4 Days in Asheville, NC Itinerary

Make the most of your Asheville vacation with this itinerary! Here’s how to spend an amazing 4 days in Asheville, NC with the top things to do, where to eat and drink, and the best places to stay.

Asheville is known for its amazing mountain views, beautiful hiking trails, craft beer scene, and of course, the impressive Biltmore Estate.

With 4 days in the city, there’s plenty of time to hit all the highlights. My Asheville itinerary shows you how to make the most of your trip!

4 Days in Asheville, North Carolina Itinerary

For our 4-day Asheville trip, we took a long weekend from Saturday to Tuesday. We mostly planned it this way because the Biltmore has cheaper tickets for weekdays, so we could do the Biltmore on a Monday. Keep this in mind when planning your own Asheville itinerary, as you may need to rearrange the order that you do things depending on what days you visit!

Day 1 in Asheville: Drinks & Ghosts

We arrived in Asheville on Saturday afternoon as our hotel check-in was at 3 pm. That left us plenty of time to get to know the city as we looked for a place to eat for dinner. Later that night, we had a ghost tour scheduled.

Check-in at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Asheville Downtown

Our first order of business was checking into our hotel. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Asheville Downtown.

This hotel is located just a few minutes away from all the downtown attractions you’ll want to see and has quick access to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We loved that it also had an indoor/outdoor pool and a hot tub!

Book your stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Asheville Downtown here!

Visit the Omni Grove Park Inn

Omni Grove Park Inn is a historic resort set atop Sunset Mountain that has played host to many famous guests like F. Scott Fitzgerald and 10 U.S. presidents from Taft to Obama.

You don’t have to stay here in order to explore the property!

Parking at the hotel is free for the first 3 hours, so you can feel free to explore their beautiful lobby, restaurants, bars, shops, and history exhibits.

The Sunset Cocktail Terrace is a great place to grab a drink and enjoy the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Dinner at the S&W Market

The S&W Market is a food hall located in a beautiful art deco building in Downtown Asheville. The building was opened in 1929 to house the S&W Cafeteria chain, which served locally sourced food in a quick yet upscale environment.

The market today sticks to its roots, with counter service for fast and casual local food vendors like Buxton Chicken Palace, Farm Dogs, Flour, Highland Brewing, The Hope Ice Cream, and The Times Bar.

I recommend for Buxton Chicken Palace their Buttermilk fried chicken!

Drinks at Top of the Monk

If you’re looking for a great place to drink, head to the Top of the Monk, the rooftop bar on the upper level of Thirsty Monk Brewery.

If you’re like me and don’t really like beer, don’t worry, Top of the Monk serves handcrafted classic and modern cocktails.

I particularly liked the Tandoori Green Apple Soda, which was kind of a cinnamon green apple creation.

Related tour: Downtown Asheville Guided Brewery Walking Tour

Take a LaZoom Ghost Tour

LaZoom Comedy Tours are a great way to explore the city, and I love learning about a city’s haunted history, so for me their Ghosted: Asheville Haunted Comedy Tour was the way to go!

Climb aboard the big purple bus for some raunchy Asheville after-dark comedy and ghost stories. You’ll see real live ghosts (because they’re actors, get it?), hear the chilling tales of Asheville’s scandals and murder, and laugh your head off.

The after-dark ghost tour is for ages 17+ only. You can drink wine and beer on the bus, but it must be purchased from the LaZoom Room bar, which you can also hang out in before and after your tour.

Related tour: Asheville Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl

Day 2 in Asheville: Blue Ridge Parkway Scenery & More Drinks

On our second day in Asheville, we took to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a scenic drive and a few hikes. (Note: This portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway is under construction after Hurricane Helene. The road is expected to re-open by December 2025. Check here for current conditions.)

We packed a picnic lunch to eat while we were out and about. After our drive, we headed back into town to sample some of Asheville’s cideries since we aren’t big beer drinkers.

Visit the Western North Carolina Nature Center

I can’t pass up an opportunity to see bears, so you know I had to visit the black bears at the Western North Carolina Nature Center. And since it’s not far from the Blue Ridge Parkway, it only made sense to stop here before our scenic drive.

The WNC Nature Center is an AZA-accredited zoo with over 60 species of animals like black bears, red pandas, wolves, foxes, cougars, and more. Many of their animals have been permanently injured or would not be able to survive in the wild.

