Day trips · Asheville · United States
5 best day trips from Asheville
Where to go when you want a day away from Asheville, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville · Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Asheville is Great Smoky Mountains National Park via Cherokee (About 1 hour 15 minutes). The closest option is Black Mountain, about 25 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Black Mountain (25 km)
- Most popular
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park via Cherokee
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Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park via Cherokee | 80 km | About 1 hour 15 minutes | Car | Families, First-timers, Couples |
| Hendersonville | 35 km | About 30 minutes | Car | Families, Quiet stays, Food lovers |
| Black Mountain | 25 km | About 25 minutes | Car via Interstate 40 | Quiet stays, Couples, Shopping |
| Carl Sandburg Home | 40 km | About 35 minutes | Car | Families, Culture, Quiet stays |
| Brevard and DuPont State Recreational Forest | 55 km | About 50 minutes | Car | Families, Couples |
The day trips
80 km (50 mi) · About 1 hour 15 minutes
1.Great Smoky Mountains National Park via Cherokee
The most visited national park in the United States straddles the Tennessee border. From the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee you can see the Mountain Farm Museum, elk grazing in the meadows and the drive up to Newfound Gap. Cherokee itself has a museum of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' history.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, First-timers, Couples
35 km (22 mi) · About 30 minutes
2.Hendersonville
A small town with a long, tree-lined Main Street of shops and cafés, surrounded by apple orchards. Late summer and autumn bring pick-your-own apples, cider tastings and the North Carolina Apple Festival.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Quiet stays, Food lovers
25 km (16 mi) · About 25 minutes
3.Black Mountain
A small mountain town east of Asheville with antique and craft shops, cafés and a lake. Its name is linked with Black Mountain College, the experimental arts school of the 1930s to 1950s, whose museum is now in downtown Asheville.
- Getting there
- Car via Interstate 40
- Best for
- Quiet stays, Couples, Shopping
40 km (25 mi) · About 35 minutes
4.Carl Sandburg Home
In Flat Rock, the farm called Connemara was the home of poet Carl Sandburg for his last 22 years. The National Park Service runs tours of the house, and descendants of his wife's prize goat herd still live on the farm, a favourite with children.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Culture, Quiet stays
55 km (34 mi) · About 50 minutes
5.Brevard and DuPont State Recreational Forest
Brevard is a small town known for its white squirrels and outdoor shops, and nearby DuPont State Recreational Forest has a series of waterfalls, including Triple Falls and High Falls, reached by short hikes.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Couples
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- ART (Asheville Redefines Transit) buses run from the downtown transit centre to Biltmore Village, West Asheville, the airport and other areas, though service can be infrequent.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Asheville?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park via Cherokee. The most visited national park in the United States straddles the Tennessee border.
+How long does it take to get from Asheville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park via Cherokee?
About 1 hour 15 minutes — Car, about 80 km.
+How long does it take to get from Asheville to Hendersonville?
About 30 minutes — Car, about 35 km.