20 Asheville Day Trips for Outdoor Adventure Lovers

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Looking for some fun Asheville day trips without the long drive? You’re in luck!

As a lifelong North Carolina native with countless adventures in the Blue Ridge Mountains under my belt, I’ve spent plenty of time exploring the best spots.

From Asheville, you’ll find beautiful scenery, quaint towns, and outdoor fun. Plus, all of these suggestions will be within two hours or less so you’ll spend more time exploring than driving.

20 Best Asheville Day Trips

There are tons of small towns near Asheville to explore and outdoor adventure opportunities in the North Carolina mountains. Honestly, I could have listed well over 50 options, but these are my top picks!

1. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway

Distance from Asheville: Depends on Route

Driving the Parkway is one of my favorite day trips from Asheville because it can be as calm or adventurous as you want it to be. So many choices you can make!

First, figure out if you want to go north or south. If you go north, Craggy Pinnacle, Crabtree Falls (one of the most beautiful waterfalls near Asheville), and Little Switzerland are a few places I recommend stopping.

If you choose south, then you can hike at Fryingpan Mountain Fire Tower, Graveyard Fields, and Devils Courthouse depending on how much energy you have.

You can also just drive and stop at overlooks until you reach Cherokee or Boone. I highly recommend packing a lunch before you head out so you can eat at an overlook or you’ll want to stop in one of the towns.

Pro tip: If you’re visiting in the winter, check the Blue Ridge Parkway website for closures. Even if the weather is fine in Asheville, it can be very different up on the Parkway.

If you want to experience the Parkway without having to drive, there are some tours in Asheville that will handle the driving for you.

2. DuPont State Forest

Distance from Asheville: 51 minutes to Visitor Center

DuPont is one of my favorite places to go hiking in the area as you can see multiple waterfalls on one hike. Many Asheville hiking tours visit this area.

There is a lot of construction along I-26 as you go south of Asheville, so I would avoid rush hour along the interstate or take a different route altogether.

I highly recommend at least hiking to the three main waterfalls – High Falls, Triple Falls, and Hooker Falls. We prefer to park at the Visitor Center for this hike.

You can also tack on Bridal Veil Falls if you’re feeling froggy. Triple Falls and Bridal Veil are actually famous for being in The Hunger Games movie.

On your way back to Asheville, I recommend stopping in Mills River for a late lunch/early dinner. Sierra Nevada is located here, but they are packed on weekends. If you really want to see it, the place is beautiful but there are other places where you can escape the crowds.

We love Burning Blush Brewery and Mills River Brewing. At Mills River Brewing they have a permanent food truck while Burning Blush has rotating food trucks and you can find their schedule on their Facebook page. 

3. Nantahala Outdoor Center

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 20 minutes

The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) is such a fun day trip from Asheville, especially for those who love the outdoors and whitewater rafting.

Rafting is the star of the show here, and the best part is that it’s suitable for all skill levels, whether you are a beginner or a more seasoned paddler.

You’ll find mostly Class I and II rapids here, other than Nantahala Falls toward the end which is a Class III rapid. If you don’t want to run that one, you can actually skip it though.

I’ve been in a double and single ducky (inflatable kayaks) and when I was in the single, I decided not to run the falls. You can also go in a 6-person raft if you have a group that wants to go together.

Pro tip: If you bring your wallet in a dry bag, right before the falls you can pull out on the right of the river at the BBQ Shack. Just keep an eye on the clock so you don’t run over your rental time.

However, the restaurants at NOC are actually really good and we love grabbing a beer at Big Wesser Pub after we are done on the river. The outdoor store is also cool if you want to look at some new gear.

If rafting isn’t enough excitement, you can also zipline here. If you want to explore even more after NOC, consider heading over to Bryson City, which is the cutest little NC mountain town.

This is the perfect place to grab dinner before you head back to the city!

4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 12 minutes to Oconaluftee Visitor Center

I could go on and on about everything you could do in the Smokies so it’s hard to choose what to do in just one day.

Depending on what day of the week and what season it is, start with a scenic drive through Cade’s Cove. You’ll want to check the hours it’s open and whether or not it’s closed for pedestrians and bikers that day.

If you are able, do the Abrams Falls hike – the trailhead is along the Cade’s Cove Loop. There are plenty of historic sites to stop at along the loop as well.

Pack a picnic and your patience because this place gets absolutely packed. As you make your way back toward the main road, a neat place to stop is The Sinks.

Make a right on 441 and head back toward Cherokee but stop at all the overlooks that catch your eye. This is a gorgeous drive in itself. Newfound Gap is one of my favorites.

Head up to Clingman’s Dome and do the short but steep hike to one of the most well-known lookouts in the Smokies.

Finally, head back to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center where you can walk through the Mountain Farm Museum and see what a historic farm might have looked like here.

