Located in the Western North Carolina mountains, Asheville is an eclectic city full of art, food (+ breweries!), and is the perfect starting point for exploring the nearby Appalachian mountains. Perhaps contrary to popular belief, there’s plenty to do in Asheville in the winter, so it’s worth braving the cold temps for lower crowds and amazing views.
Thank you so much to Hampton Inn & Suites Biltmore Village for hosting us- we received a complimentary stay, but all opinions are honest and my own. This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you!) if you choose to purchase when you click on the links. Thank you for supporting Love Dwells Here!!
What to do in Asheville in the Winter
— HUNT FOR WATERFALLS —
One of my favorite things to do in the NC mountains is hunt for waterfalls. This part of the country is FULL of waterfalls- in fact, it’s known as the “Land of the Waterfalls.” However, since we’re not avid hikers, nor do we have stellar winter gear, when we go out looking for waterfalls in the winter, we stick to those near the road that don’t require a great deal of hiking.
Looking Glass Falls just north of Brevard on US 276 is a perfect example of a roadside waterfall – you can literally see it from the road! You’ll know you’re there when you see the cars pulled off to the right side of the road and people walking around the viewing platform. While this high vantage point offers a great view, it’s even better if you walk down the stairs to the lower viewing platform to get up close and personal.
I’ve heard that Looking Glass Falls gets crowded during the summer, and people use it as a swimming hole. There’s obviously none of that during the winter though I’m guessing some brave souls probably venture out on the rocks. In the winter, make sure to watch out for ice on the stairs and the trail, as they can get quite slippery with the ever-changing weather.
And speaking of ice, check out the icicles that we found on the side of the road! Since we don’t get a ton of snow at our house and rarely have icicles longer than an inch, the kids were really impressed!
With fresh snow on the ground, we headed to Dry Falls, another roadside waterfall in western North Carolina. Located in the Nantahala National Forest, this one is about 80 miles southwest of Asheville, so you do need to plan ahead if you want to visit while you’re in town.
Dry Falls is unique since you can actually walk behind the falls and stay fairly dry. Have you ever stood BEHIND a waterfall?! Totally cool, right?! There’s an accessible viewing platform right off the road, but if you’re more daring, head down the stairs and take the short trail to the falls.
Check out all the ice back there! We hoped to see a totally frozen waterfall, but it wasn’t quite cold enough to freeze completely. The icy view and chance to go behind a waterfall was well worth the drive out there. If you visit Dry Falls in the winter, you must be VERY careful as the pathway can get VERY icy. And I know that firsthand since I slipped on ice and fell flat on my back!! Ouch!!
— PLAY IN THE SNOW —
We don’t get a ton of snow in the Charlotte area, so anytime the kids have a few inches of snow to play in, they’re happy campers. And the chances are pretty good that you’ll be able to find snow if you visit the NC mountains in the winter.
After checking out waterfalls and driving on curvy mountain roads, they were more than ready to get out of the car and have a snowball fight.
There’s something about watching a child play in the snow and seeing the magic in their eyes that makes me all warm and fuzzy. Which is good because it was freezing, and unlike the kids, I wasn’t running around in circles.
— VISIT THE BILTMORE ESTATE —
The Biltmore Estate is the largest personal residence in the country (it’s 175,000 square feet!) and one of the main things people associate with Asheville. And for good reason- this place is HUGE and a whole lot of fun!
We did the audio tour on our visit, and even though we’ve been several times as a family and the kids have been on school trips, we all learn something new every time we visit. There’s a separate audio tour for kids narrated by Cedric, the Vanderbilts’ Saint Bernard, and it kept Ellie entertained throughout the house.
Since it was a chilly winter day, we stopped at the Bake Shop for hot chocolate and coffee to warm up – and we moved to a sunnier table right after this picture was taken. Check back for next week’s post with more about our day at the Biltmore Estate.
Where to stay in Asheville NC
If you’re anything like our family, you’re looking for somewhere to stay that won’t break the bank but still has plenty of room for the whole family. When you visit Asheville, look no further than the Hampton Inn & Suites Biltmore Village. With a prime location only a block away from the Biltmore Estate, this hotel is centrally located so that you can explore Asheville and beyond.
And with a 2 queen + sofa bed studio suite, there’s room to bring the whole family.
Now that the kids are older, I absolutely love hotels with a stand-up shower instead of the shower/tub combo. And I definitely appreciate that the sink is separate from the toilet/shower in order to maximize the space when getting ready.
Breakfast is up and running at Hampton Inn & Suites Biltmore Village again. During the week, breakfast is limited and more of a grab-and-go concept, but on the weekends, it’s reminiscent of Hampton Inn’s breakfast pre-COVID with a few slight changes. There are wrapped breakfast sandwiches and more single-serve offerings than before, but there were plenty of breakfast options, and at this location, the waffle makers were available.
Once the kids saw that there were waffle makers, they each had to make a waffle! Who knew that hot and fresh waffles were what they’d missed the most?!
There’s a spacious seating area open for breakfast. If it had been a smidge warmer, I think we would have eaten outside by the fire one morning just to change it up.
Of course, we had to check out the pool! It was a basic indoor hotel pool, but that didn’t stop the kids from having a blast and asking to go every time we had a free minute. There is currently a maximum capacity of 10 (I think partly because the pool is indoors), and since we’re a larger group, we tried to keep our visits short so that others could have a turn as well.
Like many hotels, this one has a cute little shop by the front desk. Besides having the usual sweet and salty snacks, they also had a selection of local Asheville products. I love when even big hotels jump on the shop local train and support their neighboring businesses. All in all, we had a FABULOUS stay at the Hampton Inn Biltmore Village and will definitely stay there again next time we’re in town.
Where to eat in Asheville
If you’ve been following for any length of time, it should come as no surprise that we’re self-proclaimed foodies – especially the kids! So when they heard that there’s a burger bar in Asheville serving up cheese-stuffed burgers, it was quickly added to the must-do list! And honestly, Juicy Lucy’s Burger Bar was well worth the wait for a table. They have an extensive menu that even non-burger-loving fans would like, though the burgers are most definitely the star of the show. And make sure to get your burger Juicy Lucy style!
We enjoyed a late-night pizza dinner in our hotel room, thanks to a late soccer game and snowy weather. But let me tell you, the pizza from Apollo Flame Bistro was DELICIOUS – like some of the best we’ve ever had, and we’ve eaten LOTS of pizza!! The kids were hesitant to order pizza from a Greek restaurant, but they were quick converts. We opted for a Mediterranean pizza and a pepperoni pizza plus added on a large Greek salad, and it was all SO GOOD!
Always a must-do when you’re in Asheville, the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, has been serving up all things chocolate for over a decade in Asheville. We waited in line for about 15 minutes to get inside – and there’s almost always a line to get in, pandemic or not. Once inside, with the smell of chocolate swirling around, we eyed all of the sweet treats before settling on a giant slice of chocolate cake, a brownie, chocolate creme brulee, a scoop of ice cream, a root beer float (for the girl who claims she doesn’t like chocolate!) and a latte. All were tasty and eaten in no time.
ASHEVILLE IN OTHER SEASONS
Asheville is one of those places that you can visit repeatedly and do something different each time you’re in town, especially when you visit in different seasons. There’s a happening art scene that we didn’t check out due to the cold temps but Explore Asheville has a great route to see many of the murals. When the weather warms up (and the pandemic slows down), I want to do one of the LaZoom comedy bus tours – the humor is PG-13, but they also do a Kids’ Comedy Tour for all ages. Have you been to Asheville before? Any recommendations for places to visit?
