Asheville should be at the top of anyone’s weekend getaway bucket list. A foodie’s dream, a beer lover’s playground, a bluegrass picker’s oasis, and an adventure seeker’s sweet spot … this town has a heartbeat and an x-factor you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s a feeling of being at home. Asheville is wrapped in blankets of natural textures, steeped in Appalachian culture, and fueled by creative artisans, music makers, top culinary minds, and some really good beer brewers. This two-day itinerary packs a lot but leaves plenty of room for a return trip during each season. Let’s explore Asheville!
48 Hours in Asheville, NC
Friday First Stop: The Biltmore
Right around noon, we arrive at The Biltmore Estate — America’s biggest home and the crown jewel of North Carolina. This massive estate was a collaborative effort between George Vanderbilt, architect Richard Morris Hunt, and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed Central Park). Completed in 1895, the home sits on more than 8,000 total acres (four of those acres are indoor floor space), with 35 bedrooms, 45 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. It’s at least a half-day excursion, but it is worth it!
One of the coolest things about The Biltmore is being able to explore the downstairs, where the workers lived and operated the massive estate. It feels as if the rooms have been left untouched since their inception. Image: Biltmore
The handheld audio guide provides the palace’s history as you float from room to room, and you can skip around and move quickly if you so choose. The house itself is only the beginning. Outside, through a canopy of viny trees, traverse the vibrant gardens into a large greenhouse and botanical model train exhibit. If you have time after the main house, drive across the property to Antler Hill Village & Winery for the complimentary wine tasting included in admission.
Friday Check-In: Where To Stay
After touring America’s biggest home, head downtown and check into the historic and charming Princess Anne Hotel. This 1924-built inn has warm rooms and suites, a big complimentary breakfast, and a communal wine hour. Opening in March 2023, The Restoration is an eclectic sixty-room boutique hotel with a cozy library, rooftop bar, multiple food concepts, colorful decor, and well-appointed rooms of all sizes. And for the more adventure-driven, head just outside town and book the first-of-its-kind Mirror Hotel.
Friday Afternoon: Pre-Dinner Wandering and Rooftop Drinks
While Asheville’s downtown nucleus is walkable, some of the surrounding neighborhoods are a quick drive or Uber ride away. The heart of downtown is the boulder- and tree-lined Pritchard Park drum circle. Every Friday night during the warm months, hundreds of drummers and onlookers of all ages, skill levels, and walks of life show up to this communal, invigorating, and so Asheville tradition.
The Drum Circle tradition began in 2001 with only about 10 drummers. It now draws hundreds each week. Image: Explore Asheville
Sunset in Asheville is a spectacular sight to soak up with a cocktail in hand at one of their rooftop bars. The Montford‘s tagline is “Visit for the views. Stay for the small bites and seasonally driven craft cocktails.” An expert bartender will chat flavor preferences before whipping up the perfect accompaniments to a mountain sunset.
Perched high on the hotel’s corner, The Montford‘s sunset views are as colorful and delicious as its drinks. Image: The Montford
Rooftop drinks have primed you for dinner at nearby Tall John’s, a cozy tavern-style spot that serves a small-but-mouthwatering array of European-American classics like schnitzel, steak tartar, a signature cheeseburger, and shareable sides. Another dinner option is the consistently delicious and globally inspired The Admiral. Crusty local bread, espresso martinis, endive-with-goat-cheese salad, and sausage ravioli are just a few items that jump off the menu.
Friday Evening: Cozy Dinner and (Hopefully) Dancing
On any given Asheville Friday night, a slew of talent — celebs and locals — grace the stages of the town’s many reputable music venues. Check the schedules at The Orange Peel (one of our favorite venues in the South), The Grey Eagle, and Pisgah Brewing (just down the road in Black Mountain). We always opt for an after-dinner jaunt to Ben’s Tune-Up. This craft sake brewery turns into “a real trip after 10 p.m.,” the owner tells us before our visit. And that it is. DJs spin everything from ’70s rock to ’90s hip-hop on vinyl, and the dancefloor just gets hotter as midnight approaches.
Ben’s is proof that Asheville isn’t filled entirely to the brim with beer. Local sake, wine, and spirits abound in Asheville’s sea of quirky watering holes and chic cocktail bars. Two of my favorite spots are Sovereign Remedies and Antidote. It’s difficult to capture Asheville’s food and beverage scene in just two days. This calls for another round of drinks, over which to plan a return trip.
Since 2014, owner Charlie Hodge has been slinging some of the best cocktails in NC from one slice of a historic Market Street building. Image: Sovereign Remedies via Facebook
Saturday Morning: Art and Shopping
Back downtown, Wall Street is the perfect place to fuel up for a packed Saturday. Visit the friendly baristas at Trade & Lore for a latte or Americano, then head a few steps up for breakfast at Early Girl Eatery. This popular morning hang draws early eaters for a reason. I love the Local Sausage & Sweet Potato Scramble (cage-free eggs scrambled with local pork sausage, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, bacon, and green onion). The coffee is as strong as their boozy drink options, so take your pick. Another fabulous breakfast spot is All Day, Darling!
