Season guide · Asheville · United States
Asheville in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Biltmore Estate, Asheville · Photo: Blake Lewis, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Apple season, crisp days and spectacular leaf colour in October, with the year's largest crowds and highest prices. Expect highs up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 26 rainy days across September–November. September–October are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 2°C (36°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 26
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
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Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 25°C (77°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 9 | 12.3 h | 4/5 |
| October | 20°C (68°F) | 7°C (45°F) | 8 | 11.2 h | 5/5 |
| November | 15°C (59°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 9 | 10.2 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 20°C (68°F) against a yearly 20°C (68°F), and 26 of the year's roughly 127 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: North Carolina Apple Festival in Hendersonville (usually Labor Day weekend)
- October: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands (usually mid-October)
- November: Christmas at Biltmore (usually early November to early January)
- November: National Gingerbread House Competition display at the Omni Grove Park Inn (usually mid-November to early January)
Good choices for autumn
Museum · Downtown Asheville
Asheville Museum of Science
This small, hands-on downtown museum focuses on the science of the Southern Appalachians, with a gem and mineral collection that reflects the region's mining history, dinosaur exhibits and interactive displays on weather and geology.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
Gallery · Blue Ridge Parkway
Folk Art Center
Ask about the day's craft demonstrations, and combine your visit with a short drive along the parkway.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Shopping
- Rainy day
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Architecture · Downtown Asheville
Grove Arcade
Opened in 1929 as one of the first indoor shopping centres in the country, the Grove Arcade fills a downtown block with a Tudor-Gothic facade, carved griffins and a skylit interior arcade.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown Asheville
Asheville Art Museum
Go up to the rooftop sculpture terrace for the view, and look for works by Black Mountain College artists in the permanent galleries.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Views
Historic site · Downtown Asheville
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
Novelist Thomas Wolfe grew up in this rambling boarding house, run by his mother and immortalised as 'Dixieland' in his 1929 novel Look Homeward, Angel.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in autumn
- Black Mountain (About 25 minutes) — A small mountain town east of Asheville with antique and craft shops, cafés and a lake.
- Carl Sandburg Home (About 35 minutes) — In Flat Rock, the farm called Connemara was the home of poet Carl Sandburg for his last 22 years.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Asheville?
Yes: September–October are among the best months. Apple season, crisp days and spectacular leaf colour in October, with the year's largest crowds and highest prices.
+What is the weather like in Asheville in autumn?
Highs of up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 26 rainy days over the season.