5. Grandfather Mountain

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 26 minutes to scenic attraction

There are two options for this Asheville day trip – you can visit the State Park or head to the popular scenic attraction.

Hiking to Calloway Peak via the Profile Trail or Daniel Boone Scout Trail is one of the best hikes on the East Coast but you’ll need a permit for this and a very early start. This hike is not for the faint of heart.

If you want to visit the famous Swinging Bridge, see the Wildlife Habitats, and are more interested in scenic drives than hikes, then you’ll want to visit the attraction at Grandfather Mountain.

This requires tickets and you’ll want to purchase those online and in advance. Just beware – it gets very crowded and traffic will be incredibly back up at the entrance during popular times (fall especially).

6. Linville Falls

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 9 minutes

As one of the most popular waterfalls in North Carolina, this is a great option for a hiking day trip, especially if you are traveling solo as this is a well-trafficked area.

If you’re in decent shape, then you can spend most of the day hiking to see the falls at different angles. You’ll be pretty tired after all this though!

I love hitting Upper Falls first, then heading to Chimney and Erwin’s View. Next, I come back to the Visitor Center and take the Plunge Basin Trail to see the Lower Falls from below.

If you’re in a high clearance vehicle, consider driving a little further down Old NC 105 until you reach Wiseman’s View. This is a very short trail to one of the most beautiful views in North Carolina.

To end the day, head out to Linville Falls Winery – one of my favorite wineries near Asheville.

7. Chimney Rock & Lake Lure

Distance from Asheville: 38 minutes to Chimney Rock State Park

These small towns near Asheville have so much to offer! Number one is Chimney Rock State Park. The park is gorgeous and should definitely be on your list, but it is a bit expensive at $17 per person.

You can get tickets cheaper during the winter season. There are tons of trails to hike here and gorgeous views of the surrounding area. You are sure to get a workout in here!

I highly recommend doing at least the Hickory Nut Falls and Outcropping Trails. If you’re still feeling good maybe add on the Exclamation Point Trail.

Once you’re done in the park, the village of Chimney Rock has some super cute stores but we love hitting Burntshirt Vineyard across the street and Chimney Rock Brewing which is right on the river.

Both have great food and drink options. Another cool thing to see is the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, or you can relax at the beach at Lake Lure.

8. Tuckasegee River

Distance from Asheville: 56 minutes

You don’t hear a lot about this river but it’s perfect for anyone who loves a little action but not too much and so fun on a hot day.

My husband and I did single duckies with family friends who took their young kids in a raft and everyone had the best time.

We went with Tuckaseegee Outfitters so they took care of our gear and shuttles. It’s all Class I and II rapids so nothing hard at all – just fun little bumps.

The kids were too tired to do anything afterwards, but if you have more energy then head into Sylva for more things to do.

9. Brevard

Distance from Asheville: 45 minutes

If you want to chase waterfalls on your day trip from Asheville, then this is the perfect choice. Brevard is located in Transylvania County which is known as the “Land of Waterfalls” because there are 250+ in the county.

Looking Glass Falls is one of the most popular roadside waterfalls, then Moore Cove Falls, Slick Rock, Sliding Rock, and Graveyard Fields are some of my favorites nearby.

Downtown Brevard itself is absolutely adorable and after we hike to the waterfalls, we love walking around to the shops and especially hitting Bracken Mountain Bakery.

10. Black Mountain

Distance from Asheville: 19 minutes

Black Mountain may not take up a full day, but if you want to hike Lookout Mountain or Catawba Falls then Black Mountain is a great place to stop on the way back.

You’ll want to walk around downtown and check out the shops like Town Hardware or Kitchen Emporium. There are tons of great restaurants in Black Mountain, but my favorites are Black Mountain Bistro, Fresh, or Trailhead.

Be sure to grab ice cream at The Hop and if you have a dog, there is the cutest pet store around the corner – Bone-A-Fide Pet Boutique.

One of my favorite things to do in Black Mountain is visit the local breweries because they are full of character and they all serve great beer.

11. Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

Distance from Asheville: 38 minutes

This is a super cool East Coast National Park Site where you can learn more about the author and poet Carl Sandburg and his family, especially his wife’s famous dairy goats.

You’ll want to reserve your house tour ahead of time as they book up quickly. There are also a few different hiking trails on property that you may want to explore.

There is a fee to tour the house but hiking and exploring the property is free. The home is close to Flat Rock, just south of Hendersonville where you’ll find the famous Flat Rock Playhouse too.

12. Mount Mitchell State Park

Distance from Asheville: Approximately 1 hour

There are tons of hiking options at Mount Mitchell State Park and don’t you want to see the view from the highest point east of the Mississippi?

Make sure you bring some layers when you visit because it can be much colder at the top of the mountain than in the surrounding areas.

If you just want to see the summit, but don’t want to hike far then you’ll take the Summit Trail from the Upper Parking Lot.

