With kids · Asheville · United States
Asheville with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: River Arts District, Asheville · Photo: Tunneluser, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Asheville works for families who like the outdoors, with Biltmore's gardens and farm, the arboretum, the parkway's overlooks and the Great Smoky Mountains nearby. Downtown has a small science museum and plenty of casual places to eat. Top picks: Biltmore Estate, North Carolina Arboretum and Blue Ridge Parkway. Families usually base themselves in Biltmore Village.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Biltmore Village
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- October
Plan a trip to Asheville
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Best things to do with kids
Palace · Biltmore Village
1.Biltmore Estate
Completed in 1895 for George Vanderbilt and designed by Richard Morris Hunt, Biltmore House is a 250-room French Renaissance-style château and the largest privately owned home in the United States. The visit covers the banquet hall, library and servants' quarters, followed by Frederick Law Olmsted's gardens, conservatory, the winery and Antler Hill Village.
Book the earliest house entry, then spend the afternoon in the gardens and at the winery; the estate is large, so allow a full day.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- House entry is by timed ticket; buy online in advance, especially in October and during the Christmas season.
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
- Kids
Garden · Bent Creek
2.North Carolina Arboretum
On the edge of Pisgah National Forest near the Blue Ridge Parkway, the arboretum has cultivated gardens, a bonsai exhibition garden, a quilt garden planted in patterns and trails through the forest. Exhibitions are held in its education centre.
The bonsai garden is the highlight; check trail status before you go, as some trails were damaged in 2024 and repairs continue.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Nature · Around Asheville
3.Blue Ridge Parkway
The 755-km scenic road from Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains curves around Asheville, with stone tunnels, overlooks across layered blue ridges and trailheads near the city. The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center at milepost 384 explains the route, and sections south of the city climb towards Mount Pisgah.
Sections of the parkway close for winter weather and storm repairs, and some were damaged by Hurricane Helene; check the National Park Service road status before you set off.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Museum · Downtown Asheville
4.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.
It is compact, so pair it with lunch downtown; it works best for children aged about 4 to 12.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
Experience · Downtown Asheville
5.Pritchard Park drum circle
For more than two decades, drummers, dancers and onlookers have gathered in this small downtown park on Friday evenings in the warmer months. Anyone can join with a drum or just watch, and it is one of the easiest ways to see Asheville's free-spirited side.
Arrive around early evening on a Friday from spring to autumn, and bring a hand drum or shaker if you want to join.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Asheville Museum of Science — It is compact, so pair it with lunch downtown; it works best for children aged about 4 to 12.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, first-timers and shopping
Biltmore Village
George Vanderbilt built this village at the estate entrance in the 1890s, with pebbledash cottages, the Cathedral of All Souls and a former railway depot. Today it has shops, restaurants and many chain hotels on nearby roads, with the estate gate a short walk away and downtown about 10 minutes by car.
- Good
- Next to the Biltmore Estate; More hotel choice and parking; Easy access to the interstate
- Watch out
- Less nightlife; Busy roads around the hotels
- Nearby
- Biltmore Estate, Cathedral of All Souls, Downtown Asheville
Family travel tips
- Biltmore's Antler Hill Village has a farmyard and outdoor play space that suits children after the house tour.
- Pick short parkway hikes with views rather than long trails with young kids.
- The Carl Sandburg Home's goat farm is a hit with younger children.
- Pack rain gear: summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms.
- Stay near Biltmore Village for easy parking and access to the estate.
Day trips for families
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park via Cherokee (About 1 hour 15 minutes) — The most visited national park in the United States straddles the Tennessee border.
- Hendersonville (About 30 minutes) — A small town with a long, tree-lined Main Street of shops and cafés, surrounded by apple orchards.
- 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.
- Brevard and DuPont State Recreational Forest (About 50 minutes) — 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.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September–October. October is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Asheville good for kids?
Asheville works for families who like the outdoors, with Biltmore's gardens and farm, the arboretum, the parkway's overlooks and the Great Smoky Mountains nearby. Downtown has a small science museum and plenty of casual places to eat.
+What can kids do in Asheville?
Biltmore Estate, North Carolina Arboretum, Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville Museum of Science and Pritchard Park drum circle.
+Where should families stay in Asheville?
Biltmore Village: Shops and inns in the planned village outside the Biltmore Estate gates.