Asheville is a place I fell in love with long ago. It is full of good food, beer, art, history, and culture. So you can imagine how excited I was when I met my husband to find out he was equally as obsessed! Asheville was our first vacation together, and somewhere we visit often. There is always something new we discover, and I honestly had a bit of difficulty putting together an itinerary for only 3 days! However, I feel that the list I compiled will not only give you great experiences, but enough knowledge about the city (outside of the tourism) to make you sound like an Asheville expert after just one visit. So, let’s jump in!
DAY 1
For day 1, I like to start Downtown. When you’re in Downtown Asheville, the best advice I can give is to just walk around and explore as much as you can. There is so much jam packed in this area that is impossible to give you a proper tour in just one day! So here is a list of my absolute favorites and must-do’s.
However you are traveling to Asheville, be it car or plane, make sure you get there early enough to have brunch. Trust me, you will want all the time you can get to taste all the amazing food that Asheville has to offer. Among all of the breakfast and brunch places, we have found that Over Easy Cafe is by far our favorite! This small restaurant situated on Broadway St. offers the most unique dishes and cozy atmosphere! Though their menu is constantly changing due to their use of local, seasonal ingredients, I can always count on them to have plenty of vegetarian friendly options, as well as carnivore loving dishes. And can I just say, their vegetarian herb gravy is absolutely to DIE for.
The wait is usually pretty long, so put your name in and head just across the street to Old Europe Pastries and order yourself an espresso or latte while you wait for your table. You’ll also find plenty of boutiques and shops around the area for you to peruse.
Pro Tip: Order one of Over Easy’s Seasonal Mimosas. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed with this spin on a classic drink!
After brunch, head on over to Wicked Weed Brewing for a beer flight. It is one of Asheville’s most famous breweries, so you’ll find a mix of tourists and locals here. And don’t forget to explore the Funkatorium, Wicked Weed’s sour focused tap room. From here, you can venture to other noteworthy breweries including Burial Beer Co., Green Man Brewing, and Twin Leaf Brewery. No matter where you go, you are sure to find amazing beer, so do some exploring. You can really spend a whole afternoon in this area going between all of the breweries!
If you’re feeling hungry again, stop over to White Duck Taco to try a Banh Mi Tofu or Korean Beef Bulgogi taco. Need a caffeine boost? Try Double D’s Coffee bus for an iced coffee or macchiato. If you’re looking for a downtown view, try The Montford Rooftop Bar inside the Hyatt Place Hotel, or Hemingway’s Cuba, situated off Page Ave.
To end your night, walk over to Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge and order The Vault Burger. My husband swears this is the best burger he has ever tasted, and he may be right, seeing as it was voted the best burger in Asheville! If you’re veg, like me, order the Avocado Melt with tempeh bacon. And make sure you order a cocktail! They make an amazing Aviation, if I am just keeping with the theme here 😉
Day 2
You can’t really know Asheville until you know about the Biltmore family and how they influenced the growth of the city. So after grabbing breakfast, drive to The Biltmore Estate and take the self-guided tour. This tour takes just a couple hours to walk through to see the mansion, amazing architecture, and learn the history of the family. They often have art installations, and when we went, there were glass sculptures by Chihuly all over the grounds.
Make sure to also walk through the greenhouse and the rose garden. If one thing can automatically make my stress go away and improve my mood, it’s flowers. And this place is full of them.
Another thing that eases stress? Wine. And you are in luck, because the Biltmore also offers a winery tour with a tasting at the end of it. You’ll have to drive over to a different part of the estate for this, so be sure to ask for appropriate directions. Now I know what you are thinking… after all this touring and wine tasting, I am bound to be hungry. Fear not! This part of the Biltmore Estate also has an abundance of dining options for you. I recommend staying in the Wine Bar and ordering a cheese and charcuterie plate while pairing your favorite wine you found on the tasting tour, but there are other options here you can opt for if you need something more satisfying.
Once you are finished exploring the estates, it’s time to find dinner downtown. You have so many options, but some of our top places to go is Buxton Hall BBQ, Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria, Cúrate, or Farm Burger. Again, no matter where you go, you can’t really go wrong with food or beer in Asheville!
Day 3
West Asheville seems to be its own little part of Asheville. Somewhat separated from Downtown by the French Broad River, West Asheville has a more relaxed vibe where you will find more of the locals. Haywood Road, it’s main stretch, goes on for about 2 miles and is packed full of consignment shops, unique art, quirky bars, and fabulous eats. This road connects to the River Arts District, where the day begins.
Start at Early Girl Eatery for some southern comfort food, and then make your way to my all-time favorite brewery, New Belgium Brewery to take their complimentary daily tour. This 90 minute tour is FREE, and you will sample many of their beers and learn their process and history. You can even go down a slide during the tour.
Once you are done with the tour, head over to the tap room to have a beer while taking in the view of the French Broad River. There is always something going on. With the giant yard, live music, and bustling crowd, New Belgium Brewery is a place you could spend all day. But we won’t because next on our list is West Asheville.
Start at Fleetwood’s on Haywood, a “rock-n-roll wedding chapelâ€. Not only is this place a “vegas-style†chapel, they also have a beer and wine bar! Sift through the records, art, and vintage clothing… all while sipping on a local brew.
Next, stop at the comfy Urban Orchard Cider Co. and try one of Asheville’s most delicious ciders. They even have some light bites. Still hungry? Try Taco Billy for some locally sourced tacos, or West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen (WALK).
If you are ready for dinner, make your way to the Haywood Common. This warm and industrial restaurant has a bold menu with dishes, cocktails, and wine parings that all rotate according to their locally sourced ingredients. Not quite ready to end the night? The Whale Brewery, which shares space with The Haywood Common, is worth checking out to expand your local brewery experiences. Or, play cornhole or hang out in the beer garden at The Brew Pump, a window-service bar inside a gas station. If you are looking for music, there are tons of places with live music, or you can head back downtown and see what is going on at The Orange Peel, Asheville’s most popular music venue.
And that’s it for your 3 day itinerary in Asheville! Although there were many, many places not included in this blog post, you should have a pretty full experience of what the city of Asheville has to offer. Whether you love brews, food, culture, art, or the mountains, Asheville has a way of combing them all with its own unique spirit. I hope you enjoyed this post, and I’d love to hear about the places you enjoyed the most on your visit!
Helping you suffice your wanderlust,
– Wife of Pilot