Two Days in Asheville: A Perfect Weekend Getaway
Updated August 2026
I’ve always been an ocean and beach girl, but there is something serene being in the mountains. It helps that my sister and her husband bought a vacation home up there.
Asheville area has a ton to offer in terms of hikes and I’d love to make that the main thing should I ever return. This trip however, was more an exploration since I was only there a couple days! Here is what I’d suggest for two days in Asheville! And since my sister is there often, I’ll mention some of her recommendations as well!
Quick Note: I returned to Asheville for Christmas, so I can now speak firsthand to how the area is doing since Hurricane Helene. Recovery is ongoing, and I want to be upfront that some of the businesses or spots I originally mentioned below may have closed permanently or changed since I first wrote this guide. I haven’t been able to verify every single recommendation post-hurricane, so please double check hours and status before making it a firm plan, especially for smaller local businesses.
My sister has a house just outside Asheville, so I have ongoing insight into how the area is recovering, and by Christmas it was clear the region still wants and needs visitors. If you’re considering [two days in Asheville], your trip genuinely helps support the local economy as it continues to rebuild.
Day One | Two Days in Asheville
Biltmore Estate
Are you wondering if the Biltmore Estate is worth it? Well, I also wondered, but my friend and I decided it’s worth it at least once so we sprung for the full ticket that included the audio tour of the home. House? Castle? I suppose castle is most appropriate. My ticket cost $85, so this is not a cheap activity.
Driving onto the property is beautiful! There are these gorilla looking trees set above a brown river or as I liked calling it the chocolate river. Sounds better and gave me Willy Wonka vibes. The property is beautiful with expansive green fields, corn fields, woods, and beautiful gardens!
My friend and I decided to have breakfast on property to make the most of our day. Food prices are not cheap and they weren’t that different from prices elsewhere. Though you aren’t paying an entry fee to other places.
I wouldn’t rate the breakfast high (it was typical), but if you want to make the most of your ticket like us, they do offer breakfast options. After breakfast we walked around a bit before our castle tour at 11:45AM.
Originally, I had wanted to rent an e-bike to explore the grounds, but that didn’t end up happening. It rained in the afternoon and my friend and I were spent by then anyway. I recommend doing things like that in the morning. The rentals are first come, first serve so keep that in mind as well.
Biltmore House Tour
We made our way to the house for our tour. Thankfully, we ended up timing it well by leaving a half an hour early. If you want minimal walking, do the park and ride so the trolley drops you at the castle. We drove on and parked in lot B and the walk from there was about eight minutes, though it seemed shorter.
We got in line about 11:40AM and the heat in Asheville on our trip was far more brutal than expected considering we were coming from Florida! Though the line didn’t last long, it felt brutal in the sun and heat. Once inside the house, it does not have AC, but the fans they have placed all around do help. However, we definitely did a lot of sweating at Biltmore.
They give you an audio device and you select the number as you enter the area. The tour is interesting and the rooms are so impressive! However, it’s not short! I hadn’t really done research on how long the tour lasts and I lost count at the 90 minute mark. The website does say 1.5 to 2 hours and that is accurate.
My friend and I took a five minute break for photos of the view, but the second half of the tour we weren’t finishing the audio or doing the bonus audio. It’s interesting but by that point we were losing interest. The home is beautiful to see regardless!
Lunch at Biltmore Estate
We went to lunch after the tour completed by driving to Cedric’s Tavern on the Biltmore grounds. They had a kitchen issue which resulted in a limited menu, but the Reuben was delicious! At this point, I was still thinking we’d do the e-bikes, but it rained so we officially scrapped that idea.
After lunch we headed to the winery. We walked down this cool hallway which was eventually lined with lights and looked so beautiful. When we finally reached the end, we walked up the stairs and into the wine shop. It was a bit of a letdown from the hallway, which built up the anticipation. In the shop you can get in line for the free wine, but neither my friend nor I had enough interest to wait.
We ended our time at Biltmore by driving to the gardens that sit behind the Biltmore House. The greenhouse was so beautiful and even had a banana tree thriving and growing some bananas. A tropical oasis in the greenhouse which was so beautiful and worth a visit! The rain reappeared so we didn’t make it for a walk in the actual garden. However, driving into the parking area for the garden, we did see it!
Overall, Biltmore Estate is beautiful! It’s lush, historic and will definitely tire you out exploring the beautiful property.
