4 Days in Asheville for Outdoorsy Adventurers
Spend 4 days in Asheville, and explore the beauty of Western North Carolina with your family!
This quirky town is filled with outdoor adventures, amazing food, and fascinating history.
From tubing down the French Broad River to walking in the footsteps of one of America’s richest families, your family will have a blast in what is known as the Paris of the South.
As a native South Carolinian, I venture over the border with my family often to visit our northern Carolina neighbor frequently.
In fact, we go on an annual trip to Asheville with our family friends and their kids, so I’ve had the opportunity to explore the city with children of all ages.
Below, you’ll find all of my best tips for leading your outdoorsy family through Asheville over the course of a long weekend.
Let’s hike, float, explore, and play our way through one of North Carolina’s best cities!
Hiking path outside of Asheville, NC
4 Day Asheville NC Itinerary
While I’ve included our favorite Asheville things to do with kids, these suggestions are also great for any travelers who are interested in experiencing the best of the city’s outdoor adventures.
Day 1
Prepare for a day of fun out on the water!
The Camping Kiddos on a kayak trip on the French Broad River
One of the best ways to get oriented to the city while still enjoying the great outdoors is through a tour of the French Broad river.
This river winds its way through the heart of Asheville, going past the Biltmore House, the Arts District, and more.
The main section of the river through the city doesn’t allow motorized boats, so you can choose to kayak, canoe, or tube your way down.
There are several outfitters in the Asheville area that will rent any of these 3, but our favorite way to experience the river is through tubing.
Not only is the experience completely relaxing—as the river does all of the work—it’s great for all ages.
We’ve also rented kayaks and canoes when the river water levels were higher, and the tubing would’ve been a bit swifter than we’d preferred.
All of these options are a blast, and I highly recommend spending at least a half day exploring the French Broad.
The author with her family and friends on a DIY Asheville river float
For tips on picking the right outfitter to doing a DIY trip, I’ve put together a complete guide to Asheville river tubing that might be helpful.
Going early in the morning means you’ll have less traffic on the river, which I find is much more enjoyable.
Grab some lunch near your take-out point, which is likely to be in the Arts District.
We love White Duck Tacos, which is just around the corner from both our recommended DIY river float end point and the most popular tubing and kayaking outfitters.
In the afternoon, head over to the Asheville Botanical Gardens.
Here, you can hike the main 1/2 mile trail through the well-kept landscape, learn about native plant species and explore many layers of Asheville history.
Kids can get one of 5 free Investigation Passports at the front desk, which will guide them through a chosen element of the gardens.
Day 2
Today, we’re chasing waterfalls!
There are so many waterfalls in this part of Western North Carolina that you could plan an entire 4 day trip around just doing waterfall hikes.
Hiking and waterfall chasing near Asheville NC
However, variety is the spice of life, so we’re only spending 1 day of our long weekend in Asheville finding waterfalls.
The area around Bat Cave, NC, has several easily accessible waterfalls, and it’s only about 35 minutes from Asheville.
Hickory Nut Falls
Located inside Chimney Rock State Park, Hickory Nut Falls is the perfect addition to your Asheville waterfalls day.
At just under 1.5 miles each way, the hike to the falls is manageable for essentially all visitors as the path is even throughout.
You’ll be able to see the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi here, though you won’t be able to splash or play in the water like some of the other falls in the area.
If you have some time, you should explore the rest of this park—particularly the impressive outcropping that is Chimney Rock.
Wildcat Rock Trail
This trail, also located near Bat Cave, NC, has several options for trail destinations.
This set-up means that you can choose the length and intensity of your hike to best suit your family’s abilities.
For the smallest hikers, the Little Bearwallow Falls is only a 2 mile round trip hike (out and back).
You can extend this up to a 10 mile round trip hike if your family really wants to stretch their legs.
Find out more about each section of the Wildcat Rock Trail here.
Day 3
Let’s stay in Asheville today as we head into one of the most iconic properties in America.
The Biltmore House and Gardens is pricy, but I think the cost of admission is well worth what you get in return.
For visitors who are interested in the fascinating history of the Vanderbilts’ life in the late 1800s, the house tour is a must.
There’s a special kids’ audio tour that provides history from the perspective of the family’s dog, and it is adorable.
The Biltmore House and property beyond
The self-guided tour through the house will showcase the lives of the rich inhabitants as well that those staff members who made such as life possible. (If you love Downton Abbey, the tour is the show come to life!)
Afterwards, head into the immaculately designed and tended gardens.
Here, you can see what would’ve been grown in a 19th century greenhouse as well as walk along the 22 miles of trails throughout 6 gardens.
This experience will take up the majority of your day, especially if you choose to go shopping at the Carriage House on-property, or do a wine tasting at the vineyards.
If you get hungry, grab a bite to eat at the Courtyard Market next to the Biltmore House.
Day 4
Gem mining is always a solid choice when traveling with kids in the mountains.
My kids gem mining with our family friends
While there are several options, we’ve taken our kids to the Asheville Gem Mines on Sardis Road twice, and the experience has been super easy.
There are indoor and outdoor slices, making this activity great for even rainy days.