At this zoo, you can learn more about the animals that call the Southern Appalachian Mountains home.

Stop at Tanbark Ridge Overlook

Note: This portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway is under construction after Hurricane Helene. The road is expected to re-open by December 2025. Check here for current conditions.

As you drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’ll want to stop off at the various overlooks and hiking spots along the way.

The Tanbark Ridge Overlook is a popular spot with a 180° view east overlooking High Swan, High Knob, and Lane Pinnacle mountains.

Visit Mount Mitchell State Park

Note: This portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway is under construction after Hurricane Helene. The road is expected to re-open by December 2025. Check here for current conditions.

Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi and a must-stop point for a drive along this portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Hike to the summit observation platform through Mount Mitchell State Park‘s paved 0.15 mile one-way Summit Trail. Though the trail is short, it is quite steep.

The climate is a lot colder at 6,684 feet, so come prepared with a jacket even in summer. At the observation platform, you’ll get 360° views of the surrounding mountains.

There is also a small museum at the summit parking lot that explores the mountains cultural and natural history and the discovery of this highest point.

Stop at View Glassmine Falls Overlook

Note: This portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway is under construction after Hurricane Helene. The road is expected to re-open by December 2025. Check here for current conditions.

If you’re lucky, the View Glassmine Falls Overlook gives you a look across the valley to the tall, skinny Glassmine Falls waterfall. But that’s only if the weather has been wet. If you’re stopping during a dry period, there may only be a trickle or no falls at all.

Unfortunately, we visited on a dry day where all you could see was a rocky outcropping amidst the trees where the falls would have been.

Hike Craggy Pinnacle

Note: This portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway is under construction after Hurricane Helene. The road is expected to re-open by December 2025. Check here for current conditions.

For more incredible 360° views, the Craggy Pinnacle Hike is another short but steep option. You can access the trail past the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center at the Craggy Dome Overlook parking lot.

This 0.6 mile one-way, unpaved trail takes you through patches of rhododendron and mountain laurel to a rock wall summit overlook. You’ll be able to see Mount Mitchell to the north, Tennessee to the west, the Blue Ridge Parkway as it continues to the south, and Asheville’s North Fork water reservoir to the east.

Related tour: Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Noble Cider & Mead Taproom

After our scenic drive, we spent the rest of the afternoon checking out Asheville’s cideries and cocktail bars. Our first stop was Noble Cider & Mead.

This was a cute taproom at their production location is a great place where you can get a flight of ciders and mead, play board games, and enjoy some fresh air on the patio.

We liked their seasonal spring Blue Bard as well as their limited release Caramel Apple ciders.

Related tour: Asheville Signature Guided Brewery Tour

Botanist & Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop

Botanist & Barrel crafts all-natural ciders and wines with no additives like sulfites or extra sugar.

Their Downtown Asheville tasting room has over 50 of their own offerings as well as guest offerings of natural wines, ciders, beers, and mead.

Since their wines and ciders have no added sugar, they tend to be on the dryer side. So we chose to go with a mimosa flight and a couple samplings of the bartender’s recommended ciders.

Dinner at Mamacita’s Taqueria

Mamacita’s Taqueria is a casual Mexican cantina for burritos and tacos. They make their flour tortillas in-house and their meats are so well-marinated.

This is a fast-casual Mexican restaurant where your meal is assembled at the counter and made-to-order.

You can’t go wrong with burritos or tacos here!

Antidote at Chemist Spirits

Antidote at Chemist Spirits has a fun apothecary aesthetic and an old-fashioned craft cocktail selection.

It’s a speakeasy feel without the exclusivity of a speakeasy. They have a patio, two stories of indoor space, and a partially covered rooftop.

Their rooftop wasn’t open when we went, so Kevin and I found a cozy nook upstairs with a chess set and settled in to play while sipping on a fruity gin cocktail.

The Crow & Quill

The Crow & Quill was recommended to us by the bartender at Botanist & Barrel. This speakeasy-like cocktail bar is hidden behind a faintly marked door (the name above the door blends in with the paint).

Inside is filled with antiques and a Victorian-Gothic vibe. They typically have jazz musicians playing at night.

They have a long list of spirits and a curated seasonal cocktail list. I had a Gin & Tonic that was very well made.

