Asheville Travel Guide – A Weekend Trip to North Carolina

A few months ago, my mom’s close friend texted us asking if we wanted to do a girls’ weekend and hike part of the Appalachian Trail. Of course, we said yes! We decided to stay just north of Asheville in a small town called Weaverville.

We spent our time doing a combination of hiking awesome trails and eating tons of food – all of which is going into this Asheville travel guide. It has plenty to fill a weekend trip if hiking is your thing or not.

Asheville Travel Guide: Places to Eat

Nightbell

First thing we did upon arrival was meet at Nightbell for dinner. I had heard good things about the foodie scene in Asheville and this spot didn’t disappoint. The dishes are all small plates and shareables. My favorite bite was their deviled egg – and not your traditional deviled egg. It was made with a corn sabayan which is sort of like a creamy egg yolk. It had smoked trout and roe which sounds sort of gross but was unbelievably good.

Carmel’s Kitchen and Bar

This was actually a place I ate at a couple years ago on a previous trip to Asheville. It’s exactly what you would expect from a upscale southern establishment. It’s in the heart of downtown, so perfect for after a day of shopping.

Cúrate

After the big win that was Nightbell, we had to try Katie Button’s other restaurant, Cúrate. Similar concept but with Spanish-style tapas. Plus, any place that service ibérico ham is good by me. Other standouts: the octopus (always my go-to order when it’s on a menu), the chorizo wrapped in potato chips, and sautéed mushrooms. Pro tip: make a reservation far in advance.

12 Bones

Feeling BBQ and exploring a trendy part of town? Head to 12 Bones on the River. Make sure to wear a cute outfit for photos with all the graffiti walls there and stay for a post-food coffee or tea from Summit Coffee Co next door.

Glass Onion

If you feel like heading 15 minutes north to check out Weaverville – it has a very cute downtown area – make sure to eat at Glass Onion. It was opened by two New York chefs and is billed as global Italian. My scallops were amazing, but the real standout was the bosc pear and beet salad.

Asheville Travel Guide: Hiking Guide

There are so many options for hiking around Asheville! I asked a friend for some recommendations and our top three favorites were all from her. If hiking isn’t your speed, skip ahead – there are plenty of non-sweat inducing activities to keep your weekend busy.

Catawba Falls

This was hands down my favorite hike of the trip. All Trails (my favorite hiking app) clocks it as a 2.1 mile easy hike in Pisgah National Forest. That said, by the time I walked off shoots and explored a bit, I was at 3.4 miles. Either way, it’s a good half-day hike with some incline to help you break a sweat. The other falls hike we did was Linwood Falls, but I found that one to be much more crowded and not as impressive.

Max Patch Loop Trail

The whole point of the trip: we wanted to do a trail along the Appalachian Trail. Max Patch Loop was perfect and easy. It’s a 1.5-mile hike with the most picturesque view from the summit. As the trail crosses the AT there are these white trail markers – we were on it for .8 miles and I would love to go back to do more!

Craggy Pinnacle

I would highly recommend this mini-hike (.8 miles) at sunset. It’s along the Blue Ridge Parkway – more on this below. What really makes this trail different is the plant life. It’s very unique and didn’t look like anything we had seen before. The view from the top is mountains as far as the eye can see!

Asheville Travel Guide: Things To Do

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway spans more than 450 miles, but for us, it was the route to a few of our hikes. The views were incredible, but I also got very car sick on it. If you have a weak stomach, make sure to take Dramamine before you go!

Check Out the Book Stores Downtown

Asheville has more than a couple amazing bookstores, but I’ll share my favorite two. Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar is the perfect cozy spot for a glass of bubbly that will make you feel smart. It’s almost daunting with the high ceilings mixed with tiny nooks. The real bookstore winner though, is Malaprop’s. My favorite part was the Blind Date with a Bookseller section where they put a few descriptors on a brown-bag book cover so you don’t know what you’re getting until you buy. Both bookstores are downtown, so you can have a whole afternoon of reading. Is a bookstore barcrawl a thing??

Enjoy a Drink at a Rooftop Bar

Head to the SkyBAR at World Coffee Café for a drink with a view. This is also right in the heart of downtown, so the view with the shops and sunset is perfect.

Go to a Brewery

Asheville is famous for its brewery scene. Since I’m not a huge beer drinker, I’ve only been to one – Lexington Avenue Brewery. I was surprisingly impressed with their food too – you could definitely go for a day drinking adventure. In fact, there’s an official Asheville Ale Trail with a map of over 150 locations.

 

Have you been to Asheville? What are your favorite things to add to the list?