There are plenty of other challenging trails like the Mount Mitchell Trail, Deep Gap Trail, and Old Mitchell Trail.

Mount Mitchell can only be accessed via the Blue Ridge Parkway which closes often during the winter. When the Parkway closes, you won’t have access so winter is a tricky time to visit.

13. Johnson City, TN

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 3 minutes

I love love love hiking near Johnson City! You can also raft the Nolichucky if you want some Class IV rapids.

If you’ve always wanted to hike on the Appalachian Trail, this is a great place to do it too. Laurel Falls and the Nolichucky Overlook are two great options on the AT.

When you head into town, make sure you visit Yeehaw Brewing as this is their flagship location and there are some great restaurants like White Duck Taco and Juan Siao.

14. Hendersonville

Distance from Asheville: 33 minutes

Downtown Hendersonville is where you’ll find the Appalachian Pinball Museum, some amazing restaurants, and a beautiful art gallery – Art Mob Studios & Marketplace.

You can easily spend a full morning walking around town and checking out the shops. If you visit DuPont State Forest, then you’ll be pretty close to Hendersonville so you can combine those trips if you would like.

Visiting the wineries in Hendersonville can also make for a fun day trip and if you don’t want to deal with the driving, then I highly recommend Ann with The Regal Ride. She is a Hendersonville native and so fun and knowledgeable about the area!

15. Highlands/Cashiers

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 44 minutes to Highlands

Another great spot for cute towns and waterfall hikes. Dry Falls and Whitewater Falls are two beautiful options or head to Gorges State Park where you can see Rainbow Falls and Turtleback Falls in one hike.

Whiteside Mountain is also popular nearby. For food, check out Blue Bike Cafe or The Ugly Dog Publich House in Highlands.

Whiteside Brewing, Slab Town Pizza, and Buck’s Coffee are great stops in Cashiers. For a sweet treat, you’ll also want to swing by Crossroads Custard & Cold Brew.

16. Roan Mountain/Carver’s Gap

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 22 minutes

There are tons of things to do in Roan Mountain State Park, but the only one I’ve done and the most common one I’ve heard of is hiking from Carver’s Gap.

At Carver’s Gap you’ll hop on the Appalachian Trail and hike out to multiple balds with stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Seriously, these are some of my favorite views of all time.

Be very careful in the winter as the weather can be drastically different up here but no matter what season you visit, it’s sure to be beautiful beyond words.

17. Greenville, SC

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 13 minutes

This up-and-coming town in Upstate South Carolina is close to lots of great hiking and has a fun atmosphere.

If you’re more into biking then check out the Swamp Rabbit Trail but you can walk it as well. Falls Park on the Reedy is a gorgeous park right in downtown Greenville that you don’t want to miss.

Two state parks nearby are Paris Mountain and Caesar’s Head and both offer some of the best hiking near Greenville.

There is plenty to do in downtown Greenville too like head to Swamp Rabbit Brewing or one of the many amazing restaurants in town.

18. Lake Jocassee

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 31 minutes

This is one of my favorite travel experiences that I had while exploring all the things to do near Seneca and Oconee County.

Take a tour with Jocasee Lake Tours which is led by a naturalist so you’ll learn so much about the plants and animals surrounding the lake.

You’ll see multiple waterfalls and likely have the opportunity to swim at the base of one that flows into the lake!

Lake Jocasee is one of the most beautiful lakes that I’ve been to, so I highly recommend this for one of your Asheville day trips.

19. Old Fort

Distance from Asheville: 27 minutes

While you may not think that Old Fort has a lot to offer, there are a few things popping up that are totally worth a visit!

Number one – GoGo’s Cinnamon Rolls is a must-visit for delicious cinnamon rolls. They have a traditional flavor but also unique ones like Orange Creamsicle and Peach. The Pizza Rolls are also divine.

The Old Fort Gateway Trails are also here and partially complete where you can hike or bike and Old Fort is the closest town to Catawba Falls.

Hillman Beer has delicious food and drinks and just down the road, Whaley Farm Brewery is a great spot to hit as well.

20. Sugar Mountain

Distance from Asheville: 1 hour 31 minutes

If you’re visiting during the winter months and want to go skiing or snowboarding while in the area, then you’ll want to drive up to Sugar Mountain or Beech Mountain.

For beginners, Cataloochee Ski Area is fine for a day trip, but if you are intermediate or advanced then you’ll want to make the drive up to Sugar.

It’s one of the best resorts for skiing in North Carolina.

Wrap Up: Day Trips From Asheville, NC

An Asheville day trip lets you enjoy the gorgeous scenery of the surrounding mountains as well as the cute small towns in western NC.

Whether you want to get out and hike, whitewater raft, go ziplining, or biking, there are tons of opportunities near Asheville for all of this.

If you’re staying in Asheville for more than 4 or so days, I highly recommend taking a day to explore one of these options. Weekdays are best to beat the crowds!