville, but we're also wanting to see some scenery. Alternatively, we could do Greenville on the way to Asheville and then take a more scenic route returning to Atlanta for our flight home.

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You could also drive to Cherokee NC from ATL then you'd have a prettier drive into Asheville. The drive to Greenville SC isn't pretty coming from ATL

Don't want to hijack the thread, but my wife and I are also coming to Asheville for a company retreat in August. We will be staying at the Omni. We are coming into town one day early specifically to visit the Biltmore. However, we will not have a car so our only options are Uber or a cab. The Biltmore's website indicates that it is a "driving estate" and that a vehicle is highly recommended. Can anyone who has been there let me know if we'll be ok with just an Uber dropping us. The main thing we want to see is the house and gardens.

If you just want to see the estate and the gardens you'll be fine with an Uber.

He Who Shall Be Unnamed said:

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Dicky Longstocking said:

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Appreciate the responses. Would you recommend the drive between Atlanta and Greenville vs somewhere in NC for that first day? I've always wanted to visit Greenville, but we're also wanting to see some scenery. Alternatively, we could do Greenville on the way to Asheville and then take a more scenic route returning to Atlanta for our flight home.

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You could also drive to Cherokee NC from ATL then you'd have a prettier drive into Asheville. The drive to Greenville SC isn't pretty coming from ATL

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That is true. If you wanted to see Greenville, you'll drive up I-85, which is not nice. If you want a prettier drive, head up 75 then 575 or head up 400 through Dahlonega. You could stay in a western North Carolina town like Murphy or Maggie Valley or Cherokee and then drive east through Highlands and Cashiers and then to Asheville. There is an awesome waterfall and park not far from Lake Keowee if you go through Greenville. I can't remember the name right now. I will edit if/when I remember it.
Edit:

Whitewater Falls - Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

Another possible route is to go from Atlanta up 85 but then veer off to 441 and hit Tallulah Falls. Most of the scenery from the worst movie ever, Deliverance, was filmed there. Link below. From there, you could stay in Clayton or, if you have kids, stay at the Dillard House. That will put you at the foothills of Highlands NC. Lots of scenery there. The hike down Tallulah Falls is really worth it. Kids love staying at the Dillard House because they have animals there and you eat family style. It's also really reasonable. Lots of great options.

Tallulah Gorge State Park

Dillard House

Glen Falls Trail near Highlands has some great payoffs as well
Glen Falls Trail

Asheville and the surrounding area is one of my favorite places. Just beautiful.

Few Grove Park Inn pics from today
Back porch of the hotel with Blue Ridge mountains in background

Hotel fireplace- sleeps three comfortably



Back of Grove Park Inn. Waterfalls, huge rocks used in construction

Peep hole looking down into the spa

Love the picture of that fireplace. Thanks!

Kool said:

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Dicky Longstocking said:

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Thanks for all the responses! We're actually going to stay at the Omni--really excited about it. We're flying into Atlanta and then driving the Blue Ridge Parkway. We're thinking of spending a night somewhere between Atlanta and Asheville before settling in at the Omni. Any thoughts? I saw Highlands, NC seemed to have a few nice hotels and great scenery.

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Highlands is great, but it is very seasonal. I don't know when you plan to visit, but Highlands is somewhat dead if you don't hit it during the warmer months. Highlands NC will get you closer to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and there are lots of great side hikes and waterfalls in the region. A quick hike between Highlands and Cashiers is Whiteside Mountain Loop. Huge vistas from the top of the hike.
Another consideration is Greenville, SC. It is along the way to Asheville, and they did a great job with the downtown renovations they did there. Really well done city planning. Enjoy

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Agree about Greenville. It's s great town that surprised me the first time we visited as I'd never heard much about it before.

Most are covered but adding DuPont forest in Hendersonville. Triple Falls, High Falls, and Hooker falls all in a couple miles of each other and easy hike. Beautiful and filmed parts of Last of the Mohicans and Hunger Games there. Not far from Brevard and Pisgah with other great waterfalls and near Blue Ridge Parway

Great pics thanks !
Will definitely beverage there one evening.

AgOutsideAustin said:

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Great pics thanks !
Will definitely beverage there one evening.

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Good call. The patio doesn't have to be open to be enjoyed. You can see people seated at a table on a lower level behind my friend in one of those pics doing just that (I tried to use him to block them out). Make sure you go down the stairs outside and see the waterfall and then go into the spa and peek through the window behind the desk to see the pools down below. Enjoy.

Not sure if already mentioned but I would recommend the Lazoom bus tour of downtown Asheville. I think they have a kid friendly (with magician) and adult tours.

Any laid back/casual restaurants for a family with kids in Asheville? We are staying at one of the Biltmore hotels...maybe one of their restaurants is worth taking the kids to???

I loved the Sierra Nevada brewery taproom when I've been there. Seemed like a good family place. Food was great and the location is immaculate.

Chipotlemonger said:

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I loved the Sierra Nevada brewery taproom when I've been there. Seemed like a good family place. Food was great and the location is immaculate.

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Can't go wrong there at all. A really nice place for families. Went there to celebrate my daughter's bday and we had my 1.5 year ild granddaughter with us.

Kool said:

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AgOutsideAustin said:

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Great pics thanks !
Will definitely beverage there one evening.

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Good call. The patio doesn't have to be open to be enjoyed. You can see people seated at a table on a lower level behind my friend in one of those pics doing just that (I tried to use him to block them out). Make sure you go down the stairs outside and see the waterfall and then go into the spa and peek through the window behind the desk to see the pools down below. Enjoy.

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Grove Park Inn was great for an evening sip.
First off The Foundry Hotel is in a great spot with walking to most places. ALoft hotel was also in a great location.
Didn't see much on restaurants so I'll add some.

Breakfast- go to Hole Donut, worth waiting for and great donuts and you watch them make them
Penny Cup is great if staying at The Foundry, great bagels and coffee
Homegrown was really good, fantastic biscuits
Biscuit Head, good biscuits for adding sausage gravy to but they break apart easily on a sandwich

White Duck Taco- pretty good, Torchys is better ( yes I like Torchys so what )
Lunch at the Stable Cafe at the Biltmore was good
Dinner at Curate, small Spanish plates and best Sangria ever, make reservations
Dinner at Limones, Mexican/Californian food, very good and make reservations
Jettie Rae's Oyster House, good seafood
French Broad Chocolate Lounge, great place for desserts of all kinds
Sierra Nevada Brewery, good beers, good food, huge place outside of town that felt like a Disney place
Wicked Weed, good beers and wine
Burial Brewery, funky small place with good beer
New Belgium Brewery, big place right on the river with a great outside space, modern industrial looking and my favorite brewery we visited, good beers and hard seltzers
The Montford is a nice rooftop bar with a good view