Dinner at the Airbnb
After Biltmore Estate, my friend and I were exhausted. We decided the next day, our last day, we’d enjoy a slow morning so we stopped at the grocery. We each got something light for dinner, and sorted our breakfast and coffee for the morning.
We were staying at an airbnb with beautiful mountain sunsets, and happily enjoyed the views as much as we could for our two days in Asheville. The prior day (our arrival day), we got takeout at Gypsy Queen because we wanted to enjoy the sunset. I really enjoyed what I ordered and overall I’d say Asheville has a lot of good food gems!
If you are not staying somewhere with good sunset views, I heard that the The Omni Grove Park Inn has a good sunset view.
Day Two | Two Days in Asheville
We enjoyed the morning at the airbnb and our first stop of the day was Hole Donuts! I had these one other time back in 2020 and HAD to have these donuts again! They are the best donuts I’ve ever had! There are three consistent flavors and one rotating flavor. I got all four to try and it cost just under $13 for one of each.
We had to stop here first as they close at 1PM and despite the fact they only serve donuts and coffee they stay busy. It wasn’t crazy when we were there around noon, but there seemed to be a steady flow of people.
If you like donuts, make sure to visit Hole Donuts!
We had the rest of the day to explore Asheville and get lunch before having to make our way to the airport.
Asheville, North Carolina Additional Food Recommendations
Asheville gives hippy vibes with a small dash of Southern charm. There are plenty of good coffee shops and restaurants to choose from! There’s an Anthropology and Urban Outfitters as well as some smaller, local owned stores. Some are genuinely cute and worth visiting!
You can easily spend half a day exploring Asheville, grabbing coffee, and enjoying a meal. My sister is a bit of a foodie so I gathered options from her. One of the spots we were interested in, Huli Sue’s BBQ and Grill, was closed for the day, but we ended up eating at White Duck Taco. I enjoyed both tacos I ordered, but my friend only enjoyed one of the two.
Baba Nahm – Middle Eastern Street Food looked good and it’s downtown near the BBQ place mentioned above. In general, downtown Asheville has plenty of options from Indian, Mediterranean, sushi, tacos, and of course barbecue! Whatever your mood, there is an option!
On our arrival day, we stopped at Old Europe Pastries and had delicious desserts! If you have a sweet tooth, it’s worth a visit! We had also attempted to visit Mother Bread + Wine, but it was closed during the days we were there, but it looks so good! It’s not downtown but could be worth a visit!
Weather in Asheville
Asheville has four seasons which is often what draws people! It’s warm in the Summer while snow is possible in the Winter. If you want to see the Fall colors, Asheville will not disappoint and if the new life of Spring is your favorite, experience Asheville as it comes alive. Just pick your favorite season for your two days in Asheville!
Spring (March-May):
- Mild temperatures, averaging 45-70°F (7-21°C)
- Occasional rain showers
- Blooming wildflowers and trees
Summer (June-August):
- Warm temperatures, averaging 65-85°F (18-29°C)
- Higher humidity
- Occasional afternoon thunderstorms
Fall (September-November):
- Cooling temperatures, averaging 45-75°F (7-24°C)
- Less rainfall
- Vibrant fall foliage, especially in October
Winter (December-February):
- Cool to cold temperatures, averaging 28-50°F (-2 to 10°C)
- Occasional snowfall, more common at higher elevations
- Generally drier than other seasons
How to Get Around
As with most cases in the United States, except for a few major cities, you need a car! The best way to get around is by car, however, if you stay in downtown Asheville, you can walk around easily and simply uber/lyft to places like Biltmore Estate.
Where to Stay
There is no shortage of places to stay in for two days in Asheville. For views, you will likely have a bit of a drive from downtown, but that was worth it for me!
With a View
Luxury Mountain Home – 10 minutes from downtown! Spectacular Sunsets!
Downtown Asheville
The Foundry Hotel Asheville, Curio Collection by Hilton
Four Points by Sheraton Asheville Downtown
Rooms Under $100 per Night
Final Thoughts on Two Days in Asheville
Depending on what you want to do, two days in Asheville can be a perfect little getaway. Time for hiking might require more days or replace a slow morning with views like I had for a hike with views!
Asheville has plenty of good food spots to choose from and you will not lack good coffee options! They are recovering well since the hurricane and are definitely ready for visitors! While some businesses may not have recovered, there’s still plenty to see, do, and enjoy in Asheville.
If you’re still in the planning stages, explore more destinations in the USA.
