There are so many amazing hikes easily accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway! It's also a great place to go for a scenic drive. Some of our favorite local hikes are Black Balsam Knob, Craggy Gardens & Craggy Pinnacle, Cold Mountain, Catawba Falls, and Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower! If you're unfamiliar with Asheville hiking, we recommend doing some research before you embark, as weather can change quickly in the mountains and some of these hikes can take 6 hours or more.
This is the perfect place to see beautiful flowers, bonsai trees, birds and butterflies, and more! They also have hiking and biking trails open to the public. We love coming here year-round!
We love the greenways in Asheville! While there are a few sections still under construction, we ran a large portion of our first half marathon on these trails in June 2023. It’s a great place to bring your pups for a walk, go for a run, or just enjoy some sunshine and great views of the French Broad River.
Some of our favorite restaurants are Haywood Common, Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack, White Duck Taco Shop, Pizza Mind, Pack’s Tavern, Taco Billy, Little Chango, Early Girl Eatery, and Biscuit Head. When we're in town, we always try to stop at Vortex Doughnuts for a coffee & doughnut. French Broad Chocolates also has great coffee, desserts, and, of course, chocolate. Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe is the perfect place to stop and grab a coffee while browsing for your next read. They also host author readings & book signings frequently. Izzy’s Coffee House is a cute coffee shop with plenty of outdoor seating in West Asheville, one of our favorite neighborhoods here. Finally, Summit Coffee is located in the River Arts District and has a unique seasonal menu plus great cafe standbys as well!
Asheville has been called Beer City, USA and there are tons of great breweries here! If you don't get enough at our brewery nuptials, there's no shortage of other places to visit. Aside from Hi-Wire, some of our favorites include Catawba Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, Highland Brewing, Burial Beer Company, Wicked Weed Brewing, Wedge Brewing Company, Asheville Brewing Company, and Archetype Brewing! Just south of Asheville in Mills River, near the airport, you’ll find Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, which is a must-visit if you have the time!