Day 3 in Asheville: Biltmore

You’ll want a full day to explore the Biltmore Estate. There’s so much to do! The home itself is a marvel, the Gardens are gorgeous, and winery is a must-try, and they host special exhibitions throughout the year.

Take a Biltmore House Tour

I like starting out the day with a house tour, that way you get all the background and history you need for exploring the rest of the Biltmore Estate.

Biltmore House was officially opened in 1895 as a family home for George Vanderbilt, his wife Edith, and their daughter Cornelia. The house is billed as America’s Largest Home, and a house tour offers you a look at the ornate rooms and furnishings made for entertaining as well as a look behind the scenes of running the household in the servants’ quarters.

My favorite rooms in the house are the Library with its collection of 10,000 books, secret door, and giant fireplace; and the Banquet Hall with its 70-foot ceiling and long dining table set for an elegant dinner.

The Biltmore offers different types of house tours. The self-guided tour with an audio guide is the standard tour. This lasts about 50 minutes, but it really depends on your pace.

They also offer expert-guided small group tours, a Backstairs Tour, and a Rooftop Tour where you’ll get a more in-depth look at the home.

Do the Complimentary Tasting at the Biltmore Winery

The Biltmore Winery offers complimentary tastings (for those 21+, of course) at their tasting room in Antler Hill Village.

An expert will guide you through a list of the Biltmore’s own award-winning reds, whites, and rosés. You get to pick 6 different wines to taste. Even though we aren’t big fans of red wine usually, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed the Biltmore’s reds.

Reservations are no longer required for the complimentary wine tasting. They’re now available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lunch at The Kitchen Cafe at the Biltmore

The Biltmore has a few options for dining. We chose The Kitchen Cafe at the Biltmore for lunch, which is located at Antler Hill Village not far from the Winery.

This is a nice, budget-friendly quick-serve option with paninis, salads, and baked goods.

I recommend the Turkey, Bacon & Swiss on Sourdough or the Ham & Muenster on Rye.

See What’s on at Amherst at Deerpark

Amherst at Deerpark is the Biltmore’s exhibition space where they host different events.

They host a series of immersive experiences and seasonal dinners, galas, and soirees. Be sure to check out what’s happening at Deerpark on their events page here.

When we visited, we went to see the Monet & Friends Alive – Life, Light & Color immersive experience, and it was a lot of fun!

Dinner at Miyako House

Miyako House is a classic Japanese restaurant offering staples like sushi, bento boxes, and hibachi dinners.

I recommend their Bento Box with Teriyaki Chicken, Spicy Tuna Roll, and Pork Gyoza.

Day 4 in Asheville: Literary History

Our 4th and final day in Asheville was a short one as we had to drive home. We made a quick stop at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial to learn a little more about Asheville’s literary history.

Visit the Thomas Wolfe Memorial

The Thomas Wolfe Memorial is a historic house museum dedicated to the 20th-century writer Thomas Wolfe who immortalized his childhood home of Asheville in his autobiographical novel Look Homeward Angel. The 2016 movie Genius is about Wolfe and his editor Maxwell Perkins and is worth the watch as well!

The novel caused quite a scandal when it was published as Wolfe barely changed the names of his fellow Ashevillians and didn’t always have the most flattering descriptions of them.

This state historic site includes a museum detailing Wolfe’s life and literary accomplishments as well as a guided tour of the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse that his mother ran. He spent much of his childhood at this home.

4 Days in Asheville Map

Ready to use this 4 days in Asheville itinerary yourself? Check out the map below for all the locations listed in this post.

I hope you have an incredible trip to Asheville, North Carolina!

More North Carolina Itineraries

Plan the perfect North Carolina vacation with the help of these detailed itineraries and guides:

• One Day at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC
• 4 Blue Ridge Parkway Scenic Spots near Asheville, NC
• A Weekend in Hickory, NC for History Lovers
• How to Spend 2 Days in Charlotte, NC for First-Timers
• Discovery Place Science on the Rocks Review
• North Carolina Hikes: Craggy Pinnacle Trail
• North Carolina Hikes: Mount Mitchell Summit Trail

Cheers!

Paige

When are you planning to spend 4 days in Ashville, North Carolina? Did you find this Asheville itinerary helpful? Let me know in the comments!