Early Girl Eatery is worth the wait. Get an order of French toast for the table, and thank me later. Image: Early Girl Eatery
Walk from Wall Street to downtown, where some amazing shopping awaits. Lexington Avenue offers something for everyone — from record stores and hippie headshops to trendy clothiers and antique havens. But what many don’t realize is that Asheville is home to one of the best shoe stores in the South, Tops for Shoes.
I also can’t get enough of HORSE + HERO, a funky shop overflowing with screen-printed clothing, framed wall art, weird trinkets, and unique jewelry. Next, a stroll through Grove Arcade offers a chance to shop some of Asheville’s artisans and makers in a condensed corridor that also houses the Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar. Yep, you read that correctly — a champagne/wine bar in a bookstore. Bubbly before noon on a Saturday is admissible when accompanied by a book, right?
Rare first editions and current bestsellers share the shelves at this gem of a bookshop. Don’t forget to explore the champagne and wines-by-the-glass collections, too! Image: Battery Park Book Exchange
After some downtown retail therapy, head to the artsy River Arts District (cutely deemed RAD) — an artists’ colony of more than two dozen old industrial buildings spanning about two square miles along the French Broad River. Many maps and lists exist to help guide you, but a great starting point is Wedge Studios and Wedge Brewing. Book a workshop or a class at NC Glass Center or Odyssey Center For Ceramic Arts. Or just peek in and observe the many RAD makers — they love to share their craft.
Saturday Afternoon: Bites and Beverages
Beer lovers can tour and taste at behemoth production facilities like Sierra Nevada and New Belgium, but I enjoy bopping around to local breweries — and there are more than 50 breweries and cideries in Asheville! Head to South Slope, a walkable, vibrant neighborhood that’s home to about a dozen of them. If you only have time for two afternoon pitstops, I’d choose Burial and Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium. The latter is a good place for lunch, too.
It can be overwhelming, but luckily this online guide and these guided tours can help you hop through AVL’s unmatched beer scene. Image: Wicked Weed Brewing
Post-Siesta Saturday Evening: Downtown Dinner
There’s no better Saturday night dinner reservation in Asheville than one at Cúrate. Culinary Queen Katie Button has created a not-to-be-missed Spanish tapas mecca to which foodies worldwide pilgrimage. Playful interior details and an action-packed menu are made even more memorable by the polished service. Standout dishes: sautéed shrimp with sliced garlic and chili, patatas bravas, and croquetas de pollo (traditional creamy chicken fritters). If you weren’t able to reserve a table at Cúrate, I also love Limones (modern Mexican), Cucina 24 (fancy Italian), and Chai Pani (Indian street food).
Chef Katie Button pays perfect homage to the Iberian favorite shishito peppers at Cúrate. (Every so often, you’ll get a HOT one!) Image: Zoe Yarborough
If you’ve saved any room for after-dinner drinks and dessert, congrats. French Broad Chocolate Lounge, just up the block from Cúrate in bustling Pack Square, serves up lots of creative confections — from housemade ice cream to artisan truffles and caramels to cookies, cakes, and brownies. They also have an entire menu of drinking chocolates; we strongly suggest tasting their signature Liquid Truffle sipping chocolate.
Sunday Departure: Grove Park Inn
Ease your way into Sunday by taking in West Asheville’s vibrant street art and famous murals like Gus Cutty’s Dolly Parton on your OWL (Old World Levain) Bakery. This bakery serves up bread and pastries made from locally milled flour, Methodical Coffee libations, and a rotating savory quiche.
From your on-the-go breakfast, head to Omni Grove Park Inn. With its easy surface lot parking, even an hour spent here is worth it. Pulling up to the circular motorway is reminiscent of the mountain-chic version of Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel. Everything at this hotel is larger than life: the fireplace, the porch, the rocking chairs, and the cavernous spa pools. Grab a coffee or cocktail from the lobby bar and nestle into a rocking chair on the mountain-facing porch. Don’t miss the hidden gem that is Grovewood Village, a historical Appalachian arts and crafts destination adjacent to the hotel that once housed the weaving and woodworking operations of Biltmore Industries.
The Omni Grove Park Inn is magical any time of year. Many Asheville visitors take advantage of their world-renowned spa (shown, in part, above) with or without an overnight reservation. Image: Omni Grove Park Inn
Sunday Departure: Outdoor Adventure
No visit to Asheville is complete without some time spent soaking in the scenic mountain landscapes. This guide will help you find a nearby hike or waterfall if you have a few hours, and there are a couple of ways to tack on a half-day of outdoor adventure. Northbound from Asheville, off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mount Mitchell — the highest peak east of the Mississippi — has a network of trails for hikers and walkers of all physical fitness levels. You can drive to the top of the mountain and take a short walk up to the viewing area or hike up the Mount Mitchell Trail and make it an all-day or half-day excursion.
Chimney Rock is widely recognized as one of the most iconic sites in North Carolina. Image: Chimney Rock
If you’re headed South from Asheville, on the parkway near Pisgah, the hike to Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower is a great trek. This 1.5-mile round-trip to a tower shows off breathtaking views. Western North Carolina is known for having one of the world’s longest and most colorful fall leaf displays, but what outshines Asheville’s colorful fall foliage and vibrant spring blooms? The people and places that symphoniously create Asheville’s cultural heartbeat — a heartbeat that persists throughout every season and will certainly stay within you long after your 48-hour trip concludes.
When you’re ready to book your trip to Asheville, start your planning at exploreasheville.com.
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