They offer several bucket sizes with prices ranging from $10 to $250. We’ve done the Miner Bucket at $25, which is big enough to have plenty of gems, but small enough that our kids don’t get bored.
The actual gem mining is only part of the fun as your kids will also love looking through the shop’s offerings of semi-precious and polished gems.
After you’ve mined all of the gems you can, you’ve got a few options on how to spend the rest of your last day in Asheville.
Mountain yoga outside of Asheville
Guided Hiking and Yoga
You can go a guided hike and yoga session in Hendersonville, which will take you to roughly the same area of Western North Carolina as our recommended waterfalls above.
Even if you choose not to do the guided hike, Bearwallow Trail is a great place to stretch your legs over a 2-mile loop and enjoy the beauty of Asheville.
Shopping and Dining
If you’d rather stay closer to Asheville proper, another great option is to grab lunch at Farm Burger at 10 Patton Avenue, then explore downtown Asheville.
The super kid-friendly Asheville Museum of Science is less than 2 blocks from Farm Burger if you’d like to add some education to your afternoon adventures.
Where to Stay in Asheville NC
Recommended Hotel in Asheville
Since you’ll be traveling all over the Asheville area during your itinerary, you’ll want to stay relatively central.
Our recommended hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Asheville, puts you in the heart of everything.
You can walk along College Street to find an abundance of places to eat and shop.
There are 2 parks within a few minutes walk—Martin Luther King, Jr. Park is directly behind the hotel, while the Pack Square Park and its ampitheatre is about a quarter of a mile down College Avenue.
It’s also a 10 minute walk from the recommended Asheville Museum of Science and the excellent Farm Burger.
Plus, it’s conveniently located to both I-240 and I-26, which will allow you to reach all points on this itinerary—and more.
Recommended Campgrounds in Asheville
PIN ME!
If you’re visiting Asheville with your camper in tow, you’ve got two great options.
Asheville KOA West is located in Chandler, NC, about 15 minutes away from downtown Asheville.
It has a bit of an incline from the entrance to the office building, but the lots themselves are level.
Asheville KOA West offers many on-site activities including giant Jenga, on-site hiking trails, and a little free library.
15 minutes in the other direction from downtown is Asheville KOA East in Swanannoa, NC.
The entrance road here is flat, which makes this a better choice for RVs with low clearance concerns.
The big attraction here is the campground’s central lake, where campers can relax on a small rental boat or fish.
Other fun features are an on-site bike rental, seasonal pool, and game room.
Ways to Expand Your Trip Further
If you’d like to extend your Western North Carolina vacation longer than just 4 days, there is plenty to see and do within an easy drive of Asheville.
Cherokee, NC
Our pop-up camper at the Cherokee KOA
Cherokee, North Carolina is just over an hour west of Asheville, and it is one of the best towns near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Your family can also learn about the tribe that has called this place home for centuries at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.
Additionally, you’ll get easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is great for long picnics and kid friendly hiking.
One of our favorite campgrounds is located just outside of the town. Read the full Cherokee NC KOA review here!
The upper cascades of the kid-friendly Pinky Falls near Highlands NC
Highlands, NC
About 1.5 hours southwest of Asheville is the impossibly cute town of Highlands, which boasts upscale shopping, great hiking, and dozens of waterfalls.
Highlands would be a great add-on to an Asheville trip as you’d get to experience small town North Carolina alongside Asheville’s more trendy vibe.
While you’re in town, make sure to find our favorite hidden waterfall—and a true kid-friendly spot—Pinky Falls.
There are also two other great falls near to Highlands: Dry Falls (which you can walk behind!) and Bridal Veil Falls (which you can see from the highway).
Both are located within the Nantahala National Forest less than 30 minutes from downtown Highlands. Bridal Veil Falls is free, and Dry Falls costs just a few dollars to park.
Explore our full itinerary for 1 day in Highlands, NC here.
Greenville, SC
Located an hour south of Asheville on I-26, Greenville offers a historic downtown, beautiful parks, and plenty of outdoor activities.
Both my husband and I went to college nearby, so we’ve had plenty of time to explore the area.
Get outside with your family in the Upstate with these great hikes near Greenville SC while you’re in town.
Mountains to the Beach
If you’re combining a trip to Asheville with one in OBX, check out our Cape Hatteras Outer Banks KOA campground review!
Asheville Itinerary FAQs
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While Asheville is beautiful year round, you’ll be able to do the most between April and October. These months are when the weather is nicest, so you can camp, hike, and swim easily.
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Generally speaking, yes, Asheville is safe. The city has grown immensely in the last decade, and it has had its share of growing pains, but we have always felt safe taking our kids around the town. At night in downtown, follow the usual precautions: walk in groups, stick to main streets, and be aware of your surroundings.
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Asheville NC is known for its vibrant downtown area, laidback vibe, and the Biltmore Estate. It’s also a destination for outdoor adventurers who’d like to bike, hike, kayak, whitewater raft, and tube.
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Asheville is so popular because it has the laidback feel of a small mountain town with the amenities of a much larger city. Plus, it has a deep history, incredible architecture, and the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
